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Cup o' JoeAgainst the WindReadings for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 2:22-40Continuing my shameless ripping off of the titles of famous songs (and this time, my apologies to Bob Seger), we hear a familiar story that sounds so wonderful at first listen. A couple presents their child in the Temple and people come out of the woodwork to proclaim his title, mission and ministry. Who wouldn't be consoled by that? If only Simeon would've stopped halfway through. But he didn't. He looks directly and Mary and Joseph and tells them what lies ahead for them, should they co...2025-01-3127 minCup o' JoeThe Arc of the Universe is LongReadings for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 62:1-5; John 2:1-11As a Church, we step out of the Privileged Time of Advent and Christmas, and begin this short season of Ordinary Time between now and March 5, when we begin Lent on Ash Wednesday. And so in this Year C where we hear from Luke's Gospel, what do we hear today? Out of the Gospel of John, of course. Yeah, I don't get it either! But it's a good one and worth hearing - The Wedding Feast at Cana. Today we talk about hope and despair, light and da...2025-01-3027 minCup o' JoeBelovedReadings for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord - Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22;It's odd, right? Just last week Jesus was an infant receiving gifts from the Magi. And here he is, all grown up and being baptized. And we are still in the Christmas season. How do we put this all together? I'm glad that you asked. Because it really all does fit. This season points to where we stand right now.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. And thank you for continuing to listen...2025-01-1028 minCup o' JoeGod Desires To Be Right Where You AreGospel Readings for the Feast of the Incarnation of our God (Luke 2:1-14) & the Feast of the Holy Family (Luke 2:41-52)I know - a double shot of the Gospel on this episode. Couldn't be more appropriate. This week, we simply marvel in the humble, audacious and bold love of our God. There is nowhere that God would rather be born this day than in your life and in your circumstances. Yes, this was a gift for those living 2000 years ago. But, as the angel reminds the shepherds, it is also a gift for all people. That includes you and I...2024-12-2724 minCup o' JoeGreetings, Mighty Warrior!Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Advent - Micah 5:1-4a; Luke 1:39-45Finally! Mary takes center stage and Bethlehem is mentioned. Just not in the way we might think. The former has to do w/ someone else's birth and the latter w/ a prophecy. But at least we are getting somewhere. Just where, however, are we going? Down. That's where. Into smallness. Because that's precisely where God desires to reside. Not in Rome or Greece. Not in the Temple or the halls of Herod. And to explain, we look at the story of Gideon. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk fo...2024-12-201h 19Cup o' JoeLove Calls Forth LoveReadings for the 3rd Sunday in Advent - Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18The Third Sunday in Advent is commonly referred to as Gaudete Sunday, a Latin word meaning "rejoice!" And each of our readings invite us to do this very thing, w/ Paul pleading for us twice in the first sentence. So why? What is it we rejoice about? As an expectant mother rejoices at the life that grows within her, so we rejoice at the nearness of our God. And if the God of the Universe is so overcome with love for you and I this...2024-12-1324 minCup o' JoeGod Loves Us in Reality, Not in TheoryReadings for the Second Sunday in Advent - Baruch 5:1-9; Luke 3:1-6I won't speak for others but only me. And for me, it's easy to read the Scriptures and see the love of God working in and through others in a different time and place and think "I wish God would still act that way now." But I think I miss the mark. God does still act. God is still working in and through others - including me. And you. In the Gospel of Luke we begin hearing the adult story of Jesus this week, and Luke sets it in...2024-12-065h 35Cup o' JoeYour Redemption Is At HandReadings for the First Sunday in Advent - Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36We begin our new liturgical year with readings that sound an awful lot like the readings from last weekend, the close of our last liturgical year. Why, exactly, is that? Even more importantly, these readings which were speaking to particular situations back in the time of Jeremiah and Jesus continue to speak to our time and our individual lives. We hear readings of hope and reality. And the best part? I have a guest speaker w/ me today as my co-host is none other than my daught...2024-11-3023 minCup o' JoeInvitation vs. DominationReadings for the Feast of Christ the King - Daniel 7:13-14; John 18:33b-37This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. But it would be a tragedy if we only reflect upon this once a year. Who is Lord of our life today, this very moment? It's not an exercise in guilt, but one of choice and it's one we have to make every day. And just what kind of a kingdom did this King point to anyway?Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composing and performing of our intake and o...2024-11-2220 minCup o' JoeThe EndReadings for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Daniel 12:1-3; Mark 13:24-32As we draw nearer to the end of the Liturgical Year, our readings darken and we hear readings of The End of Time. And that is w/ purpose. Our liturgical calendar is rooted in time and time, indeed, is linear - moving toward an end point. But there's more. Time is also cyclical. As individual human beings and as all things created by God, we experience ends within our lives, multiple times. And those feelings can upend us, leaving us in darkness and feeling alone and unmoor...2024-11-1526 minCup o' JoeFaith, Certainty & DoubtReadings for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Mark 12:38-44The heroes of our readings today are two women who literally have nothing. Nothing, that is, but a faith that you and I would be wise to give everything we have to gain. We all know that we are called to be women and men of faith. But just what does that mean? It's not belief. It's even more than trust. It's having the courage to enter darkness and trust that our God waits for us on the other side. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her c...2024-11-0824 minCup o' JoeOne ThingReadings for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Mark 12:28b-34Sometimes it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Scripture is so thick, there are so many books and sometimes the answers can even seem to contradict one another. How do we know who or what to listen to? Today, we hear readings of summation. Call it our Cliff Notes edition. Moses summarizes the Law. And then Jesus summarizes the Gospels. They give us the One Thing that grounds us and around which we are to revolve. And throw in a City Slickers reference for good measure because, why not?S...2024-11-0129 minCup o' JoeIf We Could Only Be So BlindReadings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Jeremiah 31:7-9; Mark 10:46-52At first glance, this Gospel reading looks like just another story where Jesus heals a blind man. But this is not just any old healing. We'd all be blessed to be as blind as Bartimaeus. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. And thank you to all of you for continuing to listen and share this podcast with others. I'm incredibly humbled. Have a question or comment? I can be reached at pdjoezenk@gmail.com2024-10-2525 minCup o' JoeWhatever We Think Glory Is, We're WrongReadings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 53:10-11; Mark 10:35-45Martin Luther once invited us all to "Sin boldly!" He must have been thinking about James and John in today's reading. They are bold - make no mistake about it. And they are 180 degrees off-base in their assumptions, which were the foundation of their request. They sought glory. They had no idea what glory was. And so Jesus made sure to set not only the two of them, but all of the disciples, straight on what glory consisted of - which meant tipping everything that they thought...2024-10-1830 minCup o' JoeWhat Seduces Us?Readings for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Wisdom 7:7-11; Mark 10:17-30This weekend, we get to have a mirror held up to us. The good news is - it's not entirely a bad thing. There are parts of this mirror that actually have us looking good. But other parts, not so much. The best part? Jesus looks at us in love and names these things, inviting us out of them and into relationship with Him. But the question is - what are we willing to give up for that relationship. The author of Wisdom would tell us that not...2024-10-1124 minCup o' JoeLet's Talk About SinReadings for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Genesis 2:18-24; Mark 10:2-16This one is a bit more lengthy, but how does one talk about sin quickly? So often when we think about sin, we think about something much smaller than the reality. We think of the outer showings but pay little attention to the inner reality. The readings this weekend don't give us that option. We may think that they are only speaking to us about marriage and divorce. I think that they are about something much more than that. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her comp...2024-10-0429 minCup o' JoeThere Is No Inside or OutsideReadings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Numbers 11:25-29; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48It's so easy to get caught up in titles and degrees and membership. I'll listen to this person because they carry the right credentials but not someone without them. I'll follow this person because they belong to the same group as I do, but not that person who doesn't. It's so common we don't even notice it. And it's been going on for a long, long time - at least so our readings show us today. Thankfully Moses and Jesus cut through the blindness. The Spirit...2024-09-2725 minCup o' JoeThe First DeathReadings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Mark 9:30-37Jesus picks up on the same topic that he ended with last week - if we are to be a follower of His, it leads to Jerusalem and the cross. This is the second time of three times that Jesus will make these statements to his disciples. Why so often? Because it goes against everything our culture and those voices inside of our heads tell us to do. We are always striving to do better than others, to looks smarter, to be more successful. But do we eve...2024-09-2024 minCup o' JoeRisky BusinessReadings for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 50:5-9a; Mark 8:27-35The word Gospel, as we all know, means "Good News". And while the Gospel is always good news, sometimes that news can also be hard. Today is one of those days. Isaiah shares with us the path of the Suffering Servant, which Christians see as a foreshadowing of the ministry of Jesus. But if it's a foreshadowing of the ministry of Jesus, it also foreshadows our ministry. Jesus confirms this by looking at you and I and reminding us that if we want to follow him, w...2024-09-1327 minCup o' JoeCan You See It?Readings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 35:4-7a; Mark 7:31-37Isaiah speaks to a people without hope and does his best to give them a vision of what hope would look like within a hopeless place. For until they have bought into the vision, until they are able to see it, they have nothing to say, nothing to leap about. They must first "be opened." What was true then is also true now. If we as individuals and we as the People of God are not people of hope and vision, we carry no authority. We ha...2024-09-0624 minCup o' JoeThe Fork in the RoadReadings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Dt 4:1-2, 6-8; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23Both Moses and Jesus (there's a couple of heavyweights for you!) call us out into the deep today. We are not invited to stay in the shallow end of the pool by merely going through the motions of our beliefs or saying the right words. We are called to the weightier things like justice and mercy and faith. And how do we do that? Not by just bringing part of ourselves to the table, but our entire self. That's what brings life. Special...2024-08-3026 minCup o' JoeDecision TimeReadings for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17a, 18b; John 6:60-69This week comes with a challenge. Actually two. Joshua gives one in the first reading and Jesus in the Gospel. Which way will you go? Whom do you choose? And you will notice in each case, they give the grace for choices that may not serve them or ourselves well. They respect free will that much. Those choices still stand before us today. Whom will we choose? Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake mus...2024-08-2327 minCup o' JoeThe Two TablesReadings for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Proverbs 9:1-6; John 6:51-58I know - this sounds like a JRR Tolkien novel. Sorry, nothing so sublime here. Just a juxtaposition between wisdom and folly that we hear in the book of Proverbs, looking at the values that each holds. And if, perchance, we wish to partake of the food of Wisdom, just where do we find that? Jesus lets us know in no uncertain terms in today's continuing look at the Bread of Life discourse. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake...2024-08-1626 minCup o' JoeMiles To Go Before We SleepReadings for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 1 Kings 19:4-8; John 6:41-51The thread between the two readings couldn't be much easier to spot. We can't make the journey on our own. It's too difficult. But what it also reminds us is that we are not at the end, either. No matter what is happening in your life, whatever difficulties and struggles you may be facing - God gives us a gentle shove (or maybe not so gentle!) and doesn't invite us to keep moving. He orders us. There are missions to accomplish and you need Bread to sustai...2024-08-0825 minCup o' JoeIt'd Be Funny If It Weren't So Close to Home...Readings for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15; John 6:24-35This weekend, we hear about how God provides for us - specifically giving us Bread from Heaven (in the form of manna and Jesus, himself). And while there is much to explore there, I went in a different route. I talked about how quickly the Hebrew people of both Moses's and Jesus's day could be so obtuse. How can they forget God's presence and actions for them so quickly? It's almost comical. Until we realize that maybe it's not just them.Special thanks to Bridge...2024-08-0127 minCup o' JoePhilip or Andrew?Readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 2 Kings 4:42-44; John 6:1-15God desires for you and I to be fed. It's as simple as that. Whether it is manna in the desert, food during a plague or 5,000 people sitting on a grassy field, God desires not that we remain empty and in need, but rather that we are satiated. But there is really only one thing that feeds us, right? The Word of God. Jesus says that himself when Satan tempts Him in the desert. "Humanity does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes f...2024-07-2524 minCup o' Joeboth/andReadings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Jeremiah 23:1-6; Mark 6:30-34In hearing Jeremiah play the role of prophet, we hear him both rage against the unjust shepherds of the day, and remind the people that they are loved and seen and heard. In our Gospel, Jesus longs for rest, but chooses the hard work of being present to the people. So which is it? Are we sheep or shepherds? Do we rage against injustice or nurture the wounds of our trauma? Are we in need of healing or are we healers? The answer, of course, is yes.2024-07-1924 minCup o' JoeFaith In vs Faith OfReadings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Am 7:12-15; Mark 6:7-13In this weekend's readings, we hear about the call and struggles of the prophet Amos, as well as Jesus sending out the Twelve. Which, of course, begs the question for us - Am I called to go out, too? If so, where and how? And how can I be a prophet when I'm just an ordinary person in an ordinary job in an ordinary location? Today we explore all of those questions. It's time to step out of the shadow, my friends. It's no longer time to simp...2024-07-1224 minCup o' JoeThe Gift of ImperfectionReadings for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Mark 6:1-6So often it seems we struggle against those parts of us of which we are ashamed. We pretend. We hide behind masks. And in doing so, we refuse to open ourselves to the gift of grace that God and those around us are waiting to share with us. Life is not meant to be lived in perfection. We are not created that way. But to the extent that we attempt to live in that space, we choose to live a life in illusion. God invites us elsewhe...2024-07-0921 minCup o' JoeDeath Is IrregularReadings for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24, Mark 5:21-43The foundation for our Gospel is laid in the first line of the first reading - don't miss it! God did not make death, nor does God delight in the destruction of the living. Death is not the vision or the desire of God - life is. And with that knowledge, we hear two stories about death to life in the Gospel. And while we can sit here 2000 years later and enjoy these stories, we see death everywhere around us. What does this have to say to...2024-06-2826 minCup o' JoeBreak On Through To The Other SideReadings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Job 38:1, 8-11; Mark 4:35-41With apologies to Jim Morrison and The Doors, I've got to borrow the title. Jesus invites his followers to leave one side behind, get in a boat and travel to someplace new - on the other side. But what happens, as so often does, is that we experience storms, upheaval, fear along the way. What do our readings ask of us today when we find ourselves in not altogether dissimilar places?Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outt...2024-06-2121 minCup o' JoeGod Goes Ahead of UsReadings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Ezekiel 17:22-24; Mark 4:26-34Today we hear three separate parables - one from Ezekiel and two from Jesus. All remind us how God continues to work on our behalf, often without any knowledge or help from us. God not only goes before us to prepare the way, but God fans to flame the seed within us that is the Holy Spirit, inviting it to grow though we know not how. These readings invite us to take a load off of our shoulders and simply be grateful to God for the work...2024-06-1424 minCup o' JoeWhat Was True Then Is Also True NowReadings for the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Genesis 3:9-15; Mark 3:20-35We talk about two things today (sorry - at length! I know, I have to get these pods back down towards 20 minutes! It's on my radar): how we are back in Ordinary Time and exactly what that means for us and 2) the story of the fall of humanity and how that is not just something set in the past. It's played out today in the decisions you and I make. We can choose to be a part of the family, or we can choose to isolate ourse...2024-06-0730 minCup o' JoeBe What You See, Become What You EatReadings for the Feast of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ: Exodus 24: 3-8; Mark 14:12-16; 22-26On this feast, we recall not only the words of Jesus, but the words of Moses - and what that sacrifice demands of us. We are not mere observers of God's action. We participate. And that is wonderful and scary. We are meant to be taken, blessed, broken and shared. Or in other words, we are meant to be shed. It is not only Christ on the altar every Mass, it is us. That's what we say Amen to every weekend. That's the rene...2024-05-3124 minCup o' JoeTrust Your Experience of GodReadings for the Feast of the Holy Trinity - Deuteronomy 4:32-34; 39-40; Matthew 28:16-20Brothers and sisters, no matter how hard we try, we will never wrap our minds around the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. And that's ok. God didn't make us to do that. But that doesn't mean that we don't experience it's reality in our midst everyday. And it also doesn't mean that we can't grasp that it is profoundly for us. Every one of us has experienced the Presence and Reality of God. All we need to do is remember that. And celebrate that. And speak ab...2024-05-2427 minCup o' JoeThe Two PentecostsReadings for the Feast of Pentecost - Acts 2:1-11; John 20:19-23This weekend, we celebrate one of the high feast days of the Church - the coming of the Spirit to the early Christian gathering. How did the Spirit come? Well, through a strong driving wind in an upper room, of course. We hear that in Acts. Or was it through the breath and forgiveness of Jesus that Easter Sunday night? Which one is true? Of course the answer is both. But as always, we don't merely celebrate an event that took place 2,000 years ago. We celebrate an event that cont...2024-05-1728 minCup o' JoeThe Passing of the BatonReadings for the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus: Acts 1:1-11; Mark 16:15-20We hear two different accounts of the ascension of Jesus in today's readings - one from Luke, one from Mark. And while there may be differences between them, both point to the same idea: Jesus trusts you and I. We have been prepared. The mission and ministry is now in our hands. Are we ready for such responsibility? If our anxiety raises even at the thought, know that you are in good company. I'm sure the disciples felt the same. Will there be mistakes along the way? Mos...2024-05-1026 minCup o' JoeWhat God Has Made Clean...Readings for the 6th Sunday in Easter - Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; I John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17All three readings are too good to set one aside - and a common thread runs through all three. What, exactly, does love look like? The answer, particularly in the first reading, will surprise you. And if it doesn't, I'm not sure I did a good job explaining it...Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. And thank you to all of you for continuing to listen and break open God's Word with m...2024-05-0325 minCup o' JoeWe All Need a Barnabas In Our LifeReadings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter - Acts 9:26-31; John 15:1-8The further we get from Easter, the less "Eastery" our readings sound. Today we hear of Paul attempting to find his footing in Jerusalem among the apostles and Jesus speaking to us of grapes and vines and fruit that will remain. But what does this have to do w/ the celebration of Easter? What lessons are we to take? It means that new life is not found just among the tombs of Jerusalem. It's found in our daily walk and work, the unseen growth we experience, and the co...2024-04-2622 minCup o' JoeGod Can Use EverythingReadings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter - Acts 4:8-12; John 10:11-18Peter follows closely in the footsteps of Jesus in our readings today - both through his actions and then as fearlessly speaking the truth to power. But what he reminds the leaders of Israel is also good for us to recall - that in the economy of God, nothing is useless. There is nothing that need be thrown away. God can and will use it all - including those things about ourselves of which we are most ashamed and we most try to hide. Special thanks to Bri...2024-04-1925 minCup o' JoeLet Yourself Be PursuedReadings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter - Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 Luke 24:35-48Special Guest, Eileen Piper (VP of Life Long Missions at FOCUS Ministries) joins Joe to help break open to Scriptures for this Third Sunday of Easter. Within we hear how nothing can keep us from the love and forgiveness of our God. Acts puts those words into Peter's mouth, while the Gospel shows us what forgiveness looks like on Easter Sunday evening. Is there something troubling you? Do you feel imprisoned in fear? Do not be afraid. For there is no where you can go to outrun...2024-04-1227 minCup o' JoeNo Barrier Will StandReadings for the Feast of Divine Mercy - Acts 4:32-35; John 20:19-31On this Second Sunday of Easter, we focus on the Divine Mercy of our God. What, exactly, does that Divine Mercy look like? It looks like peace in the midst of our fear and doubt and hurt and despair and darkness. Christ enters into our spaces, our tombs, not because we deserve it but because God's life and God's grace are bigger. And thankfully, there is no wall too high or door too locked to keep the presence and peace of God away. That is worth celebrating.Spe...2024-04-0524 minCup o' JoeWe Are Participants, Not SpectatorsReadings from the Easter Vigil of Holy Saturday - Romans 6:3-11; Mark 16:1-7Easter stands out from the rest of the Church's liturgical year as the high point. And while it may stand out, it does not stand apart. Easter walks hand in hand with Good Friday. And so it's only appropriate that the readings we hear this day are from Holy Saturday - that place where Good Friday and Easter Sunday meet. And that ground where they meet? We know it well. We stand there every day.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our...2024-03-2931 minCup o' JoeDeath is Not a VirtueReadings for Passion (Palm) Sunday - Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 11:1-10The readings carry the power today, as we enter into this holiest of weeks. And so because of that, we hear all three. What do they have to say to us today, all these years later? And what can we carry with us this week to ponder as we walk alongside Jesus? Two main focuses this pod - humility and death. Both present then and both needed now. Sometimes. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. And thank you t...2024-03-2328 minCup o' JoeGlory Isn't What You Think It isReadings from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 12:20-33I know, I know - I'm not getting any shorter, and I promised you quicker podcasts. You may have to get me to put that in writing. But these readings are too good to leave at a surface level. And they have much to say to us about Lent. My friends, if this Lent has not been all you've hoped for, we still have 14 days left. Let these readings guide these last two weeks - into people who listen well to the Law within and to allow...2024-03-1730 minCup o' JoeHope in the DarknessReadings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday) - 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; John 3:14-21Our readings directly name two incidents and Jesus alludes to a third where the darkness present seemed insurmountable. But in each case, God shows up in a unique, surprising and unexpected way - reminding us that there is nothing that God cannot redeem and make good. We have reached the halfway point of our Lenten journey, which may involve sacrifice and hardship. These readings take purposely take time out to remind us that our God walks with us right here and right now, even in t...2024-03-0830 minCup o' JoeFirst Things FirstReadings for the Third Sunday in Lent - Exodus 20:1-17; John 2:13-25The readings we hear today are long, but they are packed. In the first reading, Moses gives the Law to the Hebrew people - the 10 Commandments. And while it can be easy to think of all as equal (and perhaps they are), I think one, maybe two, rise above the others. And one of these may surprise you. Our Gospel focuses on Jesus and his actions when there seems to be little difference between what He sees inside the Temple and outside. And it's not a pretty sight...2024-03-0229 minCup o' JoeSorry, Pete - We're Not Here to CampReadings for the Second Sunday in Lent - Romans 8:31b-34; Mark 9:2-10Every First Sunday of Lent, we hear the same story - Jesus in the desert. The same is true for the Second Sunday of Lent where we hear the story of the Transfiguration. Today we get Mark's version. But in truth, it's pretty similar to Matthew and Luke. Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain where his clothes turn dazzling white and suddenly, Elijah and Moses appear. But something that also happens in all three is this: Peter puts his foot in his mouth, and a...2024-02-2326 minCup o' JoeAmong Wild Beasts & AngelsGospel for the First Sunday in Lent - Mark 1:12-15Jesus, having just been baptized in the Jordan River, is driven by the Spirit into the desert, to spend 40 days attempting to discern what it means to be the Beloved Son and what that calls Him to. And so we enter this same period - 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. 40 days set aside to listen to the same Spirit, driving us and moving us in that same mission. But do we allow ourselves the silence to be able to hear?Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her com...2024-02-1624 minCup o' JoeTo Be Human is to SufferReadings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Job 7:1-4, 6-7; Mark 1:29-39Is not humanity's life on earth a drudgery? So begins our first reading out of the Book of Job this week. And it doesn't really lighten up from there. We hear of Job questioning the meaning of life and the presence of suffering in the world. And while we may not live at that level very often, we do visit from time to time. Suffering is present in the world and no amount of wealth or fame or skills can keep it away. Suffering is a reali...2024-02-0227 minCup o' JoeMe? A Prophet?!?Readings for the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28The first reading today speaks of how God will raise up a prophet from within their "own kin" to lead the people - and points directly at Jesus in our Gospel today, who speaks and acts with authority. So if our readings all speak about Jesus and his role, what do they have to say to us? Only this - that we, too, are invited to live prophetically and speak and live with authority. But just how do we do that?Special thanks to Bridget Zenk...2024-01-2628 minCup o' JoeCall & Response, Part IIReadings for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Mark 1:14-20We pick up today where we left off last week - God's invitation and humanity's response. Today, we hear about Jesus at the beginning of His ministry inviting those around Him to reprioritize their lives. Rethink who they are and what they are about. And in doing so, what does that invite us to leave behind and what does that invite us to move toward. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thank you to all of you...2024-01-1925 minCup o' JoeCall & ResponseReadings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - 1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19; John 1:35-42Second Sunday in Ordinary Time? What happened to the First Sunday? No time for that nonsense - we are off and running. Jesus has been baptized and he is about the work of the Kingdom. First item of business? Gather those interested in helping him with that task. Will you hear? And how will you answer?Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thanks to all of you for continuing to listen and to spread the word of t...2024-01-1223 minCup o' JoeDarkness Covers the EarthReadings for the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord - Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12On this feast when we hear of the Magi following the light of a star, we hear Isaiah remind us that darkness continues to cover the earth and thick clouds cover the peoples. This reading, which was written over 2500 years ago, continues to ring true today. Yet light shines all around us, if we have but the eyes of the Magi to see. Today we thank God for those lights in our lives and we also say yes to the idea that we, too, carr...2024-01-0531 minCup o' JoeThe Fog of FaithReadings for the Feast of the Holy Family - Col 3:12-17, Luke 2:22-40On this Feast of the Holy Family, we remind ourselves of two things: 1) this is not the Feast of the Perfect Family, but rather the Feast of the Holy Family. And in reminding ourselves of that, we look into what holiness is. And 2) we remember that faith is not certainty. Faith is walking in the midst of the fog and taking the next right step, as best we can foresee. That's what makes it faith.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our...2023-12-2924 minCup o' JoeGod Is Not Afraid of Our StuffReadings for the Mass at Night, Christmas - Isaiah 9:1-6; Luke 2:1-14Sorry, 4th Sunday of Advent. You were given the boot in favor of some of the best readings of the year that come later that night. This week, we carefully and slowly read through two of the most beautiful readings you will ever hear about God's love and desire to be close to us. Do not be afraid. Allow them to soak in.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thank you to all you listeners who contin...2023-12-2228 minCup o' JoeThe Two Questions We Must AnswerReadings for the 3rd Sunday in Advent - Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11; John 1:6-8, 19-28As we draw nearing to the time of The Coming, we turn our focus on ways we can further open ourselves to allow Christ to be born within our hearts and within our worlds. We also hear John the Baptist confronted by the religious leaders of his day, asking him to answer two questions that are essential in the life of every follower of Jesus. And how you and I answer them is of the utmost importance.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her...2023-12-1525 minCup o' JoeThis Desert LifeReadings for the 2nd Sunday in Advent - Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Mark 1:1-8Every Second Sunday of Advent, John the Baptist is introduced to us. John, of course, was the precursor pointing away from himself and instead pointing to the One who was bringing the Kingdom. "In the desert, prepare the way of the Lord." As we take one step closer to the celebration of God's presence in our world, the question before us is this: where are those deserts in your life? And do you really believe that God can make a home in those places?Special thank...2023-12-0822 minCup o' JoeAdvent Isn't Then, It's NowReadings for the First Sunday in Advent - Isaiah 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7 Mark 13:33-37Welcome to our new liturgical year! And every year, it can be easy to fall into the idea of Advent being merely birthday planning. We know a birth is coming up on the 25th and we have some preparations to do in order to celebrate that past event well. But I urge us all (yes, including myself!) to approach Advent differently this year. Advent isn't just about what happened then. It's looking around and asking for God's birth into our own specific and universal worlds now. ...2023-12-0124 minCup o' JoeAt The Right HandReadings for the Feast (Solemnity!) of Christ the King - Ezekiel 34:11-12; 15-17 Matthew 25:31-46We conclude our liturgical year with this feast day celebration. Special Guest, Bridget Zenk, and I explore the idea of what it means to be living under royal leadership; what are steps we can take to help us be more like sheep and less like goats; and another take on what it may mean to sit at the right hand of the Son. May you celebrate this feast day well.Special thanks to Bridget not only for appearing as special guest, but also for h...2023-11-2427 minCup o' JoeA Couple Acres GreenerGospel for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Matthew 25:14-30In this liturgical year's last Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear a familiar parable about a master going away on a journey and investing talents in each of his servants. In today's pod, we break open that idea and ask 1) how can we discern what these talents are and b) to what end are we invited to use them. Thanks to Mipso for the title idea to this podcast. Don't know their song? Take a few minutes and listen - it'll be worth your while!Special thanks to B...2023-11-1722 minCup o' JoeThe Importance of Being a WitnessReadings For the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10; Matthew 23:1-12Don't come to today's readings for consolation. Instead, come for strength, because that's what we see from Jesus and that's what he exhorts from us. Anyone can profess to be a follower of His and proclaim themselves good. But God knows the heart. God knows our real intentions. And the priests/Pharisees/Sadducees get a large helping of humble pie. But we can't watch from the sidelines. We are them and they are us. We, too, must walk the talk if we don't want the fing...2023-11-0325 minCup o' JoeA New LawReadings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Exodus 22:20-26; Matthew 22:34-40We do Jesus a disservice to think that he did not deal with the many struggles we have to deal with today. He went from conflict to conflict - and we see another one today. Once again, the Pharisees are trying to trap him. But once again, he sidesteps their efforts. And in doing so, Jesus gives us a new law. But the difference is that this law invites us into the stew. This law needs us to discern and step out in faith. This law is not...2023-10-2621 minCup o' JoeUnexpectedReadings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; Matthew 22:15-21Two mighty Gentile figures take center stage today, but for different reasons. Yet both have something very powerful to teach us. We cannot limit God and we always must be aware of whose image we bear and who or what has our allegiance. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thank you to all of you for breaking open God's Word alongside of me. If you enjoy the podcast, share it with someone you think may enjoy i...2023-10-2024 minCup o' JoeWhat Is It We Desire?Readings for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 25:6-10a; Matthew 22:1-14My friends, the readings don't get better than what we hear today. In two separate images - one from Isaiah and a parable from Jesus - we hear about the goodness and magnanimity of God. All are invited. All are welcome. It's not just an idea - it's the Kingdom of God. But we must be "worthy" to enter. And what makes us "worthy" is not what you think it is.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and ou...2023-10-1326 minCup o' JoeWhere Do We Seek Our Identity?Readings from the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 5:1-7; Matthew 21:33-43We hear two stories today that are almost identical - but both hold a hard mirror up to us and invite us to be honest about who we are and where we are within the story. Where is it that we look for our identity? And how far are we willing to go to protect that?Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thank you for trusting me enough to break open God's Word alongside of me. ...2023-10-0627 minCup o' JoeTurn AroundReadings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Ezekiel 18:25-28; Matthew 21:28-32Jesus tells us a parable - A man had two sons...but it may not be the one that comes to mind when you hear that phrase. Today we are presented with two ways of being in the world. We can live inside of our small world, or decide to leave that behind for life in the Kingdom. Our initial reaction is often one of "no", not dissimilar to the parable we hear. But thank God that God gives us time to change our minds. What we do...2023-09-2923 minCup o' JoeTo Whom Do We Hire Ourselves Out?Readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 55:6-9; Matthew 20:1-16aIsaiah reminds us in his word that God's ways are not our ways. So Jesus tells a parable that emphasizes that very point - the Kingdom of God is like a vineyard owner who goes out at various points of the day to hire workers. And when the end of the day comes, each one gets paid the same wage. This parable, like few others, can shake us up and disturb us. This doesn't seem right. It's not fair. It's disrespectful to those who worked the ful...2023-09-2224 minCup o' JoeWe Have to ChooseReadings for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sirach 27:30-28:7; Matthew 18:21-35Say what you want about Peter, but he asks good questions. He gives us another one today - how many times must we forgive? But Jesus doesn't take the bait. Instead, Jesus invites Peter to a new vision. Peter is essentially wondering if there is a time and place where we can set forgiveness aside. Jesus says there is not...at least not if you want to be a follower of Him. And that is hard, hard work. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and perf...2023-09-1526 minCup o' JoeDon't Confuse Love w/ SentimentReadings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20We set aside the first reading this week (but it's a good one - Ezekiel 33!) in favor of the second reading, where Paul reminds us that Love is the fulfillment of the law. To the extent that we love, we are fulfilling where the law points us. But don't confuse love with mere sentiment or soft melodies. Jesus lays that out in the Gospel. Love looks like strength and vulnerability. And love looks like unbinding and setting free.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her compos...2023-09-0822 minCup o' JoeDoes Jesus Need Us To Defend Him?Readings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Jeremiah 20:7-9; Matthew 16:21-27The readings this weekend pick up immediately following where we left off last week - Jesus asks his disciples who people say he is and Peter correctly responds. But Peter couldn't leave well enough alone. After Jesus describes where this calling will take him, Peter attempts to talk him out of it. And Jesus admonishes Peter, stating that Peter is thinking not as God does but as humans do. And just what does that thinking look like? And should we take the same warning?Special thanks...2023-09-0124 minCup o' JoeTwo Simple QuestionsReadings for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 22:19-23; Matthew 16:13-20So often within our lives of faith, we can easily become overwhelmed with data and to-do lists that we can lose our way and forget why we are doing what we are doing. But really, our faith can be distilled down to two questions - and we get one of them in our Gospel today. And we need to answer it honestly.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thanks to you for breaking open God's Word...2023-08-2522 minCup o' JoeNo WallsReadings for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Matthew 15:21-28This weekend's Gospel is such an interesting one. We hear and see Jesus presented in a unique manner not otherwise seen in the Gospel. Jesus shows resistance to the outsider. Was this a test? Was it a cultural blind spot? I don't have that answer. But what we do know and what comes through clearly in both readings is that there is no "us and them". No "in and out'. Any walls we create in our own lives must be taken down. God's house shall be a house fo...2023-08-1823 minCup o' JoeIn or OutReadings for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a; Matthew 14:22-33We get to hear two incredible readings today depicting God with us in the midst of our storms. Yes, it focuses on God's power over nature. But it also focuses on our reactions. Are we able to discern God's presence? And if we are able, what does that invite us to? It's not for the faint of heart.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thank you for taking the time to break open God's W...2023-08-1022 minCup o' JoeLet's Take a DetourPaul's Letter to the Romans, Chapter 8, verses 31-39I know, this weekend is the Feast of the Transfiguration and the above reading is nowhere to be seen (or heard) within the readings we will hear this weekend. But we've been working up to the above reading for the past 7-8 weeks and it's simply too good to pass by. So we take a detour this weekend and focus on what may be one of the greatest texts within all of Scripture. What can separate us from the love of God? The answer is almost too simple to believe...Spec...2023-08-0424 minCup o' JoeWhat Is It Worth?Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 13, verses 44-52Jesus presents us yet more parables about what the Kingdom of God is like - this time using images of treasure found and nets in the water. But the addition that this series of parables give us that the past two weeks did not is our own involvement. We are active participants in this parable and our decision is crucial. What is the Kingdom of God worth to us and what are we prepared to set aside to embrace it? And when, exactly, do we do this? Molly Zenk sits alongside me for this...2023-07-2826 minCup o' JoeWheat & WeedsGospel for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Matthew 13:24-35Jesus shares with us three more parables, once again using images simple to understand such as planting seeds in a garden, a mustard seed and yeast. All of these things point us to the Kingdom of God. They also point us to ourselves. We are that garden and we are filled with both wheat and weeds. Jesus says to let them grow together. Now why on earth would He say that?Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Also...2023-07-2121 minCup o' JoeThe Extravagance of GodReadings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 13:1-23This weekend, we are reintroduced to a parable we've heard many times - a sower went out to sow some seed. And in God's abundance, this seed is thrown hither and yon, recklessly, time and again. The lavish nature of God knows no bounds. To what end? So that some seed may find good ground. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But someday. Because Isaiah reminds us that which comes from God will not return to God void, but achieve the end for which it was sent. An...2023-07-1425 minCup o' JoeTo Be a Little OneReadings for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Zechariah 9:9-10; Matthew 11:25-30Our world loves to be loud and showy. Our world stands in awe of power and strength. But our God comes not in those ways. Our God comes in quiet and vulnerability. Our God comes not on a steed but on the back of a donkey. Our God sits not on the throne of power, but washes the feet of others. It's really a simple lesson, but one we need to hear over and over because the air we breathe says otherwise. We are invited to be little o...2023-07-0723 minCup o' JoeIt's Not Either/OrReadings for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42Jesus continues to prepare His followers to go out and bring the Gospel to the world. And what does that look like? It looks like loving God before everything else in our lives. That includes parents. That includes children. It even includes ourselves. Paul reminds us that we are dead to our own agendas and we now live for God. But don't confuse the two. They are not polar opposites. It is less either/or and more both/andSpecial thanks to Bridget Zenk for her co...2023-06-3021 minCup o' JoeFear is the EnemyGospel for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Matthew 10:26-33Jesus is continuing to give a pre-game, fire-up speech to the Twelve before sending them out, but his words have an ominous tone. He speaks about fear and Gehenna and proclaiming on rooftops that which has been given to us in a whisper. So how does this make sense to us? What can we take from it? It all comes down to the voices we listen to within. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Thanks to you for lis...2023-06-2319 minCup o' JoeYou Are The AnswerGospel for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Matthew 9:36-10:8Welcome back to Ordinary Time for the first time on a Sunday since Feb. 19. Yes, maybe it's ordinary and mundane, but it's where most of our lives are lived. And Christ walks with us here. So if we, as our title suggests, are the answer - what is the question? Today our discussion revolves around the crowd and who is a part of that. And if what Jesus says about harvest and laborers is true and that we are to ask the Maker of the Harvest to send labor...2023-06-1623 minCup o' JoeSorry Snickers - You Don't SatisfyReadings for the Solemnity of the Body & Blood of Christ - Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a; John 6:51-58It's all right there in Deuteronomy: God let us be afflicted with hunger in order to feed us His very being. Everything else leaves us wanting and wandering in a desert needing more and more. There is only one thing that satiates that hunger - and it's what we celebrate today.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outtake music. Also thanks to you for listening and opening yourself to the Word of God. Quest...2023-06-0925 minCup o' JoeUnknowable & UndefinableReadings for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity - Exodus 34:4b-6; 8-9; John 3:16-18Unknowable and undefinable. That's God's own definition of God's very self. Yet that doesn't keep us from trying to know and define God. And that's a fine thing. Theologians have been doing it for millennia. We all have. That's how we come up with the very definition - three yet one - that we celebrate today. But don't let past understandings or misunderstandings confine you. God is bigger. God is always bigger. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for composing and performing our intake and outtake mus...2023-06-0226 minCup o' JoeJust Showing UpFeast of the Ascension of Jesus - Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11; Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20What does it take to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Well, a whole lot, really. It takes tenacity. It takes strength. But more than anything? It takes presence. It simply means we need to show up and be counted. Often times we can fall into the trap of perfectionism, knowledge or righteousness before we can say yes to this call. Our readings today dispel this notion. We can either listen to the voice and call of Jesus, or the voices in our heads tel...2023-05-1926 minCup o' JoeCan We Handle the Truth?!?Gospel for the Sixth Sunday in Easter - John 14:15-21Can there ever be too many A Few Good Men quotes? I think not. Today we speak about truth - and what it is. Why? Because Jesus promises to send the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth. But what exactly does that mean for us? While I certainly cannot claim to have a handle on it, I invite us into that conversation to ponder just where that invites us. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and playing of our intake and outtake music. And thank you for listening...2023-05-1123 minCup o' JoeMy Name is PhillipGospel for the Fifth Sunday of Easter - John, Chapter 14, verses 1-12Special episode today because you get lots of cultural references like The Softer Side of Sears and Jack Nicholson quotes from A Few Good Men. What could go wrong with those? But the real good news lies within the Word of Jesus - that we don't need to be afraid. Jesus and the Father are One. If we've seen one, we know both. And that is such good news for all of us. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her writing and performing of our intake and out...2023-05-0522 minCup o' JoeSorting Thru the NoiseFourth Sunday of Easter - Gospel of John, Chapter 10, verses 1-10This Sunday is commonly called Good Shepherd Sunday, and it's easy to see why. Our readings are saturated with reminders of God's goodness and invitation to trust and follow. But to follow, we need to listen. And to listen, we need to be able to hear God's voice. That's never as easy as it seems. But you and I are made to hear that voice, each in our own unique way. And what better way to reference that than to refer to an album that is now 44 years old? ...2023-04-2822 minCup o' JoeWalking the RoadThird Sunday of Easter - Gospel of Luke, Chapter 24:13-35Today, we hear one of Luke's masterpieces in telling us the resurrection story of two disciples walking on their way to Emmaus. While on their journey, wrapped up in their own pain and disappointment, Jesus draws near. But they don't recognize Him. It's only later - in the Breaking of the Bread - that their eyes are opened and all the puzzle pieces fall into place. So that's a good question for us. How do we recognize Jesus when He draws hear to us? And what are the signs we can...2023-04-2127 minCup o' JoeJesus, I Trust In YouGospel for Divine Mercy Sunday - John 20:19-31We hear the same Gospel every year on this Sunday - Jesus coming into the fear and isolation of the disciples on Easter Sunday night and wishing them peace. And this is what divine mercy looks like...not just for those disciples all those years ago, but for you and I now. Jesus does not stay distant. There is no wall too tall or locked too tight into which Jesus will not go to meet with us. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our intake and outta...2023-04-1424 minCup o' JoeThree Days That Show the PatternEaster Sunday Gospel - Mt 28:1-10Our 40 day retreat is finished. We reach the holiest three days within our liturgical year: the Triduum. The Three Days. And what they reveal to us is no less than a mirror showing us the pattern of our own lives. Death. Waiting. Life. It's as simple as that. And the more this idea takes root within us, the more we see it everywhere around us. It's the air we breath. But the best part? Life, not death, has the last word. As Rob Bell says, Love Wins. Today we celebrate that victory and it's a victor...2023-04-0728 minCup o' JoePalm Sunday: We Are Not at the EndFirst & Second Reading for Palm Sunday (April 2) - Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11Suffering is a reality in the world. It was true for Jesus. It will be true for us. We live most of our lives in between Good Friday and Easter Sunday - in that middle space that holds the suffering of the past and has not experienced the full resurrection of the future. Our readings for Palm Sunday take us right to that space. But don't lose heart - we are not at the end. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her composition and performing of our int...2023-03-2426 minCup o' JoeResurrection is RealityGospel for the 5th Sunday of Lent (March 26): John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-35This Sunday, as we draw nearer to Holy Week, we hear of perhaps what is considered Jesus's greatest miracle - and God's greatest sign of what the Kingdom is meant to be: Life! This also sets the stage for why Jesus, in the minds of those in power, must die. This week - the raising of Lazarus. "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the Glory of God?" And just what is that glory? Gotta listen to find out...Special thanks to Br...2023-03-2324 minCup o' JoeLooking for Someone To Blame...and Missing GodGospel for the Fourth Sunday of Lent - John 9:1-41In another multi-layered, long Gospel from John, we actually see many of the same attributes that we did last week. Faith is a progression. However, there are two other points of note. Like the blind man in the story, how do we answer the question when people ask us who Jesus is? And how often do we get caught up in the non-important details and miss the presence and action of God in our midst? If we do, we're in good company.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for her c...2023-03-1727 minCup o' JoeStaying in the ConversationThird Sunday of Lent - John 4:5-42We enter a three week stretch in our cycle of readings where we will have three Gospels from John in a row, all very long. So because of that, we will focus only on the Gospels in those podcasts. That begins today with an incredibly layered and deep story - the Woman at the Well. There are dozens of places the Word of God could have taken us this week in this story. I chose two. And they are pretty good.Special thanks to Bridget Zenk for composing and performing our intak...2023-03-1025 minCup o' JoeThe SummonsReadings for the 2nd Sunday of Lent: Genesis 12:1-4a; Matthew 17:1-9The word "vocation" finds its roots in the word "summons". And it's easy to fall into the trap that says once we've found our vocation, we've done the heavy lifting. It's over. Now I just ride that out the rest of my life. But we would be incorrect. God continually calls us. And that calling often will call us out of our comfort zone and into the wilderness; into the great cloud of unknowing. We hear it in our first reading today with Abram and we hear it in o...2023-03-0323 minCup o' JoeHow Can One Be Perfect??Readings for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Leviticus 19:1-2; 17-18; Matthew 5:38-48Jesus continues through His Sermon on the Mount, once again inviting His disciples to take the law into their hearts and not live it as an external reality. One of the examples He uses is turning the cheek and walking the extra mile. But how do we do that and not allow ourselves to be abused or become the victim? How do we carry our dignity in that moment? We also see how God invites us to be holy, merciful and perfect, just as God is holy...2023-02-1722 minCup o' JoeChoose WiselyReadings from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Sirach 15:15-20; Matthew 5:17-37My friends, we are created in the Image and Likeness of God. What, exactly, does that mean? That answer is beyond my pay grade and beyond the scope of this podcast, but certainly part of that image and likeness is the ability to carry free will. What we do with that free will determines how well the Kingdom continues to be built among us...or torn down. Fire and water are set before us. You and I have to know when to choose one and when to choose the o...2023-02-1022 minCup o' JoeSalt & LightReadings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary TimeJesus continues through the Sermon on the Mount, picking up from last week's discussion of the Beatitudes. Today, Jesus reminds us that you and me - we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Not the person down the street. Not the person in front or behind us in the pews. You. Me. In all of our wheat and weeds. In all of our strengths and weaknesses. The Kingdom of God resides in our yes. And what an important yes that is, for others will see it and be...2023-02-0419 minCup o' JoeGod Sees All of YouReadings for the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13; Matthew 5:1-12aOn this 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Jesus begins his Sermon on the Mount with some of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture - the Beatitudes. But before we can even really begin to unpack their beauty, we instead focus upon the first line in that passage. Jesus saw the crowds. What a reassuring statement. We also unpack the difference between charity and justice - and remind ourselves that we are called to breathe with both of those lungs. Special thanks to Bridget Zenk fo...2023-01-2722 min