Original Sin, Explicit Music, State of Life Vocations, and Can Priests and Women Be Friends

Today Fr. Josh answers questions about how we become stained by original sin, listening to music with explicit lyrics, if feeling called to marriage means you will find a spouse, and if a friendship between a priest and a woman is appropriate.

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“We need to have appropriate boundaries to protect our vocation—not just our state of life vocation, but our primary vocation to become saints.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:16)
A glory story of gratitude! Fr. Josh shares some of the beauty and graces he experienced during his silent retreat this past week.

Listener Feedback (4:57)

Original Sin (11:22)
Dear Father Josh, Please help me to understand the concept of original sin. I came to Catholic church as an adult, and I LOVE studying the doctrine and history of the church. However, I don't understand this concept. I agree that God gives us free will, and as human beings we have this built in urge to do bad things. What I don't understand is how a newborn baby can be stained by original sin. How are we marred by original sin due to Adam's sin? I've read the Cathechism's passage on original sin, but I still don't quite get it. Please explain it to me or maybe direct me to a modern explanation.
-Kate

Explicit Music (19:20)
Father Josh, I'm a new listener and I got excited when you sang some songs on your podcast. Looked up "Sorry, Not Sorry" and Ericka, Ericka Jayne on youtube and they were explicit. A little girl in a Lebanese restaurant was grooving to "Sorry, Not Sorry"?! Yikes. And Ericka Jane was straight-up immodest! Is it okay to like this music? 'Cause then I can go back to loving me some Usher and DMX from my day. Gave that stuff up when I reverted.
-Anonymous

State of Life Vocations (27:26)
Hey Father! I have a question somewhere in the following statement... LOL

I was listening to Matt Fradd’s Pints with Aquinas podcast on Vocations and he brought up that there’s a reality that single people may need to begin to embrace in society at this moment in time and that’s the fact that we may not have "someone out there" for us-- essentially, that we just may not get married one day. He referenced pornography addiction as a big cause in this. I definitely agree with him as I am starting to realize at 26 (it really never occurred to me LOL) that I was never promised a husband by God-- but it is really hard to come to terms with this potentiality because I do really feel called to marriage and am working at bettering myself to be able to answer that call if/when it comes. Im still young and I still have time-- but I think its good to realize and pray with these things. BUT I have some questions-- in saying that this is true--are we saying that these people were never called to marriage in the first place? Ie-- could I be wrong about feeling called to marriage? OR are we saying that we could be called to marriage and because of the time/situation/state of society not able to fulfill that call? Its just really sad to think about an entire generation or generations of people who might be willing, capable of, and called to marriage but may never be able to.

All this being said-- I know that marriage is not and END goal of this life. Im slowly wrapping my mind around that and the Lord is moving in big ways to teach me that! I just wished this entire topic was talked about more in the church today and not just amping up marriage/priesthood/religious life like one of the three is guaranteed to us if it isn't. Thanks!
-Hailey

Can Priests and Women be Friends (36:54)
Hola from Central America, love love love your podcast, don't miss one! YOU are a blessing and I have to admit you are one of my spiritual directors.... 😊 I have been struggling with this question for quite some time now... Can a real friendship exist between a priest and a woman (when they click so much in personality)? Where should we draw the line? I have been consulting it and have very different answers.... so I want your input on this....Thank you and God Bless.... Gracias por todo lo que hace, es una gran Bendición para mucha gente en muchos países, no solo USA.
-Anonymous Spiritual Daughter

Universal Points (43:15)
(Please note that these are brief summaries of the answers Fr. Josh provides in the podcast and are intended to help you remember the advice given on the show.)

• Original Sin - It is more of a void and in baptism we receive the gift as a grace from God.
• Explicit Music - Some music will be gifts for us, and other music will not. We need to discern where the voice of God is speaking in the music and where the enemy is creeping in and affecting you negatively
• State of Life Vocations - We are all called to be saints. That is the primary vocation.
• Can Priests and Women be Friends - The Foundation Principle: How does this person bring me closer to Christ? Prioritize the near occasion of grace and avoid the near occasion of sin.

Resources
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