St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In our meditation of the week: we reflect on the virtue of fortitude as the driving force to overcome temptation. St. Josemaria Escriva reminds us, "A task which presents no difficulties lacks human appeal – and supernatural appeal too. If you find no resistance when hammering a nail into a wall, what can you expect to hang on it?" (The Forge, no. 245). To win the prize, you cannot avoid the struggle—it is the very path to victory.  Fortitude is essential for both the spiritual life and human development. Msgr. Dolan reflects on the importance of deferred gratification—choosing to set aside immediate desires in favor of what must be done. He explains that this discipline goes hand in hand with gumption, the ability to recognize the right course of action and take decisive steps forward. A key danger in the spiritual life is abandoning the fight altogether. We can either face challenges with fear and stress or embrace them with excitement and trust.  The Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent recounts Christ’s temptation in the desert. As the perfect model of virtue, he embodies fortitude in the face of Satan’s trials. This Lent, how can you strengthen the virtue of fortitude in your own life and say ‘no’ to temptation? View Transcript Visit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on self-denial as a path to deeper faith and freedom in Christ. As we begin Lent, we are reminded that to follow Our Lord, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. Self-denial strengthens our commitment to prayer, holiness, and living the Gospel with conviction.  Fr. Peter reminds us that St. Josemaria Escriva said, "If you don’t deny yourself, you will never be a soul of prayer" (The Way, no. 6). In a world filled with temptation, we must cultivate self-control and embrace sacrifice. And, as St. Josemaria urges, "Do it now! Now is the only shot you have. The past is gone, and the future doesn’t exist."  View Transcript  Visit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

Fr. Peter Armenio explores the simple yet profound call of Christ: 'Come and see.' He emphasizes the power of personal witness in evangelization, showcasing how genuine relationships can lead others to faith. Stories of transformation highlight the importance of support from friends and family. The podcast also discusses the role of prayer in effective evangelization, illustrating how true conversion emerges from personal encounters with Christ. It culminates in reflecting on the vibrant faith journeys of youth and inviting others into the joy of discipleship.

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on St. Josemaria Escriva's teaching on realistic optimism— omnia in bonum- the confidence that Christ has already conquered all on our behalf, and that by uniting ourselves to him through prayer, we can overcome any challenge and participate in his victory.  Drawing from John 16:33, he reminds us of Christ’s words: “In the world you will have affliction. But take courage; I have overcome the world.” This triumph is not just a past event but a present reality, accessible to us when we live in union with him. As Romans 8:28 assures, “All things work for the good of those who love God,” a truth that calls us to trust in divine providence, even in adversity.  View Transcript  Visit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the hidden years of Jesus' life and the profound sanctity found in the ordinary. He emphasizes how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived lives of simplicity and work, demonstrating that holiness is not reserved for extraordinary deeds but is found in daily life, family, and labor.  Fr. Peter highlights the Gospel's silence on Jesus' early years, noting that his hidden life in Nazareth was so ordinary that it became a stumbling block for those who later encountered him as the Messiah. Drawing from St. Josemaria Escriva’s writings, he explains that the path to holiness is through sanctifying daily tasks with love—whether in work, family life, or social interactions.  Also looking to the example of St. Therese of Lisieux, who found holiness in the smallest acts, Fr. Peter encourages listeners to transform their daily routines into prayer. He reminds us that God’s love is expressed through self-giving in ordinary duties and that evangelization begins in the family and workplace.   View Transcript Visit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience.  In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the profound reality of God’s unconditional love for us as his sons and daughters. Drawing from the only prayer Jesus taught us —“Our Father”— Fr. Peter reminds us of its deeper meaning: a call to recognize God’s perfect love and his desire for our happiness.  Fr. Peter emphasizes that our spiritual lives are rooted in the truth of our being children of God. Each of us is uniquely and intentionally created by God, custom-made with a soul that reflects his will and love. Our individuality glorifies him, and living as our most authentic, kind, and charitable selves is how we respond to this gift.  Using the image of the Samaritan woman at the well, Fr. Peter illustrates how Jesus invites each of us, no matter our circumstances, into a personal relationship with him. By offering her the gift of “living water,” Christ reveals his desire to love and transform us through grace, making even the most broken among us vessels of his love and joy.  View Transcript  Visit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience.  In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio explores the parables of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32) and the sower (Luke 8:4-15), illustrating how God’s grace transforms small beginnings into extraordinary outcomes. Through these parables, he highlights the importance of receptivity to the Holy Spirit.  He also reflects on the "vertical" and "horizontal" dimensions of love, symbolized by the cross. Prayer, as the foundation (vertical), unites us to God, while love for others (horizontal) flows from this connection. And, drawing from the life of St. Josemaria Escriva, Fr. Peter shares practical examples of how small, consistent acts of faith—like mental prayer, Eucharistic devotion, and the Rosary—can illuminate the world and remind us that even the smallest seeds of grace, nurtured with humility and perseverance, have the power to grow into something magnificent. View Transcript Visit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week; Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the call to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world,” as described in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:1-16). He explains that these images capture the transformative role of Christ’s disciples in the world.  Drawing from the Beatitudes, Fr. Peter emphasizes that they are a blueprint for shaping a heart to be like Christ’s, and they are a pathway to happiness in the world.   Through a practical examples of two young men whose faith flourished despite family challenges, Fr. Peter illustrates how ordinary acts of holiness can have a profound impact. Like salt enhancing flavor, or light dispelling darkness, Christians have the power to inspire and guide others through their witness.View Transcript Visit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience.In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on how a disposition (or willingness) to love is required to fulfill our baptismal calling and common vocation to follow Jesus Christ.Drawing from the Gospel account of the rich young man (Matthew 19: 16-30), Fr. Peter explains that while the young man had lived by the commandments, he lacked the detachment and disposition necessary to fully surrender to Christ. Fr. Peter emphasizes that this detachment is not merely about material wealth but about offering ourselves entirely to God, allowing him to transform our hearts and bring our baptismal vocation to full maturity. Because the rich young man rejected Our Lord's invitation to follow him, the young man was filled with sadness and unable to be a witness to others. If we want to be Christ's witnesses, we must learn to overcome our disposition to self-love, and chip away gradually at all that separates us from God.View Transcript Visit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience.In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio underscores the relevance of St. Josemaria’s spirituality for our times, drawing a parallel between our world and the intensely pagan society of the early Christians. Fr. Peter explains that as modern apostles, Our Lord says that we must be "leaven" to the world, transforming it through our imitation of Christ. Our goal should be for our love to reach such a threshold that those around us, starting with our family, lead people to say that we are followers of Christ. Fr. Peter also emphasizes that if we cut corners in our interior life, we could diminish our light to the people around us. St. Paul’s words in Romans 5:5—“The love of God has been poured into your hearts by the Holy Spirit”—serve as a reminder that Christ's love is the fuel that sustains our charity and apostolic mission. Without it, Fr. Peter notes, we cannot give people an authentic experience of Christ. This union with Christ through our plan of life is essential to radiating Our Lord's presence to the world.View Transcript Visit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!