This week Fr. Michael unpacks two scripture passages that many find hard to receive, especially with our knowledge that God is good and loving. References: Episode with Abigail Mark 11: 12-25, the passage about the fig tree Exodus 7:13-14, the passage on the hardening of Pharaoh's heart Episodes on fear of God: Be Not Afraid Fear of the Lord Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr
This week we're joined by special guest, Bree Solstad. Bree is a new member of the podcast team and works as our video editor. In today's episode, Bree surprises Mother Natalia by telling her why she loves her. This conversation expands more into how we see Christ in one another, how we grow in His image and likeness, and how Bree and her husband work together to create each video. References: What Tragedy is Not with Bree Solstad Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're ...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 13 min
This week we're joined by special guest, Bree Solstad. Bree recently joined the podcast team as our video editor. Thanks Bree! Mother Natalia, Bree, and Fr. Michael talk about responding to loss. This can be as the person who experiences the loss or as someone empathizing with the person who experienced the loss. They talk about childlikeness in our relationship with God, and the beauty of the Sacrament of Confession. References: Bree's Interview on Edify Podcast Bree's Interview with Keith Nest...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 17 min
This week Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia talk about SEEK and their theme "Follow Me." They reflect on their experience at SEEK last year as well as the patron saint for SEEK25, St. Joan of Arc. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us a text Support the show...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 11 min
This week we're joined by special guests Sandy and Therese. Sandy and Fr. Michael talk a little about Humanality, a group that Sandy helps run. Then Fr. Michael, Sandy, and Therese share about the forming of the outreach from the Proto-Cathedral, what brought them there, and what has kept them there. There's good discussion on community and family. References: Leaning In (the episode on fasting) Humanality Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goo...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 5 min
This week Mother Natalia uses this episode to prepare for a talk she's giving. She talks about accepting the state in which you find yourself. She uses some quotes from St. Faustina to help illustrate the point of keeping close to God in the midst of your struggles. Mother Natalia talks about accepting the will of God in the present moment, even when you don’t like the situation you find yourself in. We're joined this week by audience of one, Abigail! References: He Leadeth Me by Fr. Walter Cisz...
Oct 09, 2024•58 min
This week Fr. Michael talks about some of the hidden sacrifices of parents. Fr. Michael talks about the hermeneutics of moms and dads with two separate stories of parents he knows who are living out their ordinary vocation. There's also a mini-topic this week talking about sainthood in the ordinary life. References: A Sacred Beginning: Nurturing Your Body, Mind, and Soul during Baby's First Forty Days by Sarah Brangwynne & Sasha Rose Oxnard Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and St...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 6 min
This week we're joined by special guest Dr. Gerry Crete. Dr. Gerry and Mother Natalia talk about some of their favorite Star Trek episodes and how they relate to parts work. References: The Inmost Self with Dr. Gerry Crete Litanies of the Heart by Dr. Gerry Crete Dr. Gerry’s Review of Inside Out Dr. Gerry’s Review of Inside Out 2 Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website...
Sep 25, 2024•1 hr 25 min
This week Mother Natalia reflects on two listener emails. One talks about welcoming people at church and the ways we can be stretched. Another talks about recognizing the humanity in Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia in the beginning episode banter. Mother Natalia also reflects on a passage in a book by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom. References: The Inmost Self with Dr. Gerry Crete Living Prayer by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube !...
Sep 18, 2024•59 min
This week Fr. Michael talks about the various aspects of Jesus we can encounter in confession. He highlights Jesus as healer, teacher, and judge. Fr. Michael talks about how we can naturally limit our understanding of Jesus to just those three components at a specific time, but how Jesus has many parts of His character that we can encounter all at once. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegro...
Sep 11, 2024•59 min
This week Mother Natalia reflects on self-worth despite no visible evidence of contribution to the greater good. This comes after she got COVID and struggled with fatigue, which impacted her day-to-day operations at the monastery. References: Useless but not Worthless Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us a text Support the show...
Sep 04, 2024•29 min
This week Fr. Michael takes inspiration from a parishioner who asked for grace from his family as he was going to have a difficult week. Fr. Michael talks about the need for patience and grace that we all should be giving to our family members, our monastic brothers and sisters, and our friends. He links this with Genesis 9 and the way Noah's son's treated him in his nakedness, recognizing his dignity and vulnerability. References: Gen 9: 18-29 Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and F...
Aug 28, 2024•31 min
This week Mother Natalia takes a mini-topic suggestion from one of our Patreon supporters and talks about it for a full episode! She talks about attachments to people, including family and celebrities, and how those can be wrongly ordered. She talks about differentiating between relying fully on God and our need to have others in our lives since "it's not good for man to be alone." She talks about recognizing when we may be placing our reliance incorrectly and how to pivot back to God. Want to s...
Aug 21, 2024•55 min
Today we're joined by special guest Ivy Gates. Ivy and Fr. Michael met each other on the #redbusbestbus during a Holy Land pilgrimage. Ivy talks about authenticity and it's importance in her life. Fr. Michael shares some examples of Ivy living out her authentic self during pilgrimage and how that impacted him. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send ...
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 7 min
This week Fr. Michael talks about an encounter he had in Rome, and how that encounter led him to consider his weaknesses and other people's wisdom. He talks about how we sometimes weaponize other people's weaknesses instead of recognizing their dignity as a person. References: Stop It - Bob Newhart Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us a text Su...
Aug 07, 2024•1 hr 2 min
This week Mother Natalia continues her topic on discernment, talking about what not to do but also what to do. She also talks about ways that we see the resurrection in our lives, and the way that St. John saw it, not with the physical presence of Jesus (although he did see that too!) but with his initial viewing of the burial clothes. She talks about how important those signs are in our lives to help our belief and the beliefs of others. We also have a mini-topic this week, where Fr. Michael an...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 14 min
This week Mother Natalia uses this episode to prep for a recording she's doing over at Pints! She talks about discernment and what not to do as you're discerning. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us a text Support the show...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 4 min
This week Fr. Michael responds to a correction from a listener, and uses that as inspiration for this week's topic. We talk about letting God work through us and using the gifts He's given us. We talk about how the authors of scripture were so in sync with the Holy Spirit that it showed in their inspired writings. Plus we have a mini-topic on charismatic renewal in the Byzantine Churches. References: Dei Verbum Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join ou...
Jul 17, 2024•1 hr 7 min
This week we're joined by special guest Fr. Boniface Hicks. Mother Natalia talks about the importance of repairing relationships which have suffered a rupture, regardless of the type of relationship. They give some examples of where ruptures have occurred in the past, and how a repair might come about. References: TED Talk from Becky Kennedy Tenderness Born Only Once by Conrad Baars Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 4 min
This week Fr. Michael continues his discussion from several episodes ago on living out the gospel as a mom. Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia respond to some reflections that listeners passed along about life as a mom and creative almsgiving. References: Heroic Act of Charity Therapy of Spiritual Illnesses by Jean-Claude Larchet Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our...
Jul 03, 2024•56 min
This week we're joined by special guest Dr. Gerry Crete. We talk about some of the concepts from his book, Litanies of the Heart. We talk about the studies and prayer he's had over the years which led throughout his work. We talk about the inner self, the different parts that make up ourselves, and how the parts can interact with each other and our inner self. References: Litanies of the Heart by Dr. Gerry Crete Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join o...
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 12 min
This week Fr. Michael walks through some of the prayers of the church which can be incorporated into your daily prayer life. These are everything from prayers before and after meals to a daily examination of conscience. A special shoutout to Antonette who took this picture of Fr. Michael! References: Publicans Prayer Book from Sophia Press Carsoslov (The Book of Hours) from Eastern Christian Publications Prayer Rule of St. Pachomius Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We'r...
Jun 19, 2024•1 hr 5 min
This week Fr. Michael talks about scripture readings in Acts and John, and links them together to talk about division and having an undivided heart. He talks about the need for full attention to be given to God, and how it's hard to live this out sometimes. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us a text Support the show...
Jun 12, 2024•57 min
This week Mother Natalia talks about self-reflection on sin, recognizing where we've stumbled, how that has impacted others, and where we've grown. She uses a recent example of something that happened in community life to show us how this works practically. References: Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge Litanies of the Heart by Dr. Gerry Crete Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom M...
Jun 05, 2024•49 min
This week Fr. Michael unpacks a theme he sees in the post-Pascha Sunday readings around people saying yes to Jesus immediately vs qualifying the yes or asking follow-up questions before saying yes. He talks about the reasons why we might not say yes right away, and how our human experience can get in the way of our desire to say yes. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Web...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 2 min
This week Mother Natalia talks about her recent poustinia, where she reflected on rest. Mother Natalia talks about taking to-do lists to pray while also trying to remember that prayer is relational and not something to fulfill check-boxes. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us a text Support the show...
May 22, 2024•59 min
This week we’re joined by special guest Brother Simeon Miriam from the CFRs. Brother Simeon was imminently about to start an 8-day poustinia, so in this episode we talk a bit about poustinia, the nights of poustinia he helped start in NYC, a bit about how he became Roman Catholic, and the love of breathing with both lungs. References: The Way of a Pilgrim The Philokalia Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodrea...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 10 min
This week Mother Natalia talks about imperfection and recognizing that we will always be imperfect, following a retreat she gave at Wyoming Catholic College. She and Fr. Michael talk about the externals of our prayer practice, both personal prayer and prayer during Diving Liturgy or Mass. They talk about how our relationship with Christ should grow and develop over time. References: From Christendom to Apostolic Mission by University of Mary Scrupulosity and the Sacraments The Reed of God by Car...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 7 min
This week Mother Natalia talks about attacks of the devil that lead to despair. She vulnerably shares some personal examples, and talks about people in her life who encouraged her during these moments of despair. Mother Natalia shares some writings from St. John Chrysostom related to despair as a way to encourage and strengthen us. Want to be a backstage listener? Become a patron on Patreon ! References: On Repentance and Defeating Despair: Letters to Theodore by St. John Chrysostom Follow and C...
May 01, 2024•1 hr 6 min
This week Fr. Michael reflects on the names of Adam and Noah, how they're linked, and how they reflect the new Adam. Fr. Michael talks about becoming an altar and how we can live that out in our day-to-day lives. Want to be a backstage listener? Become a patron on Patreon ! References: The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis by Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the B...
Apr 24, 2024•1 hr 6 min
