Episode Description

In this episode co-hosts Edmund Mitchell and Emily Mentock dive into the fourth petition of the Lord's Prayer, 'Thy will be done.' They discuss teaching the importance of accepting God's will, especially in the context of suffering. The conversation explores how this petition impacts various aspects of ministry, emphasizing the need for practical applications and a fuller understanding of suffering in the context of God’s will. They discuss the way the catechism acknowledges and addresses the existence of evil and suffering, the significance of free will, and the importance of cooperating with God's plan prayerfully and with obedience. The episode also offers practical advice on how to approach and support individuals grappling with these emotionally-charged questions concerning God’s will and suffering.

Show Notes

00:00 In the opening of the episode, Edmund and Emily explore the petition “Thy will be done” from the Lord’s Prayer. They unpack the meaning of “will” through the lens of ministry, suffering, and spiritual discernment. Drawing from the catechism and Jesus' agony in the garden, they emphasize choosing God’s will with love, trust, and action—especially when facing challenges in ministry and discernment of our vocation.

07:48 Edmund and Emily explore the challenging question of how to reconcile God's will with the reality of suffering and evil. They reflect on free will, the catechism’s teaching (especially paragraph 309), and Jesus’ own suffering. They discuss how catechists and ministers can address questions of suffering with honesty, empathy, and theological clarity, helping others reconcile God's goodness with a broken world.

16:01 The conversation then begins to explore ways suffering is sometimes dismissed by well-meaning christians and how genuine compassion calls us to enter into others' pain like Christ did. They discuss emotional maturity, empathy, and the idea of “unconditional positive regard” in ministry, drawing on personal experiences, therapeutic insights, and the catechism’s call to unite our will with Christ’s through suffering and trust in God’s greater plan.

24:58 Edmund and Emily dive into the tension between God's mysterious, sovereign plan and our free will, using Scripture, the catechism, and examples from film and spiritual direction. They discuss how we’re all called to actively cooperate with God's will not as passive recipients, but as free agents choosing to trust in God’s plan, even amid uncertainty, suffering, or difficult discernment.

31:49 In the closing of the episode, Edmund and Emily reflect on practical ways to accompany others through suffering with empathy and compassion. They emphasize listening over fixing, respecting people’s emotions, and rooting ministry responses in Jesus and the catechism’s wisdom on suffering, obedience, and God’s will. They offer concrete tips like using the Stations of the Cross, the sorrowful mysteries, and stories from the lives of the saints to help people unite their suffering with Christ’s. The episode closes with a pastoral call for catechists to study the theology of suffering and compassionately support those they serve.

An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

In this episode, Edmund and Emily discuss the meaning and applications of the petition 'Thy Kingdom Come' from the Lord's Prayer for parish ministry. The episode emphasizes the importance of engaging parish communities in bringing God's kingdom into their local community through both prayer and action. They share personal experiences and practical examples, including the need for awareness of the local parish community needs and the vital role of discernment and prayer in parish ministry. The episode encourages listeners to actively participate in transforming their parishes into reflections of God's kingdom on Earth.

Show Notes

(00:00) Edmund and Emily dive into the petition “Thy Kingdom Come,” exploring how praying this line of the Lord’s Prayer calls us to action. Drawing from the Catechism, they reflect on how Christian communities, and especially parishes, must actively serve justice and peace. They discuss discerning true progress from cultural trends and embodying the Kingdom of God in our daily lives.

(06:18) This part of the episode explores what it truly means for a parish to live out the petition “Thy Kingdom Come.” They challenge listeners to reflect on whether their parish would be missed if it disappeared, and what impact it has on the local community beyond events and mass. Sharing example stories from parishes, they highlight practical ways parish communities can serve as visible signs of God’s kingdom in the world.

(12:06) Edmund and Emily share more powerful stories of parishes actively living out “Thy Kingdom Come” by engaging their local communities. From small acts of service to driving every street in a parish boundary, they emphasize how parishes can reflect God's kingdom through presence, care, and discernment of local needs. They encourage listeners to take initiative and discover their parish’s unique mission for their parish’s neighborhood.

(18:04) This part of the episode, the conversation turns to reflecting on how awareness, discernment, and small intentional acts can help parish communities live out the petition “Thy Kingdom Come.” They share low-cost, high-impact ideas: from building relationships with neighboring churches to tracking community needs. They discuss the goal to build parish communities as places where disciples can experience a prayer life rooted in action and solidarity. Even simple practices like prayer intention boards can help transform a parish into a visible sign of God’s kingdom.

(24:08) Edmund and Emily close the episode with a powerful real-life story of a man welcomed by a parish community and transformed by their love and presence during his unexpected time of need. They emphasize how prayer fuels action, creating a parish culture of awareness and care. “Thy Kingdom Come” is not only a petition of the Lord’s prayer, it’s a call by Jesus to a mission lived together through relationships, service, and solidarity.

An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

In this episode of the Real+True Podcast, co-hosts Edmund Mitchell and Emily Mentock dive into the significance of the phrase 'Hallowed be thy name' in the Lord’s Prayer, from the fourth pillar on prayer in the Catechism. They reflect on the often-overlooked importance of revering God's name and how this contributes to our spiritual lives and evangelization. The discussion touches upon themes like the importance of our names, cultural realities of revering God, and practical advice for catechists. They also discuss the remarkable story of a man born without words from an episode of Radiolab, exploring how these real world stories can help open people up to spiritual realities. The episode underscores how the sanctification of God's name is linked deeply to our own lives and prayer.

00:00 In the opening of the episode, Edmund and Emily discuss the meaning behind the phrase "Hallowed be thy name" in The Lord’s Prayer. They explore how God's name carries significance for us personally and how we participate in making it holy through our lives and prayer. Drawing from catechism paragraph 2814, they reflect on how our actions shape the sanctification of God's name in the world.

06:35 Edmund and Emily discuss the importance of explicitly naming Jesus in our prayer, evangelization, and daily actions. Drawing from Evangelii Nuntiandi and the catechism, they emphasize that true evangelization proclaims Jesus Christ, not just general moral goodness. They reflect on how living in God’s name shapes our witness and challenges us to make His name known in the world.

12:15 The conversation shifts to the importance of using God’s name in prayer and life as a way of deepening our personal relationship with Him. They explore practical ways catechists and evangelists can help others grow in this practice, from being aware of how we address God to reflecting on the significance of baptismal and confirmation names.

18:24 Edmund and Emily explore the impact of saint names and the names of places as part of the inherited story of Church history. They also reflect on the weight and consequences of Jesus’ name throughout history and the sacrifices made by early Christians, leading into a compelling story from Radiolab about the impact of language and meaning.

24:10 Edmund and Emily close the podcast reflecting on the moving story of Ildefonso and St. Paul’s encounter in Athens, exploring how names deepen understanding and connection for relationships. They emphasize that evangelization and catechesis must always point to the name above all names: Jesus Christ, and the relationship we are all invited to have with Him.

An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.