St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio explains how knowing about Jesus Christ differs from knowing him. And, in order to know Christ, Fr. Peter encourages us to foster a personal relationship with him, with “the knowledge of the heart, the knowledge of a relationship, the knowledge a man and a woman have of each other when they’re courting…”Getting to know him requires intimate conversation, which begins with the “desire to seek Christ.” As St. Josemaria would say, we must seek him “hungrily” and determinedly: “If you act with determination, I am ready to guarantee that you’ve already found him, and have begun to get to know him and to love him, and to hold your conversation in Heaven” (Friends of God, no. 300).In this podcast, you will also hear how:An atheist Jewish writer embraced the Catholic faith after a profound encounter with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.Conversion never begins with a guilt trip, or even an examination of conscience, but with an encounter with Christ.Getting to know a person doesn’t m

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo invites us to reflect on how love makes God visible in the world because God gives himself entirely to us. “God is loving us with his 100%. He actually has nothing else to give us, except himself… Think of the Eucharist. There’s nothing else for Him to give.” And so, how can we pay back such great love? With love.Recalling the Gospel passage of the Widow’s Mite, Fr. Javier reflects on Jesus’ comment to the Apostles: “She has put in from her want, not from her surplus.” This is an example of a worthy response to God’s love to hold nothing back. The only way to love God is to never be satisfied with what we have given up to this point. As St. Josemaria Escriva would say, “love is with love repaid.”In this podcast, you will also hear how:• If it is 100% of our love, then it is worthy of God.• When we are united to God through the state of grace, we are able to love in and through the fulfillment of our ordinary duties.• It’s a false assumption to think that in any vocatio

“Now is the day of salvation, now is an acceptable time… For what?” As we begin the holy season of Lent, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the readings for Ash Wednesday which remind us once again that now is the time for conversion — Lent is a time for conversion. Our Lord gives us an entire season of the liturgical year to turn back to Him, to be reconciled to God, to purify ourselves, and to identify ourselves with God’s suffering. Our conversion does not have to be big and showy. In fact, Fr. Javier explains how simple acts of penance— like offering up our food and drink, setting a time for prayer, and participating in works of mercy— allow us to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ on the Cross and to bring about deeper conversions. He also explains how the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are ultimately participation in the life and mission of Jesus Christ that help us in our earthly life toward the goal of eternal salvation.View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FO

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a historical reflection on the 80th anniversary of St. Josemaria Escriva’s founding of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross on February 14, 1943. Fifteen years after founding Opus Dei (October 2, 1928), St. Josemaria finally saw “a way, a canonical solution to have priests in Opus Dei.” St. Josemaria had realized early on that Opus Dei needed priests “who have that heightened awareness that Christ wants to be in the workplace. He wants to be in the family, he wants to be in social relations… The layperson can’t just receive the sacraments in a perfunctory way. Those sacraments need to be administered by holy priests who completely understand that the layperson is called to a first-class sanctity.”As Fr. Peter explains, “the priest and the layperson are an organic unity.” Both “have their own role that is indispensable for the New Evangelization, to bring Christ to the middle of the world, and they complement each other and they’re profoundly united to each other.” T

In this special podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the feast of Mary, Mother of Fairest Love (February 14th), and the significance of this Marian title in the life of the Church and the history of Opus Dei.Rooted in the Old Testament, Fr. Javier explains how “fair” in this title of Our Lady refers to “beauty” and “fairest love” means “the most beautiful love.” He also explains how St. Josemaria Escriva helped to revive the devotion to this title applying it to Mary as “the guardian of the beauty of chastity” and “as a way of praying for holy purity, for the sanctity of marriage, for the sanctity of the family, and for vocations to celibacy."The virtue of holy purity is not just about control, as Fr. Javier explains, but it is primarily about love. Holy purity is a gift from God that helps us safeguard the image of God we have in our soul and in our heart, which is “where we are able to love God and make a covenant with God. The heart is the place of truth… So many things happen in the heart. An

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the meaning of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ and why “to be a follower of Christ, we have to love the Church.”In the Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul writes about the Church being “without stain or wrinkle.” Fr. Peter points out that, in today’s media, we often read about and see things that make this seem impossible. Yet the Church is lovable because it was founded by “God himself, God made man,” and Christ defines the Church as “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.We don’t judge the Church by the misbehavior but by the “salt and light of the world”—men and women who accept and live by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Church, and who make good use of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. The Church, as Fr. Peter explains, “brings the very best out of the human person. The more that human person embraces the teachings of Christ, the greater that person is.”In this podcast you will also hear how:The Church is a sacrament, a sig

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on how Jesus’ example and teachings on humility are key to knowing ourselves and to knowing God. Reflecting on Scripture, specifically the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, Fr. Peter highlights how we can only know God, and give ourselves to Him, when we own ourselves and are not held back by our pride, resentments, self-absorption, or sinfulness. St. Josemaria Escriva said that Jesus’ greatest act of humility is to be a “prisoner behind the appearance of bread” in order to have an intimate relationship with each one of us and to serve us. Jesus remains in the Blessed Sacrament so that we may have him “all to ourselves; no lines, no tickets, no waiting rooms.” Fr. Peter reminds us to learn from Jesus’ example of self-emptying humility and self-giving love. “Though he was in the form of God, [he] did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave” (Philippians 2:6-7).So, the more we empty ourselves

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio guides us to reflect upon the importance of loving God, being united to Him, and being a light in the world that extends and radiates His love to others. But how does God expect us to do this in our lives? Drawing upon the Gospel story of the Rich Young Man, Fr. Peter points out the “three steps” that Jesus shares with the young man to be happy and attain eternal life: 1) make God the center of your life because only God is good and can satisfy you; 2) live the commandments to gain the freedom to own yourself; 3) make a self-gift of yourself to Christ who is number one in your life.To be totally centered on Christ, like all of the saints, is to begin to experience the joy of eternal life here on earth. But, it's not going to work and we will always go away sad if we don't make the decision to give ourselves completely to Christ and become light and joy in the world. In this podcast, you will also hear how: A talented college girl who left the Church found her way b

In this podcast, Msgr. Dolan reflects on how “our spiritual life is a school of happiness where we learn how to be happy, no matter what.” The Christian way of life involves great difficulty and sacrifice, yet as the Apostles understood, “nothing could compare with the joy of a life with Jesus.” Jesus teaches us what it means to be really and truly happy.Msgr. Dolan also explains that our life of prayer sharpens our vision of the things that really matter and helps us protect that happiness that the Lord wants for us. Therefore, the more clearly we set our sights on goals that move our heart, the better our chances of forging ahead without minding the difficulties.As St. Josemaria said, “To be happy, what you need is not an easy life but a heart in love.” (Furrow, no. 795). A strong heart always fixed on the goal can struggle for Love until the end. In this podcast, you will also hear how:▪The more clearly we set our sights on goals that move our heart, the better our chances of forging ahead without paying a

In this podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina helps us realize that no matter how much we prepare, spiritually or materially, Christmas comes, and we never feel ready. There is always a contrast “between the purity and the beauty” of Christ’s coming and the “inadequacy” of our hearts to receive Him.Therefore, Fr. Leo invites us to adopt the humility and openness of the “broken figures” (or characters) who we find and imagine at the first nativity scene. They show us how all that is needed to welcome Christ is the willingness to receive the Good News. And, regardless of our brokenness and imperfections, Our Lord is always happy to welcome us when we approach him."As you kneel at the feet of the child Jesus on the day of his Epiphany and see him a king bearing none of the outward signs of royalty, you can tell him: 'Lord, take away my pride; crush my self-love, my desire to affirm myself and impose myself on others. Make the foundation of my personality my identification with you'" (Christ is Passing By

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan invites us to reflect more deeply on the Nativity of Our Lord. “In the Incarnation,” he says, “God has come not only to unleash our power of loving and adoring God but also to give us a model on how to become more fully human."Recalling a famous short story from 1906, titled, “The Gift of the Magi,” Msgr. Dolan gives us the “antidote” to that attitude of commercialization that often accompanies the Christmas season. He helps us ponder the fact that what matters most is “the amount, the extent to which we love each other.” We are reminded that the greater our love, the greater our freedom. And so we want our love to remain open to absolutely everyone; we want the willingness to befriend others in imitation of Christ, who made friends with “tax collectors and sinners.”We pray and ask the Holy Family: “Do whatever it takes to give me that same degree of love [you have]. Help me to contemplate. Help me to develop the capacity to be still, to see that you, Jesus, are God. Hel

In this podcast for the Fourth Week of Advent, Fr. Peter Armenio helps us continue our preparation to "be ready" for Christmas—the celebration of our transcendent God breaking into our own world in the fullness of time—by contemplating Jesus Christ as the true source of peace and joy.St. Paul preached not that Jesus is peaceful but that He is peace; Isaiah calls Him the Prince of Peace; and Jesus tells us: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you" (John 14:27). God wants everyone to be recipients of this description of Jesus. This great joy is for all people and it fills all people with hope.Fr. Peter directs us, therefore, to ask God’s help to penetrate this definition of peace so that we can "always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope" (1 Peter 3:15).View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your fa

In this podcast for the Third Week of Advent, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the readings for the Mass of the third Sunday of Advent also known as “Gaudete Sunday” or “Rejoice Sunday”.The very first description of Jesus in the Gospel is that he is "good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10). Great joy always surrounds Him and there is always a joyous reaction in the presence of Our Lord. Therefore, one tell-tale sign that we are in the right disposition for Him to come to us is the prominent fruit of the Holy Spirit: joy.Fr. Peter explains that permanent, deep joy exclusively comes from Christ and is the fruit of a close relationship with Him. Joy outside of Christ is just a good mood, a thrill, or a momentary pleasure. Our true joy comes from being that good soil where we habitually seek Our Lord with our whole heart.And, if we are lacking joy, this is the time to examine ourselves: Am I looking for Jesus with all my heart? Is He number one in my life? Do I want Him to be number one?We pray to Our Lady, Ca

In this podcast for the Second Week of Advent, Fr. Peter Armenio directs our attention to the metaphors of conversion found in the gospel description of St. John the Baptist: "A voice of one crying in the desert, 'prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.'" We, too, want to be imitators of John the Baptist, "albeit in a flawed and imperfect way," as Fr. Peter explains. He points out, "It’s not about my talents, my gifts, my skills; but it is about letting that Christ who lives in me through Baptism, to let him grow so He reveals Himself […] through myself, being an imperfect vessel, but a vessel of Jesus Christ, nevertheless.”During these days of Advent, our calling is to "put on Jesus Christ" more intentionally so as to let His life and His love be revealed through us. Only in this way can we make Christ "real" to those who earnestly seek Him. And, as St. Josemaria wrote, we have two points of entry available to us: "the Bread and the Wo

In this podcast, Fr. Fred Dolan reminds us how this time of meditation and prayer is so important to preparing ourselves for the feast of Christmas, especially because Our Lord wants us to make the resolution "to have our eyes wide open in order to discover all the growth that must be taking place on the inside" during this season of Advent.Fr. Dolan explains how our interior growth greatly depends on our acknowledging our dignity as God's beloved children. The core of our identities and our deepest realities comes from the fact that we are children of God. And, our personal worth depends on God's love who has created us and who has big dreams for us.Therefore, one of the consequences of reflecting on our divine filiation will be "supernatural vision"--learning how to see God's providence in everything. Because, as Fr. Dolan says, "we do not know what is good for us... but we think we do. We have our own plans for happiness and too often we merely regard God as somebody

In this podcast for the First Week of Advent, Fr. Fred Dolan helps us to reflect on this time that we are given to prepare for that central moment in history when God took on our flesh and began to walk among us. Advent is a time to ready ourselves for our eventual meeting with the very person whom we are awaiting and trying to imitate, Our Lord Jesus Christ.Advent, therefore, is a time for conversion. We should not be content with making a few small adjustments that really don’t make much of a difference in our transformation in Christ. Instead, we should aim for the stars seeking the kind of transformation and conversion that the Holy Spirit longs to bring about in our souls so that we can become what he wants us to become. We want a conversion that reaches every aspect of our being.Through the intercession of Our Lady, we can ask for growth in the contemplative spirit so that we decide freely and lovingly to find Our Lord in everything we do and to allow us to see everything from God’s point of view.View T

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the fact that "we're not called to make it [to Heaven] by the skin of our teeth." We are called to make use of all of our time on earth to become saints. But, as St. Josemaria Escriva said, "Time is short, too short to love!" Therefore, Our Lord wants us always to have an overarching goal, which is holiness.This doesn't mean that we don't have other interests, explains Fr. Peter, or that we must become indifferent to everything else. What it does mean is that we are called to make this phrase our mission statement: "I'm going to put the love of Christ into everything I do."Rather than fearing the judgment of God at the end of our lives, Fr. Peter counsels us to be afraid of not having loved enough. "The meaning of human life, and especially Christian life," he says, "is to fill [our] day with deeds of love." And, in this way, to become saints.View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio explains an important aspect regarding the Communion of Saints: "the holier you are, the more you help the Church, the more you help the world; it's that simple, that challenging as well." If we want to help the Church, we need to become holier, so that by our deeds of love and charity we will draw many souls to Christ.St. Josemaria Escriva said, "The Communion of Saints. How shall I explain it to you? You've heard what blood transfusions do for the body. Well, that's what the Communion of Saints does for the soul" (The Way, no. 544). The Lord calls us to sanctity, and illustrates the meaning of sanctity by preaching to us about the corporal works of mercy. Our Lord's heart contains everyone, the whole Church, such that whatever we do for the least among us, we do for Our Lord, Himself. And our works of love can also go so far as to merit great spiritual benefit for the holy souls in purgatory, who will in turn help us by their prayers

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares the importance and conditions for transmitting our gift of faith, “especially to our loved ones and especially to our children.” Recognizing that faith is a gift that all Christians receive at baptism, the main thing that our children (and everyone around us) must see is whether we are willing to live and die for our faith.Fr. Javier explains that to live by faith means, “I have to give witness, not a counter witness… I have to preach with my life. I have to preach with my deeds, transmitting the faith.” Because “ultimately, it’s going to be our example… it’s going to be whether or not we believe it, whether or not we put it into practice, in how we actually carry out our lives.”We must strive to live and die for our faith if we hope “to teach our children that they have to be men and women of their word, that they have to be men and women who stand up to their commitments… able to take risks for Our Lord, and when the risk goes bad that they stick and they stan

In this podcast, Fr. Eric Nicolai reminds us that praying the Way of the Cross can often be a moment of conversion for a soul that feels impelled by the realization that Jesus suffered out of love for us. It makes us want to undertake greater things in our life, and to open our heart to the call of God. He explains that, “for us to do something truly great, it must somehow be a response to God’s grace, God’s transformative love.”After Peter betrayed Jesus, he experienced that gaze from Jesus in the courtyard and it was everything he needed to undertake the adventure of being a true apostle. A vocation is always a call to greater love and greater magnanimity. Many have launched into their vocations after experiencing the penetrating and loving gaze of Jesus in their prayer.Have you experienced the gaze of Jesus in your life of prayer?Take time each day to let Jesus look at you with all the tenderness and affection of His love, and you will soon discover a loving desire to do great things for Him too.View Trans