Week Five: Head of the Holy Family with Fr. John Dugas

In Week Five of our Advent to Epiphany series, we focus on Saint Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, and the reality of responding to God when life feels anything but calm. Using the story of the Flight into Egypt, this episode explores what it looks like to hear God’s voice in the middle of fear, disruption, and uncertainty—and still move forward.

We talk honestly about the tension between wanting peace and feeling overwhelmed, the discomfort of prayer, and the challenge of trusting God when we don’t feel ready or capable. Saint Joseph doesn’t say much in Scripture, but his actions show us how to lead, protect, and surrender—one faithful step at a time.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough, unsure of the next move, or stretched beyond your comfort zone, this conversation is for you.

Scripture Focus
Matthew 2:13–15, 19–23

Highlights

• Responding to God instead of the noise around us
• Why discomfort might be a sign we’re actually listening
• Trusting God with what He’s placed in front of us—family, faith, and daily responsibilities

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🎙 Contributors include Amy Stout, Christy Loustalot, Monica Rougeau, and Fr. John Dugas
✨ This episode powered by our Gold Sponsor, Acadian Religious & our Silver Sponsor Myran's Restaurant out in Arnaudville, Cher.

Transcript

SPEAKER_05: 0:32

Oh a good whistler.

SPEAKER_04: 0:34

What what are we doing?

SPEAKER_05: 0:36

Ready? I'm ready. Ready. Yeah. Yeah. Are you recording already? Yeah. Welcome back, you guys. It's week five of our Advent to Epiphany series. And this week we are diving into Saint Joseph, the head of the Holy Family. Monica's gonna open us up with the scripture for this week. Monica, take it away.

SPEAKER_03: 0:56

Sure. This week we're focusing on Matthew chapter two, verses thirteen to fifteen and nineteen to twenty three. It's the flight to Egypt. When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him. Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, out of Egypt I called my son. When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead. He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Arcalius was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there, and because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled. He shall be called a Nazarean.

SPEAKER_01: 2:34

Man, I love that this is the verse for the week because I think I need this verse today. Tell me more. You know, like it's it's no surprise to anybody that we're not recording this real time. But I I feel like we showed up today to the studio all feeling a little frantic, and you know, life is loud and it's a lot. And during this time of the Christmas season, Christmas has actually just begun, but the secular Christmas is ending. We're not shopping anymore, we're not in that frantic holiday Christmas party. So we're just kind of like settling into the quiet of Christmas, but our hearts are probably still pounding a little bit. And as we're sitting here recording, it's kind of the same feeling. Like Father opened off air with this beautiful prayer of like, let us not compare, let us use our gifts, let the enemy flee. And so it makes me think that Saint Joseph also felt that probably frenetic energy as he's hearing God's voice and saying, okay, well, now you have to flee here and now you need to flee there. And so Christmas wasn't this, it was a deeply joyful experience for him. But I would imagine it also was there was still a lot of fear and you know, worry inside of his human heart of like, okay, well, now I have to pick up and go and I have to protect my family, and I'm the leader here. And how two of those things can exist at the same time, that God calls us to hear his voice and experience his peace, but yet the world, you know, asks so much of us, and we feel a need to respond or respond to text messages or respond to our job, or respond to friends, and how how do we hold those two tensions at the same time? Because the true meaning of Christmas has just begun. Like the true season of Christmas has just begun. That's a question I don't have the answer. I'm glad we have Father Dugat here.

SPEAKER_00: 4:31

Can I answer?

SPEAKER_01: 4:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_00: 4:34

Um I think that the thing is, is very often like when something good happens in our life, um, and I'm I'm kind of thinking about this of like, you know, um uh Mary and Joseph just received Jesus, right? Um, and then not too long after that, relatively um Joseph is told you need to uproot your life and go to Egypt. And I think that for us there's like a certain things that are like joyful whenever it comes to like Christmas and the holiday season. But then it's very easy for something to happen to where it kind of just steals our peace and steals our joy, right? And maybe it might even happen in the very moment where okay, we have that moment and like finally, like I'm finally able to rest here with my family, and we're just enjoying our meal, then all of a sudden the thought comes in like wow, like my house is a mess back home, right? Yeah, um, but I think the thing about uh Joseph and Mary, the thing that makes them different, for it's not necessarily that their lives were not a mess, it's just that their response to it in my mind was just, you know, I don't know, more like a surrender. Uh because I can imagine like I have it kind of, you know, I kind of like my way of praying a lot of times, it's like imaginative prayer. And so like I've prayed before where you know, like imagining uh Joseph going to Mary, and you know, God spoke to Joseph and not to Mary for this. And I'm just imagining Joseph presenting it to Mary. Like, how did that go down? Right? Like, and he I I can imagine that he loves her and and values her emotions so much that he was trying to give it to her in a way that was the easiest for her to receive it. Because I can imagine even though she's born without sin, that doesn't mean that she's without sorrow. Right. And I might be wrong, but to me it seems like uh for you know the feminine heart, home is something that's very special, you know? Especially if it's a place where you're raising your first child, right? And not only that, but like he's a pretty special first child, you know? And Joseph is like, hey, we gotta leave. And so I think it's kind of like one of those things where it's yeah, life's crazy. And it's not the goal is not to try to have this utopian life where nothing goes wrong. It's just like being able to have a good, a good habit of prayer. I don't know. I'm just kind of like talking.

SPEAKER_01: 7:51

Yeah, but it's true. I think no matter every year, I know I put the pressure on myself to do Christmas right, quote unquote, this year and not be so frantic and not worry about all the things, but then it feels like, oh, then I've I've I've failed again, you know, like I I got caught too caught up in wanting to be at every function and like there's so many, it's the temptation of so many good things at once. And how do you uh listen to God's voice amidst all of that pull and tug of you know, the gift that Christmas is, but also stay rooted in the quietness of the season, which I think is why we chose Saint Joseph to begin with, was because he seemed to hold those tensions well and didn't say a lot of words and really just modeled it by action, you know. What about y'all two?

SPEAKER_04: 8:40

What stood out for you?

SPEAKER_03: 8:42

I keep coming back to the rise, take the child and his mother. And maybe because it's said twice in this scripture. But what struck me, Christy, whenever you said, what are we responding to? And I come back to who are we responding to? Um, especially in all the chaos that the world wants to keep us in, especially in this season. How are we paying attention to what the Lord wants us to respond to in this? Um, because if we start chasing all the distractions, we're gonna make ourselves crazy and we're not gonna have that interior peace that we're all desiring. Um, and like Father Dugot was saying, I imagine, like, what's that like for Mary to receive that message from Joseph and yet still trusting that um God entrusted her and Jesus to him for his protection and his provision? And her trusting Saint Joseph so much. I'm like, yes, you know, you you are a man who desires God's will. So I have to trust that if you're telling us to go, then that's God's will. And so, where are we in that space of responding to God's will for us in these moments? How are we stopping and pausing to actually listen? Lord, what is it that you want of me in this moment? Especially whenever we may be um coming down from some of those holiday gatherings that might have been emotionally laden or just in this, okay, well, what's next as we approach the new year? It's like, well, let's pause and listen to what the Lord wants us to respond to. That's what's striking me. Kayla, what about you?

SPEAKER_05: 10:38

Um, this scripture just takes me to a whole like a whole different place. You know, coming off of last week and the obedience of Joseph, and you know, there's no room at the end. I think one thing that we really um miss during this season in particular is the fact that the Lord um was like, He he chose to enter this world like in poverty, um, to be born outside, to be born to, you know, this this poor family, this, you know, hungry, homeless. And then this, this, like the holy family were immigrants, you know. So anyway, it takes me to this place of like, um, it's so easy for us to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of what we want Christmas to be and what we want the festivities and the gifts and all the things. Um, but to me, especially lately, and especially in this this year, in this particular season, um, I don't want to forget the way that the Lord chose to enter this world. And the first thing that happened when he got here was like, you have to go. You have to go to another country. And for Saint Joseph to be the good, holy father that he is, um, protecting his his bride and his son in like when to do that. So, like, honestly, my heart's kind of just bleeding right now for like all the families that are in these, you know, detained and you know, just for all the people who go without. But that particular verse is just such a reminder, I think, for all of us of like, we need to respond to the way that the Lord entered this world. Um, he could have come in the womb of a queen in a castle, like in the most holy, beautiful, golden, whatever, and he didn't. He chose to enter this world in a particular way. And I think that deserves our response. That's where my heart goes with that verse.

SPEAKER_03: 12:33

That deserves our response. Yeah. Because it's no accident.

SPEAKER_05: 12:37

Yeah. So anyway, that's that was my lexio. That's what that verse does to me. It's just a gentle reminder of like, we're called to love and protect one another at all costs, you know. And a very timely reminder. Yes, right. Yeah, coming off the hustle and bustle, like and all the goodness and the generosity and the gifts, um, a reminder to us, like, let's go be gifts to one another.

SPEAKER_01: 13:04

You know. And that maybe the sign of being uncomfortable is actually what we're supposed to be. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 13:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 13:14

You know, like the hallmarks tell us, like, be comfortable, get your hot chocolate and make everything, like you said, utopian. So maybe the sign that we are uncomfortable is is the sign that we're actually listening to God's will. You know, maybe that's something for me at least I can take to prayer. Like, is this sign of uncomfortable tension actually what Joseph felt when God's like, all right, don't get cozy too long. Like, yeah, get up and go again and get up and go again, you know?

SPEAKER_05: 13:41

My party line lately has been like right on the other side of discomfort. It is a great privilege to do what God's called you to do. So for Joseph in this moment, like, yes, this is uncomfortable, yes, this is scary. But then to just to flip the lenses a little bit and be like, wow, what a great privilege that our God who created the galaxies and the heavens um entrusted me with this baby, like that, the savior of the world. Like, what a privilege, right? So I think that's yeah, that's been my party line lately.

SPEAKER_00: 14:10

You know, it makes me think of the fact that the Lord is the enemy of like destitution, but he's not the enemy of poverty, right? That's that's that slight distinction, right? He's not in love with the sorrow that poverty causes. He's in love with the way that poverty opens us up for him.

SPEAKER_03: 14:36

For us to be used. That seems to be a recurring message around conversations that I'm having is how he uses our poverty, not only for ourselves, but for the greater good and for his glory.

SPEAKER_00: 14:49

And I've been reflecting on this a lot because it has a big impact upon our prayer lives because you know, prayer really takes off whenever we start to venture out into what is uncomfortable because it's very comfortable to like sit uh in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and just to read some spiritual book. Right? We can we can enjoy that, you know, that's nice, but that's study, that's not prayer. Um really, whenever we're praying, it's we're trying to converse with an invisible triune God who's completely above our own nature. And it's in a way, it's like I don't know how else to explain it, other than Peter Crift has this really beautiful, like, or this really cool image where he talks about like, okay, if we if we're really gonna think about the incarnation, you gotta think about it like this like imagine that you became a worm to save the race of worms. How are you gonna communicate a message of love to a race of worms? You become the message, right? And in the same way, God has so many more faculties, so to say, than we do, right? Like and so like when we're communicating with this person, right? Even if we're communicating um with the person of Jesus Christ, right, there's a real poverty there where like when we sit down and we're talking to God, like it's that the silence can be very uncomfortable. But like that's that's something that we need to embrace. That's something that um you know it reminds me of, if I'm remembering right, Jeremiah. Uh uh, no, who is it? Uh see I'm a bad priest, but who's who's the human?

SPEAKER_01: 16:50

You're you're speaking your own mission, right? You're a good Catholic if you can't quote the Bible that fast.

SPEAKER_00: 16:55

Who's the guy who's like uh I waited to hear the voice of the Lord in the earthquake?

SPEAKER_03: 17:03

That's 1 Kings 19. That's Elijah. That's a lot. We talked about that this last weekend. It was not Bible verse for last year. Yeah, my word was silent.

SPEAKER_05: 17:13

That's how she does. If she's a good Catholic, she shouldn't have been able to pull out that face. I know a couple of them.

SPEAKER_00: 17:18

Where did he hear God's voice? Self-silent sounds, is in the quiet, yeah, and yep, word, and so that that's the part of where where it comes into the poverty in prayer, right? And you know, like to be able to go into prayer with that conversation, telling him about your life, asking him questions, right? Like with the real hope that and belief that he does answer our questions, right? Like and that he wants to encounter us every day, not just once in a while on random retreat, you know. Um then there's a poverty of being able to like so like there's a poverty in silence and listening for God, but then there's also a poverty poverty and silence of being able to receive another person. I was reflecting on this, I was actually speaking to uh uh what seems to be a homeless man yesterday, his name was Paul. And earlier in that day, yes, earlier yesterday, I was I was in that poverty of waiting and listening for God's voice in prayer. And and then later on in the day, whenever I was there listening to this man Paul, which was he was very difficult to converse with, you know, I realized it was like, okay, like there's a similar thing right here where it's like okay, like this is sacred, you know. And if I'm the Lord's stretching me so that I'm able to receive other persons. And then there's also another poverty of like you know, the psalm talks about the Lord hears the cry of the poor. And so I think the first way that that we should understand that is like that we should be very cautious in how how we um how we treat the poor, because if they cry out to the Lord because we've done something wrong to them, right, Lord's gonna hear that. We'll be in trouble, you know. But I think there's also another way of spiritually re looking at it of like seeing like God hears the cry of the poor parts of ourselves. Like when you go to prayer, don't don't try to go and show God how great you are. Like when you go to go to pray, that's the time to bring up all of all of your woundedness, everything that everything that that's going wrong, you know. Because I think this is a masculine thing, especially, but I think probab probably everybody can relate to it to some degree is like um we don't like to do things that we're not good at. And that's how prayer's gonna be perpetually, right? Like, cause it's not dependent upon us. We're not the one that prays. It's the Holy Spirit that prays in us, and the only thing, only thing that can help us to be better at prayer is having a better disposition to receive. The most important thing that happened in the history of the world was an act of reception. Mary listening. She didn't tell God what she was gonna do. She received the plan from God, you know.

SPEAKER_03: 20:32

And how vulnerable that is. God. I need to affirm Father Dugai because uh he listens so well. You do, and I know I've told you this before, but receiving that. Um so Father Dugai is my primary confessor, and this all kind of started. I'm gonna bring us back a little bit, because um, in one of his homilies, well, every homily, something hits me. And um that particular day I was struggling with something, and and he was talking about the necessity for meditating on scripture every day. And so I just kept feeling this nudge from the Holy Spirit to say, invite that man to coffee and have a conversation with him. And so I did, and he accepted. And I just see him as such a good spiritual father because he listens so well and he responds. I perceive in what the Holy Spirit is telling him to speak to me and others. And um, yeah, it's beautiful. So thank you for that. And that's kind of what brought him into all of this. And this week we're talking about Saint Joseph as the head of the Holy Family, and so coming back to that spiritual fatherhood that's been a resounding theme in my journey with Saint Joseph, and and you embody that. So thank you.

SPEAKER_01: 22:50

Bringing that masculine to this time is I think really important for us to to learn and understand from this title of Saint Joseph as head of the holy family, what that must must be like. Because I think as a a man yourself and a spiritual father, you can help us to understand what he how he would want to respond and how he um you know, his lens during this time of this week as Christmas begins.

SPEAKER_00: 23:22

I should just think, I'm sorry to interrupt.

SPEAKER_01: 23:25

Yeah, go ahead, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 23:27

You know, like based upon what you're talking about, I'm just imagining like the conversations that Joseph was having with Mary, right? And I I would imagine he's just like, girl, just keep on talking. Like I I just want to keep on receiving, like, yeah. Could you imagine like asking Mary a question like, Mary, what do you think I should do about you know, like this part of my prayer life, you know? Like, imagine what Mary would tell you, you know? And yeah, I think it's it reminds me, it's like uh Yeah, to really be able to give, you have to be able to receive first, you know.

SPEAKER_01: 24:16

When it says Mary pondered all these things in her heart, I'm thinking, okay, did she did she speak all those things to Joseph? You know, like when you tell you tell your husband, you're like, all right, we need to talk. And it's like, okay, hold on, let's see. Let me grab a cup of coffee. And like, so I wonder like him being the recipient of all of those things that she pondered.

SPEAKER_00: 24:35

Oh my gosh, yes.

SPEAKER_01: 24:36

And like if that influenced his uh his leadership in the family, you know, like he wants to love her and like Kayla said, take care of his bride so much. So I love being able to see him through your lens um because you love imaginative prayer so much, of like imagining what those conversations would sound like as they brought in baby Jesus. Well, and how they took the world.

SPEAKER_03: 25:02

And that example of, because I keep coming back to him, like, he was part of teaching Jesus how to walk and talk and count and all these things. And I said, if he was Cajun, would Jesus have had a Cajun accent? And like, what kind of accent didn't Saint Joseph have? Jesus would have had that same dialect. And, you know, because those mannerisms that were those little quirky things that we all have, um, Jesus would have gotten that from Saint Joseph. So that's always fun to imagine. And um, and just the way they lived as a family, you know, the priority of prayer and um the example that comes from the father first. Which they the the saying that uh the father is the head, but the the mother is the neck that turns the head. You know, so that's kind of what it reminded me whenever we're talking about the conversations between Joseph and uh Mary and Jesus is the mission.

SPEAKER_00: 26:02

I'm not trying to dominate the mic, but a little nerdy thing that might help us to love scripture even more is the fact that uh a lot of scholarship points out the fact that uh Saint Luke or Yeah, the the writer of Saint Luke, you know, good chance it could be Saint Luke, but anyway, uh it's thought and believed to be that Mary was the one who told the author.

SPEAKER_02: 26:31

Yeah, right?

SPEAKER_00: 26:32

So that was kind of like you think about it, like it was the the product of all of this pondering that eventually found its way into Saint Luke and some scripture scripture uh uh experts or uh theologians, they they say that Saint St. John's gospel, um with especially with like the first chapter in the prologue being kind of like so high and theological, like that there's a good chance that that also came from you know Mary sharing, like, look, this is my experience, you know.

SPEAKER_01: 27:09

Because they were together, like he took her into his home.

unknown: 27:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 27:14

So just know that whenever you're reading Saint Luke and Saint John, you know, like you're also receiving Mary.

SPEAKER_03: 27:22

That is so cool. I love that. That's so rich. It's a lot of imagery to pray with deep.

unknown: 27:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05: 27:29

I was when you were talking about pot like kind of poverty of prayer. I was started thinking about, I wonder what St. Joseph's prayers were like. Um, like what kind of things he would ask, or or if he wasn't even asking of things like um my prayer lately. I was we were talking about this in spiritual direction the other day. I'm like, is God ever gonna get sick of me thanking him? Because that's been like all of the conversation lately is just gratitude, gratitude, gratitude. And there's a little part of me that thinks Joseph probably felt the same way, like even in his uncertainty, what a privilege to be the head of that family, like the holy family. Um, as intense as it was, as heavy as the responsibility of it all is, like, what an absolute privilege that is. Um, like, how could you not just be in gratitude all the time for that? Like, wow, Lord, you trusted me with this. I'm gonna trust you with all of this. Like, you got it, you know? That's like to me, Joseph feels so perfect in that sense of um, you know, last week, last week we talked about his obedience and um yeah, just his holiness is so shiny in my eyes in that sense of uh I feel like he probably completely trusted God with whatever. Because how could you not if God is like the baby you're holding in your arms?

SPEAKER_01: 28:51

You know what I mean? Do you think it's because he felt he allowed himself to feel his poverty so much?

SPEAKER_05: 28:57

Yeah, yeah. Like, oh dude, why me? Why would you pick me for this? And Lord's like, listen, I picked you, we're doing this, let me do it all. Yeah, just do what I ask you to do. Yeah, there's so much beauty in that.

SPEAKER_03: 29:07

Well, and again, an affirmation to Saint Joseph from God that like, I'm I'm choosing you to do this because I trust you with my son and with the blessed virgin. But y'all, shouldn't we all have that posture? I was about to say that. I'm like, he trusts us with the gifts that he's given us.

SPEAKER_05: 29:27

Yeah, and the people he puts in front of us each and every day, whether it's our families or strangers or whatever the case may be. Right. Like that should be all of our posture every morning when we wake up, like, Lord, what a privilege that you trust me with all of these things. Um, I'm gonna let you just use me, use all my gifts today. Like, let's use them all up today so we can sleep good tonight, you know, and wake up the next morning feeling like, wow, what a freaking privilege it is to get to do this with you, God. Like, I can't believe you trust me with this. I trust you, let's go.

SPEAKER_01: 29:54

Yeah, my prayer is more like I think the enemy sits real close. And so my prayer is more like, because I'm like, I can't do this today, Lord. I am not enough, but you're enough. That's kind of my prayer. Like, I am not enough, but you're enough. And so because that's my prayer, I think the enemy lies to me and says, Well, I must not be doing it right. And I know saying that out loud, the answer is obviously, well, yeah, you're doing it right because you're trusting him, but it doesn't feel good in the moment because not feeling like enough and not having like the things that I feel like I need to do it right to get that sense of peace is putting it all on me, you know, and that self-sufficiency. And I think the enemy lives in that and he's he stirs in that. Um, but now that we're talking about it, it helps me to see it in a different way. Like, no, that's actually how he wants us to feel, but it just doesn't feel good. It doesn't feel right in the moment, you know.

SPEAKER_00: 30:48

A nice little name drop. Uh almost almost like I have to do it every time. Father Patrick Broussard.

SPEAKER_01: 30:53

Shout out.

SPEAKER_00: 30:54

I uh I I was in spiritual direction with him. Yeah, I was in spiritual direction with him, and I told him, like, you know, Father, I just I just feel like I just don't give Jesus what he deserves. And Father, Father's just kind of being who he is. He's like, no, you don't.

SPEAKER_02: 31:13

He's a good example.

SPEAKER_00: 31:14

But then he continued, he said, but trying to remember it correctly.

SPEAKER_05: 31:24

How can you remember it in the way he would say it? Brilliant thing you've ever heard. That's probably how it came out.

SPEAKER_00: 31:33

He said, uh no, but he still chose you.

SPEAKER_01: 31:38

Yeah. That is so good.

SPEAKER_00: 31:41

Okay, so it's like God wasn't like whenever He He chose me to be a priest, and whenever He chose us for the specific plan that He has for each each single one of us, uh He his His criteria was not, are they gonna do a good job at this? No, yeah, his criteria was I really would love to give them this gift. Because I love them. Right. And he knows he knows who we are, right? Like sometimes I'll ask the lords, like, do you know who you chose? Like this coup y'all and like his response, his response is always, of course.

SPEAKER_01: 32:21

Yeah, because he wants to get closer to us, and this is the best way to do it. I handpicked you, kiddo. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00: 32:27

So, in a certain sense, I think that you know, God didn't choose Saint Joseph because he would fulfill the job perfectly. He chose him just because that's the gift that he wanted to give Saint Joseph. Right.

SPEAKER_03: 32:44

True. I keep thinking about that little short mantra little prayer that uh God can, I can't, I think I'm gonna let him. Yeah. Like, just let him, let him work through us. Let him do all it.

SPEAKER_05: 32:58

He wants to do it. All he wants us to do is like say, Yeah, I trust you, let's go.

SPEAKER_00: 33:03

It's going back to that whole thing of poverty. You know, I tell people all the time, look, you know, Jesus said, without me, you can do nothing. So like, yeah, use that against him. You know, like Jesus, you said this is your idea. You said this. Oh, I love that. Okay, so that means that you know, you need to help me, you know. If this is something you're asking me to do, then help me.

SPEAKER_03: 33:32

Well, especially whenever my cowardice gets the best of me. I used to pick at Kayla and say, I'm like, I'm borrowing your courage today. Um, but recognizing that the Lord's right there, willing to infuse us with all of that if we simply just listen and receive. You could keep it too.

SPEAKER_05: 33:48

Y'all don't need it back.

SPEAKER_04: 33:50

I have enough. You don't need to borrow it. You can have it. Some of it's revenue. Yeah, my gift to you from him. Thank you so much for it.

SPEAKER_01: 34:01

So, what do we want people to keep in mind this week as they're we're celebrating the feast of um Saint Joseph, the head of the Holy Family, the feast of the Holy Family?

SPEAKER_05: 34:13

Well, I mean, I'm just kind of eyeballing the reflection on the card. I'm not gonna read it outright, but I think we're all just like hitting it, like, well, the Holy Spirit is hitting the nail on the head, which could be a carpenter joke if y'all wanted it to be. Oh, I need the drum. I don't know. We have one. Do we have one? Um, but it's like I'm reading right here, you know, that God entrusted Joseph. And so what is he entrusting us with? Right? And like let's go into that, let's go into that receptivity with the same posture that Joseph has um to guard and protect the gifts that were given to him, that we need to do the same. Um and so our our response this week, and Father, you'll close us in prayer, but it says in our response, you know, in Joseph, we find a guardian, both strong and gentle, who trusted God's plan more than his own. He shielded Jesus and Mary in times of danger, and he remains a faithful protector for us today. When the world presses hard against our families, Joseph intercedes as our spiritual father. Gather in prayer this week, bless one another, and let God's word be the light that strengthens your home. And not just the home inside of your house, but like the your interior home, the home inside of your heart.

SPEAKER_03: 35:32

Um yeah, and pray not just talk at, but to listen and receive wonderful.

SPEAKER_05: 35:43

Father, you want to close us with your prayer?

SPEAKER_00: 35:45

Sure. Yeah in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Saint Joseph, entrusted with the care of the Holy Family, we place our own families under your protection, guard our homes from all evil and strife. May they be houses of prayer where peace abides. May we, like you, courageously model and defend the family as God intended. Amen.

SPEAKER_01: 36:22

Amen.

SPEAKER_00: 36:23

In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Amen.

SPEAKER_01: 36:27

All right. Tune in next week for the final week as we celebrate the Epiphany. This was a beautiful episode. We hope you guys are resting in the peace of God and with your families this week.