St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In this sixth meditation of our Lenten series on the Seven Last Words of Christ, Fr. Eric Nicolai reflects on Jesus’ words: “It is finished.” In this final act of obedience, Christ completes the saving work entrusted to him by the Father and reveals the fullness of his love poured out on the Cross.  Fr. Nicolai invites us to consider how our own lives are part of this work of redemption and to live each day with purpose, offering our actions and sacrifices to God. PAUSE & REFLECT Do I set apart moments of prayer consistently throughout my day to consider the greatness of God’s love for me?   Do I console Our Lord with prayer and penance as an act of reparation for offenses against God?   LENT 2026 DEVOTIONAL Download our free PDF devotional, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections & Prayers from St. Josemaria Escriva, available in our online shop. View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this fifth meditation of our Lenten series on the Seven Last Words of Christ, Fr. Marty Miller reflects on Jesus’ words: “I thirst.” These words, spoken with great effort from the Cross, reveal both the depth of Christ’s suffering and his profound longing for our salvation. Fr. Miller encourages us to reflect on the personal love Christ has for each of us and to respond to his thirst with renewed faith, repentance, and a deeper commitment to follow him. PAUSE & REFLECT  How can I more regularly strive to see myself and others as God sees us? Do I seek out Christ, present in the Eucharist, and rely on his grace in my interactions with those around me? How can I more closely imitate Our Lady’s example of the spirit of service within my family, work, and friendships?  LENT 2026 DEVOTIONAL Download our free PDF devotional, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections & Prayers from St. Josemaria Escriva, available in our online shop. View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In this fourth meditation of our Lenten series on the Seven Last Words of Christ, Fr. Leo Austin reflects on Jesus’ anguished cry from the Cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” With these words, Christ enters fully into the depths of human suffering, revealing both the weight of sin and his unwavering trust in God the Father. Fr. Leo invites us to bring our own moments of darkness and desolation to prayer, asking for the grace to trust God even when he seems distant, and to unite our suffering to Christ’s redemptive love. PAUSE & REFLECT Who in my life can I lift up in prayer to free them from the power of darkness and entrust them to the light of Christ? Where is the Holy Spirit prompting me to move my attention away from myself—my to-do list, my accomplishments, my shortcomings, my sins—and to refocus on God’s will for my life?  LENT 2026 DEVOTIONAL  Download our free PDF devotional, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections & Prayers from St. Josemaria Escriva, available in our online shop. View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this third meditation of our Lenten series on the Seven Last Words of Christ, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha reflects on Jesus’ words from the Cross: “Woman, behold your son.” (…) “Behold your mother.” In this tender exchange, Christ entrusts his Mother to the beloved disciple, and to each of us, revealingthe depth of his love and the gift of Mary’s maternal closeness in our lives. Fr. Ó hAodha invites us this Lent to stand at the foot of the Cross with Our Lady, to receive her confidently as Our Mother, and to learn how to remain close to Jesus in his Passion from her quiet, faithful presence. PAUSE & REFLECT  What worries and hesitations can I give to Our Lady and entrust them to her intercession? In what ways do I shield my heart, keeping it closed off from God or from my loved ones who deserve to find my heart open like Our Lady? What temptations am I battling in my life that I should be seeking out divine help and intercession?  LENT 2026 DEVOTIONAL Download our free PDF devotional, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections & Prayers from St. Josemaria Escriva, available in our online shop. View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this second meditation of our Lenten series on the Seven Last Words of Christ, Msgr. Martin Schlag reflects on Jesus’ promise to the Good Thief: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise," which reveals the power and repentance and depth of God's mercy. Msgr. Schlag encourages us to examine our hearts this Lent, ask for the grace of sincere conversion, and place our trust in the saving love of Christ. PAUSE & REFLECT What obstacles do I need to remove to more fully allow the work of the Holy Spirit to mold me into the image of Christ? Do I approach my work with an optimistic Christian outlook? As I look back on my unique journey with Our Lord, for what moments can I give thanks for when he has made his presence most known to me?  LENT 2026 DEVOTIONAL Download our free PDF devotional, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections & Prayers from St. Josemaria Escriva, available in our online shop. View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this first meditation of our Lenten series on the Seven Last Words of Christ, Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on Jesus’ prayer from the Cross: “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” These words, spoken amid suffering, awaken us to the reality of sin and the mercy Christ offers to us even in our blindness. This meditation invites us to approach Lent with seriousness and sincerity, asking for the grace of true contrition and a deeper awareness of God’s point of view. PAUSE & REFLECT How do I make efforts to seek out and accept the mercy of Our Lord through prayer and the sacrament of Penance? How can I deepen my appreciation of the redemptive value of my work—today and throughout the Lenten season? As I begin this season of Lent, what relationships in my life—family, work, or social—requires more effort on my part, particularly to better communicate?  LENT 2026 DEVOTIONAL  Download our free PDF devotional, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections & Prayers from St. Josemaria Escriva, available in our online shop. View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this meditation marking the 20th anniversary of the St. Josemaría Institute, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the life, spirituality and enduring influence of St. Josemaria Escriva. Fr. Peter explains how St. Josemaria’s vision places the lay faithful at the center of evangelization and reminds us that, "Sanctity is not reserved for a privileged few. All the ways of the earth, every state in life, every profession, every honest task can be divine” (Conversations, no. 26). Listen to reflect on: The lasting fruit of St. Josemaría’s mission The universal call to holiness The mission of the laity in today’s world Evangelization through friendship and daily life Confidence in God’s grace at work through ordinary means The responsibility that comes with receiving a gift View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on Christ’s enduring call to conversion, particularly as we prepare for the penitential season of Lent. Drawing inspiration from the spiritual aspiration of St. Josemaria, “nunc coepi — now I begin,” Fr. Peter reminds us that the Christian life advances through repeated efforts, perseverance in our struggles, and reliance on grace. Listen now to reflect on: Conversion as an ongoing process, not a one-time event The role of prayer, penance, and charity in encountering Christ Why holiness grows through “little conversions” Beginning again with hope rather than discouragement Trusting grace more than personal success  This meditation is an excerpt from  “Come and See”: A Spiritual Retreat. This 5-part audio retreat invites us during the season of Lent to examine our heart, confront the obstacles that impede our relationship with Christ, and renew our desire for conversion. Access the retreat online at www.stjosemaria.org.View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

A meditation on mentoring others in the image of Christ. It contrasts molding and leading out, and explores how trusting people and allowing risk foster growth. It discusses teaching with authority, balancing control and encouragement, and sharing in others' sufferings. It ends with examples of mentorship from Scripture and calls to invite others toward their potential.

In this meditation, Msgr. Fred Dolan invites us to rediscover the sacredness woven into every human life, reminding us that each life is meant to be approached with awe, gratitude, and love. Through Scripture and personal anecdotes, Msgr. Dolan encourages us to see others through the eyes of God as precious and beloved. Listen now to reflect on: • Life as a sacred mystery • The dignity present in every person • Reverence as the beginning of love • Gratitude for the gift of existence • Responding to life with compassion and care  View TranscriptVisit Show Page Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you:Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!