Stay ConnectedTaste & See is a weekly podcast of heartfelt reflections and meditations on the Sunday readings. Join Zac Wierschem of Paradisus Dei as he guides you into a deeper encounter with Jesus—alongside a global community that prays together each week..
Learn more about Paradisus Dei and our life-changing programs at: paradisusdei.org
Copyright: © Zac Wierschem
John 13:31–35 | Fifth Sunday of Easter
What does it mean to love like Jesus? In this Catholic podcast episode, we reflect on John 13:31–35 through a powerful personal story of selfless love: my grandfather’s care for my Nana as she battled memory loss and physical decline.
His daily acts of service—dressing her, bathing her, teaching her birthday again and again—reveal a deeper meaning of love: willing the good of the other, even when it costs everything. This is the kind of love Jesus commands at the Last Supper. This is the glory of the cross.
Join me as we explore what real love looks like, how it upholds human dignity, and how you and I are invited to glorify God through the way we choose to love this week.
Key Takeaways
Gospel reflection on John 13: Jesus' command to love one another
Personal story of caregiving, sacrifice, and enduring love
Catholic teaching on love as a free act of the will (St. Thomas Aquinas)
How love reveals human dignity and God’s glory
Journal & Prayer Questions
Where is God inviting me to love when it’s inconvenient or costly?
How can I reflect the dignity of those I care for—especially when no one’s watching?
Have I lost sight of my identity as one who is loved by God? How can I return to it?
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
John 10:27–30 | Good Shepherd Sunday
What does it mean that Jesus is the Good Shepherd? In this episode, I share a personal story from my time in Kenya caring for sheep, and how that experience brings fresh meaning to Jesus' words: “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.”
We explore how Christ doesn’t just lead from above—He draws near, enters our mess, and even smells like us. He takes on our history, our pain, our trauma, and our smell… not to shame us, but to redeem us.
Let this be a reminder that you are fully known, fully loved, and never alone in your story.
🧠 Journal Questions
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
3rd Sunday of Easter | John 21: 1-19
In today’s episode, we explore the powerful story of St. Vitalis of Gaza, a 7th-century hermit who risked everything to bring hope to the prostitutes. His hidden sacrifice mirrors how Jesus meets Peter — and us — at the very place of our greatest failures.
At a charcoal fire on the shore, Jesus rewrites Peter’s three denials with three confessions of love. He doesn’t shy away from our darkness. Instead, He steps right into it to restore and renew.
No sin is too great. No failure too final. Jesus is still asking: "Do you love me?"
In this episode:
Journal Questions:
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
Gospel: John 20:19–31
Theme: Divine Mercy | Trust | Doubt | Redemption
This episode dives into the powerful grace of Divine Mercy Sunday and the surprising faith of the apostle Thomas—often called “Doubting Thomas.”
We explore the stunning promise Jesus gave through St. Faustina:
“The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” (Diary, 699)
That’s not just forgiveness—it’s a total spiritual reset.
No purgatory. No punishment. Just healing and mercy.
We also ask:
Did Thomas really doubt Jesus… or did he trust Him more deeply than anyone else?
Could your doubts be a sign of a deeper longing for truth and intimacy with Christ?
You’ll hear:
🕊️ Whether you’re full of faith or full of questions, this episode is an invitation to trust the One who shows up—even through locked doors.
💭 Journal Questions
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
🎧 Listen now and let Divine Mercy Sunday change your life.✨ Share with a friend who needs a fresh start.
📖 John 13:1–15 | Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Before the Cross, Jesus kneels.
In this Holy Thursday reflection, we enter the Upper Room and watch the Son of God wash His disciples’ feet — not just as a ritual, but as an act of love that embraces their full story, dirt and all.
Drawing from personal stories, Jewish tradition, and the raw vulnerability of being known and loved, this episode is a call to let Jesus hold your story… and to go and do the same for others.
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⛪ In this episode:
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📝 Journal Prompts:
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🔍 Tags: Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, foot washing meaning, John 13 reflection, Catholic Lent podcast, Jesus humility, Christian vulnerability
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The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Luke 19:28–40)
This Palm Sunday, Jesus shows us the power of humility—riding into Jerusalem not on a war horse, but on a colt. In this episode, we explore how God often chooses to meet us in the small, ordinary moments of our lives.
I share a powerful story from Kenya about a Marian visionary and how it challenged my discernment journey. We talk about how spiritual detachment and interior freedom are key to hearing God’s voice clearly. I’ll also walk you through a simple but profound method of discernment using what I call a “spiritual scatter plot.”
We close with a prayerful meditation letter from Jesus to carry you through Holy Week.
🎧 Topics Covered:
📝 Journal Questions:
📖 Scripture: Luke 19:28–40
📍 Theme: Inner Wisdom | Ordinary Discernment | Holy Week
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
5th Sunday of Lent | John 8:1-11
True discernment requires holy indifference—the freedom to choose what is most aligned with God’s will. Without this interior freedom, our decisions are swayed by attachments, fears, and personal desires rather than love and truth.
In this episode, we explore:
Ignatian Indifference: Not apathy, but the ability to choose freely without personal bias.
The Sailboat Analogy: Adjusting our sails to follow God’s wind rather than resisting it.
The Gospel Reflection: The Pharisees, bound by their judgments, lacked the freedom to truly discern; Jesus, full of love, shows the way.
Personal Story: A boundary set in a friendship to regain the freedom to discern life’s next steps.
Love and Sacrifice: True love is marked by holy indifference, seeking the greater good over personal preference.
Journal Questions:
Where in my life am I struggling to be truly free in my discernment?
How do my attachments, fears, or desires influence my decisions?
What would it look like to adjust my sails and trust God’s wind more fully?
Listen in for insights on how to cultivate the interior freedom necessary for authentic discernment and deeper love.
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
4th Sunday of Lent | Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one of Jesus’ most moving stories—one that speaks directly to our identity, purpose, and the loving embrace of the Father. In this episode, we continue our Lenten discernment series, Inner Wisdom, by exploring two essential questions that shape every decision:
✅ Who am I?✅ Why was I created?
Through the lens of discernment, we unpack how forgetting our identity leads us astray and how remembering it brings us home. Just as a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago must know both the starting point and the destination, we too must recognize where we are and where we’re going in order to discern well.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:🔹 How forgetting our identity leads to spiritual wandering🔹 The two foundational truths for discernment🔹 Why prayer is essential for knowing God’s voice🔹 The simple yet profound answer to why we were created
🛐 Take time to reflect with these three journal prompts:
1️⃣ When have I felt most deeply aware of my identity as a beloved child of God?2️⃣ Where in my life am I running away from the Father instead of running toward Him?3️⃣ What does "created for love" mean to me at the day-to-day level?
👉 Follow & Share!If this episode blessed you, leave a comment and share it with a friend who needs to hear it.
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
Are you stuck in endless discernment, afraid to make a decision? This episode of Taste and See explores Jesus’ call to bear fruit through decisive action. We break down the meaning of discernment, why God desires our choices, and how to recognize His voice.
🔹 What discernment really is—and what it’s not
🔹 Separating wheat from chaff: hearing God vs. the enemy
🔹 The danger of becoming a “perpetual discerner”
🔹 How to know if your decision is from God—by its fruits
🔹 Jesus’ parable of the fig tree and why it matters for your choices
God isn’t calling you to stay in indecision—He’s cultivating the soil around you, giving you the grace to act. Trust Him. Savor Him. Act with Him.
Journaling Questions:
Where in my life am I hesitating to make a decision? What is holding me back, and how might God be inviting me to trust Him in this choice?
What fruits have I seen from past decisions I’ve made? How did those choices draw me closer to or further from God?
How do I recognize the voice of God versus the voice of fear or confusion? What patterns do I notice in how He speaks to me?
🎧 Listen now and step into the freedom of choosing with God!
Questions to Ask if There Are Good Fruits:
What has happened to me and those around me because of the decision I made?
Have I increased in faith, hope and love?
Do I feel energized as I follow through on my decision?
Is what I decided working, or would it be considered a failure?
Have others increased in faith, hope and love?
Are they affirming me in what I am doing, or is it causing frustration and division?
Do I sense a supernatural fruitfulness in what I’m doing - beyond what I can do myself?
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
How do you recognize God’s voice? How can you be sure it’s Him? In this episode, we reflect on the Transfiguration and explore the signs of God speaking in your life. I share a personal story from my discernment journey—where I wrestled with anxiety over making the “right” choice—until God revealed that discernment is more about receiving His gift than achieving perfection.
You’ll learn:
✅ How God speaks in ways that bring clarity and peace
✅ Why recognizing false images of God is essential to true faith
✅ Practical steps to trust, savor, and act on His voice
Key Takeaways:
🔹 Who is God? Love, mystery, self-giving.
🔹 How does He speak? His voice is beyond us, surprises us, and awakens our souls.
🔹 How do we respond? Trust Him, remain with Him, and act in love.
Journaling Questions:
1️⃣ When have you experienced God’s voice bringing deep peace and certainty?
2️⃣ Are there false images of God shaping your faith? How can you let them go?
3️⃣ How is God calling you to trust, savor, or act in love this week?
📌 Don’t miss this episode! Be more aware of God’s voice in your daily life.
🔔 Follow& Share - Instagram: @thetasteandseepodcast
Enjoyed this episode? Follow Taste and See and share with someone who needs to hear God’s voice today! 🙏✨
The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.
Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music
Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C
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