Yooper Catholic Podcast

Happy Pentecost Sunday! The Holy Spirit unites us firmly together in one mind and heart in Christ. In this episode, Father Ryan draws from Acts 2 to show how the Holy Spirit unites us in the Church and transform us into the image of Christ.

Jesus promised when he returned to the Father he would be with us always, until the end of time. He fulfills this promise in the Eucharist and all the Sacraments, and gives us his Spirit to live in us. In this episode, Father Ryan begins a 3-part series reflecting on how the Eucharist builds the Church.

Jesus commands us to love because love is not a feeling, but a choice. Love is in the will. We choose to love. In this Mother's Day episode, Father Ryan looks at St. Catherine of Sienna's life as an example of love poured out for the renewal of the Church.

"Are you saved?" This should be a burning question for all of us, and this weekend's readings give us signs by which we can know whether we're walking on the path of salvation. Jesus is clear that we need to remain in him as our source of life. In this episode, Father Ryan explains how we can guard against becoming detached from Jesus, and how we can know if we are his true disciples.

Jesus' resurrection is the fulfillment of the Scriptures, and the affirmation of his unbreakable union with us forever. In this episode, Father Ryan breaks upon the Scriptures of Jesus as the new Adam and father of the new human race. In Jesus, we are empowered to put our sinfulness to death and walk now in newness of life.

The Gospel of God's love for the world sheds light on the meaning of suffering, for Christ so loved the world, he entered into our suffering and death, to fill it with his greater love and life in victorious resurrection. In this episode, Father Ryan reflects on how the Gospel story of salvation gives meaning and beauty to our personal stories as sharers in Christ's sufferings.

To celebrate St. Patrick, let's not only drink copious amounts of green beer. Let's learn from his inspiring example and imitate his generosity in God's service! In this episode, Father Ryan speaks of four lessons we can learn and apply to our life from St. Patrick's heroic life.

Today's saint is John of God, a Portuguese soldier who abandoned that life to care for the sick. The Scripture reading for today is the washing of Naaman the Syrian, which foreshadows Christ's spiritual work in the Sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation.

Jesus not only suffered for us - he also opens his suffering to us so we can participate in it, and join him in his work of restoration through reconciling love. In this episode, Father Ryan explains how we can be sharers in the sufferings of Christ.

Jesus reveals the definitive meaning of suffering in his divine and crucified love. As the innocent lamb who offered his life as an act of love to the Father and to us, he filled the gap between us and God with perfect goodness. Jesus didn't deserve to suffer, but freely accepted it to show his divine love. We're called to share that mission as we receive his love and extend it to others.