All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Do we really need a church? Why can’t we just be spiritual instead? Dr. Edward Sri explains not only why God gave us the Church, but why it is a gift for us and a necessity to be brought into a familial relationship with him. Snippet from the Show “God sent his son, Jesus Christ, and he set up a church. He gave his authority to the apostles and their successors to pass on his teaching.” Go to ascensionpress.com/allthingscatholic to get the shownotes!Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

We’ve talked about the Biblical roots of the Hail Mary, but what about the Rosary? What makes this prayer so powerful that St. Padre Pio called it “the weapon for these times”? Dr. Edward Sri explains why the Rosary is not “vain repetition”, points to the Biblical source of each prayer in the Rosary, and gives practical advice on how we can better incorporate this impactful prayer into our daily lives. Get the shownotes for this episode at ascensionpress.com/allthingscatholicSupport All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

When we fall short, it’s easy to despair and berate ourselves for our failings. We’re tempted to turn our focus inward, and that’s exactly where the enemy wants us. Using the theology of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Dr. Sri explains how this is the opposite of what God wants us to do. When we fail, instead of navel-gazing, we can recognize our littleness and let the Lord into our hearts by surrendering our shortcomings to him. Snippet from the Show Paradoxically, the real victory in the spiritual life comes from surrender. When you say, “Lord, I give this to you because I can’t do it on my own.” SHOWNOTES St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Letter 243 - “As soon as God sees us convinced of our own nothingness — He stretches out His hand to us; but if we wish to attempt great things, even under the pretext of zeal, He leaves us alone. It is sufficient therefore to humble oneself and to bear our imperfections meekly: that is true sanctity.” 2 Ways to Surrender Morning offering prayer O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its infinite merits ; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love. O my God! I ask Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in Heaven for all Eternity. Amen. (Offering Prayer by St. Thérèse of Lisieux) Offer up your suffering. Next time you face a trial or difficulty, use it as an opportunity to surrender your weakness to God. Say, “God, I give this to you.” Resources * Men, Women, and the Mystery of Love Story of a Soul Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Every faithful Catholic goes through a season where prayer is difficult. Whether you’re unable to feel God’s presence, get easily distracted, or find yourself avoiding prayer altogether, Dr. Sri points out four reasons why we may struggle in prayer, and what we can do to persevere and build an ever-stronger relationship with God. 4 Reasons We Struggle with Prayer Sin - if we haven’t repented of our sins, it will be difficult to pray. The devil - the enemy knows how important prayer is for the faithful and he will do everything he can to get you to not pray. Humility - God may be trying to humble us. God wants to draw out our desire for him. Tips for Prayer Focus on the very beginning of prayer to set the tone. Say God’s name with reverence when you make the Sign of the Cross. Set an intention for your prayer time. Offer the prayer time up to God. Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Catholics are often criticized for praying to Mary, but every part of the Hail Mary has biblical roots which reveal that the focus of this prayer is actually Jesus. St. John Paul II put it this way, “Although the repeated Hail Mary is addressed directly to Mary, it is to Jesus that the act of love is ultimately directed, with her and through her.” Dr. Sri unpacks the biblical roots of the Hail Mary to help us truly understand the significance of this powerful prayer. Snippet from the Show “Every time we pray the Hail Mary, we enter into the ecstatic praise of heaven and earth. Heaven represented by Gabriel, earth represented by Elizabeth. We’re entering into their words of praise, which are in Scripture and are inspired by God.” SHOWNOTES “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you … ” Luke 1:26-28 - In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” “ ... Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb … ” Luke 1:39-45 - In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari′ah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit* and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” filled with the Holy Spirit - this language is used to describe someone who is given prophetic insight. “ … Jesus … ” Philippians 2:8-11 - And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow*, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. at the name of Jesus - there is immense power in the name of Jesus, and his name is at the very center of this prayer, making it literally a Christocentric prayer. St. John Paul II called it the “hinge” of the Hail Mary. He said, “The centre of gravity in the Hail Mary, the hinge as it were which joins its two parts, is the name of Jesus. Sometimes, in hurried recitation, this centre of gravity can be overlooked, and with it the connection to the mystery of Christ being contemplated. Yet it is precisely the emphasis given to the name of Jesus and to his mystery that is the sign of a meaningful and fruitful recitation of the Rosary.” “ … Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” Luke 1:8 - And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”* let it be to me - Mary’s Fiat, her yes to God, is exactly what we seek to emulate. This part of the Hail Mary is where we ask Our Lady to intercede for us, so that we may accept Jesus into our hearts as she did. RESOURCES Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Apostolic letter of St. John Paul II Praying the Rosary Like Never Before by Dr. Edward Sri How to Pray Like Mary by Sonja Corbitt Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

What gives the cross its redemptive value is not the amount of suffering or bloodshed, but the amount of love that was put into Christ’s sacrifice. The cross is less about taking on punishment and more about the total gift of love Jesus offered to the Father on our behalf. As the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross this week, Dr. Sri takes us into the heart of the cross—which is ultimately the heart of God and his passionate love for his people.Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

We’re not called to be like the Amish, separating ourselves completely from the world.  But we must be careful how much of the world’s influences we allow into our homes and into our hearts. How do we strike the right balance? Dr. Sri draws on wisdom from Blessed John Henry Newman to help us live a Christians in this world without being of this world.Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

  Do you have family or friends away from the Catholic Faith?  St. Monica’s example offers six practical things we can do to help bring our loved ones back to Christ and the Church.  Too often we focus on how to change our son, sister or friend.  But the first step in evangelizing our loved ones might involve changing our own heart and approach to evangelization itself. Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reach them with the Faith?  Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Where is Mary’s Queenship in the Bible? Is this just Catholics exaggerating Mary’s role, trying to put Mary on par with Jesus the King, so they make her a Queen? In this episode Dr. Sri unpacks the rich Biblical foundation for the feast the Church celebrates this week - the feast of Mary’s queenship - and shows clearly that the Bible reveals Mary to be our Queen. Get a chance to win a free signed book from Dr. Sri by taking the short survey on the podcast at edwardsri.com/podcastSupport All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Did Mary experience death before she was assumed into heaven? Or was she preserved from death because she did not have original sin? You might be surprised about what the Catholic Church actually teaches on Mary's Assumption.Support All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri