Sunday Dive: Recent Episodes

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The disciples are caught in a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus appears, walking across the waves in a moment theologians hail as a clear theophany—a manifestation of God himself. We’ll row alongside them exploring the geography that makes the Sea of Galilee so treacherous, uncovering the rabbinic secrets of calming the waters, and cracking open the Greek text to see how Jesus’s words echo the Divine name. Anchored in the Old Testament, this episode is packed with layers of history and allusion. Join us as we discover why, in the spiritual life, the safest place in any storm isn’t in the boat—it’s with Jesus.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Why Matthew frames Jesus walking on the water as a "theophany" and how Old Testament events anticipate this miracle [01:31]
• The significance behind Jesus slipping away for personal prayer on a mountain and its subtle parallel to Moses on Sinai [08:06]
• How the Sea of Galilee's dramatic, stormy temperament is rooted in its geography—sitting 700 feet below sea level and just 30 miles south of snow-capped Mount Hermon, creating sudden, perilous waves [24:28]
• The Roman system of dividing the night into "watches," and why the timing of Jesus appearing in the "fourth watch" links to divine rescues at the dawn hour in the Exodus and Resurrection stories [29:05]
• The disciples' terrified exclamation—"It is a ghost!"—and how the Greek word "phantasma" bridges this scene to Mount Sinai's encounter with God [33:44]
• The Jewish seafaring method for calming stormy seas by invoking the Divine name and how Jesus incarnates this authority when he says "It is I" (ego eimi) on the waves [39:27]
• Why Peter leaving the boat to join Jesus reveals the true "safest place" in any storm, and how his sinking produces a moment of deeper faith and deliverance matching the Psalms [43:00]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/19OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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The crowds are hungry, the disciples are anxious, and Jesus is about to perform a miracle that echoes across centuries. This episode, we journey into the wilderness to watch loaves and fishes multiply and to decode what first-century Jews expected the Messiah to serve for dinner. Together, we’ll investigate the significance of every detail: the lonely place, the timing at evening, and the mysterious leftovers. Strap in as Old Testament echoes, ancient Jewish hopes, and Eucharistic foreshadowings collide in the ultimate feast that fills more than just stomachs.

Diving deep into Matthew's account of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How the singular Greek word "eremos" for wilderness connects the location of Jesus' miracle to the Israelites’ Exodus journey in the Old Testament [07:33]
• The striking time marker, "when it was evening," and its link between the Feeding of the Five Thousand and the Last Supper in Matthew’s Gospel [10:35]
• The surprising first-century Jewish belief, evidenced in extra-biblical writings, that the manna would return with the Messiah and what that means for understanding the crowd’s reaction to Jesus [17:41]
• The rich Old Testament echoes, from Moses in the wilderness to Elisha's multiplication of loaves, and how these stories help us understand Jesus as the new Moses and provider of a greater bread [28:16]
• A fascinating detail from 1 Kings about Solomon's twelve officers feeding the king’s household and how that image gets fulfilled in Jesus setting the Twelve over the new Kingdom to dispense the true bread [36:41]
• The deep theological thread running from the mysterious Bread of the Presence in the temple, through Isaiah’s “banquet that satisfies,” all the way to the everlasting covenant fulfilled in the Eucharist [43:34]
• Why the Eucharist alone truly satisfies, and how Jesus’ profound desire to be “held captive” in the tabernacle for love of us can change the way you approach Holy Communion [48:08]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/18OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Picture a laborer plowing a dusty field when his blade strikes something priceless, or a wealthy merchant suddenly selling everything for a single luminous pearl. This episode, we plunge into the world of first-century treasure hunters, rabbinic debates on buried valuables, and the jaw-dropping wealth of ancient pearls—Cleopatra’s collection included. We’ll untangle the hidden meanings behind Jesus’s parables, explore their roots in Jewish law and lore, and wrestle with the radical call to risk everything for the Kingdom. Get ready to rethink what you value most—because in the Gospels, nothing less than your whole life is on the line.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The turbulent history of first-century Palestine and why burying treasure was a common occurrence, with vivid references to the Copper Scroll found among the Dead Sea Scrolls—an 8-foot-long treasure directory listing 64 hidden caches of gold and silver with a total value in today’s currency of approximately $11 million [13:06]
• What rabbinic law prescribed about the burying of valuables and how it related to both personal deposits and the shrewdness highlighted in Jesus' parable, including the legal nuances of finding and possessing treasure in someone else's field [19:02]
• The ancient world's obsession with pearls, where Caesar once gifted Brutus' mother a pearl valued at up to $9 million in today's money and Cleopatra owned one possibly worth as much as $150 million [35:38]
• How Jesus’ image of a dragnet in Galilean fishing practice, possibly gathering up to 24 different species of fish, connects to Old Testament kosher laws and serves as a parable for the mixed multitude drawn into the Church before final judgment [42:09]
• Why only those actively seeking can perceive the value of Christ's kingdom, and how this insight is dramatically confirmed as Jesus is rejected in his own hometown immediately following these parables [38:48]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/17OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus stands before a critical crowd, shifting from open confrontations to the mysterious language of parables—a subtle yet powerful way to speak truth in a hostile world. This week, we’ll untangle the meaning behind the parable of the wheat and the weeds, dig into the toxic mimicry of darnel (a weed so troublesome it inspired Roman law), and uncover the enemy’s knack for sowing imitation goods. Plus, we’ll explore Pope Benedict XVI’s insights on how these parables play out not just in history, but within the depths of our own hearts. Prepare to uncover the secrets of ancient fields, the genius of spiritual patience, and the surprising ways God draws good from even our faults.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The Greek word "zizania" and how it refers to darnel, a poisonous weed so commonly confused for wheat that Roman law specifically forbade sowing it in another's field [09:33]
• Why darnel is classified by agronomists as a Vavilovian mimic and how its continual accidental planting made it nearly indistinguishable from real wheat over generations [24:41]
• Concrete commentary from Pope Benedict XVI situating Jesus' parable of the wheat and weeds not only in the world at large but also in the hidden, interior landscape of our hearts [38:52]
• The extraordinary contrast between the tiny, 1-2 millimeter black mustard seed and the 8-10 foot shrub it becomes within a single growing season [45:20]
• How the parable’s “three measures of flour” equate to an enormous 50-60 pounds—enough to feed over a hundred people—showing how a seemingly insignificant amount of leaven can bring dramatic transformation [48:00]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/16OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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A sower steps out into the fields of first-century Palestine, scattering seed on unlikely soils—rocky, thorny, and fertile alike. Why does Jesus choose this moment to break into parables and what do the echoes of Isaiah and Solomon reveal about his message? This episode, we’ll plow through ancient agricultural secrets and Old Testament symbolism, uncovering the deeper meaning of “he who has ears, let him hear.” Join us as we trace the parable’s roots from Capernaum’s shoreline to the remnant hope of Israel, all while asking: what kind of soil are we?

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Archaeological evidence and local tradition pointing to Jesus making St. Peter’s house in Capernaum his actual home base and how a church was built centered around what may have been Jesus’s own room [10:29]
• The fascinating logistical reason Jesus likely preached from a boat—hint, it’s about natural sound amplification on the water [13:13]
• The Old Testament roots of parables, including how King Solomon “uttered 3,000 parables” according to the Greek Septuagint and how prophets like Nathan used parables to speak truth to power [25:15]
• How a hundredfold harvest was considered a fabulous yield in ancient Israel compared to typical harvests, revealing the generous promise in Jesus’s parable [35:40]
• Little-known first-century Palestinian farming practices, including how some fields were plowed after sowing, which sheds new light on the imagery of the sower casting seed even on the path or among thorns [40:41]
• The Old Testament linkage of “seed” to the remnant of Israel after the exile and how Jesus’s use of the term may be a hint about restoring the kingdom and bearing fruit among the nations [41:28]
• The crucial quote from Isaiah that Jesus selects, which is most often used in Scripture in the context of “hardness of heart” and what that means for understanding both parables and spiritual receptivity [43:46]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/15OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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The dust of Galilee is still swirling as Jesus turns from proclaiming curses over unrepentant cities to extending a radical invitation: “Come to me and I will give you rest.” What does it mean for the Son to have been “delivered” all things and who are the real recipients of this mysterious revelation? We’ll plunge into the technicalities of the original Greek, trace the golden thread of “rest” from Genesis to Revelation, and grapple with why Jesus’s yoke upends Jewish tradition. All this, plus St. Augustine's take on the Trinity and Aquinas’s claim that meekness and humility summarize the entire New Law, in an episode you won’t want to miss.

Jumping into Matthew's Gospel, this episode takes you on a journey through:

• The fate of Capernaum after Jesus curses the city and its uniquely uninhabited status in the Holy Land today [02:24]
• The technical meaning of the Greek word "paradidomi" translated as "delivered" and its rich ties to revelation and tradition in the New Testament [10:32]
• Why the Church teaches that public revelation ended with the apostles and how the Catechism and Vatican II reinforce this bold teaching [17:07]
• The Augustinian conception of the Trinity and how Jesus as the Father's "perfect knowledge of himself" unlocks the heart of divine revelation [21:03]
• Tracing the theme of "rest" from Genesis through the Exodus, the Psalms, and Revelation, unveiling how Jesus's promise of rest reveals his divine identity and recaps salvation history [30:17]
• The radical, tradition-shattering meaning behind Jesus’s invitation to take up "my yoke" and how he redefines Torah and discipleship [41:11]
• Aquinas’s powerful insight that all of the new law is contained in meekness and humility, showing how love transforms every burden and opens us to divine rest [44:07]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/14OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus makes a startling demand: “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” This week, we’ll trace the clash between Jesus’s words and the Fourth Commandment, digging into ancient scriptural tensions and their shockwaves through history. We’ll hear from Aquinas, a modern Jewish rabbi, and even Pope Benedict XVI to unpack how this radical call to reordered love is key to Christianity’s world-changing mission. Plus, we’ll explore what the Roman practice of priestly celibacy has to do with all of it—a story that stretches from the hills of ancient Israel to the heart of global evangelization.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How the Church’s chosen first reading dramatically illustrates Jesus’ command to love God above family by recounting the story of Elisha and the miraculous resurrection of a child [13:00]
• The way Jesus' radical demand to love Him more than father, mother, son, or daughter collides with the Fourth Commandment, leading to a rich exploration of Aquinas and a modern Jewish rabbi’s critique [24:02]
• St. Thomas Aquinas’ insight that the natural honor due to parents points to a higher spiritual fatherhood in Christ, changing what it means to order our loves [27:24]
• The bold argument by Rabbi Jacob Neusner—that only God Himself can require such absolute loyalty, and why that led him to reject Jesus’ invitation [35:01]
• The surprising Old Testament precedent for “spurning” family in the blessing of the Levites, and how this links to the Roman Rite’s practice of priestly celibacy and global evangelization [39:16]
• Pope Benedict XVI’s provocative reading that Jesus’ words threaten the Fourth Commandment for the sake of universalizing Israel's mission to all nations, reframing family and land for the new people of God [42:31]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/13OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Fear takes center stage in this week’s gospel as Jesus addresses his disciples—warning them of dangers yet insisting three times they “fear not,” then unexpectedly commanding them to “be afraid” of something much greater. We’ll unpack what fear really is, drawing on Aquinas and Augustine to explain how the passions or emotions shape our spiritual life. We’ll follow this thread through the human challenge of ordering our loves, from the first sin in the Garden of Eden to Abraham’s “binding of Isaac”, all the way to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Tune in as we wrestle with the primordial struggle to put God first—no matter what or whom we face.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How Jesus’ preaching is set within a broader sermon called the Missionary Discourse and follows upon the commissioning of the Twelve as Apostles [01:16]
• The intriguing moment Jesus commands “fear not” three times, but then instructs his listeners to fear something specifically once—a rare contradiction worth unpacking [03:04]
• Aquinas’ compelling explanation that all human passions, including fear, flow from love and how reason determines whether our fears are rightly ordered [14:02]
• Augustine’s concept of the “order of love” and its ordinary, practical challenges, from choosing healthy food over donuts to prioritizing daily prayer over extra sleep [28:21]
• The dramatic biblical examples of love’s proper order illustrated by Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus' agony in Gethsemane where sweating blood is a real medical condition called hematidrosis [39:05]
• The stern, paradoxical warning from Jesus that public acknowledgment of him on earth directly impacts our association with him in heaven, a profound affirmation of human freedom [46:29]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/12OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus looks upon the crowds and sees sheep without a shepherd—and in a bold move, calls and commissions the Twelve to become apostles, not just disciples. We’ll dig deep into the structural brilliance of Matthew’s Gospel, unpacking its connection to the five Mosaic books, and trace the Old Testament echoes from Ezekiel’s warning to corrupt priests all the way to Christ’s own priestly and kingly authority. Along the way, we'll make surprising connections between Jewish harvest festivals, the rebuilding of the Temple, and Peter's explosive vision for the Church. Join us as we wade into the literary, historical, and cultural streams that erupt in this pivotal moment: the sending of the first apostles as laborers into God’s harvest.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The intentional structure of Matthew’s Gospel mirroring the five books of Moses and the way this shapes the missionary discourse [08:12]
• The direct allusion Jesus makes to Ezekiel 34 and how the condemnation of corrupt Old Testament priests shines a new light on the mission of the apostles [19:07]
• The surprising reason Pharisees, not priests, exerted spiritual influence in Jesus’s time, and how this is rooted in first-century Jewish religious corruption [25:03]
• How the roles of priest and shepherd converge in the figure of David and are fulfilled by Christ as both the new high priest and shepherd-king of Israel [27:23]
• Why the harvest imagery in Jesus’s words would have reminded Jewish listeners of the Feast of Booths and its Second-Temple-era association with rebuilding the temple [37:00]
• The instant disciples become apostles through the gift of authority—and why Scripture gives no explanation for their selection apart from Jesus’s will [43:06]
• The fascinating naval roots of the Greek word for "apostle," and how this watery imagery seeps into both the makeup of the apostles and the layout of the Church itself [43:33]
• The echo of Isaiah’s “come without money” in Jesus’s command to “give without pay,” revealing the radical generosity underlying the apostolic mission [48:37]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/11OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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The crowds are buzzing after Jesus miraculously feeds thousands with a handful of loaves and fishes, but instead of accepting their offer to crown him king, he slips away—only to deliver his most explosive teaching yet. This week, we unpack the electric atmosphere behind the Bread of Life discourse and explore what made the ancient Jews think the age of manna had finally returned. Together, we’ll plunge into Old Testament echoes, uncover the surprising connection between the Eucharist and the lost paradise of Eden, and trace how Jesus transforms the Passover bread into something shockingly new. Join us for a journey through John 6 where heaven, history, and hunger collide.

In this Corpus Christi deep-dive episode, we'll immerse ourselves in the following fascinating insights:

• Why the Feeding of the Five Thousand is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels and what its ecstatic reception reveals about the crowd's hopes for a new King [08:39]
• How John’s Gospel links Jesus to Moses as the new provider and redeemer, explaining the significance of manna in the Old Testament and its prophetic fulfillment in Christ [17:08]
• The ancient Jewish belief, found in texts like the Midrash and 2 Baruch, that the coming Messiah would bring about a second manna from heaven—crucial for grasping the Bread of Life discourse [25:04]
• The intriguing meaning of the word "epiousios" in the Our Father—usually translated as "daily," but more literally meaning "super substantial," hinting at the Eucharist as the new manna [38:13]
• What the Old Testament says about the taste of manna (“like wafers made with honey”) and how that prefigures the Eucharist as a foretaste of heaven [41:06]
• Why Jesus’s command to “eat his flesh and drink his blood” scandalized his listeners in light of Leviticus 17:11, and yet powerfully fulfills what was previously forbidden [43:10]
• Striking parallels between the Genesis account of the fall, Jesus as the new fruit on the tree of life, and the undoing of sin and death through the Eucharist [44:46]
• How the road to Emmaus story weaves together breaking bread, opened eyes, and divine presence to reveal the mystery of Christ in the Eucharist [47:11]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/CC-26A

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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The Church is still ringing with the echoes of Pentecost when she thrusts us headlong into the dazzling mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. This week, we’ll wrestle with the central paradox of the Christian faith—one God in three persons—untangling what “mystery” really means, and why the doctrine of the Trinity shapes everything we believe. We’ll punch through Arianism’s threat, glean clarity from St. Augustine, and examine how knowledge and love form the very image of God in us. Finally, we’ll explore how contemplating the Trinity unravels unhappiness, banishes hypocrisy, and reveals beauty from the inside out.

In this episode, we’ll journey through the depths of the Trinity and explore:

• How the Church gives us the feast of the Most Holy Trinity immediately following Pentecost and why its placement is profoundly intentional [00:01:04]
• What the Church means by calling the Trinity a "mystery" and why reason alone, not even Israel’s faith, could ever arrive at it without Christ and the Holy Spirit [00:10:25]
• The early Church crisis of Arianism that threatened to "bury" the doctrine of the Trinity and how the Church’s liturgical life rose up in response—with the feast itself formally established in the 1300s [00:16:12]
• St. Augustine’s brilliant analogy of the Trinity as the perfection of knowledge (Father and Son) and love (Holy Spirit), and why this matters for how we image God [00:20:43]
• Four simple points to remember about the Trinity: one God, two processions, three persons, four relations—and exactly what each means in plain language [00:28:02]
• How St. Thomas Aquinas breaks down John 3:16 word by word to reveal the perfection and unsurpassed greatness of God’s love [00:34:03]
• Why contemplating the Trinity, according to Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, has the power to overcome the world’s unhappiness, hypocrisy, and obsession with false beauty [00:38:35]
• Why our longing for admiration and fulfillment now can only be fully satisfied in heaven—where the Trinity’s perfect knowledge and love finally draws us in [00:49:06]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/Trinity-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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The flames of Pentecost flicker as the apostles huddle in Jerusalem, but is this wild spectacle just chaos or the fulfillment of a promise made centuries before? This episode, we trace the origins of Pentecost as a Jewish harvest feast, peel back the layers of its agricultural and historical roots, and reveal how it becomes the true birthday of the Church. We’ll walk the thunderous slopes of Sinai and the vibrant streets of Jerusalem to uncover dramatic connections between the Old Law and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Get ready to have your heart cut—this is the story behind the new law that transforms everything.

Exploring the Feast of Pentecost, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The fascinating overlap and fulfillment between the Jewish Feast of Weeks and Christian Pentecost, with origins dating back to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai and its powerful echo on Mount Zion [12:27]
• The precise timing and agricultural roots of the Jewish feasts—how Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost connect to barley and wheat harvests and how the resurrection appears to perfectly coincide with the Feast of First Fruits [15:06]
• The three supernatural signs at Sinai—thunderous sound, streams of fire, and miraculous intelligible speech—and their striking repetition at Pentecost in Acts 2 [28:04]
• Why 3,000 people perished after the first law at Sinai but 3,000 souls were brought to life through baptism at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit [34:31]
• What it means to be "cut to the heart" and the Catholic teaching that the new law is not just a moral code but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—fulfilling promises from Jeremiah and Ezekiel [36:09]
• The idea of "sober intoxication" in the Spirit, where outsiders mistake the apostles as drunk, and the wisdom of St. Ambrose on being rooted in Christ through this divine fervor [43:05]
• How Jesus’s resurrection as "first fruits" sets up Pentecost as the final ingathering—fulfilling deep Old Testament imagery and giving each of us supernatural life through the Holy Spirit [44:56]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/Pentecost26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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We’ll crack open the opening lines of Acts to uncover how 40 days with the Risen Lord signals the birth of the Church, connecting Jesus’ post-resurrection catechesis with the ancient days of Moses atop Sinai. The apostles’ “million dollar question” about restoring the kingdom to Israel sets the stage for a sweeping journey through salvation history and reveals the hopes pulsing at the heart of the early Christian community. Dive with us into the subtlety of Greek word choices and the Old Testament idea of a covenant of salt, as we unravel hidden ties to priesthood and royal lineage. Plus, we’ll explore how the Ascension fulfills prophecies from Daniel and Isaiah—and unearth why Luke ties this climactic moment to both the mission of the Church and the cosmic role of Jesus as High Priest, echoing the Day of Atonement.

Journeying into Acts for the Feast of the Ascension, this episode uncovers:

• The hidden significance in Luke’s opening lines about what Jesus "began to do and teach," and how Acts records what Jesus continues to do through his followers [00:10:58]
• Why Jesus spends exactly 40 days with his disciples after the resurrection and how that mirrors Moses atop Mount Sinai planning the first tabernacle [00:13:34]
• The deeper meaning behind the Greek detail that Jesus "ate with" his disciples and its roots in ancient "covenants of salt" with both the Levites and King David [00:20:00]
• The emotional and theological depth behind the apostles' "million dollar question" about restoring the kingdom to Israel—and Jesus’ cryptic answer that redefines the restoration and predicts the Church’s global spread [00:25:24]
• An overlooked parallel between Jesus' Ascension and Elijah’s assumption, including why "looking on" as the Master departs results in a double portion of the Spirit [00:41:12]
• The prophetic vision in Daniel connecting Jesus’ Ascension to the Son of Man being presented to the Ancient of Days—a move that completes and replaces temple sacrifice forever [00:44:00]
• And the breathtaking link between the Ascension, the Jewish feast of Yom Kippur, and how a vanished ancient miracle signaled that Jesus’ sacrifice had fulfilled the Day of Atonement once and for all [00:46:26]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/Ascension-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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What does it mean to love a God who needs nothing from us? In this episode, Jesus’ words at the Last Supper plunge us deep into the mystery of divine love, the Holy Spirit, and the ancient promise of a new law written not on stone, but on the heart. We’ll journey through sunsets, saints, and jazz piano to discover how God draws us into union with Himself and transforms us from spiritual orphans into true children of the Father. Finally, we’ll unpack why the Holy Spirit is called our “Advocate” and how this ancient legal term changes everything about how we face both our failures and our future.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The classic philosophical definition of love ("to will the good of the other") and its thorny implications for how we can love a God who needs nothing from us [00:03:09]
• How the transcendentals—truth, beauty, and goodness—help explain the paradox of loving God and why relishing beauty, like a spectacular sunset, mirrors the way we are drawn to love God [00:13:02]
• The Old Testament prophecy in Jeremiah ("I will write my law upon their hearts") and how it prefigures the New Law as the grace of the Holy Spirit [00:28:09]
• Saint Felicity's vivid words on martyrdom and the difference between suffering as herself versus suffering "with another in me"—a living example of the Holy Spirit acting within [00:35:05]
• How the sending of the Holy Spirit doesn’t just comfort us, but literally makes us children of God, closing the infinite gap between humanity and the divine [00:42:01]
• Why the Holy Spirit as "advocate" (parakletos) is actually a technical Greek legal term for "defense attorney," placing us inside a cosmic courtroom drama with Satan as accuser [00:43:44]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/6E-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus gives his parting words at the Last Supper, offering a breathtaking promise—“in my Father’s house there are many rooms”—and igniting a swirl of questions about what heaven truly means. Are there different “levels” of happiness in paradise? What role do we play in preparing ourselves to receive the fullness of God’s love? We’ll plumb the spiritual depths with Thomas Aquinas and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, unraveling what it means to be filled to the brim with divine joy, whether you’re a thimble or a rain barrel. Along the way, we’ll uncover fascinating Old Testament echoes, explore Jewish nuptial customs, and learn why John’s favorite title for Jesus is the “Logos.” Join us as we chart the way to heaven and invite you to expand your heart’s capacity for eternal delight.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Why John omits the institution narrative at the Last Supper and instead gives us the intimate and theological farewell discourse of Jesus [01:00]
• Aquinas' fascinating analogy explaining how our souls can be like thimbles or rain barrels—both full in heaven, but holding vastly different measures of happiness depending on our capacity for God [15:05]
• The twofold composition of happiness according to Aquinas, involving both the vision of God and the delight in enjoying Him, and what practical steps we can take to dispose ourselves for each [18:12]
• Saints’ striking claims about the necessity of mental prayer, including St. Teresa of Avila’s bold statement that just fifteen minutes of daily mental prayer secures eternal salvation [34:26]
• The connection between Jesus’ promise of “greater works” for his followers and the story of Elisha receiving a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, with rich Old Testament parallels and implications for the sacraments [45:02]
• The Jewish nuptial imagery embedded in Jesus’ statement about “many rooms” in his Father’s house, and how it evokes the ancient custom of the bridegroom preparing a place for his beloved [47:41]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/5E-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus calls himself both the Good Shepherd and the door—but what do these mysterious claims really mean? Join us as we venture through sheepfolds and ancient caves, unpacking the real grit of first-century shepherd life and the shadows of priestly corruption hidden in the Gospel’s backdrop. We’ll journey alongside Ezekiel’s fiery prophecies and the dramatic battles of the Maccabees to understand how Jesus stands between us and danger, rod in hand. Buckle up for a deep dive into Gospel, psalm, and history as we tune our ears to recognize the Shepherd’s voice and find true safety in his protection.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The fascinating connection between the Good Shepherd passage and the story of the man born blind, including how a rare Greek word tells us the Pharisees nearly excommunicated him [10:15]
• A powerful prophetic rant from Ezekiel condemning corrupt leaders, setting the scene for how Jesus frames himself as the true Shepherd while also critiquing the religious authorities of his time [13:00]
• The shocking story of Jason, the high priest who bought and schemed his way to power while importing scandalous Greek customs into Jerusalem [20:10]
• A spiritual showdown drawn from Old Testament succession: to oppose the true Son of David (and his priesthood) is to play a dangerous game, with echoes of ancient betrayals and battles that still matter today [28:00]
• How 1st-century shepherds literally became the "door" for their sheep—sleeping across cave openings to protect the flock, giving radical depth to Jesus's claim, "I am the door" [34:19]
• The surprising, tough side of the Good Shepherd revealed through the ancient meaning of the shepherd's "rod"—closer to a club or even a modern-day sidearm, showing how fiercely Jesus fights for us [36:44]
• The nuanced difference in Jewish law between "thieves" and "robbers" and what that tells us about who Jesus is targeting in his warnings [44:11]
• Why practicing gratitude is one of the best spiritual defenses against the voice of the enemy luring us from the Shepherd's side [47:03]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/4E-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Two grieving disciples walk a dusty road away from Jerusalem, only to find their despair interrupted by a mysterious stranger who upends their world and rewrites everything they thought they knew. Journey with us as we untangle the hidden connections in Luke’s exclusive account of the road to Emmaus, dive into the original Greek, and explore what a 4th century Christian historian reveals about the remarkable identities of these two travelers. We’ll uncover bold Old Testament echoes, unearth the Eucharistic heart of this divine encounter, and see how Emmaus gives us the blueprint for Mass itself. Unforgettable revelations—and burning hearts—await!

Diving deep into the Road to Emmaus, this episode explores:

• How the Jewish legal requirement for two witnesses shapes the credibility of the disciples' testimony about the resurrection [08:17]
• The fascinating possibility, drawing on 4th-century historian Eusebius, that the disciples on the road were none other than Jesus's uncle Cleopas and his cousin Simon [13:15]
• The surprising account a 1st-century Jewish historian, Josephus, gives of Jesus, including his grudging acknowledgment that "he was a doer of wonderful works" and "he was the Christ"—and why Josephus still didn't believe [24:15]
• The technical theological term "hermeneutic" hidden in the Greek of Luke's Gospel and how Jesus himself models the authoritative interpretation of Scripture [27:43]
• The chilling parallel between the recognition of Jesus in the breaking of the bread and the original fall in Genesis—reversing the opening of Adam and Eve’s eyes to shame with the opening of the disciples’ eyes to consolation [40:41]
• How the structure of the Emmaus story forms the blueprint for the modern day Mass, combining the Liturgy of the Word with the Liturgy of the Eucharist [43:21]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/3E-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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It’s Eastertide in Jerusalem, and the apostles are locked away—until the risen Christ suddenly stands in their midst, wounds and all, proclaiming “Peace be with you.” We’ll step into the upper room, unravel the mystery of Jesus’s glorified body, and discover why his wounds remain vital trophies of victory. Our journey winds through the spiritual wisdom of Father Jacques Philippe and the Old Testament echoes that come alive in this scene of mercy and reconciliation. Join us as we uncover the meaning of Divine Mercy Sunday and Jesus’s radical invitation to peace, trust, and new creation.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• Why every day in the Easter Octave is celebrated as a solemnity and how that's like a Catholic "Groundhog Day" [00:00:47]
• The surprising connection between Sunday, the story of creation, and the octave of Easter, including how the eighth day symbolizes the new creation ushered in by Christ's resurrection [00:11:21]
• How Jesus’s resurrected body is profoundly different from Lazarus’s—able to pass through locked doors and free of burial cloths—revealing theology behind the glorified body [00:19:16]
• Why Jesus’s greeting of "peace be with you" is far more than a polite hello, and how He infuses the apostles with an efficacious peace that heals their spiritual failures [00:21:02]
• What Father Jacques Philippe teaches about reflecting God in our souls, and why picking yourself up quickly after a fall—not never failing—is the true mark of spiritual progress [00:26:30]
• The hidden significance of Jesus showing his wounds, with insights from St. Thomas Aquinas and the reason why crucifixes matter in our homes today [00:36:39]
• When and why, according to this passage, Jesus institutes the sacrament of confession—giving the apostles power to forgive sins and linking it all the way back to God breathing life into Adam [00:40:06]
• The fascinating debate about whether Jesus’s words to Thomas are a question or a statement, and what that means for our own faith and blessedness when trusting in His Divine Mercy [00:49:06]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/2E-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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With the drama of Holy Week looming, we’re diving deep into the intertwining mysteries of the Triduum—Easter, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday—exploring why you simply can’t separate the Resurrection from the Last Supper and the Cross. We’ll trace the roots of the Eucharist back to Exodus and the first Passover lambs, uncover the shocking depths behind Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet, and follow the fateful journey from the Agony in the Garden to the trial that broke every rule in the book. Along the way, we’ll connect the dots between the ancient rituals, Jesus’ haunting last words, and the Church’s identity as the new Eve. Join us as we pull back the veil on the greatest mysteries of our faith and rediscover what it truly means to be set free.

Tapping the Old and New Testaments to illuminate the mystery of the Triduum, this special Easter episode of Sunday Dive explores:

• The real meaning behind the lamb's sacrifice at Passover—how Exodus describes its slaughter and consumption, and how every one-year-old, unblemished lamb foreshadows Christ’s ultimate role as the true Passover Lamb [00:05:56]
• Why John's Gospel skips the institution of the Eucharist narrative and instead dives into the washing of the feet, and how this act is tied to priestly ordination through Old Testament prescriptions for the priests’ washing in Exodus [00:16:14]
• Why Jesus does not appear to finish the Passover meal with his disciples before heading to the garden, and the theory that the final cup of the Seder is actually drunk from the cross—linking "I thirst" and "It is finished" to the fulfillment of the feast and the inauguration of his kingdom [00:29:03]
• Concrete evidence for the illegal nature of Jesus’s trial according to Jewish law, including why court at night and without the full Sanhedrin constituted a sham, and why Pilate’s involvement was mandatory under Roman rule [00:34:13]
• Staggering details about how first-century Passover lambs were cruciform when prepared for roasting in the Temple—so much so that their sacrifice was referred to as "the crucifixion of the lambs"—and how this sheds new light on the imagery of Christ on the cross [00:40:17]
• The breathtaking Old Testament parallel that as Adam’s side is opened in sleep to bring forth Eve, the new Adam’s side is pierced so that blood and water birth the Church—culminating with the risen Christ naming Mary Magdalene in the garden and revealing her as a sign of our own destiny as the Bride of Christ [00:44:01]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/Triduum-A26

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Palm Sunday isn’t just about palms and processions—it’s an electrifying moment charged with Old Testament echoes, royal intrigue, and cosmic battle lines being drawn. We'll plunge straight into Matthew 21’s triumphal entry, unraveling its hidden ties to King Solomon’s enthronement, the dramatic reversals of King David, and Zechariah’s prophetic vision on the Mount of Olives. We’ll uncover why the crowd’s shouts of “Hosanna!” pack more punch than you’d ever guess, what’s really at stake with that borrowed donkey, and how Jesus’ royal parade sets the stage for the battle for all creation. Get ready for sweeping connections, surprising details, and the revelation of why this Sunday’s Gospel is so much more than a prelude to Holy Week.

Delving into the triumphal entry and Palm Sunday, our episode draws out fascinating connections including:

• Why the Church reads both the triumphal entry and the Passion on Palm Sunday, and the logic behind sometimes pausing Lenten fasting for a solemnity like the Annunciation [00:01:08]
• How Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey mirrors Solomon’s royal procession and the secretive preservation of the Davidic bloodline after the exile [00:10:56]
• The prophetic importance of the Mount of Olives in Zechariah and how Jesus’s route signaled the beginning of a cosmic battle for the people who witnessed it [00:19:28]
• Surprising Old Testament echoes, such as David fleeing Jerusalem in sorrow via the Mount of Olives, only for the ultimate Son of David to return by the same road in victory [00:28:49]
• What we know about the donkey and colt, including why both were present, what they symbolized, and how kings requisitioned royal transport in Biblical times [00:37:13]
• The extraordinary power of palm branches and garment-spreading, linking the Maccabees’ revolt and temple cleansing to Jesus’s actions—plus subtle nods to Melchizedek, Jehu, and the tribe of Judah [00:43:07]
• The crowd’s shout of "Hosanna!", its meaning in Hebrew, and why it is the perfect phrase for both ancient Israel and our own spiritual battles [00:50:58].

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/PalmSun-A26

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The final sign in the Gospel of John unfolds just two miles outside Jerusalem, inviting us into a story where death, life, and decisive faith converge. We’ll dig deep into first-century mourning practices, uncover hidden parallels between Jesus and Moses, and explore why Bethany was more than just a pit stop for pilgrims. Along the way, we’ll reveal scholarly theories about Lazarus’s death and unpack the differences between resuscitation and resurrection. Get ready—this episode of Sunday Dive challenges us all to answer the ultimate question: Jesus Christ, yes or no?

Diving deep into the raising of Lazarus, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How the seven signs in John's Gospel, especially the raising of Lazarus, echo and invert the plagues of Moses, shifting from death-dealing miracles to life-giving wonders [14:45]
• The archaeological discovery of a family tomb near Bethany with inscriptions for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, and what this tantalizing detail could mean for Gospel history [21:08]
• The theory from biblical scholars that Lazarus may have already been dead when Jesus received word of his illness, and how ancient Jewish beliefs about the soul clarify the timing of the miracle [29:34]
• How first-century Jewish funeral and mourning customs shaped the actions of Martha and Mary, and why Jesus waited outside Bethany instead of visiting their home [35:00]
• The remarkable parallels between Jesus' public and private miracles—contrasting the discreet wedding at Cana with the public raising of Lazarus—and how both hinge on his "hour" and divine timing [43:02]
• The distinction between Lazarus’ resuscitation and Jesus’ resurrection, including why burial clothes tell us the difference and how these events promise Christians a new mode of existence [46:17]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/5L-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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In this episode, we journey to the bustling city of Jerusalem and find Jesus in the heart of the Feast of Tabernacles, where water and light flood the Temple and set the stage for a miracle like no other. Join us as we witness Jesus restore sight to the man born blind, unravel the ancient rituals behind the Pool of Siloam, and discover how this powerful scene connects to the very heart of baptismal grace. Along the way, we’ll tease out the cultural cues, dig into the original language, and explore why sometimes seeing really is for believing. Get ready to plunge into the Gospel of John and emerge with a deeper understanding of faith, suffering, and the call to be sent into the world.

Diving deep into the story of the man born blind, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The remarkable connection between Jesus’ miracle of restoring sight and the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, including its dramatic rituals of water and light in the Jerusalem Temple [10:04]
• How Jesus’ method of healing echoes the creation account, as he mixes clay from spit and dust just like God forming Adam, and the significance of this act for sacramental theology [24:31]
• The subtle sacramental parallels in John’s Gospel, especially linking this miracle to baptism, and how the pouring of water in baptism is argued to be the primary purpose for water’s creation [34:09]
• The historical and archaeological details surrounding the Pool of Siloam—its massive size, steep steps, and its meaning as “sent” in Greek, tying directly to the baptismal vocation of every Christian [37:16]
• A surprising detail about the blind man’s age—potentially as young as thirteen—and its impact on the story’s depth and his bold defense of Jesus before skeptical Pharisees [44:37]
• The powerful spiritual lesson unpacked from Jesus’ answer to suffering and the theme that “seeing is for believing,” challenging us to recognize God’s faithfulness in the midst of suffering [46:17]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/4L-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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It’s midday at Jacob’s well and a Samaritan woman approaches—a routine errand that will spark an extraordinary encounter. Why does Jesus, breaking with social norms, seek her out at the hottest hour and ask for a drink? In this episode, we’ll unpack the Old Testament echoes that bubble up through their conversation, decipher the symbolism of “living water,” and reveal how the woman’s story mirrors an entire nation’s spiritual journey. Join us as we peel back the cultural layers of this famous story and discover the radical mercy at the heart of Christ’s message.

Diving deep into our Gospel, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Why John spotlights the detail that Jesus meets the Samaritan woman specifically at noon, a clue that reveals deep social dynamics and sets up the story’s dramatic stakes [00:01:16]
• The Old Testament tradition of men meeting their wives at wells and how these nuptial encounters foreshadow Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well [00:02:31]
• How the term “living water” had a specific meaning in Jewish ritual and connects directly to practices like the mikveh and the Christian sacrament of baptism [00:32:27]
• The shocking historical background of Samaritans, including the exile by Assyria, the intermarriage with five different pagan peoples, and how that fact is mirrored in the woman’s five husbands [00:39:08]
• The cultural reality that ancient Jewish women, not men, drew water—and how Jesus breaks social conventions by addressing the woman one-on-one at the well [00:13:03]
• What nuptial covenants in Scripture reveal about God’s desire to be united to his people, including surprising meanings behind phrases like “your husband is your maker” [00:23:17]
• How the Samaritan woman’s story doesn’t just highlight her personal brokenness but parallels the spiritual history and struggles of her entire people [00:41:14]
• Why, despite the text saying Jesus “had to” pass through Samaria, geography and culture suggest he didn’t—he actually chose to, just to meet her [00:40:04]
• And a fresh look at why the woman had been divorced so many times, challenging traditional assumptions and suggesting she endured repeated rejection rather than initiating it [00:45:24]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/3L-A

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up the heights of Mount Tabor, and what unfolds is nothing short of breathtaking—his face blazing like the sun, a cloud of glory descending, and the sudden appearance of Moses and Elijah. In this episode, we peel back the layers of the Transfiguration, tracing its thick roots in Old Testament history and exploring the stunning parallels with Mount Sinai. We’ll unpack why Peter offers to build tents, how the story subtly hints at the hope of resurrection, and discover the hidden connections between this mountaintop moment and Christ’s coming crucifixion. Dive in for a Gospel scene that’s richer, deeper, and more electrifying than you ever imagined.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How Mount Tabor's location and the unforgettable journey to its summit help unlock the experience of the Transfiguration (01:04)
• The subtle "after six days" cue Matthew uses to link the Transfiguration with Peter’s powerful declaration at Caesarea Philippi and the origins of papal authority (08:30)
• The striking parallels between Jesus' Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and Moses' ascent of Mount Sinai with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu—right down to the bright cloud and the glowing faces (15:21)
• How Moses and Elijah’s presence with Jesus signals both the fulfillment of Law and Prophets and a hidden nod to the hope of resurrection according to ancient Jewish tradition and extra-biblical texts (27:35)
• The deliberate link between the Transfiguration and the crucifixion, showing how Jesus reveals his true identity in both glory and in humility (35:34)
• The connections between Peter’s proposal to build three tents and the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, including the surprising significance of the Greek word "skēnē" and how feasts shaped Israelite identity (40:04)

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/2L-A

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Lent has arrived, ready or not, and with it comes the dramatic showdown between Jesus and the tempter in the desert. In this episode, we journey through the dusty landscapes of Matthew’s Gospel, unearthing the powerful Old Testament echoes and the deep symbolism behind Jesus’ forty days of fasting. From the threefold temptations to the meaning behind prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we’ll discover how our own struggles—and victories—are woven into the ancient and ongoing story of salvation. Listen in as we uncover why Lent isn’t just about giving things up, but about truly becoming the new Israel, molded in Christ’s own image.

Diving deep into the First Sunday of Lent, this episode of Sunday Dive unpacks:

• The surprising threefold description of the tree of knowledge in Genesis and its direct tie to Jesus’ temptations, “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life”—a theme that threads through Adam and Eve, Israel, Solomon, and us in Lent [00:05:03]
• The Old Testament echoes behind “40 days and 40 nights,” linking Jesus to Moses, Elijah, and even Abraham as figures who each undertook a transformative trial to draw nearer to God [00:17:15]
• Why Jesus’ refusal to turn stones into bread is more than just self-denial—it’s a rebuttal of overconsumption, a mirror of Adam and Eve’s failure, and a Christological key to understanding the Eucharist [00:28:13]
• Exactly what made the parapet of the Jerusalem Temple so spectacular for Satan’s second temptation, with details about possible locations and dramatic implications for public spectacle and the human need to prove oneself [00:34:03]
• The hidden battle behind Satan’s offer of all the world’s kingdoms, why it’s a true temptation for Jesus, and how it connects to Peter’s rebuke and Christ’s mission to conquer by the cross, not shortcuts [00:40:02]
• The direct parallels between the three failures of Israel in the desert—hunger, thirst, and the golden calf—and Jesus’ triumph through quoting Deuteronomy, as well as Solomon’s inability to keep the “threefold law” versus Christ’s perfect obedience [00:42:33]
• And how our Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving map directly onto these temptations, pointing to how we too can let Christ reproduce his victorious life in us this Lent [00:46:01]

For the full show notes including references and discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/1L-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus has just settled his followers on a Galilean hillside when he drops a spiritual bombshell: “You have heard it said... but I say to you.” This episode unpacks Jesus’s radical reimagining of righteousness, tracing how he transforms Old Testament laws—about anger, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and love—raising the bar far beyond the letter to the very heart. We’ll get up close with the Greek text, discover what a slap on the right cheek really meant, and find out why even a coat and a cloak aren’t just clothes in Jesus’s new world order. If you’ve ever wondered why Christian love means going the extra mile (literally!), you won’t want to miss this deep dive into the six antitheses that reshaped the moral universe.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The jaw-dropping significance of Jesus using an emphatic "I" in Greek, altering the tone and asserting divine authority as he gives the new law [26:23]
• The miraculous story of the thornless roses in Assisi, grown after St. Francis rolled in the bushes to combat lust, showing how saints took the Sermon on the Mount to heart [33:23]
• The shocking reality behind why Moses permitted divorce in ancient Israel—and how it originally served to prevent murder [34:43]
• A behind-the-scenes look at "equivalent retribution," the notorious "eye for an eye" concept, and how Jesus subverts it to command radical generosity and non-retaliation [39:03]
• Evidence from rabbinic literature on cheek-slapping, revealing that being backhanded on the right cheek was uniquely shameful—and why Jesus's command upends all expectations [41:49]
• The surprising Jewish distinctions between a tunic and a cloak, and why lending or losing either held profound legal and survival implications [43:44]
• How Roman law allowed soldiers to conscript civilians for forced labor—and the real-life humiliation Jews endured, transforming Jesus's call to "go the extra mile" into a radical act of discipleship [45:21]
• And finally, Rabbi Jacob Neusner's provocative conclusion after reading Jesus's words—why he, as a Jew, would not have followed the new law, highlighting just how revolutionary Jesus's teaching was [48:58]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/6OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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This week, Jesus ascends the mountain and delivers his most famous sermon—ushering in a new law that echoes Moses, but sets the bar even higher. We’ll unpack the Beatitudes, peeling back layers of ancient Greek, historical context, and spiritual paradox, to discover why “blessed” doesn’t always mean what we think. Then, we’ll fast-forward to Jesus’ call for us to be salt and light—what does that really mean for our everyday lives, especially as laypeople in a secular world? Listen in and see how nothing in life, not even suffering, can block the path to happiness when we’re close to Christ.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How Matthew’s Gospel sets up a striking parallel between Jesus and Moses, with both seen as liberators passing through water and ascending a mountain to bring a new law, and how the phrase “going up the mountain” appears 24 times in the Greek Old Testament, usually about Moses [07:29]
• How the practice of sitting to teach, which Jesus adopts at the Sermon on the Mount, signaled authority in first-century Judaism and is still echoed today when the Pope sits to declare a saint [12:32]
• The hidden structure of the Beatitudes, with the first and second sets containing exactly 36 words each in Greek, and how this division underlines a profound spiritual symmetry [15:10]
• Why the Greek word “makarios,” used for “blessed” in the Beatitudes, actually refers to the blissful state of the gods—free from toil and suffering—and then is astonishingly used by Jesus to describe those enduring hardship and persecution [17:08]
• That salt in the Old Testament was so precious Roman soldiers were sometimes paid with it, how it symbolized loyalty, purity, and covenant, and what it means when Jesus says, “if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?”—an actually absurd rhetorical question [40:01]
• The ancient Christian letter to Diognetus and its vivid claim that what the soul is to the body, the Christian is to the world, showing just how essential your everyday witness truly is [45:16]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/5OT-C26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Step into the Temple as we break with tradition and swap out Sunday’s Gospel to uncover the hidden depths of the Feast of the Presentation. Why are purification, circumcision, and presentation all tangled together—and what’s really happening when the Holy Family brings Jesus to Jerusalem? We’ll unravel four exquisite Old Testament layers connecting the presentation to Passover, the Exodus, prophecies from Malachi and Isaiah, and see how characters like Simeon and Anna bring lost tribes and ancient hopes to vivid life. If you thought this was just a sweet baby-Jesus story, think again—this episode reveals how the Lord’s sudden arrival purifies not just his Temple, but the world itself.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The humble poverty of the Holy Family revealed in their choice of sacrifice—offering a pair of turtle doves or pigeons, the option specifically allowed for the poor under Jewish law [12:15]
• The surprising revelation that Jesus’ circumcision didn’t have to happen at the temple, and why his presentation marks his first visit there with major prophetic implications for Israel’s hopes [13:00]
• The rich Old Testament roots of the presentation ceremony, including the Exodus command that every firstborn be dedicated to God and the powerfully symbolic act of “buying back” the child from the Lord for five shekels [14:38]
• How Simeon’s prophecy over the infant Jesus closely echoes Isaiah 49:6, declaring Christ as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles,” and why that promise far exceeds ancient Israelite expectations of deliverance [19:00]
• The detail that Anna is from the lost northern tribe of Asher, and the subtle math and parallels that connect her to Judith, the Old Testament’s warrior widow, powerfully linking women and restoration in salvation history [26:08]
• The dramatic fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy—“the Lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple”—as God returns not in a cloud, but in the flesh of the Christ child, initiating a new era of priesthood and sacrifice [35:01]
• The explicit connection between Jesus and Samuel, with echoes of “the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom,” suggesting Jesus may have been dedicated to God just as Samuel was [41:36]
• And finally, the fascinating hidden chronology in Luke’s Gospel that aligns perfectly with Gabriel’s “seventy weeks” prophecy in Daniel, showing that Jesus’ presentation fulfills centuries-old expectations for covenant restoration and redemption [44:05]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/Presentation26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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When Jesus leaves his quiet hometown of Nazareth for the bustling city of Capernaum, he's not just changing his address—he's fulfilling ancient prophecies and setting the stage for a dramatic spiritual restoration. Listen in as we trace this pivotal move through the geography of the Holy Land, unpack its deep Old Testament roots, and uncover why Capernaum was the perfect launchpad for the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. We’ll get inside the minds of the first apostles, learn why they dropped everything to follow, and explore the real historical and cultural stakes of becoming “fishers of men.” This episode is a deep dive into exile, prophecy, and radical discipleship you won’t want to miss!

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How the ancient Assyrian exile of the northern tribes and the mysterious “lost ten tribes of Israel” shadows Matthew’s prophecy fulfillment [00:22:01]
• Why Jesus’ relocation from Nazareth to the bustling trade hub of Capernaum was a brilliant strategic move for spreading his message, and how archaeological finds about fishing piers support the Gospel narrative [00:29:00]
• The fascinating connection between the “kingdom of heaven” in Matthew and Daniel’s four-kingdom prophecy, with the Romans as the final oppressor before the Messiah’s arrival [00:34:06]
• What fishing on the Sea of Galilee actually looked like, from cast nets to trammel nets, and how Peter, Andrew, James, and John’s careers put them solidly in the middle class (not peasant fishermen!) [00:36:41]
• The profound Old Testament roots of “fishers of men”—from Jeremiah and Amos prophesying fishers to undo exile, to the echo of Gideon’s vigilant soldiers lapping water in Judges as a type of apostolic readiness [00:42:08]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/3OT-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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John the Baptist’s electrifying declaration—“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”—sets off an avalanche of Old Testament echoes few of us today appreciate in full. In this episode, we’ll trace the theme of the sacrificial lamb from Mount Moriah to the Exodus, through the Temple, and into the prophecies of Isaiah, before landing at the foot of the Cross. Along the way, we’ll uncover the surprising links between ancient Jewish worship practices and Jesus’ Passion, discover how the minute details of sacrifice point to Christ, and unravel the mystery of why the Eucharist is more than mere remembrance. Prepare to see the Lamb anew and to let Scripture set your heart ablaze!

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The unique way John's Gospel identifies Jesus as the "Lamb of God," and how rabbinic tradition puts Isaac near 33 years old and carrying the wood for his own sacrifice [00:12:03]
• The game-changing significance that God binds Himself by oath in Genesis 22, using a "grant-type covenant" where the obligation is on God—and how this shifts the whole logic of salvation history in the lead-up to Christ [00:19:08]
• How the Passover is described as a remembrance, a technical term indicating that the original act’s power is made present at every Jewish Passover—and how this reality is taken up and fulfilled when Jesus commands: “Do this in remembrance of me” in the Eucharist [00:29:07]
• The detail that the place of the near-sacrifice of Isaac—Mount Moriah—later becomes the site of the Jerusalem Temple and just yards from where Jesus is crucified, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy in the most concrete geographic way [00:35:22]
• Cutting-edge scholarship arguing that Jesus may have celebrated Passover with the Essenes, a sect that kept Passover without a lamb because they rejected the Temple sacrifices, raising the mind-blowing idea that Jesus Himself is the missing Lamb at the Last Supper [00:44:49]
• Why the lambs sacrificed at Passover in the Jerusalem Temple were roasted on a double-spitted cross, often called the "crucifixion of the lamb," and how this detail parallels Jesus' death on the cross, especially as the Passover lambs are being prepared at exactly the hour Jesus carries his cross to Golgotha [00:46:50]
• The interpretive tradition that the ram sacrificed instead of Isaac wore a “crown of thorns,” prefiguring Jesus crowned in thorns before his death [00:48:06]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/2OT-C26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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As the Christmas season draws to a close, Jesus steps into the waters of the Jordan, setting off a cascade of Old Testament echoes and fulfilling ancient promises. This episode, we’ll plunge into the layers of meaning behind the Baptism of the Lord—tracking connections from Genesis creation to the Exodus, and uncovering why Jesus, though sinless, submits to a baptism for sinners. We’ll journey through prophetic fire, glorious cloud, and the coronation of a king, all while mining Aquinas for answers about radical humility. Join us for a deep dive into Scripture’s rich tapestry and discover what it means for our own pursuit of obedience and grace.

Exploring the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, our episode uncovers:

• The surprising links between Jesus’s baptism in Matthew 3:13–17 and the creation, flood, and new creation narratives of Genesis—including how the Spirit descending like a dove echoes the Spirit and the wind (ruah) over the waters [10:07]
• What ancient sources like Justin Martyr claim about a mysterious fire burning at the Jordan during Christ’s baptism, and the ways theologians see this paralleling the Exodus pillar of fire and the Shekinah glory cloud [22:04]
• Why the only person ever called “beloved son” in the Old Testament is Isaac, making Jesus’s baptism a bold echo of the near-sacrifice on Mount Moriah—with all the rabbinic details about wood, fire, and the crown of thorns richly invoked [26:07]
• How Solomon’s coronation at the waters of Gihon and the roles of Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet provide direct parallels to Jesus’s anointing as king in the Jordan, with John the Baptist acting as both priest and prophet [33:04]
• How Thomas Aquinas answers the puzzling question of why Jesus, sinless, submits to baptism by listing four reasons: approval of John’s baptism, consecration of all water, taking on the condition of sinners, and modeling radical humility through perfect obedience—even to those inferior [39:01]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, kptz.io/Baptism-C26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Foreign dignitaries arrive in Jerusalem seeking the one who is “king of the Jews,” and in doing so, set off shockwaves in Herod’s palace. But who were these curious Magi, and what was the true nature of that mysterious star over Bethlehem? In this episode, we sift through the historical and geographical clues, consult ancient prophecies, and examine astronomical theories from Kepler to Halley’s Comet to uncover what might really have guided the wise men. Don’t miss this deep dive into Scripture, tradition, and celestial wonders as we unravel the drama behind the visit we celebrate at Epiphany!

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The surprising debate among scholars over whether the Magi were Persian astrologers or noblemen from Arabia, and the scriptural and geographic clues that suggest they might have brought gifts native only to southern Arabia [00:07:04]
• How Old Testament prophecies from Isaiah and the story of the Queen of Sheba shape our understanding of the Magi's identity and the meaning of their gifts [00:09:40]
• The fascinating origins of calling the Magi "kings," including the Old Testament Psalm that connects this title to their journey and the tradition that gives us three Magi even though the Gospel never numbers them [00:15:54]
• The quest to identify the Star of Bethlehem, from Kepler’s supernova theory to possible comets and rare planetary conjunctions, and what ancient witnesses and NASA have to say about these awe-inspiring celestial events [00:22:21]
• The multilayered and surprising identity of King Herod—an Arab by birth, religiously Jewish by political force, culturally Greek, and a Roman puppet—and why his violent paranoia was so deeply triggered by the Magi and this mysterious new king [00:37:11]
• The stunning link between the Magi’s words to Herod and an ancient prophecy in Numbers, where a pagan prophet spoke of a star and the downfall of Edom—Herod’s own lineage—setting the stage for political and spiritual upheaval [00:45:07]
• The beautiful way the episode ties the Epiphany Gospel to the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, revealing how ancient royal customs and succession narratives enrich the scene of the Magi finding Jesus with Mary [00:32:10]
• And the compelling final challenge: if the Magi could journey across the desert to worship the Christ child, can we muster similar courage and openness to recognize and adore Jesus in the Eucharist today? [00:47:03]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/Epiphany-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Herod is not the man you think he is—he’s far more dangerous and unstable, and this episode delivers all the scandalous details. We’ll go deep into Matthew’s Gospel, where royal intrigue, dreams, and midnight escapes evoke Old Testament drama and unveil striking parallels between Jesus and Moses. We’ll unravel why Egypt was the ultimate refuge, explore Rachel’s mysterious weeping, and take a close look at Nazareth’s hidden significance. This two-for-one episode packs in history, prophecy, and spiritual richness—don’t miss the explosive connections and unsung heroics at the heart of the Christmas story. (Mass Readings for December 28, 2025)

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How the phrase “the child and his mother” subtly signals royal overtones, linking Jesus and Mary to the Davidic king and queen mother tradition of the Old Testament [16:01]
• What made Egypt a traditional refuge for Jews, featuring both scriptural examples and the surprising fact that a third of Alexandria’s population may have been Jewish at the time [19:03]
• The striking parallel between Jesus’ flight to Egypt and the story of Moses set adrift on the Nile, including dramatic ancient prophecies from Josephus about a child who would humble the Egyptians [24:09]
• Why Herod’s massacre in Bethlehem might not have been recorded by historians, and what his other notorious crimes reveal about his infamy [40:41]
• The deep meaning behind the phrase “He shall be called a Nazarene,” its mysteriously elusive Old Testament origin, and how it points to Jesus as the “branch” prophesied to restore the Davidic kingdom [48:59]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/1C-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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St. Joseph takes center stage as we step into the drama of the Fourth Sunday of Advent—caught between love and law, wrestling with a divine mystery, and ultimately saying yes to God's wild plan. We’ll unpack why Joseph is called the “Son of David,” explore the cultural twists of ancient Jewish betrothal, and dive into the spiritual power behind his quiet, courageous decisions. Along the way, we’ll turn to the Old Testament, trace echoes through Isaiah and Deuteronomy, and even hear wisdom from Pope Francis on Joseph’s creative courage. Join us as we rediscover why, when it comes to faith and fatherhood, St. Joseph is the man.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Katie’s wild papal audience adventure in Rome—including elbowing through crowds, near heart attacks in St. Peter’s Square, and a moment of eye contact with the Holy Father himself [00:00:55]
• Why the Gospel account of Joseph is a “royal announcement” and the technical implications behind Christ’s title, delving into what it meant for Jesus to be called “the Son of David” [00:08:56]
• The two-step process of Jewish marriage in the first century and how it radically changes our understanding of Mary and Joseph’s betrothal, vows, and the context for divorce [00:11:07]
• Competing theological theories on why Joseph wished to “divorce her quietly,” including the reverential fear view from saints like Aquinas, Bernard, and Basil, and what it reveals about his character [00:17:45]
• The Old Testament parallels between St. Joseph and the original Joseph in Genesis, with dreams, creative courage, and God’s plan to bring good out of apparent disaster [00:31:27]
• The revelation that humble Joseph is actually the hidden heir to the Davidic throne, supported by archaeological insights into the Nazareans and their secret genealogical records [00:35:00]
• How God bestows true fatherhood and royal inheritance on Joseph by commanding him to name Jesus, connecting ancient adoption customs and the significance of the child’s name “Yeshua”—Joshua, the one who leads into the true Promised Land [00:39:00]
• The full prophetic drama behind Isaiah 7:14, the split kingdoms of Israel, and why “Emmanuel” means so much more than a Christmas carol lyric, revealing God’s ultimate promise to be “with us” always [00:47:06]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/4A-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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John the Baptist’s bold question echoes from a prison cell: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” On this episode of Sunday Dive, we’ll unpack the original messianic hopes fueling John’s inquiry and discover why Aquinas insists this question isn’t about wavering faith, but a masterful handoff to the New Exodus. Along the way, we’ll follow Jesus’ strategic move to Capernaum, decode the Old Testament allusions behind “the one who is to come,” and trace how the virtues of fortitude and patience are essential for us today. Prepare to dive deep into the heart of Advent and the radical arrival of the Kingdom!

Diving deep into the Gospel for the Third Sunday of Advent, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Why Jesus relocates from Nazareth to Capernaum to launch his ministry—a strategic move connected to ancient trade routes that maximizes his message’s reach [15:10]
• The subtle Messianic title embedded in John the Baptist’s question “Are you the one who is to come?” and its roots in Psalm 118 and Jewish liturgy [09:30]
• How Aquinas interprets John the Baptist’s doubts—not as lost faith, but as a masterstroke to lead his own disciples toward Christ [13:15]
• The astonishing ways Jesus’ miracle list mirrors the prophecy of Isaiah 35, linking the healing of the blind, lame, and lepers to signs of the long-awaited Messiah [20:14]
• What it means that “the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than John the Baptist”—and how this dramatic shift marks the greatness of the New Covenant [40:17]
• Why Jesus calls John “Elijah” and how it signals Jesus’ identity not just as Messiah but as God himself, radically reshaping expectations for the kingdom [44:09]
• The truth that the kingdom of God is for those who “contend for it,” and how virtues like fortitude and patience become spiritual weapons for anyone seeking holiness [47:28]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/3A-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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John the Baptist appears on the banks of the Jordan, wild in wardrobe and fiery in message, drawing multitudes from Jerusalem and beyond to hear his call for repentance. But who exactly is this enigmatic forerunner, and why do his camel-hair clothes and locust lunches matter so much? In this episode, we peel back the layers of John’s Old Testament connections, plunge into the drama of the Qumran community, and unlock the profound meaning behind his baptism at the Jordan. Join us as we uncover why John’s mission to unite Jew and Gentile still resounds for us today—and what his radical call means for our Advent journey.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Why Matthew goes out of his way to describe John the Baptist’s wardrobe—camel’s hair and a leather belt—and how this connects John to the Old Testament prophet Elijah, whose distinctive outfit signaled the return of prophecy before the Messiah [09:18]
• How John’s diet of locusts and wild honey points to a link with the Essene community at Qumran, and what ancient sources and Dead Sea Scrolls evidence reveal about why John might have lived apart from his peers, surviving on the edible wild environment due to community oaths [14:18]
• An eye-opening theory about John the Baptist’s possible expulsion from Qumran for insisting, based on Isaiah, that salvation was meant for all people—Jew and Gentile—and how redacted ancient manuscripts support the idea of controversy among these early communities [26:29]
• The direct Old Testament connection between Naaman the Gentile’s cleansing at the Jordan River and John’s own call for repentance at that very spot, plus the physical presence at Elijah’s cave and why John’s choice of location was so charged with prophetic meaning [32:05]
• The radical practice of “proselyte baptism” usually reserved for Gentile converts, and why John applies it to Jews themselves, suggesting everyone—regardless of heritage—must enter into something radically new in preparation for the Messiah [37:32]
• How ancient farming practices and the offensive “brood of vipers” insult paint a vivid picture of John’s challenge to the Pharisees and Sadducees, complete with snakes fleeing harvest fires as a metaphor for spiritual reckoning [40:25]
• Old Testament echoes in John’s warning that the axe lies at the root of the tree, drawing on the dreams and punishments of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar as imagery of a coming judgment that would transform the meaning of holiness for everyone [44:42]

Practice meditation this Advent with Teach Us To Pray, a twelve-day audio course created by Katie Patrizio to lead you into meditation using the advice of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a master of prayer. This course is entirely free!

For the full show notes including citations and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/2A-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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The end times are in the air as Jesus delivers his enigmatic prophecy on the Mount of Olives and the Church kicks off Advent with a reading that might leave you wondering: will you be taken or left behind? Listen in as we uncover the original Greek, trace the shadow of Old Testament prophecy, and demystify what Catholics actually believe about the rapture. Along the way, discover how ancient temple traditions, prophetic lament, and the virtue of diligence all tie together for this season of preparation. Sharpen your spiritual senses and dive deep into what it truly means to “stay awake”—because the Son of Man comes when you least expect him!

Exploring the layers of Matthew’s Gospel, this episode uncovers:

• The surprising connection between Thanksgiving and the Hebrew word "todah," plus why Eucharist literally means “thanks” in Greek and is the only temple sacrifice forecast by the rabbis to endure after the Messiah’s arrival [00:02:03]
• How Jesus’s physical location during the prophecy—on the Mount of Olives—echoes Ezekiel’s vision of God’s glory leaving the temple and the prophet’s technical term for the "presence of God" [00:04:55]
• Why Jesus strategically uses the Old Testament image of a hen gathering her brood under her wings to express God’s longing for Jerusalem, cross-referencing Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Isaiah [00:10:13]
• The nuanced difference Pope Benedict XVI spots in Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem—shifting from "my house" in Jeremiah to "your house" in Matthew—and what this means for temple theology [00:19:27]
• The loaded meaning of the Greek word "parousia," how it signifies presence rather than absence, and its crucial role in understanding both Advent and Christ’s second coming [00:23:14]
• How the dimensions of Noah’s ark, according to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, equate to a modern naval battleship and why Noah’s neighbors might have been oblivious to salvation right in their backyard [00:26:27]
• A brief but insightful take on the Catholic view of the Rapture, referencing Old Testament exile and suffering, and what Craig Keener argues about being "taken" vs. "left" [00:29:09]
• The practical application of watching and staying awake—a theme supported by the Greek word "gregoreo"—how sloth, defined by Aquinas as sadness over spiritual good due to bodily labor, holds us back, and St. Benedict’s advice for overcoming it through lectio divina [00:44:16]
• Why Advent is not just about passive waiting but an invitation to deeper prayer, small acts of penance, and a joyful anticipation of Christ’s intimate presence, with resources and show notes provided for personal spiritual growth [00:47:41]

Practice meditation this Advent with Teach Us To Pray, a twelve-day audio course created by Katie Patrizio to lead you into meditation using the advice of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a master of prayer. This course is entirely free!

For the full show notes including citations and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/1A-A26

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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As Jesus hangs upon the cross, a mocking crowd labels him “King of the Jews”—yet in this act of utter humiliation, the Gospels reveal his true royal power. This week, we’ll dive deep into Luke’s Passion narrative, unravel the political and prophetic significance of Christ’s title, and discover why the cross is also a throne. Along the way, we’ll unveil surprising connections to Adam, David, and ancient Jewish kingship, painting a vivid portrait of Christ the King. Get ready for Scripture, history, and heart-stirring themes that will transform how you approach the feast of Christ the King. (Mass Readings for November 23, 2025)

Diving deep into Luke’s Passion narrative, we’ll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The historical roots and motivations behind the establishment of the Feast of Christ the King, including its 100th anniversary and ties to World War I [00:03:31]
• The logistical reason behind the division of “the people” and “the rulers” at the crucifixion and why pilgrims from Galilee arrived late to the events in Jerusalem [00:11:02]
• How offering Jesus vinegar (oxos) on the cross fulfills prophecy from Psalm 69, and the mocking political weight of the inscription “King of the Jews” traced back to Herod the Great’s royal title [00:24:00]
• The remarkable parallel between the two criminals crucified with Jesus and the request of the sons of Zebedee to sit at his right and left, revealing who truly joins Jesus on his throne [00:30:39]
• The breathtaking connections between Jesus, Adam, and David—including the meaning of “paradise,” why Adam was a priest and king, and how Christ’s seamless garment, pierced side, and crown reveal his role as high priest, universal bridegroom, and new David [00:35:17]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/CTK25

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Jesus stands within the grandeur of Herod’s Temple, its massive columns as wide as redwoods, when he stuns the crowd with a chilling prophecy: soon, not one stone will remain upon another. In this episode, we journey through ancient eyewitness accounts, peek into archaeological marvels, and unravel the dramatic signs that heralded the temple’s downfall. Along the way, we’ll draw out the spiritual punch packed in a single Greek word—martyr—and ask what true testimony looks like when kingdoms crumble. Get your bearings for this apocalyptic moment and discover how hope rises from ruin as the Church learns to witness in the darkest of days. (Mass Reading for Nov 16, 2025)

Journeying through this episode, we’ll dive into riveting details such as:

• The astonishing scale of Herod’s Temple Mount expansion—including the “Western Stone,” a single block weighing 660,000 pounds, rivaling the weight of two blue whales [18:00]
• The dazzling description of the Temple’s sanctuary, adorned in gold so brilliant that looking at it at sunrise risked blinding pilgrims, and decorated with golden grape clusters as tall as a man [22:05]
• Eyewitness reports from Josephus about eerie omens in the Temple before its destruction—like a bright light at midnight, a heifer giving birth to a lamb on the altar, and the massive eastern gate swinging open on its own [37:03]
• The haunting account of false prophets leading thousands to their deaths during the siege, and the terrifying scene of chariots and armored soldiers seen racing among the clouds above Jerusalem [30:01] & [41:04]
• The remarkable fact that, according to early Christian historian Eusebius, not a single Christian died during the siege of Jerusalem, because they heeded Jesus’s prophetic warnings and left the city in time [43:54]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/33OT-C25

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Be whisked away to the packed Temple Mount where Jesus’ dramatic cleansing of the temple turns commerce—and expectations—upside down. This episode unveils the surprising history and symbolism behind the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, connects it to prophecies like Zechariah 14, and draws powerful parallels with Ezekiel 47’s vision of life-giving water flowing from the Temple. We’ll dissect why this Gospel reading gets swapped in for the normal one, dig into the meaning behind those scattered coins and driven livestock, and discover how Jesus’ action signals an ingathering of nations and offers refreshing grace that transforms even the “saltiest” places. (Mass Readings for November 9, 2025)

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• The surprising history behind the Lateran Basilica’s “Mother and Head of all Churches” title, why it bumps the usual readings, and how its full name honors both John the Baptist and John the Evangelist [00:03:13]
• How church architecture and papal residence shifted from the Lateran to the Vatican, plus the tumultuous centuries when popes lived in Avignon and St. John Lateran fell into disrepair [00:06:30]
• First-century Passover logistics: what it took for pilgrims to buy animals, the sheer density of Jerusalem, and why money changers kept their coins at “stick-length” due to graven images [00:17:01]
• The deep Old Testament roots of Jesus cleansing the temple, including the prophetic lens of Zechariah 14 and its radical vision of Gentiles being incorporated into Israel’s worship [00:23:42]
• The architectural symbolism of the Court of Gentiles and how merchants set up shop precisely where non-Jews were meant to pray, reflecting Jesus’ intent to open temple worship to all nations [00:29:54]
• How Herod the Great’s “Second Temple” expansion was an act of royal self-promotion and why only the true Son of David, Jesus, can truly build God’s lasting house [00:36:10]
• The striking image from Ezekiel 47, the prophecy of life-giving water flowing from the side of the temple, its fulfillment in Christ’s crucifixion, and why it means hope and renewal for every listener [00:44:29]

For the full show notes including references and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/Lateran

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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Sometimes the Sunday readings take an unexpected turn, and this week is one of those rare occasions. With All Souls Day bumping our usual Gospel reading, we’ll turn our focus to the poignant encounter between Jesus and the widow of Nain—a miracle packed with emotion, cultural resonance, and theological depth. Together, we’ll map the geography of ancient Galilee, unpack the significance of Jesus’s “gut feeling” in the original Greek, and uncover how the resurrection at Nain foreshadows the hope offered to all through Christ. Grab your seat at the city gate for a journey into the heart of Catholic philosophy, Jewish burial customs, and the promise of life that triumphs over death. (Mass Readings for November 2, 2025)

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The unusual abundance of reading options in the lectionary for All Souls Day—pages and pages including twelve Gospel choices and the freedom to choose from any Masses for the Dead, making this Sunday’s Gospel at your parish nearly impossible to predict [00:01:00]
• Why the city of Nain, the southernmost city in Galilee with a city wall and proximity to Nazareth and Mount Tabor, sets the scene for Jesus’s remarkable encounter [00:04:02]
• The cultural and theological weight of the Greek term "monogeneous" for "only son," often reserved for Jesus and linking our reading to deep Old Testament roots and John 3:16 [00:06:56]
• The precarious, often destitute status of a widow who loses her only son in first century Jewish society and the rare levirate marriage as one of her few hopes [00:10:03]
• How professional mourners, gender-based funeral processions, and suspension of Torah study reveal the magnitude of communal mourning customs in ancient Jewish funerals [00:13:18]
• What the Greek word "splanknon" means in describing Jesus’s gut-wrenching compassion, and how Catholic philosophy claims Christ, with unfallen nature, felt emotion more deeply than we do [00:16:35]
• The fascinating theology of the "preternatural gifts" Adam and Eve received—especially immortality and integrity—and how these shed light on the tragedy and hope embedded in death [00:21:04]
• Why Jewish law (Numbers 19) warns against touching the dead, and how Christ flips ritual impurity on its head by making the unclean clean, using only the power of his spoken word to raise the widow’s son [00:27:08]
• The subtle echoes between Jesus giving the widow her son and his own gift of spiritual life to his mother, Mary, at the cross, along with Old Testament and Canticle of Zechariah references to God "visiting" his people [00:31:59]
• The delayed resurrection of the body, explained through the catechism and the Eucharist as a "foretaste," and why Paul’s mocking of death signals our ultimate hope in Christ’s victory [00:39:50]

For the full show notes including citations and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/AllSouls25

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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The Pharisees are the perennial “bad guys” of the Gospels—or are they? This week on Sunday Dive, we’re unpacking the surprising backstory of the Pharisees and shining a light on their original motivations, which may not be as villainous as you think. We’ll delve into the cultural and liturgical world of first-century Jerusalem, explore what made tax collectors so universally despised, and discover why Jesus chooses a rare, loaded Greek word for “mercy” in his parable. Get ready for a deep dive into Luke 18 that might just upend your assumptions about righteousness, humility, and the radical nature of grace. (Mass Readings for Oct 26, 2025)

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Why the Pharisees were so zealous for extra rules and how their movement sprang from a desperate hope for the return of the Messiah and restoration of Israel [00:07:15]
• The real reason both the Pharisee and the tax collector find themselves in the Temple—and how it connects to the daily Tamid sacrifice, the heartbeat of Jewish worship, which surprisingly links to scenes later in Scripture [00:03:24]
• How an ancient Jewish historian, Josephus, helps us understand why the Pharisees thought themselves the most rigorous and godly—and how that attitude gets flipped on its head by Jesus’ words [00:08:30]
• That Pharisaic practices like fasting twice a week and tithing everything weren’t actually required by Jewish law but were extreme measures they adopted in hopes of saving their nation [00:30:25]
• The surprisingly scandalous history of tax collectors in first-century Israel, including that their alms were rejected by the poor and they were barred from court, plus the costly process of repentance that could leave them destitute [00:38:22]
• How the tax collector’s prayer uses a rare Greek verb, echoing only the high priest on Yom Kippur, so Jesus daringly places the words of Israel’s holiest prayer for atonement in the mouth of a despised sinner [00:44:44]
• And finally, how Jesus overturns the entire religious expectation of the time—showing that it’s not effort or perfection that justifies, but humble poverty of spirit, inviting us all to love our spiritual fragility [00:48:29].

For the full show notes, including citations and discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/30OT-C25

Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit www.sundaydive.com/bible101

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A nameless widow keeps knocking on the door of a judge who’s notorious for neither fearing God nor caring for man—sound familiar? Some scholars suspect Jesus is riffing off the infamously wicked King Jehoiakim, and today we won’t just brush past the parallels: we’ll bring biblical history and rabbinic lore together to color in every detail. Along the way, we'll decode ancient boxing jargon straight from the Greek and discover what it reveals about persistent prayer. Finally, we'll dig deep into why Jesus ties this parable to faith, and how daily mental prayer can bring God’s swift justice into your life.

Diving deep into our Gospel, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

The curious parallel between the judge in Jesus's parable and the wicked King Jehoiakim, including how Josephus and rabbinic literature paint Jehoiakim as a tattooed, law-breaking monarch who forced his own Jewish people into labor and even reversed his circumcision to fit in with pagans [00:03:21]

How Ezekiel's original Hebrew tells us the princes "devoured men and knew their women," connecting to the tradition that Jehoiakim murdered husbands, raped wives, and stole inheritances, filling out the judge's characterization in the parable [00:22:50]

Cultural insights from scholar Joachim Jeremias about why the widow likely brings a money-related case alone, what this signals about her age and isolation, and how widows were often forbidden from representing themselves in court—meaning her perseverance is even more remarkable [00:23:59]

The surprising use of an ancient boxing term—hupo piaze—meaning "to give a black eye," borrowed by Jesus to describe the judge's fear of public shame from the widow's persistent appeals at open hearings [00:32:37]

Luke's emphatic Greek which underscores that God will absolutely bring about justice for his chosen ones, and the only instance in Luke-Acts where "the elect" appears [00:39:47]

The connection between relentless prayer and faith, featuring St. Augustine's insight, the Catechism’s wisdom on mental prayer, and the challenge to practice daily Lectio Divina, especially on the feast of St. Teresa of Avila, master of contemplative prayer [00:42:31]

For the full show notes including citations and discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/29OT-C25

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Jesus is journeying the borderlands between Samaria and Galilee when he encounters ten desperate lepers, outsiders among outsiders, begging for mercy at a distance. But when only one—a scorned Samaritan—returns to give thanks, Jesus reveals a stunning twist that cuts to the heart of faith, humility, and gratitude. In this episode, we’ll get our bearings with Holy Land geography, unravel the deep-seated animosity between Jews and Samaritans, and see how this dramatic healing points toward the mystery of the Eucharist. Strap in as we uncover ancient rivalries, ritual boundaries, and the explosive mercy of Jesus that knows no limits.

Journeying through Luke’s story of the cleansing of ten lepers, we’ll uncover:

The geographic, historical, and tribal context behind the fierce Jewish-Samaritan animosity, including shocking incidents like the desecration of the Jerusalem Temple with human bones and the destruction of the Samaritan Temple at Mount Gerizim [00:05:00]

Why Jews traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem would go far out of their way to avoid Samaria, and how Jesus’ route along the Decapolis reveals deeper tensions that shape this Gospel moment [00:11:20]

Luke’s subtle but powerful way of preserving the dignity of the lepers by calling them “ten men with leprosy” rather than simply lepers, and what this means for our own way of seeing others [00:14:55]

The real meaning and rare usage of the Greek title “Epistada"—Master—on the lips of the lepers, a word typically reserved for Jesus’ closest disciples [00:22:05]

How the order for the Samaritan to show himself to the priest could have been a literal death sentence, given the temple’s inner barriers and the chilling warning inscribed in Greek on its latticed screen [00:45:15]

Why the word for thanksgiving in this Gospel passage, “Eucharistone,” is directly connected to our celebration of the Eucharist, inviting us to respond to divine blessings with gratitude that echoes the heart of the Mass [01:00:22].

(Mass Readings for October 12, 2025)

For the full show notes including citations and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/28OT-C25

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The apostles approach Jesus with a heartfelt plea: “Increase our faith!”—only to receive an enigmatic answer about uprooting a sycamore tree and planting it in the sea. In this episode, we’ll unearth the astonishing symbolism of the sycamore, wrestle with the original Greek, and peel back centuries of rabbinic wisdom to grasp just how radical Jesus’ words are. Along the way, we’ll tackle the age-old question: Is God not answering my prayer because I lack faith? Linking our Gospel reading with the cry of Habakkuk and the hope of the Psalms, we’ll dig deep to discover what true faith and servant-hearted discipleship really mean.

Diving deep into our Gospel, we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The fascinating rabbinic tradition that forbade planting a sycamore tree within 37 feet of a cistern because of its enormous root system, and how Jesus upends this cultural fact in his teaching on faith [00:17:45]
• The striking comparison between mustard seed-sized faith moving mountains in Matthew’s Gospel and, uniquely in Luke, uprooting a tree that can live 500 years, illuminating just how bold and impossible the acts of faith Jesus describes really are [00:19:05]
• The deeper meaning behind Jesus' answer that faith isn't about getting what we want, but about uniting our will to God's even after “a long day of plowing,” challenging any notion of faith as a spiritual insurance policy for answered prayers [00:40:17]
• The compelling Old Testament backdrop from the Book of Habakkuk, where the prophet demands to know why God seems to simply gaze at evil rather than act, and God’s unexpected answer about faith and hope [00:46:53]
• How the Psalm selection for the Sunday connects Israel’s exile longing with our spiritual waiting, urging us not to “harden your hearts” as the Israelites did at Meribah in the desert, and instead to nurture hope in God’s future deliverance [00:56:37]

(Mass Readings for Oct 5, 2025)

For the full show notes including citations and small group discussion questions, visit: kptz.io/27OT-C25

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Jesus is teaching beside the Sea of Galilee when the crush of the crowds prompts him to climb aboard St. Peter’s boat and request the soon-to-be-apostle to shove off from shore. Little does Peter know that this is only Our Lord’s first request. We’ll spend our episode exploring the ins and outs of fishing on the Sea of Galilee and we’ll get our hands dirty in the original Greek so as to immerse ourselves into the full emotion of the exchange. Finally, we’ll round out our discussion by diving into the Old Testament context for Peter’s commissioning as a “fisher of men.” (Mass Reading for Feb 9, 2025) /// Join Katie's Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi: https://kptz.io/rome Registration is closing this March!

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When Joseph and Mary bring Jesus to the Temple, they fulfill the Law of Moses, yet what unfolds goes far beyond legal obligation. In Simeon’s words, we find echoes of the watchmen of Israel, standing vigil for the Lord’s arrival and Anna, with her years of prayer, embodies widowed Israel longing for redemption. At the heart of the story is the go’el, the kinsman-redeemer tasked by the Book of Leviticus with restoring family and land. Coming suddenly to his Temple as our first reading predicts, Jesus shows himself to be this bridegroom redeemer. (Mass Reading for Feb 2, 2025) /// Join Katie's Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi this December: https://kptz.io/rome

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In the synagogue of his hometown, Jesus delivers a message that begins with amazement and ends in rejection. Drawing from the full arc of the story, we explore the depth of his proclamation, the Greek Old Testament text, and the broader context of Isaiah’s prophecy. Together, these elements reveal the profound challenge of a mission extending mercy beyond Israel and they also uncover why Our Lord's words ignited such a powerful reaction, one his own neighbors were unwilling to accept. (Mass Readings for Jan 26, 2025) /// Join Katie's Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi this December: https://kptz.io/rome

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Join Katie on pilgrimage in Rome & Assisi for the Jubilee: kptz.io/rome / / / In this episode, we explore the Wedding Feast at Cana, where Jesus performs His first public miracle—turning water into wine. We’ll uncover the Old Testament echoes in this moment, the significance of Christ as the divine Bridegroom, and Mary’s pivotal role in the unfolding of His mission. How does this event foreshadow the New Covenant, and what does it reveal about God’s abundant grace? Tune in to find out! (Mass Readings for Jan 19, 2025)

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Join me this December on a Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi: kptz.io/rome /// Jesus begins his public ministry at a location rich with history for the Jewish people. The site of the famed Promised Land crossing, the Jordan River is a symbol of homecoming and covenant faithfulness. Exploring our Gospel within the context of the lectionary, we see Jesus’ Baptism as not simply the fulfillment of Jewish hopes, but a hope for Gentiles as well. In this one act, Jesus recalls creation, the flood, the Exodus, and the expectation of a new covenant for all peoples, momentous occasions that he will fulfill in his own public ministry. (Mass Readings for Jan 12, 2025)

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We journey with the Magi to Bethlehem in our Gospel today, unraveling the ancient prophecy from the Book of Numbers that sent shockwaves through Herod’s court. Who were these mysterious visitors and what does their presence reveal about Salvation History? We’ll also dig into historical and astronomical insights into the Star of Bethlehem and unpack the profound symbolism behind the threefold gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Finally, we’ll explore the subtle allusions to Solomon in our text which firmly plant Jesus as the rightful successor to the Davidic throne. // Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

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Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi // Jesus is lost and found in today's Gospel. In it, the evangelist describes Jesus as having "understanding", an Old Testament characteristic of the Davidic kings. Luke also clearly links Our Lord with the prophet Samuel and by this connection we discover Jesus as the firstborn consecrated to God and the prophet who will speak condemnation on the corrupt Jerusalem priests. We end our episode exploring the interior life of Our Lady who was not shielded from spiritual hardship but learned to foster hope in the midst of confusion.

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Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi // Exploring the story of the Visitation we discover a text bursting with Old Testament allusions. We see the evangelist subtly comparing Jesus and John the Baptist to Jacob and Esau and Our Lady herself finds parallel in two Old Testament women, Jael and Judith, women who found fame crushing the heads of their enemies. An overarching theme comes to prominence, however, that of the Ark of the Covenant. Just as the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant sojourned for a time in the hill country of Judea, so does the new Ark of the Covenant sojourn there as well. (Mass Readings for Dec 22, 2024) March 1st Event w/ Dr. Scott Hahn: https://stpaulcenter.com/desmoines2025/

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We turn our attention once more to our Gospel reading and to the figure of John the Baptist. People from all walks of life are coming to him, repenting, and asking for spiritual advice. John exhorts people not to a life of intense asceticism and separation but rather to lives of holiness in the midst of worldly endeavors, a radical idea for the time period. Exploring further John the Baptist's background we discover a man deeply committed to evangelization and a figure who is arguably the first champion of the lay vocation. (Mass Readings for Dec 15, 2024) --> March 1st Event w/ Dr. Scott Hahn: https://stpaulcenter.com/desmoines2025/ --> Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

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This week we continue in the spirit of Jeremiah with our first reading from Baruch, the man who served as Jeremiah's scribe. In it we find many parallels with the Old Testament and contemporary prophetic literature, specifically the Book of Isaiah. We explore the three covenant types of Ancient Near Eastern culture and link Baruch to Genesis 22 in which God himself is the covenant guarantor. Lastly, we explore the New Exodus theme implicit in our first reading and its clear link to our Gospel and the figure of John the Baptist. (Mass Readings for Dec 8, 2024) --> Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

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As Advent begins, the Church invites us to reflect on prophetic texts that illuminate the season's profound themes of hope and expectation. This week, we delve into the prophet Jeremiah, focusing on his ministry during the late 600s BC under King Josiah's reign. By exploring the historical backdrop of Jerusalem's turmoil and exile, we uncover the depth of Jeremiah's prophecy about a "righteous branch" springing from David's line. In the Gospel, the Church continues the apocalyptic theme, drawing connections between the Jewish people's longing for a Messiah and our own anticipation of Christ’s return. Join us as we trace the threads of history and prophecy, unveiling the timeless message of Advent: hope in the fulfillment of God’s promises.

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The Church points us to the Gospel of John for our feast today, looking specifically at the exchange between Pontius Pilate and Our Lord at the latter's trial. The question at hand is kingship: is Jesus a king and, if so, where is his kingdom? Looking at the literal translation of the Greek we discover how emphatic Our Lord's answers are. He reigns indeed but his reign does not flow from human authority. In fact, all human authority flows from him and one day will be subject to him. We'll also look at the 1925 encyclical that established our feast and the spiritual implications it offers. --> Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

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Our Lord leaves the Temple for the last time. On the way out his disciples comment on the Temple's beauty and Jesus takes the opportunity to direct their hearts from an earthly worldview to a heavenly one, foretelling the destruction of that beautiful structure. Our Gospel picks up toward the end of this exchange and in it we find an abundance of allusions to a new creation, the ingathering of the nations, and the cosmic battle between good and evil. Though filled with images of suffering, read with the eyes of faith Our Lord's words provide comfort and hope, regardless of what the future may hold. --> Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

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Jesus takes aim at the scribes in our Gospel today, calling them out for their love of fine things and special treatment. In contrast, Our Lord offers the example of the widow at the Temple. While the opulent monetary contributions of the rich ring out for others to hear, the widow's quiet offering does not go unnoticed by God. Jesus explains that, contrary to appearances, this woman has offered more than all the others. Exploring further the idea of poverty in the spiritual life, we find an apt opportunity to give to God from our nothingness in the sacrament of confession. --> Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

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Join me on pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi for the Jubilee Year and get $200 off if you register before the end of October! Details here: https://bit.ly/rome_assisiA scribe, emboldened by Jesus’ compelling answer to the debated topic of resurrection presents another question before the Lord, “Which is the greatest commandment?” Exploring Our Lord’s answer we discover a response oozing with Scripture, one that impressively sums up both the 600+ laws of the Torah and the heart of the Ten Commandments. Unwittingly, the scribe’s own commentary prophetically describes what Jesus will do upon the cross: fulfill Temple worship in his own self-holocaust and unleash a flood of grace that will transform souls and make saints.

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Jesus makes his final stop before reaching Jerusalem, passing through the ancient town of Jericho. On his way out of town the cries of a blind man reach his ears, compelling him to stop. Our Lord's encounter with and subsequent healing of the blind man are full of Old Testament resonances. In our Gospel we see the fulfillment of many prophecies announcing the arrival of the Messiah, we find fascinating parallels between Joshua's entry into Jericho and our Gospel, and we discover a unique echo of David's encounter with the blind in this encounter of Bartimaeus with Christ on the road to Jerusalem.

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We leave Our Lord's words to speak for themselves in our podcast today, looking closer at the spiritual implication of his message rather than digging into scholarly insights on the text. The former exercise proves deeply important for our interior life, especially in periods of suffering. Understanding that the role James and John wish to possess is actually filled by two thieves leads us to recognize that heavenly success often masquerades as earthly failure and that even when we find it difficult to imagine fruits from our sufferings we can still hold fast to the conviction that heaven knows and honors our faithfulness.

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We hear two of Jesus' favorite words in our Gospel today: Follow me! Where in the past these words were met with tremendous faith by the apostles, today they are met with sadness and rejection. We're talking about the rich young man who's unfulfilled longings bring him to the feet of Jesus. Diagnosing his restlessness, Our Lord calls him to leave behind his possessions, a cure that proves too burdensome to be carried out. Exploring the spiritual theme of detachment as well as the theological idea of sloth we discover that each of us today are just as prone to abandoning Jesus as the rich young man was years ago.

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Jesus travels to Judea where he is not always well received and is immediately confronted by Pharisees as regards his view on marriage and divorce. Referencing Deuteronomy, the Pharisees make the case that Moses allowed for divorce but Jesus moves earlier in the Biblical account to make his argument, citing two verses of Genesis. From Our Lord's words we glean a radical view of marriage, one that excludes divorce but that also affirms the image of the Trinity and the tremendous dignity of married love. In the end we find a God who is reckless in love and who desires that we be recklessly loving as well.

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The apostles encounter a man performing exorcisms in Jesus' name though they do not know who he is. When asked his opinion, Our Lord's response points us to the outpouring of the spirit of God in the Old Testament and the prophetic words of Moses who longs for all of God's people to perform miraculous works. Continuing on in our Gospel we hear Jesus speak intensely about "stumbling blocks." Exploring the original Greek as well as the Church's teaching we uncover the true meaning of scandal and its serious ramifications while ending with a discussion of freedom and the need for Christians to valiantly resist sin.

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Jesus redefines greatness in His second prediction of the Passion. After His transfiguration, He pulls the Twelve aside to teach them an unexpected truth—true greatness comes through humility and the cross. Diving deep into our Gospel, we’ll explore the loaded Greek word "paradidomi," which reveals Jesus' active rather than passive choice to give Himself up. We’ll take a closer look at the first century background and symbolism of Our Lord’s gentle gesture towards children and we’ll uncover the dual meaning of one Aramaic word that reinforces our Gospel message.

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Set against the historical backdrop of Caesarea Philippi, a location steeped in ancient ties to the Greek god Pan, our Gospel is grounded in real-world settings. In addition to the geography, we’ll examine the pivotal interaction between Jesus and Peter, a moment that transitions the Gospel of Mark from revealing Jesus's identity to uncovering his salvific destiny. Finally, examination of a single Greek word will reveal the unavoidable necessity of God's plan while offering solace that, even in suffering, God's purpose will prevail.

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Having cleansed foods and thereby abolished many of the ritual purity laws that served to separate Jew and Gentile, Jesus intentionally travels into Gentile territory. He performs several miracles like the one recounted in our Gospel. Exploring the healing of the deaf man we discover an explicit link with the prophecies of Isaiah that allude to an ingathering of the Gentiles and mincing Jesus' words and actions we uncover both Sacramental and New Creation themes, themes that point back to the beginning of Genesis and that help us to recognize the many graces God showers upon us even now!

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We head back into Mark in our Gospel today and into the thick of Pharisaic criticism. Jesus is asked why his disciples do not wash their hands before eating. To fully understand the Pharisees' charge we take a step back and explore the heart and history of the Pharisaic school of thought. What we find in the Pharisees are Jews zealous for the law of God but fixated on ancillary things, things that inevitably distort their judgment, corrupt their heart, and prevent them from seeing that which they've longed for most: the Messiah who's standing right in front of them.

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Provided with two sets of first readings, the Church beckons us to look both backward and forward to understand our Gospel and the feast of the Assumption at hand. Diving into Luke as well as our Old Testament first reading we see the evangelist draw clear parallels between David's reception of the Ark of the Covenant at Jerusalem and Elizabeth's reception of the new Ark just outside Jerusalem. Then looking forward to our reading from Revelation we realize that just as Mary went up to Jerusalem at the visitation God brings her up to the new Jerusalem once and for all at her glorious assumption.

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Further exploring our multi-week look at John 6, this week's episode is a recording of the talk that Katie gave onsite at the Church of the Multiplication on the shore of the Sea of Galilee during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in January 2023. Enjoy!

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Over the next several weeks the Church breaks from Mark’s Gospel, pivoting instead to John 6. Encountering the people’s hunger, Our Lord feeds them with the miraculous multiplication of loaves and fish. The Scriptures then recount a fascinating response to the miracle: the people want to make Jesus king. Delving into the history of the Old Testament manna as well as the Jewish tradition surrounding it, we explore an explanation for the people’s desire to place Our Lord upon the throne, one in which the multiplied bread is seen as none other than new manna!

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The Twelve return from their initial missionary outreach, their success evidenced by the continually growing crowds. Unable to find time even to eat, Jesus invites the disciples to follow him to a place of solitude. The people, however, are undeterred and follow on foot, beating Jesus to his destination. What Our Lord does next shows the tenderness of his heart. Moved with compassion he provides for their needs and in so doing he continues echoing a new Exodus theme while taking upon himself the role of a new Moses and a new Joshua.

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Jesus called the Twelve to himself in the beginning of Mark's Gospel. Now he sends them out two-by-two to do the very works that he has done. Exploring Our Lord's pre-departure instructions we discover several connections to not only the Old Testament but also first century culture. Through these connections we see Jesus distinguishing his followers from some (like itinerant Greek philosophers) but also associating them with others (like the Old Testament people of God). Through our Gospel we'll discover the Twelve acting in the person of Christ and in so doing inaugurating the New Exodus.

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Jesus travels home to Nazareth in our Gospel today but the reception he receives is far from warm. Comparing and contrasting our episode with an earlier synagogue encounter in Capernaum we realize that those who reject God often have the same evidence for belief as those who accept him. At the end of the day we have to decide - with the same evidence that the people of Israel had - is this man who he says he is?

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The long form of our Gospel today provides us with two miracles which Mark sandwiches together: the raising of Jairus' daughter and the healing of the hemorrhaging woman. Contextualizing these stories in light of Levitical purity laws reveals a deeper message lingering below the surface: not only does Jesus desire to heal us physically but he also wants to restore us spiritually. At the end of the day, the story serves as a spiritual summons to see life's happenings through the eyes of Him who banishes illness and reverses death itself.

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In one of his most amazing feats, Jesus sleeps through a mega-storm on the Sea of Galilee. We'll spend our time together uncovering the quite detailed picture archaeology can paint for us about seafaring in first century Palestine and we'll also unveil some fascinating parallels between our Gospel and the Old Testament Book of Jonah. At the end of the day what we discover in our Gospel is not so much a God aloof in the face of our fears but a Son carefree in His trust of the Father and desiring the same for us.

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We return to the heart of Mark's Gospel and Our Lord's teaching in our episode today, exploring some of his many parables. What becomes quickly evident in our survey of his teaching is that Jesus' words contain a surface profundity in and of themselves and yet at the same time reveal a depth of meaning that could be sounded for an eternity. Turning to the parables themselves, we'll unveil their subtle allusions to the Old Testament texts, revealing not only a poetic description of the Kingdom of God but a promise of spiritual life and conversion should we open ours ears to hear.

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Jesus is in his adoptive hometown of Capernaum, visited by great throngs of both supporters and adversaries. Among the latter are scribes from Jerusalem and members of his own family traveling from Nazareth to confront him. Accused of being possessed by the devil, Our Lord uses the famed “House Divided” parable to put them to shame. Comparing and contrasting the ensuing dialogue, clear parallels emerge that paint Jesus as the mighty victor come to ransack Satan and steal us back for himself should we only be willing to accept His salvation.

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Our Gospel this week is packed with hidden gems and secret keys that unlock layers of hidden meaning in Mark's Last Supper account. The Essenes, producers of the famed Dead Sea Scrolls, serve as one of these keys. We'll make the case that Jesus celebrated the Passover with the Essene community in Jerusalem, a thesis that instigates a cascade of implications and we'll end our time together delving into the idea of the Eucharist as a covenant, that is, an exchange of persons that allows God to share himself with us in ever more intimate ways.

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Our Gospel today comes from the end of Matthew. Jesus offers the great commission which includes the Trinitarian formula and the all-important summons to Baptism. Turning first and foremost to the Book of Daniel as well as the beginning of Matthew's Gospel we discover that Jesus' reception of authority is a fruit of his self-abasement and total obedience. Looking to the Christian calling with this in mind, we realize that our own lives are meant to be an echo of Christ's obedience the fruit of which is a share in the life of the Trinity, a life of perfect love.

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When Luke mentions the feast of Pentecost in our first reading, we can easily gloss over the implication that Pentecost is a Jewish feast. One of four springtime feasts on the Jewish liturgical calendar, Pentecost celebrated both the ingathering of the harvest as well as the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. Comparing and contrasting the first Pentecost with the new Pentecost we discover that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit does indeed bring about a harvest, one that is new and rich in meaning.Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:- The agricultural background of the feast of Pentecost- The clear connections between the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai and the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Early Church- Which Early Church Father coined the phrase “sober intoxication of the spirit”- The significance of new wine in the Scriptures and why you can’t pour new wine into old wineskins- How the new law of grace engenders spontaneityYou’ll notice that I talk a lot in the first few minutes about an online Bible study I did on the Book of Acts. To access that head here: https://www.youtube.com/@KatiePatrizio

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We break with routine in this episode and focus on the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. In it, we see Jesus giving final instructions to his apostles before he ascends into heaven. Looking at subtle clues left by St. Luke, we discover that at his ascension Jesus takes on both the role of the “Son of Man” found in the Book of Daniel and the role of a new and everlasting high priest who fulfills once and for all by his death, resurrection, and ascension the cultic act of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.Diving deep into our readings we'll spend our episode looking closer at:- Who the mysterious “Theophilus” is in our first reading- The Old and New Testament significance of the 40 days that Jesus spends with the Apostles before his ascension- Which prophecy in the New Testament was most frequently repeated- The incredible connection between the Old Testament assumption of Elijah and the New Testament ascension of Jesus- Who the fourth beast is in the Book of Daniel and its significance for the Early Church- How our readings coupled with the Letter to the Hebrews show Jesus to be the new and everlasting Jewish High Priest

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Picking up where we left off in last week's Gospel, Jesus continues his Last Supper discourse, this time turning his attention to love, the law, and friendship with God. Taking the lead of the evangelist himself we explore the idea of belovedness and how receptivity to Divine love is the foundation of the spiritual life. Bringing in the topic of the law as well as the thought of Thomas Aquinas we discover that the practice of abiding in God's love has very little to do with our own efforts and everything to do with God's.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• What, according to St. Thomas Aquinas, we must do in order to keep God's commandments [8:49]

• The Greek etymology of the word "friend" and what it can tell us about being friends of God [18:48]

• The two Old Testament figures that were said to be friends of God [31:20]

• Greco-Roman and Jewish conceptions of friendship that likely inform our Gospel [41:52]

• Jewish inheritance law and what it has to say about friendship and servitude [45:04]

• Some priestly overtones subtly present in the latter part of Jesus' exhortation to the Twelve [51:35]

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We continue exploring the Gospel of John in our readings for this Sunday. In them Jesus makes his seventh and final "I am" statement, comparing himself to the true vine. Combing through the Old Testament we discover that vine imagery is often associated with Israel, but an Israel that is unfaithful and disobedient. It is Christ then, the faithful son, and we his disciples who are to embody a new Israel, radically faithful to the Father. How do we achieve this faithfulness? Our Gospel reveals the secret.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The seven "I am" statements in John, the last of which forms our Gospel

• The image of the vine in the Old Testament and how it helps us interpret Our Lord's analogy

• How our Gospel both demands and promises radical faithfulness

• The ancient heresy that our Gospel was employed to refute

• What it means to abide in Christ and a tangible way to practice that abiding

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On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we find ourselves in the Gospel of John listening to Our Lord declare Himself the Good Shepherd. Following the healing of the man blind from birth, Jesus engages in a discussion of what it means to know Him. To answer the question, He employs the image of sheep who are masters in the discernment of voice. Whereas others come to pillage and plunder, Jesus comes as protector. Exploring both ancient and modern shepherding practices we’ll unpack the rich implications of Jesus’ assertions and see a picture with two portraits: one of God and one of Satan.In this episode discover:- The Jewish liturgical setting of our Gospel (Hannukah) which provides a nod to a previous period of priestly corruption- Our Gospel’s parallels with Joshua and the Book of Numbers- The Jewish legal distinction between thieves and robbers and why it’s relevant to our text- A Greek word in our Gospel which provides a link between the sheepfold and the courtyard of the High Priest- What ancient Judean sheepfolds looked like and why Jesus calls Himself the door for the sheep- What the “rod” in Psalm 24 refers to and its protective purpose

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Our Gospel is the famous story of the road to Emmaus. Two of Jesus’ followers are returning home after the tumultuous events of Holy Week only to encounter the Risen Lord Himself. We’ll look to an early Church historian to uncover the identity of the two disciples. Comparing our story to the Feeding of the Five Thousand we’ll note several parallels between the two and we’ll also spend some time exploring the objectively vulnerable nature of faith in Christ. Lastly, we’ll compare the Emmaus encounter with Adam and Eve’s sin in Genesis 3 and we’ll note key differences between the outcomes of the two stories.In this episode discover:- Who Eusebius, an early Church historian, identifies as the two disciples in our narrative (spoiler: they may have been relatives of Jesus)- A detail in our Gospel that would have fulfilled the Jewish requirement for credibility of legal witnesses- An interesting observation one Biblical scholar makes about Luke’s chronology and how it relates to the keeping of our modern-day liturgical calendar- Whether Jesus purposely prevented the disciples from recognizing Him or if something else was at play- How Josephus, a first century Jewish historian, describes Jesus and the similarities that description has with Cleopas’- How the story of the road to Emmaus mirrors the twofold pattern of every Mass

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Our episode today traces a broad overview of salvation history in order to better appreciate the work of God in the Paschal mystery. Tracing the theme of covenant throughout Scripture, we see this concept as the key to understanding God's plan for us. Culminating in Jesus' passion and resurrection, we unpack the institution of the new and final covenant which is a foretaste of Heaven. Finally, we'll contextualize Jesus' passion in its First Century setting and we'll link the resurrection as recorded in John 20 to both the first pages of Genesis and the Song of Songs.In this episode discover:- The root of the Hebrew word "seven" and what that tells us about the days of creation- The significance of Jesus beginning his suffering in a garden- The true age of Isaac when he was nearly sacrificed on Mt. Moriah and the cascade of implications this detail provokes- What other figure in Scripture wore a crown of thorns- The manner in which the priests sacrificed the passover lambs in the Temple and how it parallels Jesus' own self-sacrifice on the cross- Jewish wedding practice and how this informs Our Lord's interactions with Mary Magdalene after His resurrectionFreedom in Christ Conference: bit.ly/ficsfa

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Matthew’s account of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem unleashes a cascade of parallels with the Old Testament. First and foremost, we see Jesus associating Himself with Solomon who rode a mule triumphantly into Jerusalem. The beginning location of our Gospel’s royal parade, the Mt. of Olives, echoes battle imagery when seen against its Old Testament backdrop. The use of palm branches has a rich history in Scripture that we’ll explore. And, finally, Jesus’ actions also align Him with another Old Testament figure, that of Melchizedek who was once himself the King of Jerusalem.In this episode discover:- The Biblical significance of palm branches and their frequent use in royal ceremonies- How our Gospel is a clear parallel with the Old Testament story of Solomon's accession to the throne- The geographic starting point for Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and how its location fulfills an Old Testament prophecy about God's kingship- Another Biblical occasion when men spread their cloaks on the ground before another- The way in which Jesus' actions subtly link Him to the Old Testament figure of Melchizedek

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“Lazarus, come out!” These are the words with which Our Lord raises Lazarus from the dead but they are also the words that in many ways seal his own fate. Following the undeniable miracle of raising a man from the dead, the Pharisees and chief priests no longer stand by but decide to put Our Lord to death. But if Jesus is not conquered by death and neither is Lazarus, then our readings today offer each of us the same hope for the Resurrection.In this episode discover:- The location of the raising of Lazarus and how it reveals the familiarity and friendship that Jesus and Lazarus possessed- How our Gospel provides an answer to the ever-present "problem" of evil- The Jewish view of death that explains why Jesus waits several days before going to Lazarus- What the preternatural gifts are and how they explain the intrinsically disturbing nature of death- The Old Testament prophecy from the Book of Ezekiel that our New Testament miracle fulfillsRegister for the Freedom in Christ Conference with Dr. Matthew Breuninger at St. Francis of Assisi in West Des Moines: www.bit.ly/ficsfa

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Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles when He encounters a man who has been blind from birth. Forming clay from the ground to anoint the man’s eyes, Jesus then sends him to wash in the ritual pool of Siloam. Rich with meaning we’ll expound on the liturgical practices of the Feast of Tabernacles in order to elucidate Our Lord’s work and we’ll unpack the sacramental theme of John’s Gospel to show its connections to Baptism. Finally, we’ll look at the purpose of sight from a philosophical perspective in order to contrast the responses of the two parties.In this episode discover:- The Jewish feast that was being observed in Jerusalem at the time when Jesus heals the blind man- The two liturgies which would have been celebrated in the Temple during Jesus’ visit and the way in which they shed light on Our Lord’s actions- The religious purpose of the Pool of Siloam that makes it a fitting place for the blind man’s healing- The seven point outline of John’s Gospel and how it connects our story to the sacrament of Baptism- Why Jesus chose to heal the blind man with dirt from the ground and how it connects his healing to the creation of Adam

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Jesus is in Samaria at a well when he asks a woman for a drink. What seems on the surface like a simple request for hospitality unfolds into a veritable proposal of love. Surveying the Old Testament instances of a man and a woman at a well uncovers the nuptial overtones of our Gospel and a look at the story of Jacob and Rachel’s first meeting displays a manly strength that Jesus Himself will show upon the cross. Finally, we’ll employ our first reading for a telling connection with the Eucharist, one which reminds us of the intense love of God and the intense longing with which He desires that we love Him back.In this episode discover:- The three patriarchs whose wives were found at wells- The significance of the woman’s midday visit to the well and the probable reason for it- The five peoples that intermarried with the Samaritans and the parallels they hold with the woman’s five husbands- The practice of Jewish divorce in the 1st Century and why it likely means that the woman was left (vs. doing the leaving)- The Eucharistic allusions present in our readings and their nuptial overtones

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Katie needs to make this episode brief but still wants to give you something special. So, here is the talk she gave on the top of Mt. Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration just two months ago while on pilgrimage in the Holy Land. Yes, it’s short but it still covers all the highlights!In this episode discover:- The brief phrase that clearly but subtly links the Transfiguration to Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi- The obvious parallel between the three men that Jesus brings up the Mount of Transfiguration and the three men that Moses brings up Mt. Sinai- How the Transfiguration is a foreshadowing of and preparation for Calvary- The Biblical and extrabiblical texts that shed light on the significance of Moses and Elijah appearing with Jesus (hint: it has to do with the resurrection)- How the Jewish feast of Tabernacles helps explain Peter’s often ridiculed exclamation

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Our Gospel today is the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert. There in the wilderness he submits to a threefold enticement corresponding to that from the Garden of Eden, one which also mirrors the threefold concupiscence in 1 John 2:16. We’ll discuss the nature of Satan’s temptations and the means by which their promises sought to entice Christ. Finally, we’ll compare Our Lord’s ordeal to the fall of Israel in the desert and the fall of Solomon upon the throne. When seen through the lens of Old Testament texts, we find Christ as the New Adam, the New Israel, and the New Son of David.In this episode we’ll look at: - The three Old Testament texts that Jesus quotes in his response to Satan’s temptations - The Psalm that Satan quotes in his second temptation of Jesus - The philosophical concept of telos and how it informs a Biblical view of morality - The exact location of the pinnacle of the Temple (where Satan took Jesus) - How Jesus’ response to temptation foreshadows his coming in the Eucharist

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Our Gospel picks up with the last two antitheses in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus addresses the prescription of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” as well as the ancient command to love your neighbor but hate your enemy. This Gospel is chock-full of ancient context that we’ll bring to light by exploring the cultural background of the sayings. We’ll also take at look at what one 21st century Jewish scholar named Jacob Neusner has to say about Jesus’ sermon and we’ll see how the ramifications of Our Lord’s prescriptions may have caused some disciples to abandon Him.In this episode we’ll look at: - Why, according to an ancient Jewish text called the Midrash, striking someone on the right cheek was worse than striking them on the left - The value of a tunic versus a cloak according to the Old Testament - a detail which helps us appreciate Jesus’ sayings regarding the two - The prevailing law in first century Palestine that allowed Roman soldiers to press Jews into service for up to one mile - The original Greek of our text which reveals Jesus using a telling grammatical construction called the “emphatic I” - What it meant when Matthew says that Jesus taught “as one who had authority”

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Our Gospel is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. In this section Jesus preaches what are called the six antitheses where he takes the Old Law and elevates it. He takes on the role of Moses, going up the mountain and delivering a new law, one that is better than the old and that fulfills Old Testament prophecies in Ezekiel and Jeremiah that foretell of a law to come that will be written upon the heart. At the end of the day we discover that Christ’s call to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees can only be had by docility to the Holy Spirit.In this week’s episode discover:- Why scholars refer to this section of the Sermon on the Mount as the “Six Antitheses”- How Jesus is showing himself to be a new Moses- An interesting rabbinic story about the iota in Sarah and Joshua’s name that illustrates the point Jesus makes about the iota- The cultural background that prompted Moses to allow for divorce- The Jewish practice called kinnuyim that explains Jesus’ words about oath swearing

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The Church offers us multiple Gospels for Christmas. Having previously explored the readings from Matthew, we’ll dive instead into the classic Christmas tale provided by St. Luke. Though not considered a main character in the Nativity narrative, the figure of Caesar Augustus looms large. We’ll get deep in Roman history to paint a picture of the time period’s power struggles and we’ll even employ archaeology to flesh out the announcement of Christ’s birth. In that announcement we find an angelic message bordering on a taunt; Christmas might be peaceful but its announcement means war.Quick Note: Katie will be in the Holy Land the first half of January guiding a pilgrimage. That coupled with the Holidays means there will be a short hiatus for the podcast. Expect the next episode to drop end of January/beginning of February. And keep Katie and the group in your prayers!

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We explore our Gospel today through the lens of its protagonist, St. Joseph. Though the text is filled with details about Jesus and Mary, several of those details can in fact fill out our perception of Jesus’ father. We discover, for example, that St. Joseph, though a humble carpenter, is rightful heir to the throne of David and that, for example, his plan to divorce Mary quietly could have placed his own reputation in danger. These and other details paint a portrait for us of a man who is unabashedly faithful to God and completely in love with his wife and son.

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John the Baptist sends some of his disciples to Jesus with a question, “Are you the Messiah?” Shrouded in mystery, this reading can seem scandalous as if John the Baptist has lost faith. Employing Aquinas’ interpretation of the text, however, we discover that there’s more to the story. Connecting our Gospel to the second reading from James, we see a summons to fortitude and courage and we end our time together with a philosophical and psychological treatment of the virtue of patience which, if embraced, can pay dividends in our relationship with the Lord.

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A mysterious figure in his own right and yet one of the most important, we spend our episode today exploring the persona of John the Baptist. With some sleuthing we find that the prophet’s diet and wardrobe have much to tell us about this desert-dwelling man. Not only that but the location of his work, the Jordan River, speaks volumes about the Baptist’s mission once one takes into account the other significant events that occurred at the same site. We’ll also take a brief peek into the Jewish background of baptism and attempt to link John’s baptism with one particular kind of Jewish water washing.

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Though not self-evident on the surface, the Church gives us readings today which prompt us to consider the parousia, a term that is associated with the second coming of Christ. Zooming out to explore the broader context of our Gospel, we see Jesus speaking judgement on the Jerusalem Temple. Though God withdraws His presence from that locale, He makes a promise to be with us in the future. Exploring the personal implications this has for each of us during Advent, we end our episode with a summons to prayer since prayer is the means by which we take advantage of God’s parousia.

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A cascade of Old Testament texts find a connection in our Gospel today. Entering the city seated upon a colt, Jesus follows in the footsteps of his grandfather Solomon. But his authority is not merely human. Exploring the prophets we find that Jesus’ triumphal act ushers in not merely Davidic authority but Divine authority. Allowing Our Lord to Himself interpret His actions, we’ll explore the parable found just previous to our pericope. In it we read of a nobleman who goes into a far land to receive a kingdom. What is the far land and where are we in the parable?

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This Sunday, the Church gives us the famous story of the woman caught in adultery from John’s Gospel. Jesus is in Jerusalem when His opponents attempt to trap Him with a question while also defaming the accused. Exploring the Old Testament as well as first century law and rhetorical practice, we’ll contextualize our Gospel to set the scene and appreciate the stakes. We’ll also dive deep into the perplexing act of Jesus writing in the sand, using a scene from Mt. Sinai to illuminate this fascinating gesture that breathlessly diffuses the situation.

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Current events are the topic of Our Lord’s interactions in our Gospel today. Some bearers-of-bad-news bring Him word of the slaughter of Galileans by Pontius Pilate. Reading the hearts of His interlocutors, Jesus warns that the tragedy was not brought on by the victims’ sins and that if His listeners do not repent, the same tragedy will befall them. We’ll take a cue from Cyril of Alexandria who sees deeper meaning in the image of blood mingled with sacrifice and we’ll make the case that the figure of the vinedresser who begs for the fig tree’s life is none other than Christ Himself.

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Katie is swamped preparing for Lent at her parish so she offers a pared down version of the podcast. Don't worry, though, it still packs a punch! Together we'll spend the episode exploring the tree and fruit analogy that Our Lord offers in our Gospel, bringing in the work of Catholic counselor Bob Schuchts to explore at greater length the healing needed to truly rid ourselves of bad fruit and replace it with good fruit. At the end of the day we'll make the case that Lent isn't so much about what we do for Jesus but what we let Jesus do for us.

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Our Gospel picks up where we left off last week in Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. Last episode we explored the theme of a universal “Law for Mankind” and we contrasted that to the Law of Moses given specifically for the Israelites. In this episode, we’ll look closer at another aspect of Jesus’ teaching and the Law of Moses: the idea of separation. We’ll explore the Hebrew word for holiness which implies separation and we’ll unpack the idea that the apart-ness brought about by the New Law is a separation not for the sake of quarantine but for the sake of conversion.

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Jesus is preaching beatitude in our Gospel today and, though Luke’s version makes some clear diversions from the more famous form of the sermon in Matthew’s Gospel, the message at hand remains consistent. Employing the Old Testament connections offered by the lectionary, we’ll compare and contrast the law of the Mosaic covenant with the universal law of the Davidic covenant and we’ll make the case that the new law offered by Christ fulfills that universal Davidic law. We’ll also explore the content of the beatitudes, noting that according to Christ’s preaching, poverty is an undeniable guarantor of salvation.

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Jesus is teaching beside the Sea of Galilee when the crush of the crowds prompts him to climb aboard St. Peter’s boat and request the soon-to-be-apostle to shove off from shore. Little does Peter know that this is only Our Lord’s first request. We’ll spend our episode exploring the ins and outs of fishing on the Sea of Galilee and we’ll get our hands dirty in the original Greek so as to immerse ourselves into the full emotion of the exchange. Finally, we’ll round out our discussion by diving into the Old Testament context for Peter’s commissioning as a “fisher of men.”

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Our Gospel continues where it left off last week in the synagogue in Nazareth. There Jesus’ honorable reception quickly turns to contempt. We’ll spend our episode looking deeper into the Greek of the text in order to make sense of the mixed reaction of the assembly and we’ll also dive into the broader context of the Isaiah quote in order to uncover the why behind the wrath of the town’s residents. In summary, Our Lord preaches a message of mercy for Gentiles but a message that his Jewish hometown is unwilling to hear.

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We take a detour from our Year C Gospel of Luke in order to explore the Wedding Feast at Cana. This is a Scripture text awash with meaning. From Our Lady’s intercessory role to Our Lord’s seemingly callous response, we’ll unpack the deeper meanings hidden within the text and the abundant Old Testament parallels that reveal a nuptial and new covenant theme. We’d also be remiss to ignore the fact that this Gospel reveals God’s heart, a heart that overflows with joy and that desires nothing but the best for those He loves.

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Jesus is lost and found in today's Gospel. In it, the evangelist describes Jesus as having "understanding", an Old Testament characteristic of the Davidic kings. Luke also clearly links Our Lord with the prophet Samuel and by this connection we discover Jesus as the firstborn consecrated to God and the prophet who will speak condemnation on the corrupt Jerusalem priests. We end our episode exploring the interior life of Our Lady who was not shielded from spiritual hardship but learned to foster hope in the midst of confusion.

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We turn our attention once more to our Gospel reading and to the figure of John the Baptist. People from all walks of life are coming to him, repenting, and asking for spiritual advice. John exhorts people not to a life of intense asceticism and separation but rather to lives of holiness in the midst of worldly endeavors, a radical idea for the time period. Exploring further John the Baptist's background we discover a man deeply committed to evangelization and a figure who is arguably the first champion of the lay vocation.

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This week we continue in the spirit of Jeremiah with our first reading from Baruch, the man who served as Jeremiah's scribe. In it we find many parallels with the Old Testament and contemporary prophetic literature, specifically the Book of Isaiah. We explore the three covenant types of Ancient Near Eastern culture and link Baruch to Genesis 22 in which God himself is the covenant guarantor. Lastly, we explore the New Exodus theme implicit in our first reading and its clear link to our Gospel and the figure of John the Baptist.

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As we enter into the Advent season, the Church offers us a series of prophetic texts in our first readings. This week we find ourselves in the prophet Jeremiah and we spend most of our episode situating this reading in its historical context, an exercise that proves helpful for understanding the text itself but also for understanding the season of Advent. As the apocalyptic theme continues in our Gospel we find the Church pointing both backward and forward. Understanding the longings of the Jewish people helps us to understand our own longing for Christ.

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The Church points us to the Gospel of John for our feast today, looking specifically at the exchange between Pontius Pilate and Our Lord at the latter's trial. The question at hand is kingship: is Jesus a king and, if so, where is his kingdom? Looking at the literal translation of the Greek we discover how emphatic Our Lord's answers are. He reigns indeed but his reign does not flow from human authority. In fact, all human authority flows from him and one day will be subject to him. We'll also look at the 1925 encyclical that established our feast and the spiritual implications it offers.

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Our Lord leaves the Temple for the last time. On the way out his disciples comment on the Temple's beauty and Jesus takes the opportunity to direct their hearts from an earthly worldview to a heavenly one, foretelling the destruction of that beautiful structure. Our Gospel picks up toward the end of this exchange and in it we find an abundance of allusions to a new creation, the ingathering of the nations, and the cosmic battle between good and evil. Though filled with images of suffering, read with the eyes of faith Our Lord's words provide comfort and hope, regardless of what the future may hold.

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Jesus takes aim at the scribes in our Gospel today, calling them out for their love of fine things and special treatment. In contrast, Our Lord offers the example of the widow at the Temple. While the opulent monetary contributions of the rich ring out for others to hear, the widow's quiet offering does not go unnoticed by God. Jesus explains that, contrary to appearances, this woman has offered more than all the others. Exploring further the idea of poverty in the spiritual life, we find an apt opportunity to give to God from our nothingness in the sacrament of confession.

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Jesus makes his final stop before reaching Jerusalem, passing through the ancient town of Jericho. On his way out of town the cries of a blind man reach his ears, compelling him to stop. Our Lord's encounter with and subsequent healing of the blind man are full of Old Testament resonances. In our Gospel we see the fulfillment of many prophecies announcing the arrival of the Messiah, we find fascinating parallels between Joshua's entry into Jericho and our Gospel, and we discover a unique echo of David's encounter with the blind in this encounter of Bartimaeus with Christ on the road to Jerusalem.

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We leave Our Lord's words to speak for themselves in our podcast today, looking closer at the spiritual implication of his message rather than digging into scholarly insights on the text. The former exercise proves deeply important for our interior life, especially in periods of suffering. Understanding that the role James and John wish to possess is actually filled by two thieves leads us to recognize that heavenly success often masquerades as earthly failure and that even when we find it difficult to imagine fruits from our sufferings we can still hold fast to the conviction that heaven knows and honors our faithfulness.

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We hear two of Jesus' favorite words in our Gospel today: Follow me! Where in the past these words were met with tremendous faith by the apostles, today they are met with sadness and rejection. We're talking about the rich young man who's unfulfilled longings bring him to the feet of Jesus. Diagnosing his restlessness, Our Lord calls him to leave behind his possessions, a cure that proves too burdensome to be carried out. Exploring the spiritual theme of detachment as well as the theological idea of sloth we discover that each of us today are just as prone to abandoning Jesus as the rich young man was years ago.

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Jesus travels to Judea where he is not always well received and is immediately confronted by Pharisees as regards his view on marriage and divorce. Referencing Deuteronomy, the Pharisees make the case that Moses allowed for divorce but Jesus moves earlier in the Biblical account to make his argument, citing two verses of Genesis. From Our Lord's words we glean a radical view of marriage, one that excludes divorce but that also affirms the image of the Trinity and the tremendous dignity of marital love. In the end we find a God who is reckless in love and who desires that we be recklessly loving as well.

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The apostles encounter a man performing exorcisms in Jesus' name though they do not know who he is. When asked his opinion, Our Lord's response points us to the outpouring of the spirit of God in the Old Testament and the prophetic words of Moses who longs for all of God's people to perform miraculous works. Continuing on in our Gospel we hear Jesus speak intensely about "stumbling blocks." Exploring the original Greek as well as the Church's teaching we uncover the true meaning of scandal and its serious ramifications while ending with a discussion of freedom and the need for Christians to valiantly resist sin.

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We find ourselves in chapter nine of Mark's Gospel, following on the heels on Jesus' Transfiguration. Jesus has shown his glory, now he takes some time away from the crowds to give instruction specifically to the Twelve. What does he teach them? He teaches them about the cross, predicting for the second time not only his passion but his glorious resurrection and having heard them arguing who is the greatest he does not rebuke their desires but rather reveals to them the path to greatness, a path that requires humility and that is relevant and available to each one of us today

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Having cleansed foods and thereby abolished many of the ritual purity laws that served to separate Jew and Gentile, Jesus intentionally travels into Gentile territory. He performs several miracles like the one recounted in our Gospel. Exploring the healing of the deaf man we discover an explicit link with the prophecies of Isaiah that allude to an ingathering of the Gentiles and mincing Jesus' words and actions we uncover both Sacramental and New Creation themes, themes that point back to the beginning of Genesis and that help us to recognize the many graces God showers upon us even now!

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We head back into Mark in our Gospel today and into the thick of Pharisaic criticism. Jesus is asked why his disciples do not wash their hands before eating. To fully understand the Pharisees' charge we take a step back and explore the heart and history of the Pharisaic school of thought. What we find in the Pharisees are Jews zealous for the law of God but fixated on ancillary things, things that inevitably distort their judgment, corrupt their heart, and prevent them from seeing that which they've longed for most: the Messiah who's standing right in front of them.

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Provided with two sets of first readings, the Church beckons us to look both backward and forward to understand our Gospel and the feast of the Assumption at hand. Diving into Luke as well as our Old Testament first reading we see the evangelist draw clear parallels between David's reception of the Ark of the Covenant at Jerusalem and Elizabeth's reception of the new Ark just outside Jerusalem. Then looking forward to our reading from Revelation we realize that just as Mary went up to Jerusalem at the visitation God brings her up to the new Jerusalem once and for all at her glorious assumption.

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Katie is doing something different in this "mega episode" of Sunday Dive. Instead of splitting John 6 into multiple episodes as we read through it over the coming weeks, we pack it all into one long episode. Yes, that means they'll be a break from the podcast but only for a couple of weeks. We'll be back for a special episode for August 15th, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

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The Twelve return from their initial missionary outreach, their success evidenced by the continually growing crowds. Unable to find time even to eat, Jesus invites the disciples to follow him to a place of solitude. The people, however, are undeterred and follow on foot, beating Jesus to his destination. What Our Lord does next shows the tenderness of his heart. Moved with compassion he provides for their needs and in so doing he continues echoing a new Exodus theme while taking upon himself the role of a new Moses and a new Joshua.

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Jesus called the Twelve to himself in the beginning of Mark's Gospel. Now he sends them out two-by-two to do the very works that he has done. Exploring Our Lord's pre-departure instructions we discover several connections to not only the Old Testament but also first century culture. Through these connections we see Jesus distinguishing his followers from some (like itinerant Greek philosophers) but also associating them with others (like the Old Testament people of God). Through our Gospel we'll discover the Twelve acting in the person of Christ and in so doing inaugurating the New Exodus.

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Jesus travels home to Nazareth in our Gospel today but the reception he receives is far from warm. Comparing and contrasting our episode with an earlier synagogue encounter in Capernaum we realize that those who reject God often have the same evidence for belief as those who accept him. At the end of the day we have to decide - with the same evidence that the people of Israel had - is this man who he says he is?

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The long form of our Gospel today provides us with two miracles which Mark sandwiches together: the raising of Jairus' daughter and the healing of the hemorrhaging woman. Contextualizing these stories in light of Levitical purity laws reveals a deeper message lingering below the surface: not only does Jesus desire to heal us physically but he also wants to restore us spiritually. At the end of the day, the story serves as a spiritual summons to see life's happenings through the eyes of Him who banishes illness and reverses death itself.

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In one of his most amazing feats, Jesus sleeps through a mega-storm on the Sea of Galilee. We'll spend our time together uncovering the quite detailed picture archaeology can paint for us about seafaring in first century Palestine and we'll also unveil some fascinating parallels between our Gospel and the Old Testament Book of Jonah. At the end of the day what we discover in our Gospel is not so much a God aloof in the face of our fears but a Son carefree in His trust of the Father and desiring the same for us.

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We return to the heart of Mark's Gospel and Our Lord's teaching in our episode today, exploring some of his many parables. What becomes quickly evident in our survey of his teaching is that Jesus' words contain a surface profundity in and of themselves and yet at the same time reveal a depth of meaning that could be sounded for an eternity.

Turning to the parables themselves, we'll unveil their subtle allusions to the Old Testament texts, revealing not only a poetic description of the Kingdom of God but a promise of spiritual life and conversion should we open ours ears to hear.

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Our Gospel this week is packed with hidden gems and secret keys that unlock layers of hidden meaning in Mark's Last Supper account. The Essenes, producers of the famed Dead Sea Scrolls, serve as one of these keys. We'll make the case that Jesus celebrated the Passover with the Essene community in Jerusalem, a thesis that instigates a cascade of implications and we'll end our time together delving into the idea of the Eucharist as a covenant, that is, an exchange of persons that allows God to share himself with us in ever more intimate ways.

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Our Gospel today comes from the end of Matthew. Jesus offers the great commission which includes the Trinitarian formula and the all-important summons to Baptism. Turning first and foremost to the Book of Daniel as well as the beginning of Matthew's Gospel we discover that Jesus' reception of authority is a fruit of his self-abasement and total obedience. Looking to the Christian calling with this in mind, we realize that our own lives are meant to be an echo of Christ's obedience the fruit of which is a share in the life of the Trinity, a life of perfect love.

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When Luke mentions the feast of Pentecost in our first reading, we can easily gloss over the implication that Pentecost is a Jewish feast. One of four springtime feasts on the Jewish liturgical calendar, Pentecost celebrated both the ingathering of the harvest as well as the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. Comparing and contrasting the first Pentecost with the new Pentecost we discover that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit does indeed bring about a harvest, one that is new and rich in meaning. For the full show notes head here: https://sundaydive.com/episodes/episode-036-the-jewish-background-of-pentecost // For my Bible study on the Book of Acts head here: https://www.youtube.com/c/katiepatrizio

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Our readings today explore the Ascension of the Lord.  Drawing on our first reading from Acts which is proclaimed each year on this feast we discover fascinating connections between the Son of Man image in the Book of Daniel as well as interesting connections to the Jewish feast of the Day of Atonement.  Enjoy this rebroadcast from May 24, 2020!  For the full show notes head here.

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Picking up where we left off in last week's Gospel, Jesus continues his Last Supper discourse, this time turning his attention to love, the law, and friendship with God. Taking the lead of the evangelist himself we explore the idea of belovedness and how receptivity to Divine love is the foundation of the spiritual life. Bringing in the topic of the law as well as the thought of Thomas Aquinas we discover that the practice of abiding in God's love has very little to do with our own efforts and everything to do with God's.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• What, according to St. Thomas Aquinas, we must do in order to keep God's commandments [8:49]

• The Greek etymology of the word "friend" and what it can tell us about being friends of God [18:48]

• The two Old Testament figures that were said to be friends of God [31:20]

• Greco-Roman and Jewish conceptions of friendship that likely inform our Gospel [41:52]

• Jewish inheritance law and what it has to say about friendship and servitude [45:04]

• Some priestly overtones subtly present in the latter part of Jesus' exhortation to the Twelve [51:35]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brown, Raymond E. The Gospel according to John (XIII-XXI): Introduction, Translation, and Notes. Vol. 29A. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary, Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

REFERENCES

Exodus 33:11 - "Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend."

Isaiah 41:8 - "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend"

2 Chronicles 20:7 - "Was it not you, our God, who dispossessed the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham, your friend?"

John 1:18 - "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known."

Numbers 8:10-11 - "When you present the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites, 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of the LORD."

Numbers 27:18-19 - "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; 19 cause him to stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight.'"

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We continue exploring the Gospel of John in our readings for this Sunday. In them Jesus makes his seventh and final "I am" statement, comparing himself to the true vine. Combing through the Old Testament we discover that vine imagery is often associated with Israel, but an Israel that is unfaithful and disobedient. It is Christ then, the faithful son, and we his disciples who are to embody a new Israel, radically faithful to the Father. How do we achieve this faithfulness? Our Gospel reveals the secret.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The seven "I am" statements in John, the last of which forms our Gospel

• The image of the vine in the Old Testament and how it helps us interpret Our Lord's analogy

• How our Gospel both demands and promises radical faithfulness

• The ancient heresy that our Gospel was employed to refute

• What it means to abide in Christ and a tangible way to practice that abiding

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brown, Raymond E. The Gospel according to John (XIII-XXI): Introduction, Translation, and Notes. Vol. 29A. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary, Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

REFERENCES

Psalm 80:8-18 - "You brought a vine out of Egypt;

you drove out the nations and planted it.

9 You cleared the ground for it;

it took deep root and filled the land.

10 The mountains were covered with its shade,

the mighty cedars with its branches;

11 it sent out its branches to the sea,

and its shoots to the River.

12 Why then have you broken down its walls,

so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? [...]

Ezekiel 19:10-14 - "Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard

transplanted by the water,

fruitful and full of branches

by reason of abundant water.

11 Its strongest stem became

a ruler’s scepter;

it towered aloft

among the thick boughs;

it was seen in its height

with the mass of its branches.

12 But the vine was plucked up in fury,

cast down to the ground [...]"

Isaiah 5:1-7 - "Let me sing for my beloved

a love song concerning his vineyard:

My beloved had a vineyard

on a very fertile hill.

2 He digged it and cleared it of stones,

and planted it with choice vines;

he built a watchtower in the midst of it,

and hewed out a wine vat in it;

and he looked for it to yield grapes,

but it yielded wild grapes [...]"

Mark 12:1-9 - (Parable of the Vineyard)

Matthew 21:43 - "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it."

John 13:10 - "Jesus said to him, 'He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you.'"

"All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” Cf. Exodus 19:8; Exodus 24:3, 7;)

Luke 1:38 - “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Mark 14:36 - "Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

Matthew 6:10 - "Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven."

John 5:19 - "“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise."

John 8:28 - "So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me."

John 1:3 - "All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made."

“Short of a miracle, a man who does not practice mental prayer will end up in mortal sin.” - St. Alphonsus

“A man without mental prayer is not good for anything; he cannot even renounce the slightest thing.” - St. Vincent de Paul

“If you do not practice mental prayer, you don’t need any devil to throw you into hell, you throw yourself in there of your own accord. On the contrary, give me the greatest of all sinners; if he practices mental prayer, be it only for fifteen minutes every day, he will be converted. If he perseveres in it, his eternal salvation is assured.” 
- St. Teresa of Avila

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Basking in Easter glory, the Church confirms for us the tenderness and compassion of God's heart with our Gospel reading from the Good Shepherd discourse. Having compared himself to the gate of the sheepfold in previous verses, Jesus continues the theme, likening himself not merely to the gate but to the shepherd himself. Whereas a hired hand flees at the sign of danger in an act of self-protection, Jesus vows as Good Shepherd to put himself in harms way, taking the very place of the sheep so that his Father's will may be fulfilled.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The analogy of sheep and shepherd and how it fittingly describes the relationship between God and man [10:22]

• A more precise translation of the title "Good Shepherd" [16:50]

• The true identity of the wolf according to ancient Christian tradition [21:56]

• The allusions to Trinitarian theology contained in our Gospel and the manner in which they point to our Christian vocation and destiny [32:19]

• The Jewish liturgical feast that contextualizes our reading and that points to a cleansing of the corrupt Jerusalem priesthood [44:58]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brown, Raymond E. The Gospel according to John (I–XII): Introduction, Translation, and Notes. Vol. 29. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary, Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

REFERENCES

Genesis 31:38-40 - "These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your she-goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was; by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes."

1 Samuel 17:34-35 - "But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth."

Ezekiel 34:1-10 - "The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts. 6 My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. 7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep; 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10 Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them."

Jeremiah 23:1-5 - “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says the LORD. 2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, says the LORD. 5 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king."

Zechariah 11:15-17 - "Then the LORD said to me, “Take once more the implements of a worthless shepherd. 16 For lo, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for the perishing, or seek the wandering, or heal the maimed, or nourish the sound, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs. 17 Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword smite his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!”

Micah 2:12 - "I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture"

Numbers 27:15-17 - Moses said to the LORD, 16 “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”

Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will.

John 18:7-9 - Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, “Of those whom thou gavest me I lost not one.”

John 17:12 - While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost.

John 1:29 - "Behold the Lamb of God"

John 12:20-23 - Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-saida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified."

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Coming to the Easter account of the Gospel of Luke we see Jesus appearing in his risen glory for the third time. The disciples are dismayed by this appearance but Jesus, making an offer of peace, provides ample evidence to bolster their faith in his resurrection. Rich in parallels with Luke's road to Emmaus story we discover a God in our Gospel who condescends to our human needs and who himself accomplishes our perfecting should we only be docile to him.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The parallels between our Gospel and the road to Emmaus story [5:09]

• The spiritual significance of Jesus bestowing peace and why peace is the fundamental key to growth in holiness [11:05]

• Why Jesus asks for food in our episode [31:42]

• The subtle manner in which Jesus introduces himself as the new law [37:57]

• Jesus' proclamation of repentance and forgiveness of sins and its link to the beginning of Luke's Gospel, the Book of Isaiah, and the Jewish Jubilee Year [42:15]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Edwards, James R. The Gospel according to Luke. Edited by D. A. Carson. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015.

Fitzmyer, Joseph A., S.J. The Gospel according to Luke X–XXIV: Introduction, Translation, and Notes. Vol. 28A. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018.

Hahn, Scott, ed. Catholic Bible Dictionary. New York; London; Toronto; Sydney; Auckland: Doubleday, 2009.

Philippe, Jacques. Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart. New York: Alba House, 2002.

REFERENCES

Matthew 14:26 - "But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear."

Luke 1:12 - "And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him."

Luke 1:29 - "But she [Mary] was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be."

Exodus 19:6 - "These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."

Deuteronomy 1:1 - "These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness"

Luke 4:18-19 - "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

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Year after year, regardless of the three-year cycle of readings, the same Gospel from John is read every Divine Mercy Sunday.  For that reason, we offer you a rebroadcast of last year's episode.  For the full show notes head here.

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On Palm Sunday the Church offers us two Gospels. Our first Gospel records the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, an entry that bestows clear royal connotations on the events of Holy Week. Turning to the beginning of our second Gospel we'll unveil two more themes: a nuptial theme evidenced in the anointing of Jesus by the woman of Bethany and a Passover theme born out of a tentative detail in our Gospel passage that lends a torrent of meaning to the Eucharistic meal.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The village of Bethphage, its location, and the significance of its geographic setting [5:29]

• The debate over whether Jesus rode a horse or a donkey into Jerusalem and the allusions invoked by his chosen mode of transportation [8:00]

• What "Hosanna" actually translates as and the Psalm that it is decidedly linked to [19:00]

• The nuptial overtones of the anointing at Bethany and the powerful message that the broken alabaster jar sends [25:04]

• A tiny detail in Jesus' instructions for the preparation of the Passover that unlocks a floodgate of information regarding the Last Supper [36:14]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bergsma, John. Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls: Revealing the Jewish Roots of Christianity. New York: Image, 2019.

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Pitre, Brant. Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. New York: Image, 2017.

REFERENCES

Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.

Genesis 49:8-11 - "Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a lioness; who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his ass’s colt to the choice vine"

1 Kings 1:33 - "And the king said to them, 'Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule'"

2 Kings 9:13 - "Then in haste every man of them took his garment, and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, 'Jehu is king.'"

1 Maccabees 13:51 - "On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel."

Psalm 118:25-27 - "Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech thee, give us success! Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!"

Song of Solomon 1:12 - "While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance."

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Katie is recovering from a cold but still wanted to offer a pared down version of the podcast.  In this episode we see some Greek converts asking after Jesus, the sight of which prompts Our Lord to finally declare that his hour has come.  We spend the episode exploring why this simple affair proves to be the catalyst for Jesus' passion and the manner in which the whole episode points to a new covenant and a new law that Christ himself will give on Calvary.

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Our Gospel today drops us into the middle of a conversation between Jesus and a prominent Pharisee named Nicodemus who comes to question Our Lord under the cover of night.  Jesus turns the topic of discussion to salvation making the most famous declaration in Scripture: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son."  What we discover from their interaction is that our God  proves his love not merely by words but - more powerfully - by actions and he requests nothing less from his followers in return.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The significance of Christ connecting his passion to the bronze serpent in Numbers [8:20]

• The Israelites' near rejection of salvation and the way it illustrates for us how exactly one could be condemned in the next life [10:23]

• Suffering as an act of tremendous mercy on the part of God [19:35]

• Jesus' subtle allusion to an important curse in Deuteronomy and the way that he will abolish that curse [26:09]

• The dual meaning of "lifted up" that refers both to Christ's passion but also to his resurrection [30:56]

• A better translation of the famous John 3:16 [37:55]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Vol. 1 & 2. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

REFERENCES

2 Corinthians 5:21 - "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 - "And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God"

Wisdom 16:5-7 - "For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon thy people and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents, thy wrath did not continue to the end; 6 they were troubled for a little while as a warning, and received a token of deliverance to remind them of thy law’s command. 7 For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw, but by thee, the Savior of all."

Isaiah 52:13 - "Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up"

John 7:50 - Nicodemus defends Jesus

John 19:39 - Nicodemus brings ointment to anoint Jesus' body

John 1:1-5 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God; 3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

"When an Israelite gazed at the symbolic portrayal of the effects of his sin, the bronze serpent, he was granted healing and life.  Similarly, whoever gazes in faith at the ultimate effect of human sin, the crucifixion of the Son of God, is changed and given eternal life." (Martin and Wright 74)

"Nowhere in this Gospel does God say 'I love you'; rather, he demonstrates his love for humanity be self-sacrifice and demands the same practical demonstration of love from his followers." (Keener 566-567)

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We head into the fourth Gospel today following Jesus into Jerusalem for the first Passover of his public ministry. There he encounters a city bustling with thousands of Jews and a Temple filled with money changers and animals. What happens next is astonishing. Looking to the Old Testament, the greater context of John's Gospel, and the history of the Temple complex we try to make sense of the cleansing of the Temple, an act that arguably points toward a new kind of worship and a new kind of worshiper.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• Why there were animals and money changers in the Temple [10:16]

• The Old Testament text that foretells a day when there will no longer be trading in the Temple [22:36]

• How the previous scene in Cana provides an interpretive key to the cleansing of the Temple [31:19]

• The forty-six year Temple building project undertaken by Herod that Jesus plans to usurp and how it points to Christ as true Messiah [37:28]

• The very forward tone Jesus takes when responding to the Jews who ask for a sign [41:07]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Vol. 1 & 2. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Edited by Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015.

Mass Readings Explained with Dr. Brant Pitre

Saint John’s Gospel. The Navarre Bible. Dublin; New York: Four Courts Press; Scepter Publishers, 2005.

REFERENCES

Three Passovers in John's Gospel: John 2:13; 6:4; 13:1

Deuteronomy 16:16-17 - "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place which he will choose: at the feast of unleavened bread, at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed; 17 every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you."

Zechariah 14:20-21 - "And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar; 21 and every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be sacred to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the flesh of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day."

John 4:21 - "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father"

Psalm 69:9 - "For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me."

St. John Chrysostom, Homily XXIV on the Gospel of John - "And many such now there are, who have indeed the name of faith, but are unstable, and easily led away"

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We join Peter, James, and John atop the mountain of Transfiguration in our Gospel this week. Jesus has just made his first passion prediction and so, to bolster the faith of his disciples, he pulls back the veil on his Divine glory. Breaking open the Old Testament we discover several connections with our Gospel, connections that point toward a new creation, a new temple, and the sure hope of the resurrection.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• The precision time reference Mark uses to introduce his Gospel and the link it has to both creation and the temple [15:23]

• The origin of the term "transfiguration" and its Greek equivalent [21:13]

• What extra-Biblical literature can reveal about the significance of Moses and Elijah's appearance with Christ [28:05]

• The connection between Peter's suggestion to erect tents and the Jewish feast of Tabernacles [34:42]

• The incredible parallels between Christ's transfiguration and his passion [45:58]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

REFERENCES

Mark 8:29 - "You are the Christ"

2 Peter 1:17-18 - "He received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,' 18 we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain."

Exodus 24:15-16, 25:8-9 - "Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days [...] And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it."

Mark 14:58 - "I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands and in three days I will build another, not made with hands."

Philippians 2:5-8 - "Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross."

Malachi 4:5 - "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes."

Deut. Rab. 3.17 (Talmud) - "Moses, I swear to you... in the time to come when I bring Elijah, the prophet unto them, the two of you shall come together"

2 Kings 2:11 - Elijah "ascended in a whirlwind into heaven"

Deuteronomy 34:16 - "No man knows the place of his [Moses'] burial to this day"

Exodus 40:34 - "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."

1 Kings 8:10 - "And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD"

2 Maccabees 2:8 - "And then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated."

Mark 15:36 - "Wait, let us see if Elijah will come to take him down"

Transfiguration // Passion

Unearthly Light // Supernatural Darkness (Mk 15:33)

Glorious/Luminous Clothes // Clothes Stripped (Mk 15:24)

Joined by two Old Testament saints // Joined by two criminals

Peter desires to stay ("It is good that we are here" // Peter flees

The Father's voice is heard // The Father is silent ("Let this cup pass" and "Why have you abandoned me?")

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We dive into Lent by backtracking in our reading of Mark today, heading to the scene of Jesus' temptation and forty day fast. Though a short passage, we find a Gospel rich with Old Testament imagery and typological fulfillment. Jesus heads into the wilderness to re-stage many scenes from Scripture but this time as the faithful son who has come to reconcile the world to his Father.

Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• How Jesus' forty days in the desert parallel not only the Israelites forty years in the desert but also Moses' forty day fast before he destroyed the Golden Calf [22:01]

• The Jewish legend that Adam also fasted for forty days after the fall and did penance by washing in a familiar river [26:19]

• The uncanny connections between Jesus' baptism and the flood narrative in Genesis (our first reading) [32:00]

• How the presence of the wild beasts in the wilderness point to the beginning of a new creation [37:14]

• The Rabbinic literature that claims Adam and Eve were also ministered to by angels in the Garden of Eden before the fall [49:12]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

REFERENCES

Deuteronomy 8:2 - "And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not."

Exodus 25:18 - "And Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights."

Deuteronomy 9:18 - "Then I lay prostrate before the LORD as before, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin which you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD"

Life of Adam and Eve 6.1-2 - "And Adam said to Eve: ‘Thou canst not do so much as I, but do only so much as thou hast strength for. For I will spend forty days fasting, but do thou arise and go to the river Tigris and lift up a stone and stand on it in the water up to thy neck in the deep of the river. And let no speech proceed out of thy mouth, since we are unworthy to address the Lord, for our lips are unclean from the unlawful and forbidden tree. 2 And do thou stand in the water of the river thirty-seven days. But I will spend forty days in the water of Jordan, perchance the Lord God will take pity upon us.’"

Genesis 1:28 - "Have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."

Life of Adam and Eve 4.2 - "And Adam said to Eve: ‘This hath the Lord provided for animals and brutes to eat; but we used to have angels’ food."

Sanhedrin 59b.22 (Talmud) - "Adam, the first man, would dine in the Garden of Eden, and the ministering angels would roast meat for him and strain wine for him." https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.59b.22?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

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Jesus is approached by a leper in our Gospel today. Having ignored the Mosaic command to avoid others he draws close to Christ in order to request a miracle. Moved by the man's faith, Jesus also ignores the conventions of Mosaic law, touching the man, healing him from his leprosy, and proving that the Divine touch is not only immune from ritual impurity but can actually bring about the wholeness that the law itself fails to cause.

We'll spend our episode looking closer at:

• A literal translation of our scene that unveils Mark's unique and vivid storytelling style [4:57]

• The Greek roots of the phrase "moved with pity" and the raw, physiological emotion they assign to Jesus [25:36]

• Some textual perplexities that have led scholars to believe Jesus also performed an exorcism when he healed the leper [33:45]

• The notion of the "Messianic Secret" and why Jesus didn't always want people to know his identity [38:40]

• Levitical requirements for the ritual offering for leprosy and how they image and prefigure Jesus' redemption on the Cross [45:40]

• The fascinating way that Jesus quite literally switches roles with the leper by the end of our story [49:00]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

REFERENCES

Numbers 12:11-12 - "And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed"

2 Kings 5:7 - "And when the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, 'Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?'"

"Cast out" (Grk: ekballo) is used in reference to an exorcism at Mk 1:39; 3:15, 22ff; 6:13; 7:26; 9:18, 28 and is used in a negative context at Mk 5:40; 11:15; and 12:8.

The offering for leprosy is described at Leviticus 14:3-7

Sanhedrin 47a:10 (Talmud) - "The Gemara asks: But if so, with regard to the verse: 'I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me,' where do you find that Elisha resurrected a second person? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: That request was fulfilled when he cured Naaman’s leprosy (see II Kings, chapter 5), an affliction that is considered to be equivalent to death, as it is written with regard to Miriam’s leprosy: 'Let her not be as one dead' (Numbers 12:12)."

Ketubot 61b:1 (Talmud) - "The chief butler said to him: You have spoiled the king’s meal, as now he will not eat from it. The king’s soldiers who were there said to him: Why did you do this? He said to them: The one who makes such awful dishes is the one who actually spoiled the king’s food. They said to him: Why do you say this? He said to them: I saw something else, i.e., a leprous infection, in this meat. They checked and didn’t find anything. He took his finger and placed it on the food and said to them: Did you check here? They then checked that spot and found the infection. The Sages said to Rav Ashi: What is the reason that you relied on a miracle and assumed that leprosy would in fact be found there? He said to them: I saw a leprous spirit hovering over the food and realized that it had this defect."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 2. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2002.

Donin, Hayim. "HAVDALAH: The Ritual and the Concept." Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought 3, no. 1 (1960): 60-72. Accessed January 8, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23255448.

Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 27. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008.

REFERENCES

For a broader discussion of the city of Capernaum see Episode 015: Capernaum by the Sea

1 Corinthians 15:13 - "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised [egeiro]"

Galatians 1:1 - "Paul an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised [egeiro] him from the dead"

Romans 4:24 - "It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised [egeiro] from the dead Jesus our Lord"

Acts 3:14-15 - "But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Author of life, whom God raised [egeiro] from the dead."

Acts 4:10 - "Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised [egeiro] from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well."

Luke 4:39 - "And he stood over her and rebuked the fever"

Mark 1:13 - "And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered [diakoneo] to him."

Mark 15:40-41 - "There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome, 41 who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered [diakoneo] to him"

Mark 10:43-45 - "But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant [diakonos], 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of man also came not to be served [diakoneo] but to serve [diakoneo], and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Chiastic Structure:
A - Exorcism
B - Healing
B1 - Healings
A1 - Exorcisms

Mark 1:28 - "And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee."

Mark 16:1-6 - "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back;—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here"

Mark 1:24 - "'What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.'"

"The end-of-Sabbath context is also important because this period was marked in Jewish homes by the Havdālāh service, in which God’s creation of the world was celebrated; this custom seems to go back to Second Temple times [...] In some rabbinic and Jewish magical texts and formulae, the Havdālāh period is associated with the fight against demonic powers and other magical procedures [....] These associations of the Havdālāh period perhaps provide part of the background for Mark’s picture of the divine act of eschatological re-creation whereby Jesus heals and casts out demons in Peter’s house at the conclusion of the Sabbath." (Marcus 200)

John 13:3 - "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God"

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We've gotten a ton of emails asking what happened to the podcast. Here's the latest update!

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 3. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained with Dr. Brant Pitre

REFERENCES

Matthew 22:17 - "'Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?'"

Isaiah 5:7 - "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel"

Exodus 4:22 - "‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my first-born son'"

Exodus 24:6-7 - "Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.'"

Matthew 9:2 - "'Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.'"

Matthew 7:21 - "'Not every one who says to me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.'"

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 3. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained with Dr. Brant Pitre

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

REFERENCES

Leviticus 19:17-18 - "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason with your neighbor, lest you bear sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Genesis 4:24 - "If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained by Dr. Brant Pitre

REFERENCES

Matthew's Discourses: Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7); Missionary Discourse (Mt 10); Parables Discourse (Mt 13); Ecclesiastical Discourse (Mt. 18)

Deuteronomy 19:15 - "Only on the evidence of two witnesses, or of three witnesses, shall a charge be sustained"

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1445: "The words bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded from communion with God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God will welcome back into his. Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God."

Letter 98 to Pope Leo the Great (Paragraph 1): "For if 'where two or three are gathered together in His name,' He has said that 'there He is in the midst of them,' must He not have been much more particularly present with 520 priests, who preferred the spread of knowledge concerning Him to their country and their ease?"

Ignatius of Antioch's Letter to the Ephesians (5.2): "Let no man be deceived: unless a man be within the sanctuary he lacks the bread of God, for if the prayer of one or two has such might, how much more has that of the bishop and of the whole Church?"

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained by Dr. Brant Pitre

REFERENCES

Matthew 4:17 - "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'”

Matthew 4:8-10 - "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, 'All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Begone, Satan!'"

1 Chronicles 11:19 - “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this."

Galatians 5:11 - "The stumbling block of the cross has been removed."

1 Corinthians 1:22-23 - "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles."

Philippians 2:5-8 - "Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross."

1 Corinthians 11:1 - "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Schaff, Philip, and Henry Wace, eds. Eusebius: Church History, Life of Constantine the Great, and Oration in Praise of Constantine. Vol. 1. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series. New York: Christian Literature Company, 1890.

Mass Readings Explained by Dr. Brant Pitre

REFERENCES

Matthew 23:4 - "They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger."

Matthew 16:18 and 18:17 - The only two places in the Gospels where the term ekklesia occurs

Plutarch, De Defectu Oraculorum 17 - "A voice was heard by most of the passengers (who were then awake, and taking a cup after supper) calling unto one Thamus, and that with so loud a voice as made all the company amazed; which Thamus was a mariner of Egypt, whose name was scarcely known in the ship. He returned no answer to the first calls; but at the third he replied, Here ! here! I am the man. Then the voice said aloud to him, When you are arrived at Palodes, take care to make it known that the great God Pan is dead."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained by Dr. Brant Pitre

REFERENCES

Matthew 11:21 - "'Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Beth-saida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.'"

Matthew 3:7-8 - "Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed; also from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from about Tyre and Sidon a great multitude, hearing all that he did, came to him."

Wisdom 12 - Lists sins of Canaanites

Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

Matthew 1:3, 5 - Lists Tamar and Rahab in Jesus' geneology, two Canaanite women

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

REFERENCES

Exodus 24:14-15 - "And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down upon the host of the Egyptians, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily; and the Egyptians said, 'Let us flee from before Israel; for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.'"

Matthew 28:1 - "...toward the dawn of the first day of the week..."

John 21:4 - "Just as the day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach..."

Mark 6:48 - "He meant to pass by them"

Exodus 33:22 - God passes by Moses

Job 9:8 - "who alone stretched out the heavens, and trampled the waves of the sea"

Psalm 77:19 - "Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen."

Habakkuk 3:15 - "You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the mighty waters."

Isaiah 43:16 - "Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters"

Psalm 18:15 - "Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils."

Psalm 144:6-7 - "Make the lightning flash and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them. Stretch out your hand from on high; set me free and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hand of aliens"

Job 26:11-12 - "The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astounded at his rebuke. By his power he stilled the sea"

Psalm 65:7 - "You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples."

Psalm 89:9 - "You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hahn, Scott, et al. Isaiah. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2019.

Kurz, William S. Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained with Dr. Brant Pitre

REFERENCES

1 Kings 17:8-16 - Elijah multiplies the flour and oil for the widow of Zarephath

2 Kings 4:42-44 - "A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, 'Give to the men, that they may eat.' But his servant said, 'How am I to set this before a hundred men?' So he repeated, 'Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, "They shall eat and have some left."' So he set it before them. And they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD."

Matthew 26:20 - "When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve disciples"

1 Kings 4:7 - "Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household"

Leviticus 24:8 - "Every sabbath day Aaron shall set it in order before the LORD continually on behalf of the people of Israel as a covenant for ever."

Acts 13:34 - "And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he spoke in this way, ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’"

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Hahn, Scott, ed. Catholic Bible Dictionary. New York; London; Toronto; Sydney; Auckland: Doubleday, 2009.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

REFERENCES

Psalm 78:2 - "I will open my mouth in parables"

1 Kings 4:32 - "He [Solomon] also uttered three thousand proverbs [LXX: παραβολάς, parabolas]."

Sirach 39:1-3 - "On the other hand he [a scribe] who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be concerned with prophecies; he will preserve the discourse of notable men and penetrate the subtleties of parables; he will seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs and be at home with the obscurities of parables."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Hahn, Scott, ed. Catholic Bible Dictionary. New York; London; Toronto; Sydney; Auckland: Doubleday, 2009.

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Roberts, Alexander, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds. “The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus.” In The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, Vol. 1. The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885.

REFERENCES

Daniel 3:88 - "Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever; for he has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace."

Daniel 4:10-12, 17 - "The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were fair and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the air dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men."

Ezekiel 18:22-24 - "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it out; I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it upon a high and lofty mountain; on the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar; and under it will dwell all kinds of beasts; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'”

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Hahn, Scott, et al. Isaiah. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2019.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

REFERENCES

1 Kings 4:32 - "He [Solomon] also uttered three thousand proverbs [LXX: παραβολάς, parabolas]."

Isaiah 6:9-10 - "And he said, 'Go, and say to this people: "Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive." Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.'”

John 12:28-30, 36-37 - "'Father, glorify thy name.' Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.' The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, 'An angel has spoken to him.' Jesus answered, 'This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.' 36 He departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

REFERENCES

Psalm 116:6 - "The LORD preserves the simple [nepiois]; when I was brought low, he saved me."

Psalm 119:130 - "The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple [nepiois]."

Jeremiah 31:34 - "And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest."

Exodus 33:14 - “'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'"

Numbers 12:3 - "Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth."

1 Corinthians 11:2 - "I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered [paradidomi] them to you."

1 Corinthians 11:23-24 - "'For I received from the Lord what I also delivered [paradidomi] to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'”

1 Kings 12:3-4, 13-15 - "And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 'Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you.' [13] And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel which the old men had given him, he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.' So the king did not hearken to the people."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained by Dr. Brant Pitre

Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

REFERENCES

Micah 7:6 - "For the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house."

Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.5.4 - "Righteously also the apostles, being of the race of Abraham, left the ship and their father, and followed the Word. Righteously also do we, possessing the same faith as Abraham, and taking up the cross as Isaac did the wood, follow Him."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Faithlife Corporation. “Denarius.” Verbum, Computer software. Verbum Factbook. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife Corporation, June 15, 2020. https://ref.ly/logos4/Factbook?ref=bk.%24denarius.

Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. "ἀσσάριον." Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.

Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.

Mass Readings Explained by Dr. Brant Pitre

Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

REFERENCES

Matthew 9:33-34 - "The crowds were amazed and said, 'Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.' But the Pharisees said, 'He drives out demons by the prince of demons.'"

Matthew 4:23, 9:35 - These verses form an "inclusio" demarcating the first "book" of the Gospel of Matthew

Ezekiel 34:23, 30-31 - "'And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd [...] And they shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD. And you are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, says the Lord GOD.'”

Matthew 10:1-2 - "And he called to him his twelve disciples [δώδεκα μαθητὰς / dodeka mathetas] and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles [δώδεκα ἀποστόλων / dodeka apostolon] are these [...]"

Jeremiah 20:7-9 - "You seduced me, LORD, and I let myself be seduced; you were too strong for me, and you prevailed. All day long I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I must cry out, violence and outrage I proclaim; The word of the LORD has brought me reproach and derision all day long. I say I will not mention him, I will no longer speak in his name. But then it is as if fire is burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding back, I cannot!"

Philippians 2:10-12 - "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright M. Wright. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015.

Pitre, Brant. Jesus and the Last Supper. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2015.

Pitre, Brant. Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper. New York: Doubleday, 2011.

REFERENCES

John 6:14-15 - When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Exodus 16:1-3 - "On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt [...] the whole congregation of the people of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and said to them, 'Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.'"

Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:9 (quoted in Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, 90) - "As the first redeemer caused manna to descend, as it is stated, 'Because I shall cause to rain bread from heave for you' (Exodus 16:4), so will the latter redeemer cause manna to descend."

Mekilta on Exodus 16:25 (quoted in Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, 90) - "You will not find it [the manna] in this age, but you shall find it in the Age to Come."

2 Baruch 29:3, 6-8 (quoted in Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, 90-91) - "It will happen that when all that which should come to pass in these parts is accomplished, the Messiah will begin to be revealed... And those who are hungry will enjoy themselves and they will, moreover, see marvels every day... And it will happen at that time that the treasury of manna will come down again from on high and they will eat of it in those years because these are they who will have arrived at the consummation of time."

Leviticus 17:10-11 - "'If any man of the house of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood'"

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, 115 - "I suggest that the very reason God forbids blood in the Old Covenant is the same reason Jesus commands his disciples to drink his blood."

Genesis 3:22-23 - "Then the LORD God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever'— therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken."

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Strathfield, N.S.W: St. Pauls, 2000.

Mershman, Francis. "Trinity Sunday." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 1 Jun. 2020 .

Aquinas, T., n.d. Commentary On The Gospel Of John. [online] Isidore.co. Available at: [Accessed 1 June 2020].

REFERENCES

Catechism of the Catholic Church §1 - God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.

Ibid. §252 - The Church uses (I) the term “substance” (rendered also at times by “essence” or “nature”) to designate the divine being in its unity, (II) the term “person” or “hypostasis” to designate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the real distinction among them, and (III) the term “relation” to designate the fact that their distinction lies in the relationship of each to the others.

Ibid. §257 - God freely wills to communicate the glory of his blessed life. Such is the “plan of his loving kindness,” conceived by the Father before the foundation of the world, in his beloved Son: “He destined us in love to be his sons” and “to be conformed to the image of his Son,” through “the spirit of sonship.” This plan is a “grace [which] was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” stemming immediately from Trinitarian love. It unfolds in the work of creation, the whole history of salvation after the fall, and the missions of the Son and the Spirit, which are continued in the mission of the Church.

Commentary on the Gospel of John (Aquinas) §477 - The cause of all our good is the Lord and divine love. For to love is, properly speaking, to will good to someone. Therefore, since the will of God is the cause of things, good comes to us because God loves us

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Kurz, William S. Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.

Pimentel, Stephen. Witnesses of the Messiah: On Acts of the Apostles, 1-15. Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road, 2002.

"The Mystery of the Feast of Unleavened Bread" - Talk by Dr. Brant Pitre

Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

REFERENCES

Exodus 19:16 - On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

Exodux 24:8 - And Moses took the blood and threw it upon the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Exodus 32:26-28 - Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Put every man his sword on his side, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ ” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

Acts 2:37-38, 41 - Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

1 Corinthians 15:20 - Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

James 1:18 - Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 - A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.

Mark 2:22 - And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins.”

John 2:9-10 - When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

Joel 4:18 - On that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills flow with milk, All the streams of Judah will flow with water. A spring will rise from the house of the LORD, watering the Valley of Shittim.

Amos 9:13 - Yes, days are coming— oracle of the LORD— When the one who plows shall overtake the one who reaps and the vintager, the sower of the seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall run with it.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Hahn, Scott, Curtis Mitch Mitch, and R D. Walters. Daniel. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2013.

Kurz, William S. Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.

REFERENCES

Isaiah 49:6 - “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Promises of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit: Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:16; John 14:15-17, 25-26; 15:26; 16:7-15

2 Kings 2:9-10 - When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “I pray you, let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”

Deuteronomy 34:9 - And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him

Daniel 7:13-14 - And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

4 Ezra 13:32-36 (extrabiblical Jewish text) - And the time shall be when these things shall come to pass, and the signs shall happen which I showed you before, and then shall MY Son be revealed, whom you saw as a Man ascending. And when all the people hear His voice, every man shall in their own land leave the warfare they have against one another. And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as you saw, desiring to come and conquer Him by fighting. But He shall stand on top of the mount Zion. And Zion shall come, and shall be shown to all men, being prepared and built, like as you saw the mountain carved without hands.

Leviticus 16:11-14 - “Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house; he shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. 12 And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small; and he shall bring it within the veil 13 and put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat which is upon the testimony, lest he die; 14 and he shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times."

Hebrews 9:24-26 - For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Catechism of the Catholic Church §662 - “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces his lifting up by his Ascension into heaven, and indeed begins it. Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, “entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands … but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” There Christ permanently exercises his priesthood, for he “always lives to make intercession” for “those who draw near to God through him.” As “high priest of the good things to come” he is the center and the principal actor of the liturgy that honors the Father in heaven.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

REFERENCES

Jeremiah 31:31-33 - “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts.

1 John 2:1 - "We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous"

Zechariah 3:1-2 - Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”

Catechism of the Catholic Church §1963 - According to Christian tradition, the Law is holy, spiritual, and good, yet still imperfect. Like a tutor it shows what must be done, but does not of itself give the strength, the grace of the Spirit, to fulfill it. Because of sin, which it cannot remove, it remains a law of bondage. According to St. Paul, its special function is to denounce and disclose sin, which constitutes a “law of concupiscence” in the human heart."

Catechism of the Catholic Church §1972 - The New Law is called a law of love because it makes us act out of the love infused by the Holy Spirit, rather than from fear; a law of grace, because it confers the strength of grace to act, by means of faith and the sacraments; a law of freedom, because it sets us free from the ritual and juridical observances of the Old Law, inclines us to act spontaneously by the prompting of charity and, finally, lets us pass from the condition of a servant who “does not know what his master is doing” to that of a friend of Christ.

Catechism of the Catholic Church §1265 - Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte “a new creature,” an adopted son of God, who has become a “partaker of the divine nature.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church §1303- Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace: it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, “Abba! Father!”

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

Martin, Francis, and William M. Wright. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015.

Emery, Gilles. The Trinitarian Theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Commentary on the Gospel of Johnby St. Thomas Aquinas

Mass Readings Explained with Brant Pitre

Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

REFERENCES

Matthew 5:8 - “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Exodus 33:18 - "Then Moses said, 'Please let me see your glory!'"

John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Catechism of the Catholic Church §1994 - "Justification is the most excellent work of God’s love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit. It is the opinion of St. Augustine that 'the justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth,' because 'heaven and earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect … will not pass away.' He holds also that the justification of sinners surpasses the creation of the angels in justice, in that it bears witness to a greater mercy."

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Bibliography/Resources

The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

Ezekiel 34 - "1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts. [etc, etc]"

Psalm 42:11 - "Why are you downcast, O my soul?"

1 Peter 2:25 - "For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls."

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Bibliography/Resources

The Gospel of Luke (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)

Shanks, Hershel. “Emmaus: Where Christ Appeared,” Biblical Archaeology Review 34.2 (2008): 40–42, 44–51.

Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

Mark 16:12 - "After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country."

John 19:25 - "Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene."

Eusebius, Church History 3.11 - "After the martyrdom of James and the conquest of Jerusalem which immediately followed, it is said that those of the apostles and disciples of the Lord that were still living came together from all directions with those that were related to the Lord according to the flesh (for the majority of them also were still alive) to take counsel as to who was worthy to succeed James. They all with one consent pronounced Symeon, the son of Clopas, of whom the Gospel also makes mention; to be worthy of the episcopal throne of that parish. He was a cousin, as they say, of the Saviour. For Hegesippus records that Clopas was a brother of Joseph."

Ibid., 4.22.4 - "And after James the Just had suffered martyrdom, as the Lord had also on the same account, Symeon, the son of the Lord's uncle, Clopas, was appointed the next bishop. All proposed him as second bishop because he was a cousin of the Lord."

Jerome, Letter 108, Par. 8- "Again resuming her journey, she came to Nicopolis, once called Emmaus, where the Lord became known in the breaking of bread; an action by which He dedicated the house of Cleopas as a church."

Acts 7:22 - "Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds."

Deuteronomy 18:15 - "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you"

Luke 9:22 - "“The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Luke 17:25 - "But first he [the Son of Man] must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation."

Acts 3:18 - "What God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled."

Genesis 3:6-7 - "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened"

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• Mass Readings Explained with Dr. Brant Pitre - www.catholicproductions.com
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Genesis 2:7 - "Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."
• Ezekiel 37:9-10 - "Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived"
• John 17:20 - "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word"

The Litany of Trust - https://sistersoflife.org/litany-of-trust/

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week by Pope Benedict XVI
• Mass Readings Explained by Brant Pitre
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Mark 16:1 - "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him."
• Jesus predicts his resurrection six times in the Gospel of Matthew: Mt 12:40; 16:21; 17:9; 17:23; 20:19
• Psalm 22:22 - "I will tell of thy name to my brethren"
• Hebrews 2:11-12 - "That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:14 - "If Christ had not been raised [...] then your faith is in vain."

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

Chiastic Structure of Trial Before Pilate
A - Pilate speaks to Jewish authorities outside
B - Pilate speaks to Jesus inside
C - Pilate speaks to Jewish authorities outside
D - Jesus hailed King (John 19:1-3)
C1 - Pilate speaks to Jewish authorities outside
B1 - Pilate speaks to Jesus inside
A1 - Pilate speaks to Jewish authorities outside (delivers verdict)

References

• Leviticus 24:16 - "He who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall be put to death"
• Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus (3.159) - "Now this vesture was not composed of two pieces, nor was it sewed together upon the shoulders and the sides, but it was one long vestment so woven as to have an aperture for the neck"
• Exodus 28:32 - "It shall have in it an opening for the head, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, that it may not be torn."
• Psalm 22:18 - "They divide my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots."
• Psalm 69:21 - "For my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink"
• Zechariah 12:10, 13:1 - "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced [...] On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness."
• Ezekiel 47:1-2 - "Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate, that faces toward the east; and the water was coming out on the south side."

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• The Temple: Its Ministry and Services by Alfred Edersheim
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Exodus 29:4, 9 - "You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water [...] Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons."
• Exodus 30:18-20 - “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die."
• Exodus 19:6 - "You shall be to me a kingdom of priests"
• Deuteronomy 10:9 - "Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance"
• Jeremiah 31:31-33 - "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
• Exodus 24:8 - "And Moses took the blood and threw it upon the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you"

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture)
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• 1 Kings 1:32-40 - Solomon rides triumphantly into Jerusalem after his royal anointing
• Zechariah 14: 3-4, 9 - "Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives which lies before Jerusalem on the east. [...] And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one."
• 2 Samuel 15: 30 - "David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered; and all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went."
• 2 Samuel 16:1 - "When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled"
• Zechariah 9:9 - "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass."
• Genesis 49:10 - "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his ass’s colt to the choice vine."
• Mark 11:2 - "'Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it.'"
• 2 Kings 9:13 - "Then in haste every man of them took his garment, and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, 'Jehu is king.'"
• Psalm 118:27 - "Bind the festal procession with branches"
• 1 Maccabees 13:51 - "On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, the Jews entered it [the city] with praise and palm branches"
• 2 Maccabees 10:7 - "Bearing ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place."

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture)
• Mass Readings Explained with Dr. Brant Pitre - www.catholicproductions.com
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Jesus is described as "disturbed" in John 11:33, John 11:38, John 12:27, John 13:21
• Mishnah Yevamot 16:3 - "They are allowed to testify only when his soul has departed, even though they have seen him cut up or crucified or being devoured by a wild beast. They are allowed to testify only [if they saw the body] within three days [of death]."

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• Shanks, Hershel. “The Siloam Pool,” Biblical Archaeology Review 31, no. 5 (2005): 16, 18–23.
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Making clay fell into the category of "kneading" which was forbidden on the Sabbath (cf. Mishnah Shabbat 7.2; The Gospel of John [Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture], 176)
• Genesis 2:7 - "Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture)
• The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
• Catholic Bible Dictionary (Scott Hahn, Editor)
• "The Woman at the Well and the Love of God" (Talk by Dr. Brant Pitre)
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Exodus 2:15-21 - Moses meets his wife Zipporah at a well
• Genesis 24:14-19 - Abraham's servant meets Rebekah for Isaac at a well
• Genesis 29:1-9 - Jacob meets Rachel at a well
• Isaiah 54:5 - "For your husband is your maker"
• 2 Kings 17:24ff - In this passage the author of Second Kings lists the five peoples and their gods that were resettled in the land of Israel after the Assyrian conquest.
• Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Genesis 29:10-11 - In this ancient Jewish commentary on Genesis we are told that Jacob rolled the stone back from the mouth of the well with one arm.
• 2 Samuel 5:1 - "Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh."

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
• Jesus of Nazareth (Volume I) by Pope Benedict XVI
• A Rabbi Talks With Jesus by Jacob Neusner
• The Temple: Its Ministry and Services by Alfred Ederscheim
• Mass Readings Explained by Brant Pitre

References

• Exodus 24 - Moses climbs Mt. Sinai with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu
• Exodus 34:29ff - Moses' face is said to shine after conversing with God
• Matthew 3:17 - At the Baptism by John, God the Father speaks almost the exact words that he does at the Transfiguration
• Jude 1:9 - "But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you.'"
• Deuteronomy 34:5-6 - "So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows the place of his burial to this day."
• 2 Kings 2:11 - "And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."
• John 2:18-21 - "The Jews then said to him, “What sign have you to show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he spoke of the temple of his body."

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Bibliograhy/Resources

• The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• Archaeology Study Bible (Crossway)
• Virtual New Testament on www.VirtualScriptures.org
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Lust of the Flesh; Lust of the Eyes; Pride of Life - 1 John 2:16
• Threefold Concupiscence (Good for Food; Delight to the Eyes; Desirable to Make One Wise) - Genesis 3:6
• Israel's Threefold Sin - Exodus 16:3; Exodus 17:7; Exodus 32:1-6
• Mosaic Law for King of Israel (Do not multiply wives, horses, or gold) - Deuteronomy 17:16-17
• Jesus' three Scripture quotes during temptation - Deuteronomy 8:3; Deuteronomy 6:16; Deuteronomy 6:13
• Satan's Scripture Quotation - Psalm 91: 11-12
• Jesus to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan" - Matthew 16:21-23

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• Verbum Bible Software - www.verbum.com

References

• Tobit 12:8 - "Prayer is good when accompanied by fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness."
• 1 John 2:16 - "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life"
• Genesis 3:16 - "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate."

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Bibliography/Resources

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church
• The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament
• Archaeology Study Bible (Crossway)
• A Rabbi Talks With Jesus by Jacob Neusner
• Verbum Bible Software - https://verbum.com/

References

• "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Ex 21:24; Lev 24:20; Dt 19:21)
• "If a man slapped his fellow, he gives him 200 zuz; if with the back of his hand, 400 zuz." (Mishnah, Baba Qamma 8.6)
• The Old Testament forbade someone from keeping one's cloak overnight (cf. Ex 22:29; Dt 24:9)
• Ez 36:26 - "A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you..."
• CCC 1966, 1968: "The New Law is the grace of the Holy Spirit"

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Our Gospel is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. In this section Jesus preaches what are called the six antitheses where he takes the Old Law and elevates it. He takes on the role of Moses, going up the mountain and delivering a new law, one that is better than the old and that fulfills Old Testament prophecies related to the law.

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In our Gospel for this upcoming Sunday we hear Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount. He calls his disciples "salt of the earth" and "light of the world." On the surface, this seems somewhat perplexing but did you know that salt had a covenant connotation in ancient Near Eastern culture? What about light? Many theologians believe that by calling his followers the “light of the world” Jesus was arguably associating them with the new Jerusalem and therefore the new Israel. What then is our role as the new Israel? It is to bring the nations into God's covenant.

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Jesus is presented to the Lord. What exactly does his presentation entail and why is it significant? Joseph and Mary offer the sacrifice prescribed for the poor. What does this fact tell us about the Holy Family? Did you know that there is a hidden chronology in Luke 1-2 that is related to a prophecy in the Book of Daniel that foretells of the coming of Christ? We’ll discuss this and more in our episode for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord!

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In our Gospel we hear that Jesus moves to Capernaum. Why Capernaum and what was first-century Capernaum like? Our Lord calls the first disciples who were fisherman. What was fishing like on the Sea of Galilee? You’ve heard it before, Jesus says the apostles will be “fishers of men.” Is there more to this phrase than meets the eye? Find out in our episode for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time!

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Our Gospel today comes from John, but wait, aren’t we reading through Matthew this cycle? John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God. Why and what connotations would this have brought up for a first century Jew? Did you know that some scholars believe John the Baptist was an Essene who belonged to the Qumran community (famous for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls)? Was John really an Essene and if he was, why did he leave? We’ll talk about this and more today in our episode for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time!

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Have you ever wondered why Jesus was baptized? He was sinless wasn’t he? So why did he need to be baptized? What about the River Jordan the place of Jesus’ baptism? You might wonder if the location is significant. The short answer is… yes! Have you ever heard that John the Baptist had a priestly background and that when he baptized Jesus he was exercising his priestly role? We’ll talk about this and more in this episode for the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord!

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In this episode we discuss:

• The prophecy in the Book of Numbers that made the star so troubling to Herod
• Who the magi were and what their presence means for Salvation History
• Historical explanations for the Star of Bethlehem
• Why the magi gave Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh

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In this episode we discuss:

• The interesting similarities between Joseph of the Old Testament and St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus
• Why the slaughter of the Holy Innocents likely occurred even though it's not recorded in the annals of history
• How crazy Herod the Great and his son Archelaus were and why Joseph preferred to be under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas in Galilee
• The prophetic significance of Jesus being from Nazareth

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In this episode we discuss:

• The historical context of the famous prophecy from Isaiah that  "a virgin shall conceive"
• How that prophecy is initially fulfilled in King Hezekiah
• What the punishment  for adultery was under the Mosaic law and how Mary would have been affected
• Why St. Joseph chose to divorce Mary "quietly" and what it tells us about his character

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In this episode we discuss:

• How Jesus fulfills the prophecies from the Book of Isaiah
• What it means for John the Baptist to be the greatest prophet
• What patience really is and why, more than any other virtue, it conforms us to Christ

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In this episode we discuss:

• Why we read about John the Baptist during Advent
• The significance of John the Baptist's wardrobe
• How John the Baptist fulfills the role of Elijah
• Why the predominant Protestant view of baptism is inconsistent with Jesus' baptism

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In this episode we discuss:

• The rapture and why it's inconsistent with Catholic teaching
• What it means to be "left behind" in the Biblical context
• How the new Jerusalem will be a new Eden
• Paul's prescription to be ready for the coming of Christ

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In this episode we discuss:

• The covenant made between David and Israel and fulfilled by Jesus
• The nuptial overtones of Jesus' passion and resurrection
• Solomon's coronation and how it relates to Jesus' accession to the throne
• How drinking the vinegar on the cross signaled the Kingdom of God

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In this episode we discuss:

• The history of the Temple and its impressive size in the 1st century
• The siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Roman general Titus
• The destruction of the first Temple and what it can tell us about our current times
• Why the world will end one day

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In this episode we discuss:

• Who the Sadducees were and why they were so different from other Jews at the time of Jesus
• What death actually is
• The evil Greek king who is the antagonist in our first reading
• How the seven brothers in Maccabees do what Adam and Eve failed to in the Garden of Eden

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