Sheep Out of Water: Recent Episodes
Chris Weldon and Jason Adamowicz
A former priest. A former atheist. Both husbands. Both dads. Both sinners. Both seeking to live the truth. But first they have to find it. Join them weekly for raw discussions about all things Faith, Family, and Fun.
Chris and Jason ponder the importance of pondering. Check out this week's readings HERE.
Jesus Christ is born. Chris and Jason explore what this really means. Check out ALL of this Sunday's readings HERE. Merry Christmas everyone!
Chris and Jason discuss receiving God's grace, God's vastness, and the importance of sincerity. Check out this week's readings HERE.
"Sincerity is, perhaps the most vitally important quality of true prayer. It is the only valid test of our faith, our hope, and our love of God. No matter how deep our meditations, nor how severe our penances, how grand our liturgy, how pure our chant, how noble our thoughts about the mysteries of God; they are all useless if we do not really mean what we say."
-Thomas Merton
Topics included in this week's conversation:
- How patience and complaining about others are connected.
- Jesus describes an environment in which John the Baptist is least.
Check out this week's readings HERE.
It is the beginning of the Advent Season! Chris and Jason use this week's readings to discuss how to Prepare the Way for Christ.
Help reset for advent by participating in the Sheep out of Water Advent Challenge. Read the Gospel of Matthew and picture yourself as a follower of Jesus in the scenes described. Contemplate the words of Jesus. What is he telling his followers? What do his words mean to you now?
Resources For the Advent Challenge:
Podcast: The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Bible Comentary: The Word on Fire Bible Volume 1
Chris and Jason are joined by their friend Nick Meyer to discuss different aspects of the faith journey. Nick is most importantly, a husband to Stephanie and father to Theodore. They live in Indianapolis and are always trying to recruit people to their neighborhood. He currently serves as the director of growth for Exodus, aimed at helping men live better and holier lives. His career journey has taken him from teaching special education to serving with FOCUS for four years at Ball State University and the University of Illinois, serving a few years in stewardship and development at a parish, and leading a sales team at a tech company. He loves spending time with family and friends, reading a good book, hiking, boating, playing music, looking at maps and watching Notre Dame football.
To learn more about Exodus 90 visit their website HERE.
To learn more about FOCUS visit their website HERE.
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This week's readings (check them out HERE), lead Chris and Jason into a conversation centering on consequences of actions...both positive and negative. Don't forget to check out our website at www.sheepoutofwater.com where you can find the podcast on your favorite platform and subscribe!
What is the afterlife really like? This week's readings (found HERE) lead the Sheep to contemplate this question in this week's episode.
Don't forget to visit us at www.sheepoutofwater.com where you can subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform as well as connect with us via email or our social media sites!
“All are indeed welcome, but on Christ’s terms.” -Cardinal Francis George. Chris and Jason attempt to unpack this quote in the context of this week’s readings.
How do we compete well in life? How is this competition judged? Chris and Jason attempt to tackle these questions in this week's episode. Find this week's readings HERE. Don't forget to visit us at www.sheepoutofwater.com! Smash those like buttons, share with a friend, and don't forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform.
What is spiritual battle? What is our role in it? Check out the readings that provide a context for Chris and Jason’s conversation HERE.
Visit our website to connect with us! www.sheepoutofwater.com
Chris and Jason discuss the power of conversion and what happens afterward in this continuation of the Sunday Reading Series. They also examine how God’s grace is available to anyone, even people opposed to Him. Check out this week’s scripture readings HERE. 1:17: Introduction of “God isn’t hiding from ANYONE”. Naaman the Syrian Commander and leper Gospel of Luke shares story of Jesus healing 10 lepers including a Samaritan 2:50: The power of conversion and what happens. 4:16: Even contrary types of people are candidates for grace. The reading from Luke is actually very controversial. 6:28: When Jesus gets into your boat it changes your life. 7:24: How Jason’s life changed when he converted. “Here I am on a podcast talking about God.” 9:35: Spiritual, emotional, mental healings versus a physical healing. 10:43: Downward facing dog or child’s pose? “When your ass is on your heals.” Physical manifestation of worship. 13:17: Saving Private Ryan analogy. “Earn this.” 14:40: “Our lives take on meaning to the extent they become a free gift to others.” 17:24: Examples of how God makes himself present to people in the strangest ways St. Paul, the story of the dancing sun in Fatima for example. 20:20: Chris’s example of seeing healings during his time as a priest but then falls back into the ho hum pattern of life. 22:10: The importance of remembering our importance and why we are hear. 24:38: We always have the choice to engage Christ. He is not going anywhere. “It’s up to us how we respond.”- Chris 27:02: Chris invites listeners to contemplate what is the meaning of their life.
Chris and Jason tackle arguably the most difficult topic out there as they explore long suffering from a spiritual and psychological perspective. Be sure to check out this Sunday's reading HERE before listening!
SHOW NOTES
1:24: Introduction to the topic of long suffering.
Habakkuk, “Just shut up and wait.”
2 Timothy, “Bear your share of hardships for the Gospel.”
3:30: We created suffering, not God. This leads to the question of why does God permit suffering.
6:10: What do we get out of suffering well?
How do we suffer well? Good questions to ask ourselves.
8:15: “We don’t do God favors by serving him.”
9:30: Can we really gain things by suffering? What does Emily’s ACL injury teach us about this question?
13:30: Looking at this question from two perspectives, psychological and spiritual.
16:25: The wrong attitude is the amount of suffering I get is equal to what I deserve or what I don’t deserve.
“You’re life isn’t really about you.”
“Don’t get me wrong sitting up on my podcast throne.”
20:10: How Chris’s chronic back problems helps you the listener! (Hopefully).
23:47: A case for the idea that God does NOT wish suffering on us.
25:35: Three practical suggestions to help you suffer well spiritually.
- Start with being grateful.
- Let go of the script that you had written in your mind.
- Trust that God’s script has a happy ending.
“You have to see it through!”
28:36: Suggestions to help you suffer well psychologically.
- Admit that you are suffering.
- Be willing to do something about it.
- Take real action to do something about it.
31:00: The ultimate goal is to get to heaven, not to live a life exempt of suffering.
The sheep discuss how complacency is the enemy of greatness in this episode of the Sunday Reading Series. They examine what living complacently looks like and how to apply righteousness, devotion, love, patience, and gentleness in our daily lives.
Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and share with others! Before listening we encourage you to read the scripture that served as a basis of our conversation HERE.
SHOW NOTES
2:25 Complacency is not a good thing as mentioned in Amos and the Gospel of Luke.
3:25 What does complacency mean from a Biblical standpoint? “Happy being focussed on your own comfort.”
“If I’m not hurting anybody, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
5:08 Jason shares how complacency was his goal in life. “I have every right to sit on a couch all weekend long and watch sports. And maybe mow the lawn every once in a while.
6:17 How does complacency affect others. What we can learn from chimpanzees.
“When I am sitting around doing nothing. Your partner is doing everything.”
9:00 How complacency affects us. “You’re making your bed dude.”
10:53 The feeling involved when you realize how wasteful complacency is.
12:50 We are made for greatness.
13:38 Does Jason like to wear purple? Chris thinks he looks good in purple. GRIMACE from McDonald’s.
14:45 Using 1 Timothy as a guide to combat complacency. Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. “Compete well for the faith!”
15:42 What does living righteously actually look like?
17:00 Let your yes mean yes and no mean no. Being truthful.
The sheep discuss “quiet quitting", misunderstandings regarding the prudent steward, the negative impact of careerism, and religion without justice in this week’s episode. We encourage you to read the scripture we are discussing here! Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
1:37- Have you ever heard of “Quiet Quitting”?
2:49- “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters, is also trustworthy in great ones.”
4:14- “If you are doing just the bare minimum, it’s really going to negatively impact the people you see.”
6:22- Work/life balance… “Where our efforts are coming from probably show a lot about where we are inside.”
8:32- A joyful airport story.
10:20- Chris cries a first time!
12:37- Being stewards of our stewardship. “You’ve been given something, what are you going to do with it?”
14:37- Our misguided tendency to focus on what responsibilities are assigned to us versus concentrating on doing the best with what we are given.
15:24- The misunderstanding of the prudent steward’s commendation.
19:50- You can’t have two God’s. You have to have God as your center or the world. You can’t have both.
21:03- Chris discusses the patheticness of trying to compare himself to peers career wise after devoting 14 years to the priesthood.
22:34- Chris cries a second time!
27:10- God’s value based on how we treat others in comparison to worldly values.
28:45- Careerism in the church. “There’s worldliness in the church and there’s churchiness in the world.”
“Jesus never said, Amen Amen I say to you, focus on risk management!”
32:55- St. Paul’s voice seems different in 1 Timothy than in other letters. Why?
34:10- The importance of praying for religious leaders even if you are frustrated with them.
36:52- “Religion without justice can only provoke divine wrath.” What does divine wrath look like in our modern time?
38:49- Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds steroids and divine wrath?
43:20- “God’s wrath will never be worse than it was on Good Friday.” The unleashing of wrath it took to allow God the son to be killed for the sake of human beings.
46:27- Things have to be righted because of the way God has designed things. “You can only use a three-wheeled, mobile office chair as a ladder so many times until it breaks.”
47:55- “40 lashes minus one”.
49:31- Is St. Paul asking leaders to just leave us alone?
53:50- Public Service Announcement! Dig in when you don’t understand and seek the truth. Own the process of attempting to understand meaning.
“I consider myself a plodder when it comes to knowledge. I am just going to keep asking until I understand.”
56:40- “Welcome back to Indiana Chris!” “I’m done dug in!”
57:20- Jesus gave himself as a “ransom” for all. Something had to be paid.
The sheep discuss the central theme of extending mercy along with self righteousness, eating gristle, the physical tangibility of confession and the Jason of 13 years ago. Check out the readings HERE to help with context of the conversation.
SHOW NOTES:
“Speedo and all.” 2:46- What does it mean to worship a molten calf in 2022?
4:43- What were they really doing when worshipping the calf? “Let’s go back to what we know.”
5:57- What do we worship now in place of God? “Where you are spending your time and money, may be where your worship is.”
6:45- The false idea in this post Christian world that we are smarter than people in the past. “We are made for worship. When we don’t worship rightly, the creator of the universe, we worship something [in His place].”
7:23- Divisiveness and tribalism has become its own strange form of worship.
9:58- Try to understand both sides of an argument honestly.
11:45- We revert back to old habits because we are under the illusion it is something we can control.
12:51- Chris discusses confessing emotional eating leading to gluttony. “Especially if it’s a double stuff Oreo.”
13:45- Confessing to God THROUGH a priest. Confessing through another human being adds another level of accountability.
15:19- The physical tangibility of confession.
16:20- Moses negotiating with God as an example of people interceding for others.
17:15- Misconception of what is happening when people pray to saints
18:03- Breaking a covenant with God and the role Moses plays for the people in his care.
19:46- 1 Timothy- St. Paul showing us how God’s mercy is always ready to be extended as long as it is asked for.
20:40- Paul describes Jason 13 plus years ago, ignorant, blasphemous, arrogant.
21:39- God uses people who may be unworthy as a tool for grace.
23:16- Public service announcement to lukewarm dads in the pews. Get off the bench. “Embrace God. You will find a way. Get off the bench, get in the game. We need you right now!”
24:13- Gospel of Luke (one lost sheep, one lost coin, parable of the lost son) intro.
25:53- When Chris was a priest, did he get a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking after preaching about this parable?
26:00- People identify with different characters in the parable of the lost son.
26:47- The balance of God’s mercy and justice. “Damn Bro, he’s right, I’m caught.”
27:29- Seeing God’s merciful love from the perspective of being a dad.
29:03- Happy Birthday Jackson!
30:47- Recognizing when your kids need your mercy not justice.
31:51- Self righteous attitudes.
33:05- Celebrating when people repent. “Who the hell are you to try to hold someone so accountable to justice, that you are not able to extend them mercy?”
34:00- Feeling holiness after extending mercy vs extending justice, vengeance, or wrath.
34:47- The importance of turning back to God when your life is out of control.
35:42- Putting God in the center of your life is necessary because it is a part of our design.
36:19- Fatted calf is tasty!
37:15- Extending mercy can result in deep friendship.
Chris and Jason propose a framework to help you consider more than memes and click bait.
Resources:
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Biden's Student Debt Plan: A Godsend? An Appalling Policy? A Debate.
Jesus tells us we have to hate our family if we want to be his disciples. What did he mean? Also, Jason shares how not to deal with your favorite team losing and Chris teaches us all how to say Onesimus.
The sheep have an in depth discussion about the widely misunderstood virtue of humility. Chris and Jason learn they share a lack of strength in macroeconomics.
The sheep explore how NOT to lead, whether or not Jesus is a Zen Hippie, Chris breaks out another accent, and Jason shares one of his major objections to Jesus during his time as an atheist.
The following scripture passages were used as the basis of this weeks conversation. Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10, Psalm 40:2, 3, 4, 18, Hebrews 12:1-4, and Luke 12:49-53.
Chris and Jason share insight about themselves, how the podcast got started, and what their hopes are for the show.
Chris and Jason tackle our culture’s obsession with destroying the other, the great responsibility attached to knowing truth, and they recall a mission trip they took when they first became friends.
We are reminded of the lesson we all learned as six year olds, Chris debuts his finest Irish Accent, and we learn why people avoided Jason as an 8 year old. The Sheep focus on readings from Ecclesiastes 1:2; 21-23, Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11, and Luke 12:13-21 in this week's pursuit of truth.
Chris and Jason dive into readings from Genesis, Colossians, and Luke in this episode. They explore the difference between what we think about justice versus understanding what justice is to the creator of the universe. We find out how Chris got himself into trouble with liturgy committees during his time as a priest. Jason shares insight about his first confession as a 33 year old and Chris does his best impression of Eric Church!