All Episodes
Because Abraham Obeyed My Voice
Fr. Paul begins his reading of Genesis 26 by pointing out what so many miss and thus misread Paul: you are blessed not only because Abraham trusted God but because he ...
Failed Watchmen
We scratch our heads when the Bible repeats a boring statement over and over again, but what should puzzle us is the odd moment when the Bible seems to take shortcuts ...
Salama, Aslama, Salam
In today’s program, Fr. Paul wraps up his Q and A session with Richard and Fr. Marc on Genesis 25. (Episode 190)
The Problem With Peter
When English speakers co-opt the Matthean expression, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” they inevitably de-scripturalize them. They twist the words of Je...
Not As I Will
We naturally want Jesus to be invulnerable, and the thought of him feeling anxiety or, as Matthew writes, extreme grief about his predicament presents an uncomfortable...
No! No! You Have to Know!
In this week’s discussion of Genesis, Fr. Paul recalls a personal example, reflecting on the criticality of memorization for the study of Scripture. (Episode 188)
The Bitter Pill
Just as human biology is inevitable, so too are human words about development and growth. We talk about building and sustaining to defend and survive, and we talk abou...
The More You Know Scripture
This week, Fr. Paul continues his discussion of Genesis 25. (Episode 187)
Pink Floyd and Mr. Rogers
When Jesus uses the word “body” in Matthew’s gospel, unless you abandon all assumptions, transporting yourself to first-century Roman society, it is impossible to hear...
It’s All About You!
We Americans love it when it’s about us. We just love it. Until we are sitting with Jesus in the Middle East, eating with our hands, and Jesus says, “it’s the guy ...
It Can Be Done
This week, Fr. Paul takes questions regarding his analysis of Genesis 24. (Episode 185)
You Are Not Ancient
We imagine an historical connection between the peoples of the biblical story and the peoples living in the modern world because our premise in 2021 is our identity. W...
How Many Ships?
This week, Fr. Paul concludes his reading of Genesis 24, noting the importance of paying close attention to even the smallest detail of every verse. (Episode 184)
Judas Iscariot
Tribe, nation, city, patrimony, heritage, religion, flags and bumper stickers—Judas Iscariot. Value, opportunity, market, profit, commerce, civilization, exploitat...
Live Long and ṣālēaḥ
In today’s program, Fr. Paul explains how the term “prosper,” used in English translations of the Bible, does not reflect the meaning of the original Hebrew term, yiṣl...
A Poverty of Instruction
In so far as the “daily bread” of the Lord’s prayer is the daily reading by which the disciples should be fed, in Matthew’s gospel, poverty is the consequence of refus...