All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Merry Christmas to you and your family! I’m taking a break from my regular recording schedule to celebrate this beautiful Christmas octave, but if you're looking for some extra spiritual and theological enrichment, I encourage you to check out Episode 62 from the All Things Catholic Archives: "Christmas Through Jewish Eyes." Please pray for me as I join Fr. Mike Schmitz, Sister Miriam, and other Catholic speakers at the FOCUS SLS Conference. Please pray that the Lord guides our words as we speak to thousands of Catholics and Christian young adults, and that the Holy Spirit guides their hearts into a deeper union with him. Resources FOCUS SLS 2020 Conference SLS 2020 Live Streaming on FacebookSupport All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

As Christmas draws closer, the Gospel readings focus on the Gospel of Matthew, which begins with something seemingly mundane—the genealogy of Christ. Why does Matthew start his Gospel with a genealogy? If you look at it from the point of view of a first century Jew, it’s completely captivating. These names reveal a lot about the history of God’s chosen people, and builds up to reveal the identity of the new king and Emmanuel, Jesus. Snippet from the Show “Jesus is Christ the King and Emmanuel, God with us.” Get the shownotes at ascensionpress.com/allthingscatholicSupport All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Do you put Mary on such a pedestal that you feel like you can’t relate to her at all? As we celebrate the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dr. Sri explains the beauty of God’s choice to create Mary without sin and offers several practical ways you can seek Mary’s help in your own quest for holiness. Please share any traditions that help you celebrate Christmas as a Catholic with Dr. Sri at info@edwardsri.com so that he can include them in next week’s episode! _ Snippet from the Show What God did in Mary in an instant, he wants to do in you throughout a lifetime. Mary is an icon of God’s plan for your holiness. _ Why would God preserve Mary from sin? It wasn’t for her own sake that God preserved Mary from sin! The Immaculate Conception of Mary is in fact all about Jesus. This dogma reveals that Jesus is no ordinary child—he’s the all holy, eternal Son of God. Mary is like the ark of the covenant, carrying the almighty holy presence of God. In the Old Testament, Jews build the Ark of the Covenant with the best of materials, the purest of gold. It’s most fitting that the God of the universe would choose to dwell in the purest of human vessels—a woman without sin. *What Does the Immaculate Conception Mean for Your Spiritual Life? * Everything about Mary shows us what God wants to do in our lives. Mary is full of grace, and God wants to fill us each with grace, too. What God wants to do in each of us over time, he did in Mary in an instant. Mary is an icon reminding us of God’s plan for our own holiness. Two Ways to Seek Grace Alongside Mary Think about a specific sin in your life that you’re really struggling with, and turn to Mary. Say a Hail Mary, and ask her for her help in conquering that sin. “You who are full of grace, pray for me in this weakness.” Reflect on Mary’s journey to visit Elizabeth (Luke 1:39) Imitate her “going in haste” to serve Elizabeth and be in communion with her as they rejoice together in God’s plan. This week, “go in haste” to visit Jesus in the chapel, and “go in haste” to the people who matter most in your life. ** The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe** On the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, remember to ask Our Lady’s intercession to bring about a true culture of life in the midst of this culture of death. Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

From assigning secret “Advent Angels” to your family members to a Las Posadas door-to-door procession and celebration, these ten meaningful Advent traditions will bring your whole family closer together as you experience the joyful anticipation of this liturgical season. *_Snippet from the Show * People who are truly alive in the Catholic faith shape their entire lives with the Gospel. This next four weeks, let’s shape our homes, shape the minds of our children--shape everything we do around the joyful anticipation of this holy Advent season._ *Advent Wreath: * Ours is a circle of evergreen branches surrounding four candles (four violet, one pink) representing the four weeks of Advent. Bless your Advent wreath with this special liturgical blessing Put it on your dinner table (or nearby), and light it each night leading up to Christmas with your children or grandchildren. *Advent Prayers During Dinner * During dinner, pray a short Advent prayer or sing an Advent hymn with your family. O God, Who gladdens us by the annual expectation of our Redemption, grant that we, who now receive with joy Your only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may behold him without fear when He comes as our judge. Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Your Only begotten Son, that we may attain to serve You with purified minds, through His Advent. Who with you lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen. The Empty Manger Place an empty manger in a special place in your home. Have your family members place a piece of straw in the manger every time they do a kind deed or make a sacrifice. This symbolizes their effort to prepare a special place in their hearts for the baby Jesus. “Advent Angels” Randomly assign your family members as secret “Advent angels” to each other. The goal is for each person to perform acts of kindness and service for the person to whom they’ve been assigned. *Make a Jesse Tree * The tradition of the Jesse tree comes from the passage in Isaiah: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.” The symbols hung on the Jesse tree tell the story of salvation history and lead up to the birth of Christ at Christmas Dr. Sri’s “Advent Cards: Retell the story of salvation history with simple illustrations Bless Your Christmas Tree (and Recall the Tradition's Historical Roots) If possible, wait to put it up later, like the original tradition of the Christmas Tree (symbolized the tree of Adam on Christmas Eve, was decorated with Candles on Christmas to symbolize Christ the light of the world) Special blessing of a Christmas Tree *Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas * Have your children put their shoes by the fireplace or by their bedroom door. While they are sleeping, put little surprises in their shoes (saint cards, gold chocolate coins, a few pennies) Teach your children about the life of this great saint. A great way to do this is through the animated movie Nicholas: the Boy Who Became Santa Celebrate Las Posadas Read Tomie dePaola’s book The Night of Las Posadas Gather friends and neighbors to organize a night of Las Posadas in your community. Children dressed in nativity costumes go from house to house asking for lodging but are refused until they reach the final house, whenthey are welcomed into the “inn,” where they have a party with food and drink ** Listen to Advent Music Instead of Christmas Music** Follow the Church’s lead--the Church does not sing Christmas hymns until the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass. Dom Gueranger: “The Church also, during Advent … suppresses the angelic canticle, Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra paz hominibus bonae voluntatis; for this glorious song was sung at Bethlehem over the crib of the divine Babe; the tongues of the angels are not loosened yet; the Virgin has not yet brought forth her divine Treasure; it is not yet time to sing. It is not even true to say, ‘Glory be to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will.’” *Some suggestions: * Advent of Ephesus by the Benedictines of Mary Advent Promise by Roger Wilcock & The London Fox Players The Advent of Christmas by Matt Maher Handel's MessiahSupport All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

After Thanksgiving, it’s all too easy to jump into the chaos of December, and Advent takes a backseat to the busyness of the season. How do we avoid that frantic pace and actually make room for Jesus in our hearts this year? Dr. Edward Sri explains how this Advent, the Lord has special graces in store for you, if only you make space for him in your life. Snippet from the Show “Make room for the Divine infant, for he desires to grow within your soul.” -Dom Prosper Louis Pascal Guéranger **Why four weeks of Advent? **Recalls the four thousand years of Biblical history. Advent walks us through that biblical story. We’re entering into Israel’s longing for the messiah—into humanity’s yearning for a savior. That’s what the season is all about. **Why So Much Purple During Advent? **Advent is a penitential season, a time we do some acts of penance. In the early Church, it was almost treated as if it were another lent. It included forty days of fasting, from the feast of St. Martin through Christmas. In the ninth or tenth century, the Church eventually changed the fasting to abstinence. *What Abbot Dom GuérangerSays about Advent * There are three different kinds of men: Those who live saintly lives, living deeply in Jesus Those who have completely rejected God The last category is the largest: those of us who want friendship with Jesus but don’t live it out well. We sin and we get lukewarm. Dom Guéranger describes this group, writing, “Jesus is in them, but they are sick and weakly. Because they do not care to grow in his divine life. Their first love has become cold.” Advent is for those of us who are in that final group..those of us who feel like we aren’t progressing in the spiritual life, or who are going backwards. “Our Lord knocks at the door of our hearts. He comes to ask us if we have room for him, for he wishes to be born in our house.” When we are so busy, we don’t hear him knocking. “You who have had him within you, without knowing him, and have possessed him without relishing the sweetness of his presence, open your hearts to welcome him this time with more care and with more love.” “Jesus repeats his visit of this year with an untiring tenderness. He has forgotten your past slights. He would make all things new.” Maybe we’ve become slack in our spiritual life or in our relationships with others This Advent is the time to start over: “Make room for the Divine infant, for he desires to grow in your soul.” ** Practical Ideas to Make Room for Jesus ** Sacrifice: picture that the manger is your heart. It has a whole lot of stuff in it...your music, your entertainment, your money, your dreams, your obsessions. This advent, give up a little something to make room for the baby Jesus to be placed in that manger. Make a gift to our Lord in this season: An extra devotion, some spiritual reading, act of service or kindness to someone in your home or workplace, extra time for prayer. Make time for prayer each day in Advent: December is hard…ask yourself, how can I encounter God in the midst of all the expectations and pressure? Take a little time each day to close your eyes and talk to the Lord. You can tell him all the things you need to do, but that little space of extra care and attention for Jesus will allow him to make you new. Resources The Advent of ChristSupport All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Sometimes we think our intercession for others will work only if we say enough prayers or say the right ones, but the power of intercessory prayer lies in the love we put into the prayer and the love of our God who hears them. Dr. Edward Sri records this week’s episode from a place on the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum--where Jesus healed the paralyzed man who was lowered through a roof by his friends. Reflecting on the story of the paralyzed man lowered through the roof by his friends, Dr. Sri explains how Christ invites us to be part of his healing ministry by interceding for our friends, loved ones, co-workers, and even total strangers. Snippet from the Show: "God does not need our help or our prayers. But even though he doesn't need them, he invites us to pray. He is moved by our love for someone else." The Healings of Christ’s Public Ministry St. Luke and St. Matthew’s Gospels tell us about many sick people who were brought to Christ by their loved ones for healing. In Matthew 8, we see that Jesus cleanses a leper, heals a centurion’s servant, heals many at Simon’s house, and drives out demons from the Gadarene demoniacs. In Luke 4, we also hear about the healing of the man with an unclean spirit. Perhaps one of the most famous of Christ’s healings was that of the paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof of a house by his friends. This paralyzed man could not walk to Jesus on his own. We don’t have any record of the paralyzed man asking his friends to take him to Jesus, but we know that his friends take the initiative to do just that … they bring their friend to Jesus. Determined, they go through great lengths to do this—they take him through crowds, up onto the roof of a house, and lower him down through the ceiling. That’s how much they love their friend and that’s how much faith they have in Jesus Christ. We know the end of the story—Jesus heals the man and forgives his sins. But we often forget what the scripture says—Matthew tells us that when Christ saw “their faith” (the faith of the paralyzed man’s friends), he forgave the paralyzed man’s sins and healed him. What does this teach us about the power of intercessory prayer? It’s not the prayer itself, it’s not about how many prayers or novenas you say, it’s about how much love we put into those prayers. It Is Good for Us to Intercede for Others God doesn’t need our help or our prayers, but he invites us to help. Why? Interceding for others is good for us...it grows our love and expands our hearts God is moved by our love. When he sees a humble heart come before him petitioning him for someone else, he can’t resist. Practical: The first thing to do is identify what friends, family members, co-workers need prayers. Ask yourself, who in my life is “paralyzed?” Who can’t/won’t walk to Christ themselves? Next, commit to interceding for them. Ask yourself, do you love them enough to pray for them? Finally, bring them to Jesus. Bring them to him especially in the Eucharist. Pray for them at Mass, offer communion for them, pray for them in the Adoration chapel. Our chapels should be packed! When Jesus visited towns, he couldn’t even move because of the crowds who gathered. Mark 3:7-12 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed … a great multitude, hearing all that he did, came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they should crush him; for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. And whenever the unclean spirits beheld him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. Resources: God With Us: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew Matthew: The King and His KingdomSupport All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Purgatory often gets treated like a time out—the place you go because you did something bad—but it’s much more than that. Dr. Sri uses biblical images of fire and an analogy from St. John of the Cross to illuminate the Catholic teaching of purgatory. This episode will leave you with an essential truth about the all consuming love of God, motivation to continue your own spiritual growth, and several spiritual practices to help you remember the dead. Who Goes to Purgatory? Sometimes Catholics think of purgatory as a place where bad Christians go for a supernatural “time out” before they can get into heaven. But, that’s not at all what the Church teaches. At its simplest level, we can understand the three states of the afterlife as this: Heaven is for those who die loving God with “all their heart, all their soul, and all their strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Hell is for those who die without loving God at all. Purgatory is for those who die with divided hearts—they love God, but their hearts are also held captive by love of sin or attachments to this world. *What Are the Fires of Purgatory Really All About? * In 1 Corinthians 3:15, St. Paul says that some will be saved, but only through fire. Oftentimes, we view fire as dangerous and frightening, but the Bible uses fire as an image of God’s closeness. This is the type of fire that is associated with purgatory; it’s not fire of God’s wrath—it’s fire of God’s love. Scripture provides us with several images where fire indicates the closeness and power of God’s presence: Hebrews 12:28-29 – “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” Exodus 3:1-3 – “Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Mid'ian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” Exodus 13:21-22 – “The LORD preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire* to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night. Neither the column of cloud by day nor the column of fire by night ever left its place in front of the people.” Acts 2:3-5 “And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” St. John of the Cross on the Fires of Purgatory St. John of the Cross provides us with a beautiful analogy of a heart in love with God as a log in the midst of a burning flame. The flame consumes the log, and the log begins to burn from within. St. John of the Cross explains that this is what happens when a soul is consumed by God’s love—flames of love leap up through the soul itself But what happens when God draws close to souls who have many imperfections and weaknesses? Those souls experience the flame of God’s love in a way that is painful or afflictive. It’s similar to a damp log placed into a fire—it resists the fire, causing it to take longer for it to catch and burn. So what difference does the doctrine of purgatory make in our lives today? The doctrine of purgatory reminds us that in order for us to enter into heaven, our hearts must be fully in love with God and detached from all sin. So, let’s not wait for purgatory to begin this purification of our hearts and souls. Let’s root out sin in our hearts and try to love God with all our hearts here on earth. This doctrine calls us to remember the dead. We must not assume that our relatives and loved ones are in heaven, and thus neglect to pray for their souls. In her final words to her son, St. Augustine, St. Monics begs him to pray for her after she dies. If such a holy woman asked for continued graces through prayer after her death, we shouldn’t assume anyone is in heaven unless they are canonized by the Church. *How do we pray for the dead? * Write a list of names and pray daily for each soul Offer up a rosary, a decade, or even just a Hail Mary for those souls. Pray for those holy souls in purgatory who don’t have anyone to pray for them by name. Offer communion for all holy souls in purgatory Visit a local cemetery and pray for the dead Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Which biblical figure showed the most trust in God? Dr. Sri makes a good case for a man from the Gospel of John whose son is dying and explains how we can use his example to trust God more. Snippet from the Show “We can’t experience God’s providence unless we let go, unless we have confidence in his promise, unless we are willing to jump.” SHOWNOTES John 4:46-54 - So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Caper′na-um there was an official whose son was ill. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was living. So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live”; and he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. Fr. Jacques Philippe - As long as a person who must jump with a parachute does not jump out into the void, he cannot feel that the cords of the parachute will support him, because the parachute has not yet had the chance to open. One must first jump and it is only later that one feels carried. And so it is in spiritual life: “God gives in the measure that we expect of Him,” says Saint John of the Cross. And Saint Francis de Sales says: “The measure of Divine Providence acting on us is the degree of confidence that we have in it.” This is where the problem lies. Many do not believe in Providence because they’ve never experienced it, but they’ve never experienced it because they’ve never jumped into the void and taken the leap of faith. They never give it the possibility to intervene. They calculate everything, anticipate everything, they seek to resolve everything by counting on themselves, instead of counting on God. -Fr. Jacques Philippe How to Trust God More Admit your fear. Say, “God, I’m afraid to jump,” and give him your fears about the outcome. Pick something you’re afraid to do (it can be small), and do it anyway. Trust that whatever the outcome, God has a hand in it. Invoke the help of Mary and the saints. Ask a saint to pray for you and intercede on your behalf. Resources Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Joseph Journal The Advent of Christ Dr. Sri is traveling to the Holy Land! Send your prayer intentions to info.edwardsri@gmail.com Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

What does the Bible say about praying to saints? Are there biblical foundations for the Catholic tradition of asking saints to intercede for us? Oftentimes we’re challenged by our protestant brothers and sisters with the question, “Why pray to saints when you can just pray to Jesus?” You’re not alone if you believe there’s a good answer to that question but struggle to explain it yourself. As All Saints Day approaches, Dr. Edward Sri walks us through scripture passages wherein holy men and women from the Bible intercede before God for their communities. This episode not only will leave you with a good apologetic answer to these questions, but—more importantly—will leave you with a renewed sense of appreciation for the cloud of witnesses who inspire us, intercede for us, and draw us deeper into communion with the blessed Trinity. *Intercessory Prayer Is Scriptural * The Bible shows us that the saints aren’t disconnected from and uninterested in those who are living. *Old Testament: * Jeremiah 15:1–Long after their deaths, Moses and Samuel are depicted pleading for the Israelite people on earth *New Testament * Revelation 8:3–The prayers of the saints rise up before God, and then God acts on earth. John 15 – “I am the vine, and you are the branches.” St. Paul – We are the “body of Christ.” It doesn’t make sense that death would rupture this bond. Hebrews 12:1 The saints are a “cloud of witnesses” *Intercession Is Not Optional for Christians * Love of God and love of neighbor go hand in hand. The saints are our neighbors. They are our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. When we grow in fellowship with our fellow Christians, we grow in fellowship with Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:11–St. Paul commands the Christians in Corinth to pray for him. 1 Timothy 2:1–Timothy commands the Christians to pray for each other *How to Grow in Fellowship with the Saints * Pick a few saints that you want to get to know. Read their writings and learn about their lives. Fill your mind with their stories and their example. Talk to the saints, every day. Share your weaknesses with them and ask them to walk with you in your difficult times. Don’t just ask them to pray for you...invite them to be with you in every part of your life. Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

If you’re stressed or anxious, you will find great comfort in Pope John Paul II’s famous phrase: “Be not afraid … Open wide the doors to Christ!” In this episode of All Things Catholic, Dr. Sri explains the meaning behind Pope John Paull II’s words and shares a simple way you can begin bringing your fears and anxieties to Christ in prayer. Once you surrender those fears to Christ, you might be surprised at the amazing plan that unfolds. _Snippet from the Show Whatever is burdening you right now, talk to Jesus, name your fear, and beg Jesus to give you the grace to open the doors of your heart to him. _ *Our Modern Condition * How many of us live in fear and anxiety? We’re anxious about work, success, our relationships, our dreams for our family ... Pope John Paul II addressed this reality in his inaugural address: “So often today man does not know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is assailed by doubt, a doubt which turns into despair. We ask you therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let Christ speak to man. He alone has words of life, yes, of eternal life.” So what did Pope John Paul II urge us to do? He prescribes a life-changing remedy for our anxiety: “Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power…. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.” What Christ Says about Anxiety: Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.” Questions to Ask Yourself when You’re Anxious or Afraid What is God trying to tell me? Is this a sign that something is off spiritually? Am I too attached to something—someone’s esteem of me, my position at work, a plan for my children or family? Do I want too much control in my life? The First Step to Opening Your Heart Wider to Christ In prayer, name your fear to Jesus. Tell him everything about it. Don’t ask him to resolve it; just be honest with him. Admit your weakness and ask for his grace. Ask Jesus if there’s something he wants to do in your heart surrounding the issue of your anxiety. Pray a prayer of surrender. Tell Jesus you want to let go of your attachments and open the doors of your heart to him Tell him you trust in his plan for your life! Repeat St. Faustina’s prayer of trust: “Jesus I trust in you.” *Pope John Paul II: An Example of a Man Whose Heart Was Wide Open to Christ * Think about Pope John Paul II risking his life to meet in clandestine Catholic small groups during the Nazi occupation. It was by taking that risk and opening his heart that his vocation took root. See the great fruit that has come from his surrender! God will do incredible things with you as you surrender your life more completely to him. When you ask him to open your heart and help you overcome your fears, you’re going to be able to bless others in an incredibly powerful way. For an exclusive bonus episode on what we can learn from three historic moments in the life of Pope John Paul II, sign up for the All Things Catholic weekly shownotes!Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri