Older Son (Literal Sense)
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Release Date: 04/08/2026
Revelation of The Resurrected One
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 296 - Revelation of the Resurrected One Have you ever wondered why it can be so hard to recognize Jesus, even when He's right in front of you? In this episode, the friars reflect on the post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus, moments where those closest to Him don't recognize Him at first. From Mary Magdalene in the garden to the road to Emmaus, they explore the mystery of how the risen Lord reveals Himself: personally, patiently, and often in unexpected ways. They unpack how Jesus meets people exactly where they are, in grief, confusion, doubt, and even ordinary moments and how those...
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Who Did It Better?
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 295 - Who Did It Better? Does it sometimes feel like the people who mess up the most end up closer to God? As the friars wrap up their reflections on the Prodigal Son, they wrestle with a real and honest question: Did things actually turn out better for the one who left than for the one who stayed? In this episode, they unpack the tension between comparison and truth. While the younger son experiences a powerful return, that doesn't mean sin is the better path. God can redeem anything, but that doesn't make it the plan. The deeper invitation isn't about having a dramatic story, but...
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Be Merciful As Your Father
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 294 - Be Merciful As Your Father Have you ever wanted to forgive, but just couldn’t seem to get there? This week, the friars reflect on the call to "be merciful as your Father is merciful" and the real, often slow journey of forgiveness. They unpack the tension of holding pain while still being invited into mercy and how forgiveness isn’t something we force, but something we receive and grow into over time. Through the lens of the older son, they explore what it means to stay close to the Father, to "borrow" His heart, and to take small, honest steps toward healing, even when...
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Older Son (Spiritual Sense)
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 293 - Older Son (Spiritual Sense) Have you ever been hurt by someone and struggled with what forgiveness is supposed to look like? In this episode, the friars revisit the older son in the Prodigal Son story, but now through a deeper, spiritual lens. Not just what he did, but what he felt. The loss, the frustration, the sense of being overlooked, and the real difficulty of being invited into forgiveness before you’re ready. They explore the complexity of the human heart, how joy and pain can exist at the same time, how past wounds resurface in present moments, and how God meets us not...
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Older Son (Literal Sense)
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 292 - Older Son (Literal Sense) Have you ever felt frustrated, overlooked, or distant, even though you find yourself doing the "right" things? In this episode, the friars dive into the older son in the Prodigal Son story, not symbolically at first, but simply as he is. His words, his reactions, his position in the family. And what starts to emerge is something deeply human: a struggle with comparison, entitlement, and not fully receiving the Father’s love. They unpack how easy it is to stay close in proximity but far in relationship and how the older son’s experience can quietly...
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Fr. Angelus Returns
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Ever feel like God is inviting you back to something, but you’re not quite sure how to step into it? After time away, Fr. Angelus returns, and the conversation picks up right where grace has been quietly at work. There’s a sense of homecoming here, but also a deeper invitation to listen, to trust, and to respond to what the Lord is doing beneath the surface. In this episode, the friars reflect on what it means to return, not just physically, but spiritually. They talk about the movements of the heart, the subtle ways God calls us forward, and how renewal often begins in places we didn’t...
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The Father’s Banquet (Lent 2026)
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 290 - The Father’s Banquet Have you ever struggled to receive love that you feel you don’t deserve? As the Lenten journey through the Prodigal Son continues, the friars turn to one of the most striking moments in the parable, the Father’s banquet. What should be a moment of pure joy is, for the son, also deeply uncomfortable. After everything he’s done, he’s not just welcomed back, he was celebrated. In this episode, the friars reflect on the tension between shame and mercy. What does it feel like to be fully seen, fully known, and still fully loved? Why can receiving God’s...
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An Unfading Mercy (Lent 2026)
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 289 - An Unfading Mercy Do you ever feel stuck confessing the same sins over and over again? Continuing their reflection on the Prodigal Son, the friars explore a powerful truth: God’s mercy isn’t a one-time moment, it’s something we encounter again and again. Like a path worn into the ground, the Father continually goes out to meet His children, never tiring, never holding back. In this episode, they reflect on what it means that God’s mercy is “new every morning”, and how His love doesn’t diminish, no matter how many times we return. For those who struggle with...
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The Father's Embrace (Lent 2026)
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 288 - The Father's Embrace What do you expect to find when you finally turn back toward God? Continuing their Lenten journey through the Prodigal Son, the friars arrive at the turning point of the story, the moment the son returns home. Expecting rejection, punishment, or distance, he instead finds something completely unexpected: the Father running toward him with compassion. In this episode, the friars reflect on the heart of the Gospel. The Father doesn’t wait for perfection, explanations, or repayment. He runs, he embraces, and he restores dignity before a single word of apology...
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The Necessary Consequence of Sin (Lent 2026)
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 287 - The Necessary Consequence of Sin Have you ever looked at your life and quietly thought, "How did I end up here?"? Continuing their Lenten reflection on the Prodigal Son, the friars look at the hard truth: sin always leads somewhere. What begins as freedom and excitement ends in isolation, shame, and a loss of dignity. The son who demanded his inheritance finds himself alone in the pigsty, cut off from communion and facing the reality of his choices. In this episode, the friars invite us into a sober, honest look at our own lives. Not to condemn, but to see clearly. Because when...
info_outlineEpisode 292 - Older Son (Literal Sense)
Have you ever felt frustrated, overlooked, or distant, even though you find yourself doing the "right" things?
In this episode, the friars dive into the older son in the Prodigal Son story, not symbolically at first, but simply as he is. His words, his reactions, his position in the family. And what starts to emerge is something deeply human: a struggle with comparison, entitlement, and not fully receiving the Father’s love.
They unpack how easy it is to stay close in proximity but far in relationship and how the older son’s experience can quietly mirror our own spiritual lives.
Join us as we take an honest look at the older son and allow the Father to meet us right where we are.
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