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

We welcome a pretty special guest this week... Br Kolbe, of "He likes cars" renown! Let's get right to it: interior poverty. Facing our own brokenness, weakness, failings. Not the first place we want to go, right? But here's the thing… there's no way around it. The "secret" way to following Jesus is coming to terms with our poverty—with him, as he gives us the grace to be able to see it and not be overwhelmed by it. Getting to that place of emptiness allows him to fill us with peace and trust. There's a divine efficiency to poverty. The Lord can work more directly when we are depending solely on his grace and not on any false securities that get in his way. It's the only way. And that might not sound like good news, but that's because we have worldly ears. Hear it this way: this only way is hard, but it's with Jesus, he who brings sweetness to difficulty. So go there. Don't avoid your spiritual poverty—Jesus meets you there.

If you live community life well, if you live family life well, people are going to see your sins and weakness and failures. That can be a hard place. But if you can stay there, and people can stay there with you: that's the good stuff. That's the place of abundant fruit. Real fraternity—the love of brothers and sisters—is powerful. There can be a real infection in our hearts today that comes from experiences of rejection. We need spaces where we can rejoice in one another despite our weaknesses: moments of welcome and mercy that redeem our life experiences. This has to start somewhere. Where does this happen? In intentional relationships where we decide to have mercy on each other. People who keep choosing community, keep choosing to be patient with each other and have mercy on each other. To keep saying, "yeah, it's hard, but I'm here and I'm not going to leave you."

"There are so many voices telling me I'm not good enough, not worthy of that love. And lots of voices saying that this kind of freedom doesn't matter or isn't possible. That I can't experience true forgiveness or true healing or true conversion. That's where the battle is fought." We hear a lot of voices. And the gift of prayer is a space where we can hear the one voice that matters. Blessed are those who root out the distractions in their lives, for they will know God. As baptized Christians, we are made for prayer. Everyone is called to open up Scripture, encounter Jesus, and live the Gospel. We want to follow Jesus—and the way to follow Jesus is prayer. Our lives only make sense in the context of relationship with Him. And it's only when we get rid of anything that is blocking or distracting or interfering with this relationship that our interior life can be what it's supposed to be; an interior life that gives life new meaning. This could be your breakthrough in discernment, too. It will transform discernment from a calculation to a chance to give yourself away in love. To embrace sacrifice and boldly say to the Father, "Lord, I give you permission to take what I'm not strong enough to give." Mentioned in this episode... The Godsplaining Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/godsplaining A Work of God by Vianney Vocations, now available for pre-order. https://www.vianneyvocations.com/product/a-work-of-god/

Even when we're actively trying to trust God in all things, there's a constant temptation to take back control. To just do it ourselves. To bail out of surrendering to Him, and keep things from Him to try and "make sure they get done." We forget, over and over, that God takes initiative, does things, takes care of us. We overlook the ways He's doing that right now. What's opposite that temptation? God's constant invitation to let go, to trust, to forget about ourselves, to get over ourselves. To find that balance of letting God do everything while our fiat also provokes us to action. SO. If you want to live differently; if you crave renewal, restoration, conversion in your life; it's possible. It's real! Most of all: it's a work of God. This episode kicks off a new series moving through a collection of images and essays of the CFR community called A Work of God by Vianney Vocations, now available for pre-order.

Sometimes we need to stop and take a real look at what's going on in our hearts and our lives. What has power in my life? Who has influence over me? And if God isn't the first authority—by a mile—then it's time to reorder. It's time to get back to relationship with Him above everything else. Because Jesus isn't meant to be one priority among many. We can't balance our pursuit of Him with other things, even good things. The only way to living intensely with the Lord—the only way to become a saint—is to accept sacrifice. It'll cost you something, perhaps even a good thing that you'd really rather not give up. But it's worth it. Living this way, with Christ, protects us from being tossed around in whatever storms are raging. (And it's been a stormy year.) With Christ, the world and its storms no longer dictate our mood or determine whether we feel unsettled or unsafe. God alone is in control of our peace. So if you're sensing distractions or attachments or clutter in your life that are keeping you from God; if you're holding on to one thing that's actually holding you back from Him; if you've been thinking about letting go of something that's keeping you from being all in with God… now's the time. Drop it and return to God. Return to your first love.

Isaiah 25: "The Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces." We face suffering in this world; trials and hardships and pain that can leave us feeling so alone. In Advent we wait to celebrate Jesus coming to us in the Incarnation, and for him to come at the end of time, when he will definitively wipe away all tears. But he also comes to us today. Wherever we are, whatever we're feeling; he gently comes near to us and wipes away our tears. When we cry out to God, he hears us. He sees our suffering. He does not pass by or overlook us. Whether we're publicly begging for him or privately weeping to him, each day can be a mini Advent in our hearts, welcoming the Savior who comes to us. Our hope is sure. The Lord comes to comfort us, and we can experience that breakthrough in prayer, even today.

Let's take an honest look at our expectations of God. Specifically, how our wounds and weakness can make us expect so little of him. The times when we feel threatened by others, insecure about ourselves, anxious about life—these are all fruit of a small heart with small expectations of what our mighty Father will do. Jesus says he will come. So do we believe him? And when he comes to us—at Bethlehem, at Mass, every day—are our eyes open to see him? Our hearts are meant to be bigger. Advent is a time for our hearts to expand with Christ's own heart. Jesus shows us how to have joyful expectations and real confidence that the Lord has revealed his goodness throughout history, continues to work today in our lives and the lives of all those around us, and will continue to work in the future. God has promised that he will come. Now's the time to pray with filial boldness and be available to him, awaiting his promise with joyful expectation.

Where do you feel most "at home"? When are you most free to be yourself? Ultimately, our hearts can only fully experience this through a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. He's the one who settles our insecurities and gives us the sense of belonging which we crave. If you're feeling a sense of exile, of not feeling seen and known and loved... maybe it's time to discern if that's due to trying to make your home in other places. As Henri Nouwen pointed out, sometimes we know we have a home, we just don't choose to live there. Let's choose home! Let's decide to live there. Because that's where we belong—and if we're not home with the Father, it's very difficult to find home in the world. Today's episode continues with Blessed is She's Advent Devotional, Maranatha. Also recommended (thanks Fr Angelus): Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings, 1941-1944 by Fr Alfred Delp, S.J.

Advent is here! In these days leading to Christmas, we all have the chance to look at the places where we need Jesus to break in and bring light and hope. In this week's episode: We start our 4-week exploration of Blessed is She's Advent Devotional, Maranatha Recommendation from Fr Angelus: Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings, 1941-1944 by Fr Alfred Delp, S.J. Martin Jernberg (instagram: @martin.jernberg), Mike Kearney (instagram: @atmikekearney) Advent and Lent have similarities. Consider this: St Francis fasted before both Easter (during Lent) and Christmas (during Advent). Do you struggle to get "into" Advent? Fr Mark-Mary is publishing a book with Ascension Press, set for release in March 2021. Fr Mark-Mary talks about praying maranatha ("Come, Lord Jesus!) in a particular situation as an example of how we can invite the Lord into our lives. The "recipe" for Jesus to come: embracing our poverty. Jesus doesn't always come with the remedies we hope for—He comes with himself. The world before the advent of Christ needed a Savior; it was broken, lost, dark. Christ brought healing, purpose and light to the world, and He wants to do the same for our world, now; for our lives. We don't have to wait for the "big" things to happen before we involve God; He wants to enter into the ordinary, everyday things with us. The Church has set aside holy, consecrated times like Advent as a gift for us. Jesus not only wants to come, but also wants us to ask, even beg, for Him to come. Servant of God Marcel Văn, in prayer, hears Jesus say to him, "It brings joy to me to hear you call my name." Jesus has a desire to hear us cry out to Him. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel… one of the greatest Advent songs, right? Reflecting on the experience of Megan Hjelmstad (instagram: @positively__imperfect) of longing for children after a hysterectomy, and how so many of us can relate to that suffering of longing. Megan feels the Holy Spirit invite her to pray for Our Lady's intercession to conceive Christ in her life so that she might bring His light into the world. When we're consumed by our suffering, we need to let God break in. We need to turn away from ourselves and to the Lord, and let Him work. Fr Innocent talks about struggling with depression in high school and feeling the pressure as a varsity athlete, even while appearing totally fine and happy on the outside. This depression and experience of anxiety leads to a profound Eucharistic encounter. Healing is made possible through hope. Your Advent season can be real and concrete. What are areas in your life that are barren and burdened and in need of Christ?

Peace on the outside comes from knowing God on the inside. This week we discuss the Prince of Peace who is Christ crucified. Through the cross, Jesus has made a way for us to have peace with the Father in this world. Peace WITH God will bring the peace OF God. Jesus promised peace in our hearts. So, we remain in His presence. It's in Him alone that you can find real peace…