Fr. Michael addresses what the word "talent" means (and doesn't mean) in Christ's Parable of the Talents.

Those whose minds are set on the good and the holy, tend to see goodness and even the glory of God in just about everyone they meet. A holy man or woman feels compassion and love for everyone, even those who to most of us seem to have nothing about them worthy of love or compassion. They can see the glory of God in a very broken human being because they themselves have been illumined and shine with God’s glory.

Many holy fathers and mothers of the Church have pointed out that spiritual words are like powerful medicine. If taken inappropriately, what was designed to heal ends up causing harm.

In homily 69, St. Isaac reminds us that temptations to sin come upon all people, even the “perfect.” Quoting freely from St. Macarius of Alexandria, St. Isaac reminds us that our inner state is rather like the weather. “There is cold, and soon after, burning heat, and then perhaps even hail, and after a little, fair weather.”

Fr. Michael presents the first of a series of blog posts that have not yet been shared as podcasts. Here he deconstructs the notion that choice translates into freedom.

We have to remember the mighty things God has already done in our life. We have to remember that whatever good we may have done is also a mercy. We could have just as easily done wrong, just as easily gone the wrong way, just as easily said the wrong thing. It is God’s mercy that has saved us, and it is God’s mercy that will save us again, not our ability to figure it out.

Fr. Michael Gillis reads a blog post from 2010, entitled "Choices and God's Will". "For the overwhelming majority of the people in the world throughout history, what they would eat, where they would live, what work they would do and even whom they would marry was not a matter of their choice. As far as such matters were concerned, God’s will for their life was determined for them. The choice was not whether or not to harvest the grain on the master’s estate; the choice was whether or not to entrust yourself to God, not grumble against your master, work with your whole heart, and love your fellow laborers. The only real choice for a Christian has always only been: “Will I be a Christian right now, today?”"

Fr. Michael talks about the difference between inwardly-focused spiritual zeal and outwardly-focused emotional zeal.

Fr. Michael Gillis reflects on the life and writings of 20th century Catholic author, Flannery O’Connor. "Good in this broken world is always something under construction. The grotesque—physical, moral and spiritual—that presents itself to us as the terribly deformed face of a cancer ridden child very often hides from us the Grace of God at work constructing good in that person’s life. How many people have I dismissed because I have connected the visible cancer of a terribly confused and broken moral or spiritual life with the “grotesquerie of sin”? How often have I failed to see, failed to even look for the good under construction, the glimmer of Grace at work in a life disfigured by the brokenness of sin? Truly the thought of this question overpowers me sometimes."

Fr. Stephen begins the study of Luke 3.

Fr. Stephen wraps up the discussion of Luke 3.

Fr. Stephen begins discussing Luke 13.

Fr. Stephen continues the discussion of Luke, Chapter 13

Fr. Stephen concludes chapter 13 and begins discussing chapter 14.

Fr. Stephen begins discussing Luke, Chapter 23 and the Crucifixion of Christ.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins his discussion of John, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen DeYoung continues the discussion of St. John's Gospel, chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young ends the discussion of John, Chapter 3, and begins his discussion of Chapter 4.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 13:1-30.

Fr. Stephen De Young finishes the discussion of John, Chapter 13, and begins Chapter 14.

Fr. Stephen De Young carries on with the discussion of Acts, Chapter 2.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the third chapter of Acts.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins his discussion of Acts, Chapter 13.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the discussion of Acts 13.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Acts 23.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Romans 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Chapter 13 of St. Paul's Letter to the Romans.

Fr. Stephen De Young finishes his discussion on 1 Corinthians Chapter 2 and begins looking at Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young finishes Chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians and starts into Chapter 4.

Fr. Stephen De Young finishes up his discussion on 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 and moves forward to talk about Chapter 13.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the second of 2 Corinthians and begins the third

Fr. Stephen De Young finishes the discussion from last week on the third chapter of 2 Corinthians.

Fr. Stephen De Young reads and discusses verses 1-8 of Galatians, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of Galatians, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses verses 19 and 20 of Galatians, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes his discussion of Galatians, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins discussing verses 1-11 of Ephesians, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the discussion on Ephesians, Chapter 3, verses 11-21.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes his discussion of the Epistle to the Philippians, by going through chapters 3 and 4.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins the discussion of Colossians 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the study of the book of Colossians.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses St. Paul's First Epistles to the Thessalonians, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the discussion of 2 Thessalonians (2:5 to 3:18).

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins the discussion of Hebrews, Chapter 2.

Fr. Stephen De Young leads a discussion of Hebrews, Chapter 3.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins discussing Hebrews, Chapter 7.

Fr. Stephen De Young leads a discussion of Hebrews, Chapter 8.