What can you learn from a preacher who wore a camel's hair cloak while eating locusts and wild honey?

Plenty.

In this week's Gospel, John the Baptist gives us the perfect playbook for entering into Advent...and for taking our spiritual lives to the next level.

His ascetic appearance and way of life might seem crazy to us, but his intensity had the goal of stripping away life's distractions to clarify his message and make room for love.

Distracted has become our default mode. Advent is the perfect time to slow down and take in the message of John the Baptist.

And his message? “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

We’ve heard that line a thousand times. But in this reflection, I explain what the word "repent" really means in this context. The actual translation of the Greek word—metanoia—is much deeper than you think.

It implies a changing of the mind and your way of thinking. That's not just penitence as a form of behavior modification. It's not just looking backward and being sorry for the past. It means opening your eyes to the grace you have received and realizing that change is only possible with God—an entirely new perspective.

You can't pick yourself up by your own bootstraps to raise yourself to heaven. We need God for that.

I pray you are able to enter into a joyful penance this Advent that relies on his grace to make a lasting change in your life. Allow that grace to challenge your approach to everything you do by taking on the mind of Christ.

Make space for Christ and let him "meta" your "noia." I'll pray for you...please pray for me!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What’s one distraction you could strip away this Advent to make room for Christ?

2. Before hearing this reflection, how did you understand the word repent? How does the meaning of metanoia change that?

3. Can you think of a time when a shift in perspective — not just behavior — changed your life? How might God be inviting you to a new way of thinking right now?

4. What’s one area where you’ve been trying to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”? How can you invite grace into that instead?

5. Which parts of your life feel “too busy” for God? What practical step could you take this week to open space for Him?

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• (00:00:00) - The Secret to Flying Through Airport
• (00:00:13) - John the Baptist in the Airport
• (00:00:43) - John the Baptist
• (00:01:23) - John the Baptist: Stripping Down His Life
• (00:06:01) - Advent: To Be Converted

Why does marriage hurt—and why is that actually a good thing? In this powerful and incredibly vulnerable episode, I sit down with Dr. Christopher West, the world’s leading communicator of Theology of the Body, for one of the deepest conversations we’ve ever had on this show.

Christopher doesn’t just teach TOB…he lives it. And today he opens up about the most intimate parts of his story—the childhood wounds that shaped him, the pain that almost broke him, and the moment his wife told him he was "in no place" to write a book of advice for husbands.

Christopher has spent his career sharing the truth that the path to true joy always passes through suffering, especially in marriage, where spouses should be carrying the cross together.

This interview is PACKED with wisdom on what a real marriage looks like—backed up by Church teachings, the writings of St. John Paul II, and Christopher's lived experience.

The ups and downs of married life are not always pretty...but they are beautiful. You might need to watch this one a few times to take in all the nuggets of advice!

Highlights:

00:00 Intro
02:59 Chris & Christopher: friendship, vulnerability, and real ministry
07:50 The book deal & Wendy’s truth bomb: “You’re in no place to write that book.”
13:40 The ache of desire: Star Wars, Springsteen, and the hunger of the heart
15:50 The “starvation gospel” vs. the “fast-food gospel”
19:52 Dorm-room trauma & the desperate prayer that began his conversion
25:02 “You don’t know how to love me” — the breakup that launched his mission
30:04 Discovering John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and realizing “this is the answer”
41:03 When ideals hit real marriage: masks, control, and Wendy’s long, painful honesty
50:45 Trying to protect your spouse—but causing harm
55:19 The “sweat lodge prayer” of marriage
56:20 Marriage pain as a feature, not a bug — the cross, purification, and real hope for couples
1:02:14 Why marriage pain is lifelong (and worth it)
1:04:18 Theology of the Body as a North Star in marriage
1:07:01 "Hell is the destiny of those who who refuse purification."
1:14:35 Any path to true fulfillment requires suffering
1:17:37 Prayer for healing your heart and marriage

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Take 20 percent off of Christopher West's book "Eating the Sunrise" with promo code SUNRISE. https://shop.corproject.com/collections/books/products/pre-order-eating-the-sunrise-meditations-on-the-liturgy-and-our-hunger-for-beauty-paperback

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What story is dominating the headlines of your life? As we enter the Advent season, we are preparing our hearts to receive the ONLY headline that matters: Jesus is our savior.

And this headline should change EVERYTHING.

In this reflection, I introduce a word most Christians have never heard: kerygma.

In the ancient world, a kerygma was a headline delivered by a herald—news that was so big it rewrote your whole day...and maybe your entire identity.

And the early Church used that exact word to describe the Gospel. Because the good news that God loves you, that He sent His Son for you, that He calls you into eternal life—that’s not just another news brief in your spiritual life. That’s the headline under which everything else gets reorganized.

And if you're living with the Gospel as your headline, then your life is not a story written by your sin, weaknesses, and wounds. It's a much bigger story rewritten by a baby born in Bethlehem...a savior who dies on a cross...and a Resurrection that makes all things new.

I invite you to slow down this Advent and really soak in the power of the Gospel headline and what it means for you: Our savior is coming! Let him be born anew in your heart this Christmas.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Kerygma means a life-changing announcement. What parts of your life are still competing with Jesus for the “headline spot” today?
2. Think of a time when an announcement seemed to restructure everything (pregnancy, job change, illness, etc.) How did God show up in that moment?
3. If Jesus rewrote the headline of your life today, what would it say?
4. What area of your life feels the least “made new," and how might Jesus be inviting you to see it differently? 5. What would "believing the Good News" look like in your habits this Advent? What are you willing to do in your spiritual life to make this season different?

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Giving Tuesday is three days away and we could really use your support this year as we begin producing CORE, a transformative Confirmation prep series for today's teens.

We need to raise $2.1 million to complete it in a way that is high-quality, relevant, and effective to lead our youngest generation to a life of joy and purpose in Christ. We are more than halfway to our goal, so please make a gift to get us the rest of the way!

Thank you for partnering with us on this life-changing program that will have a generational impact on the Catholic Church.

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Sign up for Chris Stefanick's daily Advent reflections: https://reallifecatholic.com/daily-anchor-advent/
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Join the mission to spread the joy of the Gospel! Become a Missionary of Joy to support this free content: https://bit.ly/4nTHbN0
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Join Chris Stefanick on pilgrimage to Poland and Prague: https://www.canterburypilgrimages.com/tour/12693/