For last week's special Thanksgiving episode, Marcus Grodi shared a portion of a sermon he gave as part of a Thanksgiving service back when he was a Presbyterian pastor in 1985. That message focused on Philippians 4:4-7, in which St. Paul calls us to present our requests to God with gratitude already in our hearts. Marcus follows up this week by focusing on the verses that immediately follow that passage. In Philippians 4:8-9, St. Paul gives us a template of how to guard our hearts and mind from...
Dec 10, 2020•42 min•Ep. 229
In a special Thanksgiving edition of Deep in Scripture, Marcus Grodi shares audio from a sermon he preached on the Sunday before Thanksgiving in 1985, when he was still a Presbyterian pastor in central Ohio. The text for that sermon came from Philippians 4:6, where St. Paul exhorts his readers to "have no anxiety about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." In 1985, as a Presbyterian pastor, Marcus preached on the need...
Nov 24, 2020•26 min•Ep. 228
Marcus and JonMarc Grodi wrap up their study of St. Cyprian of Carthage's treatise on the Lord's Prayer, specifically looking at the implications of what it means to ask for God's will to be done in our lives. The last points that St. Cyprian makes in this passage have to do with following God's will, even under the threat of persecution. God calls us to faithfulness despite our circumstances, which St. Cyprian had the courage to follow all the way to his martyrdom by beheading in 258AD....
Oct 16, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 227
Marcus and JonMarc Grodi continue their series looking at St. Cyprian of Carthage's treatise on the Lord's Prayer, specifically focusing on St. Cyprian's thoughts regarding the will of God. St. Cyprian tells us to "prefer nothing whatever to Christ, because He did not prefer anything to us." Jesus held nothing back in His incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection; our call as Christians is to give everything of ourselves back to Him in return.
Oct 16, 2020•39 min•Ep. 226
Marcus and JonMarc Grodi continue their study of St. Cyprian of Carthage's treatise on the Lord's Prayer by diving even deeper into what it means to ask for God's will to be done in our lives. What exactly does the fear of the Lord mean, properly understood? What are its implications in regard to our humility, our wonder, our worship, and our obedience? If, as Proverbs 9:10 tells us, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," then how do we enter into that mystery?
Oct 16, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 225
As Marcus and JonMarc Grodi continue their study of St. Cyprian of Carthage's remarks on the Lord's Prayer, they look at what he has to say about love of God and neighbor. St. Cyprian speaks of the need "to love God with all one's heart; to love Him in that He is a Father; (and) to fear Him in that He is God," but what is that supposed to look like in our everyday lives? Marcus and JonMarc explore what St. Cyprian says about this challenging aspect of what it means to live in God's will....
Oct 16, 2020•31 min•Ep. 224
Marcus and JonMarc Grodi continue their series on St. Cyprian of Carthage's treatise on the Lord's Prayer by looking at one of the most difficult aspects of what it means to pray the seemingly simple phrase, "thy will be done." It can be manageable to live that principle when it comes to obeying directives from God, or changing negative behaviors; but what are we supposed to do when it comes to applying that principle to accepting the harm that others intend for us? Are we supposed to be doormat...
Oct 16, 2020•42 min•Ep. 223
As Marcus and JonMarc make their way through St. Cyprian of Carthage's treatise on the Lord's Prayer, they look at what he has to say about the importance of maintaining control over our bodily passions. As human beings, what we do with our bodies has implications for our souls. St. Cyprian reminds us that our bodies express the disposition of our souls when it comes to lust, gluttony and sloth, but also in regard to faith, hope and charity.
Oct 16, 2020•29 min•Ep. 222
Marcus and JonMarc Grodi continue their study of St. Cyprian of Carthage’s treatise on the Lord’s Prayer, this time around focusing on what St. Cyprian has to say about the relationship between justice and mercy. To focus on justice to the exclusion of mercy leads to legalism; to focus on mercy to the exclusion of justice leads to license. St. Cyprian reminds us that in order to balance these goods, we must seek to do the will of God, who is both infinitely just, and infinitely merciful....
Oct 16, 2020•30 min•Ep. 221
Marcus and JonMarc Grodi continue their study of St. Cyprian of Carthage’s treatise on the Lord’s Prayer, they look at the way St. Cyprian talks about moderation and self control in the spiritual life. What is the relationship between our will and our passions? How do we avoid the complacency that leads us to let our guard down in regard to sin? How do we tame the tongue? Marcus and JonMarc dig into what St. Cyprian has to say about employing the virtue of prudence in our walk as Christians....
Oct 16, 2020•28 min•Ep. 220
In this episode of Deep in Scripture, Marcus and JonMarc Grodi continue to look at St. Cyprian of Carthage's treatise on the Lord's Prayer. This time around, they look at the way that the "Our Father" calls us to have the humility to conform our will to the will of God, and Marcus specifically discusses how he understands this concept differently now as a Catholic than he did in his years as a Presbyterian pastor.
Oct 16, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 219
Taking a slightly different approach to Scripture study, Marcus and JonMarc Grodi look at the Lord's Prayer through the eyes of St. Cyprian of Carthage, a 3rd century bishop and martyr. Focusing specifically on the phrase "Thy will be done," Marcus and JonMarc unpack St. Cyprian's wisdom when it comes to understanding how to live in the will of God. ***** From a treatise on the Lord’s Prayer by Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr (Office of Readings, Twelfth week of Ordinary Time, Wednesday) After ...
Oct 16, 2020•58 min•Ep. 218
As our nation and world continue to be faced with disease, injustice, and unrest, Marcus and JonMarc Grodi look at some passages from Scripture that model for us what it means to trust Christ in the midst of difficulty. St. Paul in particular speaks strongly to what it means to prefer union with Christ even more than our mortal lives. And it is Our Lord himself who tells us that the treasure of heaven is greater than any good we could ever receive in this life. Marcus and JonMarc discuss how a r...
Jun 11, 2020•55 min•Ep. 216
In many parts of the country, people are beginning to return to Mass, but some regions remain under restrictions put in place due to COVID-19. Looking at the Last Supper discourses from Jesus in John 14 and 15, Marcus and JonMarc Grodi discuss how Catholics can remain in Christ while they wait to return to regular participation in the sacraments. We must avoid the extreme that says we cannot know Christ unless we receive the sacraments, but also the error that says we don't need the sacraments t...
Jun 04, 2020•43 min•Ep. 215
In this "Memorable Verses" take on Deep in Scripture, Marcus and JonMarc Grodi take a Biblical approach to some of the difficulties that many of us are facing as we all continue to navigate the problems raised by COVID-19. Marcus and JonMarc look at passages from St. Paul, St. James, St. Jude and the Psalms for advice about how to live as faithful witnesses in times of crisis.
May 21, 2020•40 min•Ep. 214
In a special episode of Deep in Scripture, Marcus Grodi shares some verses from the Bible to help us put the COVID-19 crisis in perspective. Marcus looks at what St. Paul, St. James and others had to say about steadfastness in times of persecution, and also reflects on how this time of quarantine has affected the way we approach our work with people who are interested in the Catholic Church.
May 14, 2020•36 min•Ep. 211
As we continue to deal with the challenges that have come about due to COVID-19 and its effects, Marcus Grodi and Jim Anderson look at some passages that show forth God's providence and peace in the midst of uncertainty. Looking at Paul's hopeful remarks in chapter 8 of his Epistle to the Romans, as well as Matthew's account of Jesus calming a storm at sea, Marcus and Jim share how Scripture has been a source of strength for them in these uncertain times. "We know that in everything God works fo...
May 07, 2020•31 min•Ep. 212
Marcus Grodi and Ken Hensley conclude their study of the Epistle of St. James by giving a larger look at the perspective on trials and priorities that we hear about in this rich letter from the New Testament. After recalling the opening verses of James, which focus on perseverance in the face of testing, Marcus and Ken look at the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic provides a fresh opportunity to revisit how James reminds us of what's truly important in the sight of God, and why the call to hol...
Apr 16, 2020•42 min•Ep. 210
Marcus Grodi and Ken Hensley continue their series on the Epistle of St. James from their perspective as former Protestant pastors. They look specifically at James 1:5-8, and what it means to ask for wisdom from God. Why is it that so many pastors, of varying denominations, ask for such wisdom, but come up with so many varying conclusions as to how to interpret the Scriptures? Marcus and Ken share their experience, and why they eventually came to the conclusion that there was an authoritative an...
Feb 27, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 208
The Epistle of St. James begins with a puzzling statement: "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." What are we to make of the idea that we should be happy in the midst of trials? Marcus Grodi and Ken Hensley look at the historical context and the audience to which St. James was writing, and try to get to the heart of what is being said in this complex and mysterious New Testament epistle.
Feb 20, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 207
On the latest episode of Deep in Scripture, Marcus Grodi and Ken Hensley tackle the Epistle of St. James, beginning by sharing what each of them thought of James as former Protestant ministers, and taking a look at what they think are some of the most controversial passages in the letter that cause some Protestants to balk at the idea of studying St. James.
Feb 13, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 206
Marcus Grodi and Ken Hensley were both Reformed pastors who used to rely heavily upon Martin Luther, and like Luther, they weren't always sure exactly what to do with the Epistle of St. James, which to Luther's dismay, somehow made its way into the New Testament. On this episode of Deep in Scripture, Marcus and Ken share how grappling with the Epistle of St. James was part of what led them from Reformed Theology to the Catholic Church.
Feb 06, 2020•56 min•Ep. 205
Marcus Grodi welcomes Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, a former Episcopal bishop and the first head of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, to discuss the importance of Christian unity. They reflect on their own experiences as Protestant ministers, and what they used to think about the idea of Christian unity, and look at passages from Acts of the Apostles and St. Paul's letter to the Romans to unpack the Scriptural mandate for Christian unity.
Jan 24, 2020•40 min•Ep. 204
As the season of Advent draws to a close and Christmas approaches, there are all kinds of distractions that would take our eyes off of the true meaning of the incarnation of Christ. In this Deep in Scripture episode, which originally aired in 2006, Marcus Grodi and Jim Anderson reflect on St. Paul's words in Philippians 3:2-17, and what it means to look past all the distractions of the present moment, and toward Christ above all things.
Dec 19, 2019•49 min•Ep. 203
Scripture is full of references to the second coming of Jesus, the last judgment, and the final destruction of Satan. Over the years, many Christians have tried to interpret these passages to do all sorts of things: predict the date of Christ's return, determine the identity of the antichrist, and more. But those efforts are relatively recent in Christian history, appearing over the past few hundred years. So how did the earliest Christians interpret them? Marcus Grodi and Steve Wood dig into th...
Dec 12, 2019•59 min•Ep. 202
Many lament that the materialism that pervades Advent distracts from the true meaning of Christmas. But what about Thanksgiving, which has been overtaken by gluttony, sloth, and trampling our neighbors for the best sale price on the latest gadget? In this special Day-Before-Thanksgiving edition of Deep in Scripture, Marcus Grodi and Jim Anderson look at Philippians 4:4-7, and what it truly means to rejoice in the Lord, and show gratitude for every good gift that comes from Him. "Rejoice in the L...
Nov 27, 2019•48 min•Ep. 201
In part 2 of our special 2-part series on Keeping Our Kids Catholic, Marcus and his son JonMarc Grodi continue to unpack 7 practical things that parents can do to help give their children a solid foundation in the Church that will last them a lifetime. How do we not only help our children who have strayed from their Catholic faith return to the Church, but also create a family environment where faith is instilled in such a way that our children never leave it behind in the first place? "Train up...
Nov 07, 2019•43 min•Ep. 200
One of the most common concerns our members raise with us at The Coming Home Network is the question of not only how to help our children who have strayed from their Catholic faith return to the Church, but how to create a family environment where faith is instilled in such a way that our children never leave it behind in the first place. In this episode, Marcus and his son JonMarc Grodi begin to unpack 7 practical things that parents can do to help give their children a solid foundation in the ...
Oct 30, 2019•30 min•Ep. 199
Fresh off their recent pilgrimage to Italy, and with the recent canonization of St. John Henry Cardinal Newman, Marcus Grodi and Ken Hensley reflect on the mystery of grace, and why some people respond, and some don't. Looking at the particular case of the Rich Young Ruler, which appears in three Gospels, they unpack the question of how Jesus challenges us all in ways unique to our specific state of life, and the urgent need to respond to God's grace.
Oct 25, 2019•51 min•Ep. 198
God is in control, even if we can't see it. God will redeem all of our troubles and trials, even if it's hard for us to conceive at the moment. On the latest Deep in Scripture episode, Marcus Grodi and Seth Paine look at a couple of passages from the writings of St. Paul that remind us that Jesus Christ is the Lord of our history, our present, and our future, and that if we truly rely on him, we will find the peace that we long for. "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will kee...
Sep 26, 2019•28 min•Ep. 197
