Be Merciful As Your Father
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Release Date: 04/22/2026
Silence of the Imagination
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 309 - Silence of the Imagination Have you ever noticed how quickly your mind can drift into "what ifs", old conversations, or stories that aren’t actually happening? In this episode, the friars continue their series on holy silence by reflecting on the silence of the imagination. The imagination is a gift from God, one that helps us remember beauty, enter into Scripture, pray with the Rosary, and receive the world more deeply. But when it becomes untethered from reality, it can also pull us into fantasy, rumination, fear, resentment, comparison, or distraction. The friars explore...
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Silence of the Senses
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 308 - Silence of the Senses What if the noise around us is keeping us from hearing the voice of God within us? In this episode, the friars begin a new series on holy silence, starting with the silence of the senses. They reflect on how our eyes, ears, taste, touch, and even smell are gifts from God, ways we encounter beauty, creation, and one another, but also how easily these senses can become overwhelmed, distracted, or pulled out of order. This conversation is not about rejecting the world or shutting everything off. It is about learning custody of the senses: allowing the Holy...
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On Gossip
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 307 - On Gossip Have you ever realized that a “harmless” conversation can sometimes start to tear someone down? In this episode, the friars talk about gossip, why it can be so easy to fall into, why it often feels like connection, and why it never really gives us the communion we’re looking for. Whether it happens at work, in friendships, in community, or around the people we love, gossip can quietly train our hearts to tear down instead of build up. The friars reflect on the deeper questions beneath gossip: What am I seeking here? Am I trading authenticity for connection? Am I...
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Limited Men
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 306 - Limited Men Have you ever felt like everyone needs something from you, and you just don't have enough to give? In this episode, the friars reflect honestly on leadership, fatherhood, responsibility, and the ache of being limited. Whether it's emails, texts, meetings, ministry, family needs, or people asking for more than we can offer, there is a real poverty in wanting to love well while knowing we cannot do everything perfectly. They talk about the humility of naming our limits, the importance of healthy boundaries, and the grace of admitting, "I am a limited man." This isn't...
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On Comparison and Insecurity
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 305 - On Comparison and Insecurity Have you ever looked at someone else's gifts, vocation, prayer, family, or life and suddenly felt like you weren't enough? In this episode, the friars talk about the very human struggle of comparison and insecurity. Whether it shows up in ministry, community, relationships, social media, or the hidden places of the heart, comparison can quietly pull us away from the truth of who we are in God. They reflect on how insecurity is often connected to deeper narratives we have picked up along the way, the stories that tell us we are less than, not gifted...
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Knicks in Five
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 304 - Knicks in Five What if the joy of victory is meant to teach us something deeper? In this episode, the friars take a very Poco a Poco turn, from celebrating the Knicks' championship win to reflecting on what sports, fandom, loyalty, and shared joy can reveal about the spiritual life. Behind the fun, the emotion, and the city-wide celebration is something profoundly human: the desire to belong, to suffer together, to hope together, and to share in a victory that somehow becomes our own. They explore how the joy of another's win can point us toward something greater: the victory of...
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Borrowing Peace
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 303 - Borrowing Peace What if peace isn't something you have to create on your own? In this episode, the friars reflect on the gift of "borrowing" from Jesus. His peace, His confidence, His mercy, His steadiness, especially when our own hearts feel overwhelmed, anxious, or shaken. Like a child borrowing calm from a loving parent, we're invited to bring our storms to the One who is never overcome by them. They explore how Jesus offers us His very life: in prayer, in the Eucharist, and in the quiet steadiness of His presence. When we feel disregulated, afraid, ashamed, or unable to hold...
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Intimacy with Jesus: Ask, Seek, Knock
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 302 - Intimacy with Jesus: Ask, Seek, Knock Have you ever done all the Catholic things but still felt distant from Jesus? In this episode, the friars speak to the person who believes, prays, goes to Mass, tries to live faithfully, and yet still wonders why prayer can feel dry, disconnected, or more like duty than relationship. They explore what it means to move from simply doing the right things to actually bringing your heart to Jesus. This conversation is an invitation to ask, seek, and knock with honesty. What's happening in my heart? Where do I feel blocked, afraid, ashamed, or...
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Seen, Known, Understood by God
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 301 - Seen, Known, Understood by God Have you ever tried to explain what you're carrying and felt like nobody really got it? In this episode, the friars talk about the deep human desire to be seen, known, and understood, and the pain that comes when we feel missed, dismissed, or alone in our experience. Whether it's suffering, leadership, race, vocation, family life, or the hidden weight of something hard to explain, being misunderstood can leave us feeling isolated. The friars reflect on what it means to listen with compassion, validate someone's experience, and resist the urge to...
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Words and the Word ft. Fr. Gregory Pine, OP
The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Episode 300 - Words and the Word ft. Fr. Gregory Pine, OP Have you ever thought about how much power your words actually carry? In this special 300th episode, the friars are joined by Fr. Gregory Pine, OP, to talk about words, speech, and the deeper invitation behind how we communicate. Drawing from his book Training the Tongue, Fr. Gregory reflects on how our words are not just sounds or information; they can build communion, reveal the heart, wound, heal, bless, and bring us closer to one another. Together, they explore how speech opens the door to real encounter: with God, with others, and...
info_outlineEpisode 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 it’s hard.
Join us as we discover how God meets us in our wounds and gently leads us into freedom, one step at a time.
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