The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God’s will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- Grace is in the present; there is no grace in the past or in the future. The challenge, though, is that we’re all professional escape artists. We can get antsy and we don’t know how to be present, which means we don’t know how to receive God’s grace. We’ve got to give up the hope of a better past—it has happened and there’s nothing we can do about it. We also have to stop living in a fantasy future that doesn’t exist—there’s no grace there, either. Jesus is Lord of our lives; the past, the present, the future. Trust him, and allow yourself to embrace today and all the grace he is waiting to give you here.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God’s will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- There are some virtues we can work on and grow in—but trust isn’t like that. It’s not your own project. You don’t work on it directly, because it’s the fruit of relationship with the Lord. If you want to develop more trust, focus first on that relationship; on conversion, on healing, on experiencing his goodness alive in you. Because the more you get to know God, the more you find that he is good and worthy of your trust. When you have a chance to trust him (you know the kind of moment), hear him speak gently to you through this line from Sr Faustina: “I don’t want you to give you ‘yes’ to a set of circumstances, but to me.”

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God’s will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- It is easy to fall into the temptation and believe that we can't do it, that we can't live a holy life. Although the ordinary life is simple, hidden, and seems kind of normal, there's so much sanctity in our vocations that are being lived faithfully. It might not be flashy or spectacular, but it's one of the most real ways we can grow in holiness. We may not be in the chapel or church making a eucharistic holy hour, but no matter what our day-to-day experiences look like or what daily lives we are accustomed to, God is there.  There's something extraordinary in our ordinary experiences. It is possible to be in relationship with God, amidst everything that we do. We just need to make the space and time, no matter how small, and let Him enter into our lives

Episode 269 - End of the Season What would the Jubilee rest look like on your end? After 269 episodes, the friars are stepping away for a season of Jubilee, renewal, and obedience.  In this heartfelt season finale, they share honest life updates, reflect on God’s invitation to deeper trust, and remind us that real rest isn’t about burnout. It’s about surrender. This one’s full of laughter, brotherhood, and real discernment.  Thank you so much! See you in Season 2! The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/ Check out the Eight Promises of God: Discovering Hope Through the Beatitudes book at https://ascensionpress.com/products/eight-promises-of-god-discovering-hope-through-the-beatitudes

Episode 268 - The Beatitudes Is following Jesus just another self-help plan? The Beatitudes flip that idea upside down. This isn't about fixing yourself, it's about letting God meet you in your need. In this episode, the friars unpack how the Beatitudes aren't a checklist for spiritual success, but an invitation to deep dependence on God. They explore how true blessings often look like weakness, surrender, and a poverty of spirit because that's where grace breaks in.  The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/ Check out the Eight Promises of God: Discovering Hope Through the Beatitudes book at https://ascensionpress.com/products/eight-promises-of-god-discovering-hope-through-the-beatitudes

Episode 267 - Intentional and Wanted by God Were you just a surprise, or were you really wanted by God? In this episode, the friars speak into the quiet questions many carry, especially those born outside traditional circumstances.  They unpack the pain, confusion, and identity struggles that can come with that and speak truth into it all that no matter how you came into the world, whether your story includes surprise, brokenness, or uncertainty, one truth stands firm: Your life is not an accident. You are intentionally created, deeply known, and unconditionally loved by God. Let's talk about what that really means. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/

Episode 266 - Joy and the Valley of Tears - Series on Jesus and the Jubilee (Part 14)  Ever feel too tired, too broken, or too behind to be joyful? You’re not alone. But the gift of Paschal Joy isn’t about having it all together—it’s about Jesus coming to you right where you are. This joy isn’t manufactured; it’s a gift rooted in the Resurrection. Even in our weakness, Jesus says: “It’s not about you—it’s about Me.” In this episode, the friars talk about joy in the midst of suffering and how the Jubilee year reminds us that joy is something to receive, not achieve. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/

Episode 265 - The Fullness of God - Series on Jesus and the Jubilee (Part 13)  Can we let God be the one who provides, who carries us, who fills us with His presence and love? This week, the friars reflect on the heart of the Jubilee rest. True rest isn’t just doing less or stopping work—it’s a radical shift in mindset and posture from striving to receiving. The invitation is clear—come home to the Father and let Him be enough. This podcast episode invites you into the deep rest your heart’s been craving—not just a pause from work, but a return to the Father’s arms. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/

Episode 264 - Jubilee and the Good Samaritan Why do we leave what’s good and go searching for answers in places that break us? This week, the friars unpack the story of the Good Samaritan through the lens of the Jubilee year. What draws us away from the peace and identity we have in God—toward places that leave us wounded and empty? Whether it’s the orphan mindset, performance pressure, or endless distractions, we all carry brokenness. But Jesus meets us there, not with judgment, but healing. He carries us home, restoring what’s been lost. This episode talks about the Good Samaritan and how it relates to the heart of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/

Episode 263 - Freed by the Cross How can the wounds of Jesus at the cross set us free? Could the cross be more than a symbol—could it be an exorcism, a place of real freedom and healing? His open heart invites us to lay down our disordered loves and be delivered from the false attachments that enslave us. Could the cross be where we find freedom, not just from sin, but from the Egypt still within us? This is the freedom Jesus offers: deep, lasting, and born from love. Join us as we explore how the heart of Christ transforms and frees us at the deepest level. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/