Road from Emmaus

With Jason being a newlywed and Andrew continuing to discover the joys of fatherhood, marriage and family life are at the top of their minds! Today, they talk about the idea of gender roles; how do we balance the 'traditional roles' that a father and a mother have a natural inclination towards while we transition out of the era of excessively patriarchal homes? We try to discern that with today's discussion--hope you enjoy! Talks mentioned in the podcast: - Fr Mike Schmitz, Good News Cruise 2022 https://youtu.be/x0XTTXg--4M - Restore the Glory, Theology of the Body & Healing: Part 3 (Male) https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dR0j4jgx2fHUgUWzKOFtJ?si=ff92eb7a1f6445f3 - Restore the Glory, Theology of the Body & Healing: Part 4 (Female) https://open.spotify.com/episode/76ohe2IRb4K6sLz1fwnZwS?si=f21e4af2685840cf - Restore the Glory, Theology of the Body & Healing: Part 5 (Union of Man and Woman) https://open.spotify.com/episode/3q2plCDMld7cj3kXEjkNLY?si=7620a2deb4ce40ea - Restore the Glory, Theology of the Body & Healing: Part 6 (Healing Our Shame) https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kGIMvZg12BbPjQjDoD0As?si=47c4b6661e364084

Long time no talk! Andrew and Jason are back after a two month hiatus to tackle a big news story that's been happening over the last few months: the Pride Nights that each NHL team has been hosting, and certain players refusing to take part in it. They try to share the teachings of the Church, but also try to answer the question of how to have this conversation with someone who struggles with this topic. They hope this discussion is helpful!

In today's episode, Andrew is a dad!

In today's episode, Andrew shares some reflections on giving thanks for the graces that he and Cherry have received recently. Then he and Jason discuss another thing to be thankful for--being made godparents recently. What does it mean to be a godparent? What does that relationship look like? We'll find out in the years to come, but take a stab at answering those questions today.

Sometimes it can be difficult to feel like we can relate to God because He is not someone you can immediately see or touch in the most obvious of ways. But the beautiful thing is that He's made it possible to get to know Him. Today, Andrew and Jason explore a few ways or 'lenses' that you can come to know Jesus, if you need some ideas!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is fast approaching, which means some of us may still be scrambling to find those last-minute gifts for our friends and family. While you do that though, maybe take some time to listen to Andrew and Jason discuss the spirit of gift-giving, and what it has become over the years. Merry Christmas!

We're in the thick of Advent, so you know what that means--25 minutes of Andrew and Jason talking about the themes of preparation and waiting! They reflect on the things they're waiting for: parenthood, marriage. But at the end of the day, how are we all preparing for Jesus's second coming? Andrew and Jason unpack that in today's episode.

On today's episode, Andrew and Jason are back with DA as their guest! It's a bit of a "men's session part 2" as they unpack a few different topics: Friendship with other men, loneliness, and if there might be differences between men and women when it comes to decision-making. 

It's been a while, and we've got a lot to catch up on! Andrew and Jason share about how having a community of Catholic friends has impacted their faith journeys. Why is community important? What does accountability mean in the context of Catholic community? And then the other end of the spectrum: What happens to your faith if you become too reliant on community? What if you're a bit more of a lone wolf? It's a packed episode--hope you enjoy!

As we settle into a regular prayer life, it can be easy to substitute "convenient prayer" for "quality prayer". On today's episode, Andrew and Jason reflect a little on times where they've fallen into that trap, and offer some advice on what to do in those situations.

In life, we never really get everything that we want. There will be some kind of curveball thrown, some hoop to be jumped through, some wrench that finds its way into the best laid plans. As Catholics, we're called to turn to God in these situations; to trust in His will, and to seek out His grace. It's easy to say this with words; on today's podcast, Andrew and Jason discuss how to do it in practice.

On today's episode, Jason shares about some recent reflections on how he got to where he is today in his faith life. What were the important pillars that God placed in his life to keep him on the right path (or to bring him back when he strayed)? Andrew shares about his faith and how it was formed and shaped as well--and they hope their experiences spark some reflection for you guys, too!

Death. End of life. This is something no one really likes talking about, and so something that we often don't really know how to approach. On this episode, Andrew shares about why this is something he's been reflecting about lately. He and Jason talk about why Catholics can hope in the face of death, and what a "good Catholic death" might look like. How can ordinary deaths be made extraordinary through the grace of God? All that, and more!

Ever wondered what it's like being part of a men's session? Andrew and Jason invited their good friend DA to talk about the vocation of marriage from the perspective of the husband and the father. They share about their own experiences and fears for marriage, and then talk about how they might want to raise any sons (God willing) to become men. Hope you enjoy the discussion!

If you've browsed the shelves of your local bookstore lately, there's a good chance that you would have seen a section of books on a hot topic these days: Self-Help. What can *you* do to make *yourself* feel better? On today's episode, Andrew and Jason discuss self-help within the context of Catholic and Christian values, and how it's not so much about helping yourself, but letting God help you.

In case you missed it, Fr Mike Schmitz made a big announcement a couple weeks ago: He got a tattoo! So Andrew and Jason got their grifting game going and they've come out with an episode about how Catholics might want to approach supposed "grey areas" like tattoos, alcohol, marijuana, and betting. Hope you enjoy!

It's a jam-packed episode on today's podcast, as Andrew and Jason provide an update on the meeting between Pope Francis and the delegation of Indigenous Peoples. Afterwards, Jason shares about what's been going on in his life the last couple months, and they talk about the importance of rest, and what it means to link rest to doing our Lord's will. May you have a blessed final week of Lent!

It's Lent, which means it's a season of even more contemplation and reflection than usual. On today's episode, Andrew and Jason try to share some perspective on how to keep our sights on God and Heaven when going through "the stuff of life"--joys, challenges, consolation, and desolation. Hope you enjoy the episode, and have a blessed Lenten season!

It's part two of our mini two-episode series on marriage prep! In our last episode, Andrew and Jason talked about spiritual and sexual intimacy. Today, they discuss having children--is there a "right number"? What's the balance between being pro-life and having "quality of life"? Finally, they talk about navigating difficult (often unspeakable!) situations together with the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.

SEX! Okay, now that they've got your attention... today's episode: marriage prep on the Road from Emmaus! Although they aren't certified marriage prep leaders, Andrew and Jason wanted to share some discussion on what marriage prep would look like if they were to put a mini program together. This is the first episode in a mini two-part series in which they cover spiritual and sexual intimacy. Hope you enjoy!