Father and Joe

Is Advent just a mini-Lent? Not really. Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks clarify Advent’s unique character: not penance before a Passion, but hopeful waiting for the Lord who comes. We explore patience vs. self-denial, why Advent trains desire more than endurance, and how the Church’s Dec 17–24 “O Antiphons” (source of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel) intensify longing as Christmas draws near. We end with a practical call: while we wait, build relationships and prepare room for Him—at home, parish, and work—through concrete acts of love. All through the three lenses: honesty with self, charity with others, under a living relationship with God.Key IdeasAdvent’s core: waiting, patience, and hope—not a second Lent or a pre-Christmas Good Friday.Different virtues: Lent emphasizes conversion and penance; Advent trains desire and confident anticipation.The “O Antiphons” (Dec 17–24): ancient titles of the Messiah that crescendo toward Christmas and inspired O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.Waiting isn’t passive: pray, reconcile, serve, and make tangible preparations—like a family readying for a newborn.Live the rhythm: receive grace at Mass, then practice small daily acts of love that make Him welcome.Links & ReferencesUSCCB – The “O Antiphons” of Advent (official overview and texts): https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/o-antiphons-of-adventCTA If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.Questions or thoughts? Email [email protected] Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, Advent, not little Lent, waiting, hope, patience, desire for God, O Antiphons, O Come O Come Emmanuel, Dec 17–24, Liturgy of the Hours, Evening Prayer, Magnificat antiphons, preparation for Christmas, Incarnation, parish life, family life, reconciliation, acts of love, spiritual readiness, Holy Mass, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, Catholic podcast, practical spirituality

What do we mean when we say Jesus “takes away the sins of the world”? Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks unpack how sin ruptures relationship—with God, others, creation, and even our own hearts—and how Christ repairs that rupture. We explore justice, mercy, and why divine love doesn’t erase consequences but enters them, heals us, and restores right worship and communion. We also contrast Adam’s fall with Christ’s redeeming love and consider our part: God saves us with our cooperation. Through it all we keep the three lenses clear—honesty with self, charity toward others, under a living relationship with God.Key IdeasSin’s effects: rupture with God, one another, creation, and self; shame, blame, mistrust, and debt remain until healed.How Christ “takes away” sin: self-sacrificing love enters our wounds, satisfies justice, restores communion, and divinizes us by union with Him.Mercy doesn’t cancel consequences: relationships still need repair, trust-building, and inner healing—grace empowers the work.Not a spectator sport: “created without us; redeemed with us”—our free cooperation (repentance, worship, acts of love) matters.From Fall to fullness: covenant history rises and falls until Christ; in Him, grace sustains steady growth toward holiness.Links & ReferencesScripture named (no links):The Fall and its ruptures (Genesis 3).“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).Healings linked to faith (e.g., Mark 5:34; Luke 7:50; Luke 8:48).Liturgy referenced (no link): Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world…”).CTAIf this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.Questions or thoughts? Email [email protected] and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, sin, redemption, salvation, justice and mercy, healing, holiness, rupture and repair, Genesis 3, John 1:29, Agnus Dei, sacrificial love, Eucharist, reconciliation, cooperation with grace, trust, covenant, Adam and Eve, divinization, sanctification, interior healing, relationships, responsibility, spiritual growth, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, Catholic podcast, practical spirituality

We want fixes fast. But grace grows like a living thing. Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks connect holiness with healing and health, contrasting our “instant results” culture with the Church’s slow, steady path of love. They explore the Mass as a weekly encounter with transforming love, why Jesus ties miracles to faith, and how small, concrete acts—prayer, kindness, showing up—rebuild relationships and communities. Framed through the three lenses: honesty with ourselves, charity with others, under a living relationship with God.Key IdeasHoliness = healing = health: one continuum where God’s love fills wounds and restores us to love like Him.Mass as encounter and formation: receive Love Himself, then live it in family, work, parish, and the margins.Faith and consent: Jesus often says “your faith has healed you”—grace invites a free, trusting response.Resist the “instant” reflex: spiritual growth is organic (like crops); show up, be attentive, persevere.Love in action: begin with prayer, then take the next generous step—kindness, advocacy, building support networks.“Where there is no love, put love”: small, steady offerings create gratitude, connection, and hope.Links & ReferencesScripture mentioned (no links):Healings attributed to faith (e.g., Mark 5:34; Luke 7:50; Luke 8:48).The Eucharist as encounter with Christ (cf. John 6).Saint cited (no link added): St. John of the Cross — “Where there is no love, put love, and you will draw out love.”CTAIf this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.Questions or thoughts? Email [email protected] and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, holiness, healing, health, salvation, Eucharist, Holy Mass, grace, faith, “your faith has healed you”, Advent, Christmas, Incarnation, patience, perseverance, attention, prayer, kindness, service, community, relationships, support networks, gratitude, hope, St. John of the Cross, spiritual growth, interior freedom, sanctification, virtue, mercy, love in action, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, Catholic podcast, practical spirituality

What does it really mean to be “ready” for Jesus—at Mass, at death, and at His coming? Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks start from the Communion prayer (“Lord, I am not worthy…”) and move into a practical vision of readiness: honest need, real repentance, and daily love. They unpack why salvation, healing, and holiness belong on one spectrum; how the Eucharist prepares us for a lifelong relationship, not a quick visit; and why Christ’s command “love one another as I have loved you” sets the measure. Throughout, we hold the three lenses: integrity with ourselves, charity toward others, under a living relationship with God.Key IdeasReadiness begins with need: “Only say the word and my soul shall be healed”—we cannot self-prepare; we ask for grace and mean the words we pray.Mass as formation for life and death: hearing the Word, offering ourselves, receiving Jesus—practice for meeting Him at the end and every day.From guest to covenant: not a tidy “company’s coming” moment but a shared life with God—ongoing cleaning, cooking, and reconciling.Salvation = healing = holiness: one continuum—love poured into our wounds makes us whole and able to love like Christ.Command of love: not just the “golden rule,” but Christ’s measure—love others as He loves (costly, steadfast, in the mess).Links & ReferencesScripture mentioned (no links):“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…” (cf. Matthew 8:8).Parable of the Ten Virgins/Bridesmaids—watchfulness and readiness (Matthew 25:1–13).“Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34).CTAIf this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.Questions or thoughts? Email [email protected] and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, readiness, Advent, watchfulness, “Lord I am not worthy”, under my roof, Eucharist, Holy Mass, Communion prayer, preparation for death, Second Coming, parable of the ten virgins, Matthew 8:8, Matthew 25:1–13, John 13:34, love one another, salvation, healing, holiness, sanctification, repentance, confession, grace, practical atheism, interior freedom, covenant, daily discipleship, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, Catholic podcast, prayer, virtue, mercy, hope

“If the computer gets smarter than me… is that a problem?” Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks tackle the fear narrative around AI by comparing it to other powerful tools (cars, planes) that required strong safeguards—not panic. They explore why AI lacks moral intuition, how optimization without ethics can harm, and why deepfakes and spoofing demand new habits of verification. The conversation lands in the three lenses: honesty about our fears (self), charity through wiser trust and presence (others), under a living relationship with God that anchors what’s real.Key IdeasPower needs guardrails: like aviation checklists and redundancies, AI calls for safety, oversight, and clear human control.Limits of machines: AI optimizes; it doesn’t intuit, repent, or take responsibility—persons do.Edge cases matter: “no-win” moments (e.g., deer vs. car) reveal why human moral criteria must shape algorithms.Deception risk: voice/video/text imitation raises the bar for validation; adopt healthy skepticism and confirm identity more often.Back to reality: prioritize embodied relationships and parish life; let the Church help form attention, virtue, and trust.Links & References (none explicitly cited in this episode)CTA If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.Questions or thoughts? Email [email protected] Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, artificial intelligence, AI fear, safety and safeguards, aviation analogy, self-driving cars, edge cases, moral intuition, ethics, deepfakes, identity verification, phishing, deception, truth, discernment, prudence, attention, presence, relationships, parish life, Church, spiritual formation, responsibility, human dignity, technology as tool, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, Catholic podcast, practical spirituality