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Be Merciful As Your Father

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Release Date: 04/22/2026

Silence of Judgment show art Silence of Judgment

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 315 - Silence of Judgment Have you ever caught yourself judging someone before you really knew the whole story? In this episode, the friars continue their series on holy silence by reflecting on the silence of judgment. They explore the difference between healthy discernment and rash judgment, and why our quick opinions about others can create so much noise in the heart. Judgment often comes from places of hurt, insecurity, control, or the desire to fix what is not ours to fix. But Jesus invites us into a deeper poverty and humility, one that remembers we do not see the whole picture,...

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Silence of the Body show art Silence of the Body

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 314 - Silence of the Body Have you ever noticed how your body can make it harder to be still with God? In this episode, the friars continue their series on holy silence by reflecting on the silence of the body. They explore how our pace, movement, sleep, food, health, rest, and daily habits all shape the way we pray, love, serve, and show up to the present moment. This conversation is not about treating the body like a problem. It is about learning to steward the body as a gift. When we move too fast, neglect rest, ignore our limits, or live constantly scattered, our bodies can carry...

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Silence of Speech show art Silence of Speech

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 313 - Silence of Speech Have you ever wondered how much of what you say actually leads to love? In this episode, the friars continue their series on holy silence by reflecting on the silence of speech. Speech is a gift from God, meant to build communion, speak truth, encourage others, give thanks, and bring life. But our words can also become noisy, filled with commentary, gossip, distraction, self-protection, or conversation that never really leads anywhere deeper. The invitation is not to stop speaking, but to let our words become more intentional, more prayerful, and more ordered...

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Silence of Self-Love show art Silence of Self-Love

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 312 - Silence of Self-Love Have you ever felt like you had to prove yourself, protect yourself, or hold everything together on your own? In this episode, the friars continue their series on holy silence by reflecting on the silence of self-love. They explore how pride, self-reliance, self-protection, insecurity, and the need to perform can create a lot of noise in our hearts. When we feel threatened, unseen, corrected, or afraid, it can be easy to turn inward and try to defend the self we want others to see. But Jesus invites us into something much quieter and freer, the poverty of...

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Silence of Interior Conversations show art Silence of Interior Conversations

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 311 - Silence of Interior Conversation Have you ever gotten stuck in your own head, replaying conversations, overthinking decisions, or arguing with yourself? In this episode, the friars continue their series on holy silence by reflecting on the silence of interior conversation. So much of our daily life happens inside that constant inner voice, planning, judging, rehearsing, worrying, self-criticizing, or trying to figure everything out on our own. The invitation is not to shut down our thoughts, but to bring them into relationship with Jesus. Instead of living in an endless monologue...

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Silence of Memory show art Silence of Memory

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 310 - Silence of Memory Have you ever felt pulled back into the past, either by something beautiful you miss or something painful you still carry? In this episode, the friars continue their series on holy silence by reflecting on the silence of memory. Our memories can be a gift, helping us remember God’s goodness and receive His grace again in the present. But they can also become places where we get stuck, trapped in nostalgia, old wounds, discouragement, resentment, or the ache of what once was. The friars explore how Jesus wants to meet us in our memories, not so we can live in...

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Silence of the Imagination show art 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 show art 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 show art 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 show art 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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More Episodes

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 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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