Spiritual Batteries

Latest Episodes:

Like Zaccheus, Jesus Seeks Us Out Aug 29, 2018

Show notes

In our Christian life, we are perhaps most aware of our own efforts. It's what we immediately perceive. Contemplating the story of Zaccheus, we might also notice most of all his efforts to, "see who Jesus was": avoiding the crowds by shamelessly climbing a tree. But the real story is that Jesus was the one seeking out Zaccheus. It is a very important discovery to find out how this is also true for each one of us. For more, www.spiritualbatteries.com

Contemplating Jesus' Love as Salvation Aug 21, 2018

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We can benefit greatly from contemplating a man who was freed from demonic possession by Jesus. His desire to look at Jesus, to listen to Jesus, and to let others know about him all result from his experience of "salvation". When we see evil in the world - and evil done by members of the Church - we need to respond with an even greater faith in Jesus' salvific love. He deals with evil and conquers it, and that victory is made available to each one of us through the Sacraments within the Church. We want to experience Jesus' love to the full, therefore we want to experience it as Salvation.

Courage to Walk on Water Aug 12, 2018

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www.spiritualbatteries.com Peter sees Jesus walking on the water, and guided by desire more than what he feels possible, asks Jesus to do something he's never done before. If we want to receive the gift of the Eucharist, we do well to foster that same faith, that same courage.

Christian striving is a gift, not an imposition Aug 01, 2018

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Jesus has made it very clear to us that following him is not an easy path. We must take up our cross each day and follow him. We need to re-discover, though, that paradoxically our joy resides precisely in the daily struggle, rather than in avoiding it. Here we try to pray with Jesus' parable of the talents to see more clearly how we might live this way. For more see www.spiritualbatteries.com

Learning to listen to Jesus and not just to ourselves Jul 22, 2018

Show notes

Contemporary psychology - and many other observant people - have noted how vulnerable we are to "confirmation bias": the tendency to notice what we already expected more than what is actually before us. Pope Francis has often reminded us that God is a "God of surprises". To actually be surprised, then, and to received what he wants to give us, we do well to be aware of and struggle against this confirmation bias in our relationship with God.

Jesus calls forth desire from the hardness of our hearts Jul 13, 2018

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Great saints like Augustine understood that the human soul is insatiable, that it hungers for the infinite. Desire, then, is not primarily a problem to be side-stepped, but a reality that must be answered. This answer is Jesus, who calls for our deepest desires so that he might answer them.

Contemplating Jesus' self-giving, the way to true Life Jul 08, 2018

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When we contemplate the life of Jesus, we are doing much more than considering a possible way of acting. We are peering into the inner life of God, his Mystery. What we want to glimpse in this time of prayer is how his essence is self-giving and how that floods with light our own lives and the choices we face.

Saints Peter and Paul: responding to Jesus' calling Jun 29, 2018

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Pillars of the Church, the feast of Sts Peter and Paul gives us the occasion to consider our own Christian vocation.

St Josemaría, God's love coming close to us Jun 26, 2018

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St Josemaría, God's love coming close to us by Fr. Justin Gillespie

Following Jesus, not perfectionism May 30, 2018

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Following Jesus, not perfectionism by Fr. Justin Gillespie