"Letting Go" Lent Series - Ash Wednesday
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Release Date: 02/18/2026
"Letting Go" Lent Series - Holy Week - Fear
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Weekly Theme: Letting Go of Fear and Trusting God’s Victory Holy Week brings us face to face with fear. Fear of loss. Fear of suffering. Fear of uncertainty. But the journey of Christ shows us something greater — that fear does not have the final word. God does. Overview As Holy Week begins, we remember the joy of Palm Sunday — people shouting “Hosanna,” meaning “Save us now,” welcoming Jesus as the Messiah. There is confidence. There is excitement. There is no fear. But that doesn’t last. As the week unfolds, everything changes. The same voices that praised Him will turn...
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"Letting Go" Lent Series - Fifth Sunday - Limits
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Fifth Sunday of Lent – Letting Go of Limits Weekly Theme: Letting Go of What We Think Is Impossible We all place limits on what we believe God can do — in our lives, in our struggles, and in our future. But this week reveals a powerful truth: God is not bound by our expectations, our pain, or even death itself. Lent calls us to release the limits we place on God and trust in His power to bring life where we see none. Overview There are moments in life when we feel spiritually empty — going through the motions, chasing success, yet feeling disconnected from something deeper. Sometimes...
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"Letting Go" Lent Series - Fourth Sunday - Labels
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Weekly Theme: Labels - Letting Go of False Identity This week we are invited to bring truth into the light. Many things that grow in darkness — shame, fear, and false identities — lose their power when exposed to God’s truth. The label the world gives us is never the identity God gives us. Lent calls us to release the labels that limit us and rediscover who we truly are as children of God. Overview Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly chooses the people no one expects. In the first reading from Samuel, the prophet is sent to anoint a king from the sons of Jesse. One by one the older,...
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"Letting Go" Lent Series - Third Sunday - Wrongdoings
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Weekly Theme: Letting Go of Sin and Returning to Hope In order to be made new, we must release anything that separates us from God. Lent invites us to confront the wrongdoings that quietly shape our hearts — not to shame us, but to heal us. This week reminds us that no sin is stronger than God’s desire to restore us. Overview At this point in Lent, many people begin to feel the weight of the journey. The enthusiasm of the first days fades, discipline becomes harder, and spiritual warfare can intensify. But this week’s readings leave little room for misunderstanding. In Exodus, the...
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"Letting Go" Lent Series - Second Sunday - Expectations
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
SUMMARY: Following Jesus is not a half-hearted “I’m in.” It is surrendering our expectations to His design. This week challenges us to release the version of faith we’ve imagined and trust the glory God wants to reveal — even when it unfolds differently than we expected. RELATED SCRIPTURES: First Reading: Genesis 12:1-4 “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk…” Faith requires movement before clarity. Second Reading: 2Timothy 1:8-10 “He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to His own design…” Grace is a gift, not achievement....
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"Letting Go" Lent Series - First Sunday
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
The First Sunday of Lent sets the tone for everything that follows. This week calls us to examine where we are trying to take control instead of trusting God. From Adam and Eve to Jesus in the desert, we are reminded that the battle is not new — but neither is God’s faithfulness. Lent invites us to release the illusion of control and return to reliance on the One who gives us life. Overview The readings begin at the beginning — Adam and Eve in the Garden. Everything was good until the serpent introduced doubt and control into the conversation. The temptation was not just about...
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"Letting Go" Lent Series - Ash Wednesday
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Ash Wednesday invites us to begin again. Not halfway. Not casually. But with intention. The ashes remind us that everything in this world fades away. What does not fade is our relationship with God. This week is about letting go of whatever competes for our heart so that we can return to Him completely. Overview Ash Wednesday marks the start of our Lenten journey — and the first days are often the hardest. When the novelty wears off, so can our discipline. That is why this day calls us to roots, not just emotion. Through the prophet Joel, we hear the call: “Return to me with your whole...
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"Letting Go" Lent Series - Introduction
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Lent is not simply about giving something up — it is about choosing life. In this series, we reflect on how the readings call us to let go of what is false, harmful, or spiritually distracting so that we can grow closer to Christ. God has given us the freedom to choose between life and death, good and evil. When we release what weighs us down — excuses, compromise, fear, or sin — we open our hearts to receive something far more beautiful in return. Lent becomes not just a season of temporary sacrifice, but the starting point of lasting transformation. Letting Go with Greg Wasinski, a...
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"Why I am Catholic..." Guest Jeff Stinson
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
Why I Am Catholic Why stay Catholic in a divided Christian world? In this deeply personal episode, Greg Wasinski and Jeff Stinson share their faith journeys — from doubt and anxiety to Eucharistic conviction and rediscovering the beauty of the Catholic Church. They discuss: Converting from Protestantism Nearly leaving the Catholic Church The power of the Eucharist (John 6) Holy Saturday seasons of waiting The beauty of the Triduum The saints who shaped their faith This isn’t about winning arguments. It’s about finding home. If you're questioning your faith, drifting, or...
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"Penance... Really?" with Fr. Jacob Bearer
Greg Wasinski - Faith and Real Life Podcast
What if penance isn’t about guilt or punishment, but about love, freedom, and healing?Penance is not about shame — it’s about love. Not about punishment — but participation. Not about the past — but transformation. In this episode of the Faith & Real Life Podcast, Greg Wasinski welcomes Fr. Jacob Bearer for an honest and pastoral conversation about penance — what it truly is and why it still matters today. Moving beyond the idea of penance as guilt or obligation, this discussion highlights the beauty of offering sacrifices outside of Confession through prayer, fasting, and...
info_outlineAsh Wednesday invites us to begin again. Not halfway. Not casually. But with intention. The ashes remind us that everything in this world fades away. What does not fade is our relationship with God. This week is about letting go of whatever competes for our heart so that we can return to Him completely.
Overview
Ash Wednesday marks the start of our Lenten journey — and the first days are often the hardest. When the novelty wears off, so can our discipline. That is why this day calls us to roots, not just emotion.
Through the prophet Joel, we hear the call: “Return to me with your whole heart.” Lent is not about temporary religious enthusiasm. It is about surrendering what binds us so that God can have all of us — not part of us.
The ashes on our forehead are not decoration. They are declaration. A visible reminder that everything in this world passes away, but our soul is eternal. This is the acceptable time. Now is the moment to be reconciled. Now is the moment to let go.
Scripture Focus
First Reading: Joel 2:12–18
“Return to me with your whole heart.”
Joel reminds us that God desires fullness — not leftovers. He wants our whole heart, not divided loyalty.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20–6:2
“Be reconciled to God… Now is a very acceptable time.”
Paul removes the excuse of delay. Not next week. Not when life slows down. Now.
Gospel: Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18
“When you fast… when you pray… when you give alms…”
Jesus teaches us to let go of pride and perform our sacrifices in secret. Lent is not for show — it is for surrender.
Letting Go Lenten Series with Greg Wasinski follows Year A of the Liturgical Cycle