Episode 5

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Published on:

17th Apr 2024

5: What You Didn't Know About Mary | Paul J. Kim

In this episode, Paul J. Kim highlights the profound impact of Mary has had on his life and shows the transformative power of Marian devotion and her intercessions. We dive into Mary's pivotal role in Christian theology, demonstrating her relevance in salvation history and responding to common Mary objections. You'll be sure to learn something new in this episode!

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Paul J. Kim's Links

Book Paul - pjkmusic.com

Catholic Adulting Course - catholicadulting.com

Instagram @heypjk

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Transcript
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Welcome back friends today.

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I think today's going to be one of

my favorite episodes probably because

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we're going to be talking about Mary.

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And if you've followed me for

a while now, you know that I

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have a great devotion to her.

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She's played a huge role in

my life and in my prayer life.

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Uh, and today joining me is

a very special guest, Paul J.

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Kim.

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He is an incredible Catholic speaker.

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And if you have heard him speak,

you know that he is equally

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inspirational as he is hilarious.

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He always brings the comedy and the beat

boxing, and he's so entertaining to watch.

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Uh, and he's also the author and host of

the bestselling online course, a Catholic

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guide to adulting, which sounds like we

all could use a little bit of that wisdom.

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So Paul, welcome to ever

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

Thank you very much.

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That's not my accent.

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Good to be here with you, man.

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Track 1: Paul, for those who maybe

don't know much about you, can you

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share a little bit about your background

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: Well,

I was conceived in 19 No, I'm kidding.

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Um, so, a little bit about me.

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Yeah.

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Track 1: Not that far back.

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

not a good TMI.

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Um, so I would say, uh, long story short,

I was your typical average Catholic

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kid who is on the one way track of

being confirmed and never coming back

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that rhyme, that should be a song.

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Um, and God in his great mercy, especially

during my college years, essentially sent

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his mother to rattle me in the sweetest

and gentlest way possible through the

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prayer of the Rosary out of my lifestyle.

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And.

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That basically catapulted me into a

rediscovery of my Catholic faith, um,

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into my initial conversion, because

conversion is a lifetime thing.

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And I then discerned

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religious life with the CFRs for a

few years, thinking that might be it.

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So I hung around some pretty

holy and hairy dudes for a

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couple of years in New York city.

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And,

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Track 1: That's true.

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: um,

and it was, it was very formative.

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I know for yourself, you

were a focus missionary.

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I know many people go through net

focus, um, different faith based

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opportunities that really strengthen

and form them in so many ways.

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I didn't do the missionary route there,

but, um, being in formation with the

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CFRs was kind of that chapter for me.

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And so I discerned out naturally.

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Um, and I had to figure out what

my next best steps would be.

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And I thought maybe I'd be

like a Catholic therapist.

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So I went to school, got my master's

in marriage and family therapy.

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And it turns out no one calls you master.

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If you get a doctor, they call you doctor.

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So it was a bad deal.

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Um, no, I'm kidding.

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Yeah.

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Bad

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Track 1: Bad decision.

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: No,

uh, it was, it was great formation.

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Also.

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It helped me really understand

relationships that helped me

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understand a lot about myself.

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And while I didn't.

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ultimately do counseling.

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Um, around that time, God was

opening up doors for me to, to

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speak at local churches and youth

events and things like this.

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And honestly, that door kept opening

and I was like, all right, I'm just

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going to keep running through this door.

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Cause one, I enjoy it.

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And two, I can, you know, this is

becoming my career, if you will.

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But, but more than that, I

understood it to be a call.

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And so God was using all of those

interesting journeys in life,

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all those different chapters to

prepare me for what I'm doing now.

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Um, now happily married, uh,

uh, 11th year this August, got

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our, our sixth baby on the way.

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Life is crazy, but it's good.

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And it is such an adventure.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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So, so yeah, been doing ministry

as a full time Catholic speaker

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for the past 13 years or so.

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And, uh, just went to my

50th state, Pesky, Maine.

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And yeah,

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Track 1: Congrats.

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Congrats.

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That's

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: cool.

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It's cool to be able to say that.

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It's not like I reached every

soul in every state, but, um.

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You know, just to do my part and

that's ultimately what it is.

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You know, we can only

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do so much.

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We only have a limited amount

of time in life and reach, but

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it's, it's all a team effort.

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You know, mother Teresa, St.

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Mother Teresa, she once said, you

do what I can't do and I can do

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what you can't do and together We'll

do something beautiful for God.

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And that's ultimately it, you know, and

when I put it into that perspective, it's

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not about, it's not about competition.

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It's not about me being more notable or

notorious than this person or the next.

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Cause I mean, ironically, even in

ministry that can creep in, it's

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just what God, what do you want me to

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do?

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And I just want to be faithful to that.

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And at the end of the day,

that's all that matters, right?

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Living our vocation.

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Well, so a little bit about me.

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Thanks for listening.

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Track 1: Yep.

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That was great.

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That was perfect.

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Thank you for sharing that.

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you mentioned in a little bit of

that story that like Mary played

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a big role in your conversion.

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She, you know, you said that

she, she rattled you or she shook

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you, you know, she jumped in.

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So can you share more about that?

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Like what sparked your relationship with

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: I

was shooketh by her intercession.

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Um, yeah, speaking Gen Z terms

with, like, a British accent

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is quite interesting, actually.

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The Catholic Riz, chapter one.

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Uh,

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Track 1: Hey, you gotta meet

people where they're at.

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You know,

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

to all Zoomers.

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Um, uh, okay.

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So back to your question, sorry.

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Side track myself.

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Um, yeah, yeah.

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Yeah.

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So I went to UCLA for a few years and,

uh, it was during that time, you know,

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just typical party life, just, uh,

majoring in hedonism pursuit of pleasure.

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Um, and during, during that time, uh,

my conscience was bothering me and.

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I, I believe God was using that to

kind of lead me back to himself.

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And so, yeah, I just, I was like,

okay, how do I connect with God?

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I guess I'll pull out a rosary.

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That seems like an awfully

Catholic thing to do.

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And so I pray, I started praying the

rosary and oddly enough, um, I felt

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more peace and joy and purpose in

that 25 minutes of prayer than from

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the whole week of screwing around.

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And so it fascinated me because I

was like, that felt really good.

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You know, and it's, it's kind of funny

because when you like you browse through

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social media, you see all these people

and all these influencers and God only

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knows where they're coming from or what

their, you know, their values or life,

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life, uh, view worldview is,

but you know, there, I think.

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I think I know the easy answer and

it's because we're all hardwired to

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have a relationship with the infinite

and and God alone is infinite, right?

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We all have this hunger and desire

to search for more and so naturally

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like all these people are like

talking about meditation and like

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manifesting and all these like Kind

of spiritual things that might go and

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miss the mark, but still there's

that hunger and desire, right?

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And so for me, praying the rosary

was kind of that lifeline where I

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was like, Oh, oh yeah, I have a soul.

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I should probably like think about

what my soul looks like and what

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my relationship with God is like.

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And so as I was praying the

rosary, I just came back to it

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the day after and the next day.

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And I'm kind of, you know, like playing

hopscotch where I'm like one foot into

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like whatever the heck I want to do

and one foot into like, all right,

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I want to try to be a good Catholic

or whatever, because this is new.

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But eventually it came to a head where,

um, you know, Mary was really, um, she

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was trying extra hard to get my attention.

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Um, and the Catholic understanding of

things is called like a signal grace

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where, Not necessarily like a miracle.

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I guess a mini miracle,

if you will, where yeah,

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like I'm sitting by myself on a bench

outside my dorm room and I'm praying and

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I start smelling roses out of nowhere,

you know, for no particular reason.

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Right.

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And so for me, that was kind of a no

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brainer.

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I'm like, uh, it was

probably, probably Mary.

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Yeah.

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She's probably trying to

get my attention here.

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And I'm being led slowly but

surely back to the sacraments like

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reconciliation and I make a good

confession for like the first time

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ever in college where I'm actually

transparent and Repentance and wanting

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to get all the things off my chest.

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And then that leads me towards the

Eucharist where I'm like, all right, let's

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go to, I don't know, mass on a weekday.

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Let's just keep going down this route.

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Let's try to figure out like what

this Catholic thing is all about.

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Cause you know, once again, a

professional Catholic on paper, but

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sorely lacking in one fundamental piece.

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And that is a relationship with Christ.

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You know, it really is that simple.

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And I get it like, especially in

our cultural climate, if you spend

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any time online, there's like this.

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perpetual beef between like

Catholics and Protestants and the

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Protestants will say, well, it's

all about relationship with Jesus.

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And then they're like,

it's not about religion.

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It's about relationship.

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And like to that, I say, eh, well

with an asterisk, yes, it's about

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relationship with Jesus, which I

needed in my life at that time.

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And that was actually really important

because naturally in scripture, you

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know, the disciples have an encounter.

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a relationship with the Lord.

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And then, but at the same time,

he does establish a religion.

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And I mean, even Protestant churches

are technically a religion because

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they have ways of understanding

God, ways of practicing their faith.

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They have traditions and rituals, even

in their very non Catholic services.

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And so it's neither here nor there.

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It's just, it is what it is.

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I needed to connect in a way that was,

you With that personal relationship

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element of knowing God, of being known

by him and, and our lady, Mary, you

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know, the, the, the common complaint

or concern or just argument, if you

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will, is that she is a distraction,

she is an idol, she is, you shouldn't

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focus on her, she will lead you astray.

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That's not what God wanted.

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You should just go straight to God.

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And to all of that, I say, well,

actually, if you look in scripture, Mary's

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desire isn't to like flex on herself.

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Like she's trying to do

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one thing and one thing alone.

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And that is one to glorify God, who

happens to be her father, but also

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happens to be her son, which is a pretty

wild relationship to have with God.

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Um, but also like John chapter two,

verse five, do whatever he tells you.

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Right.

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First miracle of Cana, like that

could easily summarize her mo or

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her mission statement, which is

like, just do whatever he tells you.

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I just

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want you to follow my son.

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And so in real time, I was experiencing

that where, as I'm spending time with her,

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praying the rosary, you know, Getting to

know the gospels through her eyes and St.

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Jean Paul, the second and his letter on,

um, uh, gosh, I forgot the actual title.

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It may have just been a letter on

the Holy Rosary, but it's essentially

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back in 2002, where he announced

the, um, the luminous mysteries.

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So the first time in

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hundreds of years, like a Pope

had basically established a new

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set of mysteries, the luminous

mysteries, to emphasize the

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divinity of Christ, his ministry.

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And I remember in that letter so

beautifully written, he says that The

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rosary is a School of Mary where we're

spending time meditating on the life of

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Christ through the eyes of the mother.

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And who knew Christ's best?

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I mean, the

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whole joyful mysteries, if you think

about it, the gospel writer Luke St.

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Luke.

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I mean, he had to have sat down

with Our Lady and asked her

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these intimate questions about

what was your experience like.

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Tell me, like, first hand, what happened?

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Uh, the angel Gabriel appeared to you?

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What?

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You, you went to your cousin Elizabeth?

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That's what she said?

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Like, the only way he could have

actually received this information

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is if he sat down and spoke to her.

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So, if you think about it, the Gospel, I

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mean, the Gospels, especially the

Gospel of Luke, I mean, that's

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like first hand eyewitness stuff

through the eyes of Our Lady.

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Right.

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Right?

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And so,

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Track 1: I love that.

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I never thought about it like that.

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That's so

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: so, as

I'm sitting there, you know, in prayer

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with Our Lady, Unbeknownst to me, she's,

yeah, she's giving me also a first hand

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view into the life of Christ, and, and

of course, like, on the other side of

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eternity now, she's able to intercede

in a much more profound way, and that's

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what she's doing for me, and I'm like,

whoa, okay, I, I'm kind of understanding

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the gospel more, I'm intrigued, I, I

want a relationship with God, I, I want

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to be in right relationship with him.

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I want to be in his grace.

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I, I, should probably

go back to confession.

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I, I should probably like figure

out this mass thing because I've

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done it all my life, but there

just wasn't much of a connection.

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But as I opened my heart in faith and

as I pursued the Lord, um, you know,

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and I share this all the time, but

in Jeremiah, God says, if you seek me

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with all your heart, you'll find me.

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And that's essentially what was happening.

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And Mary was there every step of

the way, every step of the way.

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And so, um, I showed the story a lot

too, but for some reason, our lady under

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the title of our lady of Guadalupe was

like present throughout the string.

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It was always our lady of Guadalupe.

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And I joke around.

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It's because I'm so Mexican

that she just really.

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You know, just reaches

out to me, but it's funny.

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Like that image, she was always there.

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And so that I went to

this church called St.

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Paul's down the street from UCLA.

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And I remember like praying before her

image of our lady Guadalupe asking her

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to make, help me make a good confession.

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And then I'm, I'm waiting in

line and I opened the door and

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then the roses again, the smell.

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And I'm like, okay, they must be in here.

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And

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I'm looking around, there's no roses.

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And then after my confession, I asked

the father, I'm like, do you smell roses?

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He's like, I smell my sandwich.

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I don't know what you're talking about.

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And.

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You know, it's like Mary is

there at all the key moments

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in the life of Christ, right?

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And she was there at the foot of the

cross when his side was opened up, right?

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He was pierced with a lance and

his blood and water poured out

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and became the fountain of mercy

for the whole world, right?

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And so naturally it makes sense

that in a way she would be

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there with me at confession.

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We're mystically speaking sacramentally

like that blood and water is

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being poured out on my soul again.

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And so she's there She's present

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and then you know, I transfer from UCLA

to Franciscan University of Steubenville

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right Catholic Disneyland in the

armpit of America Steubenville, Ohio

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Track 1: Yeah.

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: And so

There she is, like our lady Guadalupe,

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in the chapels of the dorms that I'm in.

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Okay.

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Um, and then I joined the Friars,

as I mentioned before, and she's

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the patronist of that community.

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I lived in a friary in Har in, in

the Bronx for a few years where

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literally there's a 30 foot mural

on the side of the, the Friary.

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She is present, she is

just journeying with.

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And then I left the,

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yeah, and then I left the

community, I discerned out,

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and I'm like, what now, right?

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And, you know, if you talk to anyone

who's kind of spent time in discernment

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or seminary or religious life, and they

discern out, you will find that I think

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there is a common struggle amongst

those who have this experience, and

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it's that, Should I have tried harder?

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Could I have done more?

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Like, did I make the right move?

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You know, like, cause everyone goes into

these situations with an ideal of like,

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I want to do something great for God.

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And so when it doesn't pan out,

they're kind of left with this,

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like, uh, are we still good?

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Like, you know, like, uh, I just, I, you

know, and it was a wrestle even for me.

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And, and so as

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I'm kind of like figuring out next

best steps and I'm trying to keep my

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faith life up, um, I eventually met

my, my now wife, who at the time,

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obviously it was my girlfriend.

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And, um, what's funny was at the

time she wasn't even Catholic and.

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Yeah,

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and so I met her at my

friend's wedding reception.

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He asked me to emcee.

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And so I was telling corny jokes.

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I was actually, uh, had the

vantage point that night, right?

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Of all the cute girls.

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And I'm like, no, she's too drunk.

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I'm not going to hang out.

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Track 1: Oh, yeah.

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

But then I saw, I

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saw that my now wife at a table

and I'm like, Oh, she's count.

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She's laughing at my jokes.

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And I, Talked to her that night.

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I got her not,

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yeah, I got

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Track 1: all you need.

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

you know, walked her to her car.

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And I remember like asking

her, where do you go to church?

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And she's like, Oh, I go to some like.

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Very Protestant sounding church like it's

called Mosaic and I'm like in my mind.

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I'm like, uh oh.

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I Hope this works cuz I'm

not becoming Protestant and

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um, and so, uh, yeah long story short

We started dating She tried to break up

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with me multiple times because I wasn't

gonna become Protestant She wasn't gonna

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become Catholic at least she thought

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Track 1: Oh, yeah.

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There

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paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: praying

inviting her to events with me You know

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different ministry things because I was

starting my ministry at that time You

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And I remember taking her out on a date

on December 12th, which is the Feast of

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Our Lady of Guadalupe, and I certainly

wasn't intentionally planning this, but

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went to a cupcake shop in Los Angeles,

and we're at the register, and this lady,

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um, She, she has like this fat tattoo

of Our Lady Guadalupe on her forearm.

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And I'm like, dude, that's a cool tattoo.

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You know, I'm like, you know, it's

the feast of Our Lady Guadalupe.

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Right.

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And she's like, yeah, I'm like,

where do you go to church?

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And she's like, I don't go.

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I'm like, conversation over.

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Thank you.

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Give me my cupcakes.

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So, so.

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So

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Track 1: What?

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:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

we, um, we get back in the car and

377

:

I started nerding out and I'm like,

babe, did you, like, I was telling

378

:

her just like the serendipity of like

running into a girl with a fat tattoo

379

:

of our lady Guadalupe on her feast day.

380

:

And then I'm, I'm start

381

:

like just giving witness to

like how Mary has prayed for me.

382

:

And this is how I experienced

her in my life, her prayers.

383

:

And she's always led me closer to Jesus.

384

:

And once again, we don't worship her.

385

:

And, uh, here's in, here's in scripture

386

:

where.

387

:

You know, these are the key

points that are really helpful

388

:

in understanding her role.

389

:

I'm talking about apologetics.

390

:

I'm telling her all the things.

391

:

And at the end of the car ride,

I'm like, is that helpful?

392

:

And she's like, kind of, thank you.

393

:

then in that moment, I'm, I just asked,

um, I just asked her a simple question.

394

:

I feel like this was God, like helping me.

395

:

And I said, um, have

you ever spoken to Mary?

396

:

And she said, no, I don't.

397

:

We've never taught that.

398

:

So what would I even say to her?

399

:

And I said, what would you

say to like the best mom ever?

400

:

Like, what would you say?

401

:

How would you speak to her?

402

:

And, and I said, do you want

to lead a prayer to her?

403

:

Like I'll, I'll pray with you and we can.

404

:

Pray to her together and she said sure

and she said this very like honest

405

:

prayer, very simple, very humble prayer to

our lady and um, she finished the prayer

406

:

and she was very emotional, like in tears

and so I was like, yeah, it's working.

407

:

Track 1: Yeah.

408

:

That's when you know it hits.

409

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

different that time, right?

410

:

And so, so I asked her, what, what

do you, what are you crying about?

411

:

Like, what are the tears about?

412

:

And she said, well, um, yeah, I've had

a tough relationship with my mom lately.

413

:

And the thought of having a heavenly

mother who's loved me and prayed for me

414

:

this whole time is really comforting.

415

:

And so I said, praise God.

416

:

And so basically what happened

after that very long, there's many

417

:

more chapters to this story, but.

418

:

Very long story short, as I continue

to pray for her, as I continue to like,

419

:

show her the beauty of our Catholic

faith by taking her to events with

420

:

me and mass and all these things.

421

:

And God was ultimately

doing the heavy lifting.

422

:

Um, you know, basically we, um, we were

at mass one day and afterwards I said,

423

:

you know, they're offering our CIA.

424

:

And I said, you know, honey,

would you be interested in that?

425

:

And she said, yes.

426

:

I'm like, Oh, praise God.

427

:

So she went through the RCA program.

428

:

And I think that at this

point we were engaged as well.

429

:

And, um, she, um, yeah,

finished the RCA program.

430

:

And shortly before we got married,

she received baptism, confession,

431

:

communion, confirmation, and then.

432

:

A few months later, we got married.

433

:

So it was like six sacraments in one year.

434

:

Pretty big deal or five, five,

five, five, five sacraments.

435

:

Yeah.

436

:

Five,

437

:

Track 1: A lot of grace.

438

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

lot of grace.

439

:

And so that was pretty cool.

440

:

And so anyways, going back to our lady,

like I saw how she was present in my

441

:

life and as our marriage continued.

442

:

Um, we, we got married and, you

know, basically we got pregnant our

443

:

first year of marriage and we went

to the doctor and we're like, Hey,

444

:

um, the doctor's like, yeah, that the

baby's gonna arrive on December 12th.

445

:

And I'm like, yeah, she, yeah,

446

:

she

447

:

Track 1: way.

448

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

I just claimed it right there.

449

:

Track 1: You're like,

450

:

I

451

:

knew that.

452

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: that

even though this is all a big surprise.

453

:

Track 1: I could have

told you that myself.

454

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

And so, um, you know, the, I mean,

455

:

that's purely an estimate, you know,

doctors don't know the exact date,

456

:

but they can give you a general idea.

457

:

And so doctors said

458

:

December 12th, I'm like,

yep, December 12th it is.

459

:

And so we, you know, fast forward,

it was December 3rd and I was

460

:

like, honey, let's pray Novena.

461

:

Let's pray a nine days of prayer

for this intention that our daughter

462

:

would be born on the feast day.

463

:

And we just dedicate her to

our lady of Guadalupe and.

464

:

God will do the rest.

465

:

And so, um, we're praying the Novena and

at this point it's like December 11th.

466

:

And she's like, honey, I don't

know, like contractions don't feel

467

:

like any different or more intense.

468

:

So I'm like, baby, it's going to happen.

469

:

And so I took her to Costco

and I made this girl walk.

470

:

And then, uh, and then we went to the,

471

:

I'm not joking.

472

:

We had to get groceries, whatever.

473

:

I'm not, I wasn't trying to torture.

474

:

And then we went to, then we

went to the movie theater and.

475

:

You know, we're just chilling

out watching a nice film.

476

:

And then we go back home and she

falls asleep and I'm just like up

477

:

and I'm just kind of like, I don't

know if it was like just this angst

478

:

that I just got this feeling like,

no, it's going to happen real soon.

479

:

But I stayed up till like

three in the morning.

480

:

And I remember like three,

three or four in the

481

:

morning, my, my wife wakes up and she's

like, Oh my, I think my water broke.

482

:

And I'm like, eat this time.

483

:

And so I was like, game on.

484

:

And we had some like

waffles and we went to the.

485

:

You know, local hospitals called St.

486

:

Joseph's there in Orange, California, and

long story short, our first girl, our baby

487

:

daughter, Audrey, was born on December

12th at three something in the afternoon.

488

:

So very fitting.

489

:

Um, and so once again, It was like

our lady saying to me, just like

490

:

in some sense, she said to Juan

Diego, you know, why are you afraid?

491

:

Are you not in the hollow

492

:

of my mantle?

493

:

Are you not underneath

the crossing of my arms?

494

:

You know?

495

:

And so she's really

496

:

been a mother to me.

497

:

She's been very, very loving

and merciful and sweet to me.

498

:

And she has prayed for me and my family.

499

:

And And even today, you know, as

I, as I turned to her often and I

500

:

asked for her prayers, like I do.

501

:

I don't always feel her presence,

of course, but I know that she is

502

:

always present and interceding for me.

503

:

And as I continue to entrust, not only

myself, but my marriage, my children,

504

:

my family, my ministry, everything

that's dear to me, um, as I offer it

505

:

to God through her intercession, by,

by consecrating myself to her, um, it

506

:

comes as a huge consolation knowing that.

507

:

You know, as Hebrews 12 says, we

are surrounded by a great cloud of

508

:

witnesses and one of those witnesses

happens to be our spiritual mom who

509

:

Christ gave us on the cross when he

said to the beloved disciple, behold

510

:

your mother.

511

:

And so as the saying

goes, I think it was St.

512

:

Maximilian Kolbe, if you do not

call Mary your mother, you cannot

513

:

call Christ your brother, you know?

514

:

And also another quote,

another banger from St.

515

:

Maximilian Kolbe is.

516

:

You cannot love Mary more than he or

you cannot honor Mary more than he

517

:

honored her Every grace that she yeah

518

:

Track 1: Yeah, I think, I think it's,

you can't love Mary more than Jesus

519

:

loves Mary or something like that.

520

:

Like, you can't beat the love

Christ has for his mom, so

521

:

don't worry about overloving

522

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: It's

impossible because every grace that she

523

:

received from her immaculate conception

to The motherhood, being the mother of

524

:

God, to being, uh, perpetually sinless, to

being a perpetual virgin, even though she

525

:

gave birth, wrap your head around that,

to being, the, assumed in the heaven,

526

:

to being the queen of heaven and earth,

like that's all, these are all singular

527

:

graces and, These graces stem from

what Christ accomplished on the cross.

528

:

So indeed she was saved, but she

was saved in a more excellent way.

529

:

And so like when our Protestant friends

or even our Catholic friends who are like,

530

:

just confused about what's the big fuss.

531

:

Well, it's kind of that Christ

made a big fuss about her.

532

:

It's kind of the fact that he like,

he really overdid himself in not only

533

:

redeeming her, but redeeming her in such

a way that it would give us all hope.

534

:

And here's why, like the, the, if we're

going to get kind of nerdy here, the

535

:

dogma of the immaculate conception,

meaning the belief that is a, pivotal

536

:

belief of the Catholic faith that

Mary from the moment of conception was

537

:

delivered from the stain of original sin.

538

:

You know, people will often say,

well, if that was one, how, and, and

539

:

secondly, if that's the case, then why

540

:

does she need a savior?

541

:

Um, to that Mary says, I've pro my soul

proclaims the greatness of the Lord.

542

:

My spirit rejoices in God, my savior.

543

:

So she herself.

544

:

Proclaims that she is saved, but

how, considering this dogma, right?

545

:

That was declared in, I believe the 1800s.

546

:

Well, um, the, the theologian in

the Catholic church whose work

547

:

was actually quite influential

in helping to develop this.

548

:

This understanding, this doctrine that led

to the dogma ultimately was an individual

549

:

by the name of Blessed John Duns Scotus.

550

:

And so, Blessed John Duns Scotus, uh,

fun fact, you know like back in the

551

:

day when kids would get into trouble in

school, they would get sent to the corner

552

:

and they'd have to wear a dunce cap.

553

:

You remember that?

554

:

The little cone

555

:

hat and that was the way to shame them

and get them to behave or whatever.

556

:

Obviously, that didn't

happen in my generation, but.

557

:

So the dunce cap actually is, is coined

by the insults that the enemies of

558

:

blessed John Duns Scotus coined for him.

559

:

They called people, Oh, you're

such a dunce as a, as an insult.

560

:

Yeah.

561

:

Against the great theologian and

saint, his enemies didn't like him.

562

:

So like, don't be scared.

563

:

Track 1: I don't know if that's a bummer

564

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

I know, right?

565

:

So now, if you're being punished in the

corner, you can take it with great honor.

566

:

Wow.

567

:

Um, so blessed John Dunscotus, in simple

terms, um, And this is an analogy that

568

:

I think is helpful for a lot of people,

but the understanding that Blessed John

569

:

has had was like, okay, Mary has been

saved, but in a more excellent way.

570

:

And to give you an analogy, like, let's

say, for example, you're, you're about to

571

:

like, you're walking down a path, right?

572

:

And this path is like the same

path that all humanity goes on.

573

:

And ever since Adam and Eve, and through

this sin of original, Um, we are all

574

:

tainted because like in the middle of this

road, if you will, there is a quicksand.

575

:

Okay.

576

:

And everyone, just by virtue of the fact

that they are born into humanity will

577

:

fall into this quicksand and have the

stain, if you will, of original sin.

578

:

Well, Mary's on the same path,

but what if an individual, right?

579

:

But, um, but before I get there,

um, we fall into this, um, There's

580

:

quicksand, but Christ pulls us

out of the quicksand and saves us.

581

:

Well, what if Christ were to say

582

:

to Mary, You're on this path and you are

about to fall in, but here, walk around.

583

:

I will show you a path around it.

584

:

Is Christ still not saving her?

585

:

Of course he is, but he's saving

her in a more excellent way.

586

:

Because here, he's not saving her

once she's fallen, but he's preventing

587

:

her from falling to begin with.

588

:

And so, this is still salvation, but it

just looks a lot better, and it's better.

589

:

And so Mary was given this singular grace.

590

:

Um, and it was just that God, who

can do anything by the way, He can

591

:

choose what year he's born, the

circumstances, the geographical location,

592

:

and it also happens that he can also

create his own mom and prepare her.

593

:

And it was fitting that Christ would

594

:

enter this world conceived in the

womb of the Ark of the New Covenant.

595

:

What is the Ark of the Old Covenant?

596

:

In the Old Covenant, the people of

Israel wandered through the desert,

597

:

and the command given to Moses was

to basically create an Ark, which

598

:

was made out of incorruptible wood.

599

:

That was plated with solid

gold, and it was so holy that

600

:

you had to carry it on poles.

601

:

And the reason you did is because it held

three artifacts that were representative

602

:

of God's presence, His holy presence.

603

:

They were the two stone tablets that

came down to Moses on Mount Sinai, right?

604

:

They were

605

:

the, uh, it was a piece of manna or

the, the bread that came down from

606

:

heaven that God just so conveniently

allowed the Israelites to eat

607

:

and survive in the desert with.

608

:

And it also held the staff

of Aaron, the high priest.

609

:

And these symbols of God were so anointed

and sacred that once again, they had

610

:

to be held in this very holy container.

611

:

And it was so holy that in

fact, God warned that if anyone

612

:

would touch it, they would die.

613

:

And it happens that there's

this guy in the Old Testament

614

:

named Uzziah who didn't listen.

615

:

And instead of carrying it on poles,

which God was very specific about, he

616

:

thought he'd be like, You know, kind of

novel and put it on a cart with wheels.

617

:

And as this cart was like rocking back

and forth and the ark was about to

618

:

fall over, Uzziah stretched his hand

out to like prevent it from falling.

619

:

He touched it and lo and behold, he died.

620

:

Okay.

621

:

So, um, yeah, wild stories

in scripture for sure.

622

:

But anyways, like literally the, the,

623

:

the ark of the covenant,

like this was literally.

624

:

The hope of the people of Israel, it was

literally God's holy presence among them.

625

:

Like if they had the arc, they

won victory over their enemies.

626

:

If they had the arc, they were blessed.

627

:

If they had the art, they were safe.

628

:

And eventually, you know, um,

if, if, if, In scripture, you

629

:

have this concept of typology.

630

:

Typology is basically a nerdy term

for something that happened in the

631

:

Old Testament, but there is a parallel

that happens in the New Testament.

632

:

And this reality in the Old

Testament sheds light on

633

:

the reality in the New

Testament and vice versa.

634

:

So I think the most common one, uh, St.

635

:

Paul uses a typology about the old Adam.

636

:

Versus the new Adam, the old Adam,

we all know he contributed to the

637

:

original sin, the fall of humanity,

but the new Adam is Christ, right?

638

:

The old Adam was disobedient to God.

639

:

The new Adam was obedient to God.

640

:

The old Adam helped incur, you

know, sin, suffering, and death.

641

:

And the new Adam took on sin, suffering,

and death and redeemed it on the cross.

642

:

So you see, there's these parallels.

643

:

Well, there's an old Eve, right?

644

:

The old Eve was greeted by a serpent.

645

:

Well, the new Eve, Mary

was greeted by an angel.

646

:

The old Eve basically fell into

647

:

temptation by saying,

I will not serve God.

648

:

And Mary says in the new Testament, the

new Eve, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

649

:

Let it be done unto me

according to thy word.

650

:

So you see, there are parallels.

651

:

They're very striking.

652

:

And so the arc of the old covenant, as I

was talking about a second ago, pure made

653

:

out of pure gold, incorruptible wood.

654

:

Items of God that represent God.

655

:

Okay, so who or what is the

Ark of the New Covenant?

656

:

Well, let's go all the way to Revelation.

657

:

Saint John is like, just straight

up having these wild visions.

658

:

And right before he sees,

659

:

right, and then right before the, The

chapter I'm about to share, he says he

660

:

sees the arc, a vision of the arc in the

heavens and immediately thereafter, the

661

:

next verse, the next chapter is about him

seeing an image of a woman in the heavens,

662

:

clothed with the sun, with the moon

under her feet and a crown of 12 stars.

663

:

It's crazy.

664

:

And so, and so people are like,

Oh no, well, John's just talking

665

:

about, um, a symbol of Israel.

666

:

Yeah, well, actually let's go a

little bit further because it's very

667

:

specific about how this woman gives

birth to a child that will rule

668

:

all the nations with an iron rod.

669

:

Um, figuratively, yes, there is

symbolism with Israel, but, uh,

670

:

you can't figuratively give birth.

671

:

There was someone who literally gave

birth to this child and her name is Mary.

672

:

And so the Ark of the New Covenant,

673

:

if you work on that typology, the

question is like, this old Ark of

674

:

the Covenant was massively holy.

675

:

It was God's present.

676

:

So if Mary is the Ark of the New

Covenant, how holy would she have to be?

677

:

Because here's the deal.

678

:

Old cut, old Ark held, um,

the two stone tablets, right?

679

:

Well, Mary held the fulfillment

680

:

of the law and the prophets, which

the commandments symbolized, Right?

681

:

Okay.

682

:

Uh, the old, the old ark held the

manna that fell from heaven, right?

683

:

Well, her womb is holding the living

bread that came down from heaven.

684

:

Jesus Christ.

685

:

Uh, the old ark holds the

staff of Aaron, the symbol of

686

:

the high priesthood.

687

:

Well, Jesus Christ is the

universal high priest who redeems

688

:

all mankind back to his father.

689

:

So question, how holy

would Mary have to be?

690

:

Pretty holy,

691

:

like a

692

:

Track 1: Like, a lot.

693

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

And so naturally these.

694

:

These favors, these singular graces that

God gave to Mary are hers and hers alone.

695

:

And they're all by virtue of what

Christ would do, even in the future.

696

:

This is wild.

697

:

It's kind of like back to the future, you

know, even preemptively God was bestowing

698

:

upon Mary, these graces that flowed from

what he was going to do from the cross.

699

:

And so

700

:

Track 1: wow.

701

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

She's pretty impressive to say the

702

:

least, but not just impressive.

703

:

She is a work of mercy

from God Almighty to us.

704

:

And to think also that, you

705

:

know, St.

706

:

Paul talks about the body of Christ

and how every body has a head

707

:

and that head is obviously Jesus.

708

:

Well, Jesus had a mother.

709

:

And so naturally in the body of Christ,

which we are all members of, we have

710

:

a head, we have our, our Lord and

savior, but we also have his mother.

711

:

And the mother is not by any

means a substitute for the savior.

712

:

And, but, um, once again, at the

foot of the cross, Jesus entrusts

713

:

all of his children to the mother.

714

:

And so she is there, even after Jesus

resurrects, after he ascends into heaven,

715

:

she is there quietly, mysteriously, humbly

praying with the disciples at Pentecost.

716

:

She is present, she is praying,

and it would be foolish, it would

717

:

be terribly foolish to think.

718

:

That she no longer cares that, and I hear

this quite often, it is so bewildering to

719

:

me, like it's because the theology isn't

developed or it's because what people

720

:

have been told at their pulpits for, for

many years, it's misinformation and lies.

721

:

And it's like in the words of Archbishop

Fulton Sheen, who said, you can't

722

:

find a hundred people who actually

hate what the Catholic church teaches.

723

:

They hate what they think

the Catholic church teaches.

724

:

And.

725

:

You know, it's these arguments of,

726

:

you know, why, why are you, why

are you praying to dead people?

727

:

That's necromancy.

728

:

That's, that's specifically

warned against in the Bible.

729

:

It's like, actually the scripture

says that he is the God of

730

:

the living, not the dead.

731

:

You are gravely mistaken.

732

:

It's literally the verse.

733

:

So one, she's not dead.

734

:

Number two, well, why are you, why

are you asking her for prayers?

735

:

Well, James 5, 16, the prayer of a

righteous person prevaileth much.

736

:

It's, it's the reminder that

if you are tight with God, he's

737

:

going to listen to your prayers.

738

:

Well, why are her prayers

739

:

matter?

740

:

Well, just go to John chapter two,

where through the behest of our lady

741

:

who sees that the bride and the groom

are out of wine at their, their party.

742

:

Like she says to him,

son, they're out of wine.

743

:

That's intercession.

744

:

And what does Jesus say next?

745

:

He says, how does this concern me?

746

:

I am not a wine distributor.

747

:

No, he says it's not my time, right?

748

:

And so Mary just says to the

servants, do whatever he tells you.

749

:

And like a good Jewish

boy, he listens to his mom.

750

:

And so he's honored.

751

:

He's honored to hear the prayers of

his mother and it was at her behest.

752

:

And if you want to get even deeper, wow.

753

:

Like we could just like open up the rabbit

hole here, but like Notice he calls, he

754

:

says, woman, how does this concern me?

755

:

And people are like, the Protestants,

Protestant friends are like, oh, he

756

:

doesn't even respect his mom, see

757

:

that?

758

:

Well, if that was the case, how could

759

:

he be a hypocrite?

760

:

Because he literally says, honor your

mother and father in the commandment.

761

:

If God doesn't do it, you

think he's being, you know,

762

:

that wouldn't make any sense.

763

:

Why is he saying woman?

764

:

I'll tell you why.

765

:

Very fascinating.

766

:

Because all the way back in Genesis

767

:

chapter 3, verse 15, When Adam and

Eve have sinned and God is doling out

768

:

punishment to both Adam and Eve and the

serpent What does he put in there like an

769

:

easter egg?

770

:

The easter egg is called the proto

evangelion which in Latin means the pre

771

:

good news And what is the pre good news

even in the midst of the punishment

772

:

where it seems like everything's lost?

773

:

God says to the serpent Because you

have done this, you will crawl on

774

:

your belly, you will eat dirt all the

days of your life, blah blah blah.

775

:

And I will put enmity, hatred

between you and the woman, woman,

776

:

between your offspring and hers.

777

:

He, you will strike at his

heel, he will crush your head.

778

:

Okay, now.

779

:

What is happening here?

780

:

Because he's not talking

about Eve, the woman, anymore.

781

:

Because Eve has fallen into original sin,

so she has a lot to do with the devil now.

782

:

But remember, God said, I will put enmity,

which is hatred, complete darkness.

783

:

I mean, you are completely at

odds between you and the woman.

784

:

So he's not talking about Eve

anymore, he's talking about Christ.

785

:

He's talking about Mary.

786

:

Because if you want to,

787

:

oh, I was gonna blow your mind like that.

788

:

Symbolism.

789

:

Track 1: I'm, I'm, this is

already blowing my mind.

790

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324:

of Mary, the woman.

791

:

Right.

792

:

Because once again, let's fast

forward all the way to John.

793

:

Jesus public ministry hasn't

started yet, but at the miracle

794

:

of Canaan, it's about to happen.

795

:

And through the behest of Mary, right,

remember it was at the behest of Eve,

796

:

my husband, try some of this fruit.

797

:

Remember that?

798

:

That was literally

799

:

the, the invitation towards Jesus.

800

:

Disobedience and death.

801

:

Mary was saying to her son, Jesus, who

is the new Adam, she's the new Eve.

802

:

And of course they're not married.

803

:

So the, the, the analogy

doesn't go completely.

804

:

However, Mary says to Jesus,

my son, they're out of wine.

805

:

Right.

806

:

And what does Jesus say?

807

:

Woman, how does this concern me?

808

:

It is not yet my time.

809

:

Meaning, Jesus is like, if you want me

to do what you're asking me to do, you

810

:

understand that my ministry begins now.

811

:

And we are going to fast track all the way

812

:

through towards Calvary.

813

:

And this salvation

814

:

is about to go down, like, and

the suffering that's going to

815

:

have to result prior to that.

816

:

And Mary says to the servants,

do whatever he tells you.

817

:

How does this concern me?

818

:

Woman, right?

819

:

And then let's keep moving

forward towards Calvary.

820

:

What happens as he's dying on the cross?

821

:

What does he say to her?

822

:

Woman, behold your son.

823

:

Okay.

824

:

Woman, right?

825

:

It's, it's absolutely wild

how it's all here, but let's,

826

:

let's take it a step further.

827

:

Remember that, that proto Evangelion,

Genesis 3 15, you will strike at his heel.

828

:

He's talking to the devil,

and he will crush your head.

829

:

Do you know that Golgotha actually

means the place of the skull?

830

:

So consider the imagery of Christ's cross

831

:

literally piercing the skull of that

mountain and the skull of the enemy.

832

:

He is literally fulfilling prophetically

what was uttered thousands and thousands

833

:

of years ago, and that had to do with

Mary, and that had to do with Christ.

834

:

And so Mary is wrapped up cosmically,

uh, in scripture from Genesis all

835

:

the way to Revelation to when John

is seeing that vision and it said

836

:

the ancient serpent, um, was there

trying to devour her child, right?

837

:

This woman who is clothed with

the sun with the moon under her

838

:

feet, crowned with twelve stars.

839

:

And it says, um, there was another

interesting verse in there where it says

840

:

that, um, the enemy, the serpent waged

fury against her children or her father,

841

:

like I'd have to pull up the exact verse,

but it speaks to the fact that this

842

:

cosmic battle has been waging on for

thousands of years and it's precisely,

843

:

it's ultimately against God versus

844

:

Satan, but Mary has such

a pivotal role in all.

845

:

And so here's the thing

without sacred tradition.

846

:

Without the authority of the church to

interpret, to bind them to loose and to

847

:

help give us insight, naturally, it's

really hard for non Catholics to just

848

:

read scripture at face value and come

up with these conclusions by themselves.

849

:

And this is why there's so much

misunderstanding about her.

850

:

Because she doesn't say a

whole lot in scripture, right?

851

:

She has like a pretty pivotal like place

in the early chapters of Luke, but then

852

:

she's just kind of MIA for a while.

853

:

She just kind of has these

little guest appearances.

854

:

And so people are like,

they misunderstand her.

855

:

They don't like her.

856

:

But beyond just not misunderstanding

her and being confused about her,

857

:

I feel like it just gets wrapped up

once again in that cosmic battle.

858

:

Satan hates her.

859

:

In a very particular way, in

a very particular way, St.

860

:

Louis de Montfort, who wrote

True Devotion to Mary, whose

861

:

book has widely influenced St.

862

:

John Paul II, so much so that

his papal motto, totus tuus,

863

:

comes from a prayer that St.

864

:

Louis de Montfort wrote, totus tuus

ego sum et omnia mea tuus sunt,

865

:

which basically means, Mary, I am

yours and everything I have is yours.

866

:

It's a total entrustment to Mary

867

:

because his understanding, it

was, he had no qualms about this.

868

:

It wasn't idol worship.

869

:

There wasn't Mary replacing Jesus.

870

:

It was the understanding that if God

could entrust his only begotten son to

871

:

the woman married for nine months and

beyond, as he raised, as she raised him.

872

:

Then who am I to say that I can't entrust

myself spiritually to Mary, right?

873

:

I mean, yeah, it's pretty clear, you

know, our faith, it's just so important

874

:

to, it's just so helpful, and it's so

important that we don't singularly rely

875

:

on ourselves to interpret Scripture.

876

:

Because there is, one, such a

877

:

wealth of knowledge, but And I get into

conversations about this all the time,

878

:

um, you know, debates, if you want to

call it that, online, where I'll post

879

:

anything remotely Catholic on my social

media, and then, you know, a whole,

880

:

like, tribe of disgruntled Protestants

will be telling me why I'm wrong, and

881

:

why I'm going to hell, why Catholics

aren't Christians, and why Mary is

882

:

idolatry, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

883

:

And, you know, there's just these

fundamental gaps in their understanding

884

:

of why I believe what I believe.

885

:

And it's because Christ, He

didn't leave us with the Bible.

886

:

He left us with the church.

887

:

I mean, he did leave us with the

Bible in the sense that he inspired

888

:

the word of God and there were

all these scrolls in circulation.

889

:

But the fact of the matter is

it wasn't until the year 397 A.

890

:

D.

891

:

and the Council of Rome or Carthage,

whatever you want to call it, that the

892

:

canon of Scripture was all put together.

893

:

And so, The question becomes like, what

did the early Christians do for the first

894

:

400 years then before the Bible dropped?

895

:

Right.

896

:

And even when it dropped, it's not

like we had the printing press.

897

:

So they couldn't read

898

:

it for themselves.

899

:

What was being taught?

900

:

Well, St.

901

:

Paul in second

902

:

Thessalonians says that, hold

on, hold fast the traditions that

903

:

I've helped, I've passed on to you

through writing and word of mouth.

904

:

So the word of God came to the early

905

:

Christians in two ways, through

scripture and through preaching, meaning.

906

:

That it's not about sola scriptura,

which is a heretical understanding

907

:

that the Word of God alone suffices

and that is our only source of

908

:

information about what God wants.

909

:

But according to St.

910

:

Paul in this verse, he's saying, uh,

the Word of God came to you in two

911

:

ways through writing and preaching.

912

:

So, just because it's not explicitly

said in the Bible doesn't mean

913

:

that it's not part of our faith.

914

:

And I'll give you a primary example.

915

:

The Trinity.

916

:

The scripture literally

doesn't even use that word.

917

:

Nor does it explicitly

express that God is one in

918

:

nature and three distinct persons.

919

:

You know that early

Christians for hundreds of

920

:

years, like, fought and

squabbled over this?

921

:

When you're trying to figure out

who is God, what is the belief here?

922

:

Are they all this?

923

:

Are they all equal?

924

:

Are they like kind of equal?

925

:

Did God create Jesus

or was Jesus begotten,

926

:

not made consubstantial with the father?

927

:

Like we had the luxury of sitting here and

like saying the creed, like it's no big

928

:

deal.

929

:

And yet the church like had to labor over

930

:

like figuring out what is

God saying to the church?

931

:

And so anyways, I'm going down a bit

of a rabbit hole, but when it, whether,

932

:

whether it's the Trinity, whether it's

scripture, whether it's Mary, it's like.

933

:

We're so blessed as Catholics to have

this relationship with her, to have this

934

:

understanding of who God made her to be.

935

:

And for me personally, like firsthand

experiencing how profound her role

936

:

is, like in our lives and how she does

intercede for us and how she is truly a

937

:

mother to us, um, has been a real comfort.

938

:

And so, um, yeah, that's, that's great.

939

:

that's a bit of the story.

940

:

Track 1: Paul, that was so amazing.

941

:

I feel like we just got, like, not

only, like, the heart, you know, like,

942

:

your testimony, but we also got the

head, like, we just got, like, a, like,

943

:

crash course, theology course that, uh,

I, I enjoyed so much and I feel like

944

:

everything you mentioned are like tidbits

of scripture and revelation that I feel

945

:

like I've heard in different talks or

different books, but put all together

946

:

in, in that way that you presented it,

it just makes it, like you said, like.

947

:

So abundantly clear how pivotal

of a role the Lord gave to Mary

948

:

and how it's not, you know, he's

not, she's not just his mother.

949

:

Like I've heard Protestants say that a

lot, like, yeah, like sure you can like,

950

:

you know, respect that she was the mother

of Jesus, but like, that's about it.

951

:

But you, you hear all this and you

say like, there's so much more than.

952

:

Just his mom, you know, which alone

is like a good and holy and honorable

953

:

task, but the way that she plays a

role in salvation history to bring

954

:

us the salvation of Christ, the way

that she played a role in your life

955

:

and in my family's life in mine.

956

:

And I know so many other people

who Mary has interceded for

957

:

and has just actively like.

958

:

Like you said, like, I think

you called it signal graces.

959

:

I feel like what I've heard

before is like stocks.

960

:

Like sometimes you get

like a saint, like stocks.

961

:

You like Mary sometimes just like

962

:

stalks you, tracks you down.

963

:

And she's like, no, seriously,

like, let me into your life.

964

:

I want to show you who my son is.

965

:

Um, so everything you said,

it was so, so beautiful.

966

:

Um, wow.

967

:

I just like, we, mic drop.

968

:

We could just end it right there.

969

:

That was great.

970

:

paul-j--kim_1_04-16-2024_130324: Yeah.

971

:

No, it's, it's, yeah,

she's, she's amazing.

972

:

And.

973

:

Yeah, just having experienced it and

also, you know, just furthered my

974

:

studies about Mariology and just kind

of diving into the beauty of our faith.

975

:

It really is so eye opening and it's so

important, I feel, for Catholics of any

976

:

age and any walk of life to also learn

apologetics, right, which is ultimately

977

:

the defense, defending our Catholic faith.

978

:

And not to defend it that, you know, we

have to somehow frantically try to defend

979

:

that it is the fullness of what Christ

left for us, but, but more just a witness

980

:

to like people who really don't know and

who have misinformation, who have been

981

:

told lies and whether it's about Mary,

whether it's about the sacraments, whether

982

:

it's about the community of saints or the

Eucharist or any other Catholic thing,

983

:

it's like, We have literally no need to

be ashamed, but we should be thankful.

984

:

And with that level of thankfulness

and gratitude to like, go out

985

:

and give witness to the world

of like the beauty of our faith.

986

:

And, um, as I think first Peter says in

scripture that, you know, be ready to give

987

:

an account for the reason of your hope.

988

:

Right.

989

:

And that ultimately is Christ, but also

like, yeah, just to like, be ready,

990

:

be ready, um, by learning about our

faith, like filling your mind with

991

:

what is good, true, and beautiful

learning the why behind the what, and

992

:

you don't have to know everything.

993

:

I certainly don't know everything.

994

:

Um, I'm very far from it, but.

995

:

But there's certain things that I'm

versed in where, yeah, I can, I can

996

:

share when someone has a question.

997

:

And so, yeah, I just encourage people

to learn about their faith, to dive in.

998

:

There's a lot of great resources

out there on apologetics.

999

:

I think one of the most OG

ones is like Catholic answers.

:

00:50:32,668 --> 00:50:36,328

They have pretty cool

podcast and YouTube videos.

:

00:50:36,348 --> 00:50:40,758

And, um, and if you don't know

something that somebody is asking you

:

00:50:40,758 --> 00:50:43,658

or challenging you about, there's no

shame in saying, that's a great question.

:

00:50:43,658 --> 00:50:46,618

I don't know how to answer that, but I'm

going to look into it and get back to you.

:

00:50:47,588 --> 00:50:49,568

And fair enough, go look into it and come

:

00:50:49,568 --> 00:50:50,158

back and have the

:

00:50:50,443 --> 00:50:50,883

Track 1: totally.

:

00:50:51,403 --> 00:50:52,383

-:

But don't make stuff up.

:

00:50:53,763 --> 00:50:54,473

Track 1: True, true.

:

00:50:54,473 --> 00:50:55,123

Definitely not.

:

00:50:55,613 --> 00:50:56,343

That's beautiful.

:

00:50:56,393 --> 00:50:59,393

So we talked a lot about Mary and

obviously the amazing role that

:

00:50:59,393 --> 00:51:02,043

she has played in your life and

that she plays in all of our lives.

:

00:51:02,083 --> 00:51:03,503

Um, what about the rosary?

:

00:51:03,523 --> 00:51:07,553

That's something that Mary says a lot

in her apparitions that many saints

:

00:51:07,553 --> 00:51:12,223

have spoken about that clearly is a,

also a pivotal, um, you know, thing

:

00:51:12,223 --> 00:51:13,693

that we should be paying attention to.

:

00:51:13,693 --> 00:51:14,043

So.

:

00:51:14,403 --> 00:51:17,563

What has the role of the rosary

been in your life, or what are some

:

00:51:17,563 --> 00:51:20,273

words of, you know, wisdom about

the rosary that you would like

:

00:51:20,343 --> 00:51:24,223

-:

yeah, um, that prayer has been just

:

00:51:24,233 --> 00:51:29,223

profoundly helpful in, in ways that I

can both describe and I can't describe.

:

00:51:29,533 --> 00:51:32,123

Because, you know, when

we pray, it's hard to

:

00:51:32,123 --> 00:51:34,423

quantify, like, what exactly is happening.

:

00:51:35,103 --> 00:51:37,583

You know, when we go to the sacrament

confession, we make a good confession.

:

00:51:37,583 --> 00:51:39,513

We know that our sins have

been washed away that much.

:

00:51:39,513 --> 00:51:42,738

We understand, but like, When it

comes to prayer, reading of scripture,

:

00:51:42,738 --> 00:51:44,338

like, what is, what is happening?

:

00:51:45,028 --> 00:51:48,768

It's hard to figure out how to answer

that, but I will say that through

:

00:51:48,768 --> 00:51:53,638

the years as I've, as I've prayed the

rosary, as I've made that part of my

:

00:51:53,638 --> 00:51:58,628

devotional life as a Catholic, and um,

I've, I've seen the fruits of that.

:

00:51:58,728 --> 00:52:00,888

I've seen my life change.

:

00:52:00,958 --> 00:52:02,488

I've seen my faith grow.

:

00:52:02,768 --> 00:52:04,628

I've seen certain sins.

:

00:52:05,593 --> 00:52:09,693

Little literally be broken, like the

chains that, you know, enslaved me

:

00:52:09,723 --> 00:52:14,283

through different sins, um, literally

be broken away because of the grace.

:

00:52:14,313 --> 00:52:17,383

I believe that God gave me

through the intercession of

:

00:52:17,383 --> 00:52:19,113

our lady to be freed of them.

:

00:52:20,213 --> 00:52:24,553

Uh, Mary, as you had mentioned in

apparitions, as she's kind of like.

:

00:52:25,813 --> 00:52:28,943

Appeared in different countries at

different times throughout the history

:

00:52:28,943 --> 00:52:33,033

of the church for various reasons,

but oftentimes those messages are

:

00:52:33,033 --> 00:52:39,253

the same and it's that with earth

and the people of this world and

:

00:52:39,253 --> 00:52:43,833

the people of God need to return to

God, like it's a mother coming as a

:

00:52:43,863 --> 00:52:46,013

concerned mother to warn her children.

:

00:52:46,383 --> 00:52:49,493

And not out of like fear mongering,

but out of genuine concern,

:

00:52:49,493 --> 00:52:56,343

like, Hey, you need to change, or

there's going to be like suffering and

:

00:52:56,343 --> 00:52:59,113

punishment that are going to be incurred

:

00:52:59,123 --> 00:52:59,543

here.

:

00:53:00,373 --> 00:53:04,003

And it's not because God is out to

punish the world, but it's because

:

00:53:04,003 --> 00:53:09,943

like the sins of men and women are

like filling the cup so much that it's

:

00:53:09,963 --> 00:53:14,203

going to overflow and people reap, reap

:

00:53:14,253 --> 00:53:16,893

the fruit of the ugliness of sin.

:

00:53:17,708 --> 00:53:23,378

And so, like, she's appeared in

Portugal, in Fatima, in Akita, Japan,

:

00:53:23,918 --> 00:53:30,688

in Mexico City, in Kibeho, Africa, I

mean, literally every culture and race

:

00:53:30,688 --> 00:53:32,998

you can think of, like, she's appeared.

:

00:53:33,938 --> 00:53:34,608

And when she

:

00:53:34,608 --> 00:53:38,658

appears, she's usually

saying the same stuff.

:

00:53:39,038 --> 00:53:43,978

Pray the rosary, return

to my son Jesus, right?

:

00:53:44,038 --> 00:53:45,328

Receive the Eucharist.

:

00:53:46,078 --> 00:53:55,548

Um, stop doing sketch, read the

word, pray and fast, you know, pray

:

00:53:55,548 --> 00:54:00,258

for others, repent, I mean, just like

the key, key things in the gospel,

:

00:54:00,258 --> 00:54:00,698

right.

:

00:54:01,008 --> 00:54:03,168

Repent and believe in

the gospel ultimately.

:

00:54:03,958 --> 00:54:04,658

And so, yeah.

:

00:54:04,658 --> 00:54:09,988

Mary has, in some sense, with a

lowercase s, right, she has saved me

:

00:54:10,138 --> 00:54:16,368

by leading me to the Savior, who has

capital S saved me on the cross, right?

:

00:54:17,258 --> 00:54:21,468

And so, we all have a role to play

in, I mean, in some sense, it's

:

00:54:21,478 --> 00:54:23,548

not us who save anybody, really.

:

00:54:23,578 --> 00:54:26,178

It's the Holy, it's the work of

the Holy Spirit, and ultimately

:

00:54:26,178 --> 00:54:27,758

it's, it's God himself.

:

00:54:28,758 --> 00:54:31,218

But does he delight in using us?

:

00:54:31,568 --> 00:54:32,278

Absolutely.

:

00:54:32,568 --> 00:54:35,628

Does he delight in allowing us

to be instruments of his grace?

:

00:54:35,658 --> 00:54:36,498

100%.

:

00:54:36,548 --> 00:54:42,448

In fact, I'm forgetting where in scripture

right now, but it basically says that we

:

00:54:42,448 --> 00:54:45,288

are coworkers of Christ in his vineyard.

:

00:54:45,763 --> 00:54:46,903

We are co workers.

:

00:54:47,633 --> 00:54:48,613

And what does that mean?

:

00:54:48,673 --> 00:54:54,283

I mean, it means that God is delighted

to invite us into his work of salvation.

:

00:54:55,163 --> 00:55:00,583

And we see that as the last commandment

to the disciples is, you know, baptize

:

00:55:00,593 --> 00:55:04,173

all nations, you know, make disciples

of all nations, baptizing them in the

:

00:55:04,173 --> 00:55:05,563

name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

:

00:55:05,633 --> 00:55:11,023

He gave them a very particular role

in partnering, being co workers,

:

00:55:11,643 --> 00:55:16,003

to preach the word, to give witness

so that his word could go forth.

:

00:55:16,923 --> 00:55:20,873

And so when you look at Mary, I

mean, she does that par excellence.

:

00:55:20,873 --> 00:55:22,793

Like she is the premier missionary.

:

00:55:22,793 --> 00:55:26,353

I mean, just consider

like:

:

00:55:26,383 --> 00:55:30,423

reformation is happening and an

estimated, you know, 10 million

:

00:55:30,423 --> 00:55:36,073

people leave the Catholic church as

they join the Protestant sect and.

:

00:55:36,383 --> 00:55:40,883

Obviously that's a huge heartbreak to, to

God because he didn't pray for division.

:

00:55:40,953 --> 00:55:41,893

He prayed that they would all

:

00:55:41,893 --> 00:55:42,383

be one.

:

00:55:42,453 --> 00:55:43,873

That's what he prayed at the last supper.

:

00:55:44,013 --> 00:55:47,913

And it was, I'm pretty sure it

wasn't his will for his people to be

:

00:55:47,913 --> 00:55:52,333

splintered off into several different

denominations, tens of thousands

:

00:55:52,333 --> 00:55:54,023

of different churches in:

:

00:55:54,023 --> 00:55:55,013

This is not his will.

:

00:55:55,458 --> 00:55:57,408

And sure, there were problems

in the church at the time,

:

00:55:57,428 --> 00:55:58,938

and there always will be.

:

00:55:58,968 --> 00:56:01,858

Um, there's this funny quote, I forget who

:

00:56:01,858 --> 00:56:02,258

said it,

:

00:56:02,473 --> 00:56:02,593

Track 1: hmm.

:

00:56:03,328 --> 00:56:06,558

-:

it was some bishop, and he had a real,

:

00:56:07,383 --> 00:56:07,473

Track 1: I

:

00:56:07,548 --> 00:56:08,568

-:

he had some real sense of humor,

:

00:56:08,568 --> 00:56:12,308

but basically someone's like, the

Catholic church will destroy itself.

:

00:56:12,778 --> 00:56:16,568

And the bishop looks at this person

and says, sir, we have tried to destroy

:

00:56:16,588 --> 00:56:19,738

ourselves for hundreds of years,

and we have not been able to do it.

:

00:56:22,360 --> 00:56:24,230

Track 1: That wasn't the

one that I was thinking of.

:

00:56:24,230 --> 00:56:27,670

The one quote that I've heard is

like, Oh gosh, it was like, if you're

:

00:56:27,670 --> 00:56:29,590

trying to find a perfect church,

:

00:56:29,890 --> 00:56:33,880

like, wait till you join it, and now

it's, now it's no longer a perfect church,

:

00:56:33,880 --> 00:56:37,890

you know, because like, every church is

run by humans, and we're all imperfect,

:

00:56:37,900 --> 00:56:40,750

so good luck finding a perfect church.

:

00:56:41,145 --> 00:56:44,165

-:

on that note, yeah, our faith, our

:

00:56:44,195 --> 00:56:48,825

Catholic faith, our Catholic church is

perfect in so far as we're talking about

:

00:56:48,825 --> 00:56:50,295

Christ, who is the head of the church.

:

00:56:50,765 --> 00:56:52,355

It is very imperfect.

:

00:56:53,115 --> 00:56:53,335

If

:

00:56:53,335 --> 00:56:57,425

we are referencing all of its

members, all of us, but Mary,

:

00:56:58,225 --> 00:56:59,795

but going back to Mary, she's different.

:

00:57:00,795 --> 00:57:05,845

Because she received in a more excellent

way, this gift of salvation and through

:

00:57:05,845 --> 00:57:09,355

a singular grace given to her by God,

she not only was conceived without

:

00:57:09,355 --> 00:57:10,785

original sin, but she never sinned.

:

00:57:11,935 --> 00:57:18,065

And when she was assumed body and soul

into heaven, she is the premier disciple.

:

00:57:18,225 --> 00:57:21,605

She is showing all of us like

what we are truly called to be.

:

00:57:22,535 --> 00:57:26,985

And while we are not sinless and we

have all fallen short of the glory

:

00:57:26,985 --> 00:57:34,685

of God, she still gives us hope that,

um, that through the grace of God, she

:

00:57:34,685 --> 00:57:36,670

was able to win the race in her life.

:

00:57:37,110 --> 00:57:38,580

in such a beautiful way.

:

00:57:39,330 --> 00:57:44,580

And she was able to fulfill, um,

ultimately that pre good news that

:

00:57:44,580 --> 00:57:48,610

even God in His mercy was, was

saying back in Genesis chapter three.

:

00:57:49,740 --> 00:57:54,620

And so, you know, she doesn't flaunt

that she's very humble about it.

:

00:57:54,630 --> 00:57:58,630

She gives praise and glory back to the

Almighty who has done great things for

:

00:57:58,630 --> 00:58:00,490

her and wants to do great things in us.

:

00:58:01,360 --> 00:58:04,490

Um, but I believe going back to

the process of reformation and

:

00:58:04,960 --> 00:58:08,360

10 million, an estimated nine, 10

million people leaving the church.

:

00:58:09,110 --> 00:58:12,080

Well, not too long after that

moment, guess what happens?

:

00:58:12,090 --> 00:58:17,860

She appears to Juan Diego in

Mexico in a, in a, in Mexico at

:

00:58:17,860 --> 00:58:23,550

the time where there's, you know, the

Aztec culture, um, they were doing

:

00:58:23,550 --> 00:58:25,530

terrible things like human sacrifices.

:

00:58:25,530 --> 00:58:28,830

They, they were under the

impression that in order to keep the

:

00:58:28,940 --> 00:58:32,540

God, lower case G of the

sun and the moon happy.

:

00:58:33,030 --> 00:58:34,730

You had to sacrifice human blood.

:

00:58:35,590 --> 00:58:40,650

And so it was terrible, terrible human

rights violations to say the least, and

:

00:58:40,650 --> 00:58:42,130

just terrible things happening there.

:

00:58:43,110 --> 00:58:43,430

And

:

00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:49,690

simultaneously the Spaniards show

up to colonize, uh, that country.

:

00:58:49,890 --> 00:58:50,740

And typically when you're colonizing.

:

00:58:52,275 --> 00:58:55,795

And enforcing your religion,

it doesn't go well.

:

00:58:56,235 --> 00:58:59,145

And so there's not a lot

of converts to Catholicism,

:

00:58:59,210 --> 00:58:59,590

Track 1: No.

:

00:58:59,675 --> 00:59:02,515

-:

among them, among those converts is a

:

00:59:02,515 --> 00:59:08,435

man named Juan Diego, very humble man who

loves God and loves the church and is, is

:

00:59:08,435 --> 00:59:10,865

just serving just very simply and humbly.

:

00:59:11,355 --> 00:59:15,195

And Mary appears to him and basically.

:

00:59:16,130 --> 00:59:18,470

Sends him to the local Bishop with a sign.

:

00:59:18,470 --> 00:59:21,980

And the sign is that image of

the Tilma, our Lady Guadalupe

:

00:59:22,030 --> 00:59:23,040

that I was talking about earlier.

:

00:59:24,030 --> 00:59:24,900

And it's fascinating.

:

00:59:24,930 --> 00:59:28,800

Um, as I, I led a pilgrimage there a

few years ago, and, um, it was just

:

00:59:28,800 --> 00:59:35,370

a beautiful, uh, beautiful sort of

fulfillment of having experienced

:

00:59:35,370 --> 00:59:37,680

her intercession throughout my days.

:

00:59:37,730 --> 00:59:39,030

And then now.

:

00:59:39,475 --> 00:59:45,095

In my, my adulthood as a husband, as

a dad, um, with all this reflection

:

00:59:45,105 --> 00:59:49,075

in my past, like to be able to go to

the Basilica and see the actual image

:

00:59:49,075 --> 00:59:52,485

was very touching because for me,

it was just a trip of Thanksgiving.

:

00:59:53,145 --> 00:59:57,185

And so anyways, um, Mary appears

to Juan Diego and says, take these

:

00:59:57,185 --> 01:00:01,685

roses, which, um, we're not supposed

to be growing in December in Mexico.

:

01:00:01,915 --> 01:00:03,035

Back in the:

:

01:00:03,175 --> 01:00:04,385

And they weren't supposed to be

:

01:00:04,385 --> 01:00:07,015

growing in Mexico at all because

they were Castilian roses.

:

01:00:07,065 --> 01:00:08,805

They were roses that were unique to Spain.

:

01:00:09,665 --> 01:00:12,585

So there's no explanation

as to why these were there.

:

01:00:12,595 --> 01:00:16,165

But she said, take these roses,

tie them up in your toma,

:

01:00:16,195 --> 01:00:17,795

which was a cactus fiber fiber.

:

01:00:18,125 --> 01:00:20,835

Pancho and he was wearing one.

:

01:00:20,895 --> 01:00:23,045

So he ties it and takes

it to the local bishop.

:

01:00:23,045 --> 01:00:28,765

So Bishop Zuma and says, you know,

uh, our lady has sent me with a sign.

:

01:00:29,075 --> 01:00:34,215

He unties his Tilma and then the

roses fall out miracle one, cause

:

01:00:34,215 --> 01:00:35,095

they shouldn't have been growing.

:

01:00:35,095 --> 01:00:36,765

And they were from his native country of

:

01:00:36,765 --> 01:00:37,325

Spain.

:

01:00:38,225 --> 01:00:39,475

And number two,

:

01:00:39,995 --> 01:00:44,405

the image of our lady, Guadalupe

is emblazoned on, on his Tilma.

:

01:00:44,865 --> 01:00:46,855

And that's the image that we have today.

:

01:00:46,970 --> 01:00:47,530

Track 1: it's hard not to.

:

01:00:47,655 --> 01:00:50,635

-:

image, there's no explanation for it.

:

01:00:50,655 --> 01:00:52,275

It's miraculous in every way.

:

01:00:52,285 --> 01:00:57,445

Like as scientists have examined this

thing, the tilna has like cactus fiber.

:

01:00:57,455 --> 01:00:57,555

It

:

01:00:57,555 --> 01:00:59,695

has a shelf life of 30, 40 years tops.

:

01:00:59,695 --> 01:01:02,455

It's been around for almost 500 years, you

:

01:01:02,455 --> 01:01:02,705

know?

:

01:01:02,725 --> 01:01:11,725

And when this image dropped back in

the:

:

01:01:11,725 --> 01:01:16,125

shock waves through that nation because

whenever people would look upon this The

:

01:01:16,125 --> 01:01:19,565

image itself was so compelling to them.

:

01:01:20,650 --> 01:01:21,610

And compelling for many

:

01:01:21,610 --> 01:01:22,290

reasons.

:

01:01:22,330 --> 01:01:25,370

Compelling because if you look

at the image, you see that she's

:

01:01:25,370 --> 01:01:26,610

standing on top of the moon.

:

01:01:27,730 --> 01:01:30,470

Remember they worshipped the

moon, the god of the moon.

:

01:01:30,540 --> 01:01:32,470

Well, that means she's

greater than the moon.

:

01:01:33,210 --> 01:01:34,590

And who is she standing in front of?

:

01:01:34,600 --> 01:01:35,020

The sun.

:

01:01:35,030 --> 01:01:35,390

There's sun

:

01:01:35,830 --> 01:01:36,590

rays behind her.

:

01:01:36,670 --> 01:01:42,560

So, in art, that basically shows that

she's greater than the thing behind her.

:

01:01:42,860 --> 01:01:43,800

She's greater than the sun.

:

01:01:43,830 --> 01:01:45,030

Okay, so do we worship her?

:

01:01:45,920 --> 01:01:48,150

No, because she has her

hands clasped in prayer.

:

01:01:48,565 --> 01:01:51,945

And her head tilted down, which means

she is submitting to someone else.

:

01:01:52,965 --> 01:01:53,985

Who might that someone else

:

01:01:53,985 --> 01:01:54,445

be?

:

01:01:54,565 --> 01:01:58,255

Well, if you look closely, like around her

neck, she has this insignia of the cross,

:

01:01:58,790 --> 01:01:58,920

Track 1: around the world.

:

01:01:59,225 --> 01:02:00,445

-:

she worships the God of the

:

01:02:00,445 --> 01:02:01,205

Spaniards.

:

01:02:01,865 --> 01:02:02,485

Whoa.

:

01:02:02,726 --> 01:02:03,278

Track 1: Yeah.

:

01:02:03,385 --> 01:02:03,675

-:

:

01:02:03,675 --> 01:02:06,885

But not only that, if you look at

her face, this is very important.

:

01:02:06,895 --> 01:02:10,945

She is neither full, fully

Aztec and indigenous, and

:

01:02:10,945 --> 01:02:12,235

she's neither fully Spaniard.

:

01:02:12,275 --> 01:02:12,725

She's.

:

01:02:13,435 --> 01:02:14,775

A mixture of both.

:

01:02:15,935 --> 01:02:21,995

She is, she is, um, in other words,

if she was alive at that time,

:

01:02:21,995 --> 01:02:25,855

she would have had indigenous and

Spanish parents come together and

:

01:02:25,855 --> 01:02:28,075

that's what her complexion revealed.

:

01:02:28,495 --> 01:02:32,385

And so that too was a very beautiful

touch because it was Mary saying,

:

01:02:32,415 --> 01:02:33,755

I am the mother of all of you.

:

01:02:35,445 --> 01:02:36,505

I want you to get along.

:

01:02:38,165 --> 01:02:44,855

And then, and then she has, um, she

has this fur around her, um, her

:

01:02:44,855 --> 01:02:47,415

wrists and that was a sign of royalty.

:

01:02:47,745 --> 01:02:51,305

So she's a queen, but then she

also has a sash around her stomach.

:

01:02:51,305 --> 01:02:53,265

And that was a sign that

she was pregnant with child.

:

01:02:54,455 --> 01:03:00,555

And even the decorations of the

flowers on her, on her dress for

:

01:03:00,555 --> 01:03:04,535

the ancient Aztec people, this

wasn't just a decorative feature.

:

01:03:04,545 --> 01:03:08,695

It was literally, it told stories,

it told history, it told a message.

:

01:03:09,605 --> 01:03:11,585

And so all of these things combined.

:

01:03:12,460 --> 01:03:15,770

When the ancient Aztecs looked

upon this image, which was out of

:

01:03:15,770 --> 01:03:19,620

this world, because once again,

it was completely miraculous.

:

01:03:19,670 --> 01:03:21,500

They didn't have technology to print this.

:

01:03:22,090 --> 01:03:24,030

You know, it's not like

someone painted it.

:

01:03:24,040 --> 01:03:27,500

In fact, when scientists have

actually zoomed in on the fabric,

:

01:03:27,520 --> 01:03:29,720

there's no discernible brushstroke.

:

01:03:29,720 --> 01:03:31,400

There's no sign of it being painted.

:

01:03:32,530 --> 01:03:35,240

And so once again, it was

so compelling to them.

:

01:03:35,270 --> 01:03:40,210

It was such a powerful witness

that the mother of God was coming

:

01:03:40,210 --> 01:03:44,270

to Mexico and being a missionary,

like only she knew how to do.

:

01:03:44,930 --> 01:03:48,470

And over the course of the next

decade, there was an estimated 10

:

01:03:48,470 --> 01:03:50,210

million converts to the Catholic faith.

:

01:03:51,160 --> 01:03:56,410

And so, ironically, when the Reformation,

you know, made 10 million leave, Mary came

:

01:03:56,410 --> 01:03:58,330

to Mexico and made 10 million more appear.

:

01:03:59,360 --> 01:04:02,580

And once again, leading everyone

to her son, leading them to

:

01:04:02,580 --> 01:04:04,960

Jesus, not to herself, to her son.

:

01:04:05,820 --> 01:04:07,750

And whatever honor we give to Mary,

:

01:04:08,280 --> 01:04:12,760

as, as I went to that basilica a couple

of years ago on her feast day, December

:

01:04:12,760 --> 01:04:14,020

12th, I was gathered with my family.

:

01:04:15,180 --> 01:04:19,270

There was an estimated like nine,

I think it was like, no, no, no.

:

01:04:19,450 --> 01:04:22,630

I think it was like 10, 11 million people

who showed up over the course of a week.

:

01:04:22,670 --> 01:04:24,140

Like, this is no joke in Mexico.

:

01:04:25,273 --> 01:04:25,573

Track 1: Yeah.

:

01:04:25,623 --> 01:04:26,033

No, I know.

:

01:04:26,173 --> 01:04:28,353

We went last summer and it was beautiful.

:

01:04:28,448 --> 01:04:28,908

-:

:

01:04:28,938 --> 01:04:29,378

Yeah.

:

01:04:29,958 --> 01:04:32,008

I don't know what it's like in

the summer, but on the feast day,

:

01:04:32,028 --> 01:04:33,198

it's crazy.

:

01:04:33,263 --> 01:04:34,383

Track 1: I can't imagine going,

:

01:04:34,598 --> 01:04:35,178

-:

are packed.

:

01:04:35,603 --> 01:04:37,433

Track 1: I can't imagine

going during the feast day.

:

01:04:37,433 --> 01:04:41,543

I mean, we went, yeah, we went in the

summer and it was like, it was pretty

:

01:04:41,543 --> 01:04:45,493

full, but, and we, I remember being there

and us being just like, wow, imagine

:

01:04:45,493 --> 01:04:47,703

what it would be like on December 12th.

:

01:04:47,723 --> 01:04:51,463

Like you probably, like not

even standing room only.

:

01:04:51,588 --> 01:04:53,358

-:

you're literally like shoulder to shoulder

:

01:04:53,358 --> 01:04:57,798

with like hundreds of thousands of people

who are all trying to get in and trying

:

01:04:57,798 --> 01:05:01,848

to walk past the miraculous image and

whoever the engineers at this Basilica

:

01:05:01,848 --> 01:05:02,958

where they're actually really smart.

:

01:05:02,958 --> 01:05:05,538

Cause there's basically

like four lanes of like,

:

01:05:06,108 --> 01:05:10,908

uh, flat escalators that are ensuring

that people don't just like camp out.

:

01:05:11,108 --> 01:05:11,528

Track 1: Right.

:

01:05:11,538 --> 01:05:12,948

You just zoom on through.

:

01:05:13,138 --> 01:05:13,858

-:

It's like a ride.

:

01:05:15,518 --> 01:05:17,168

Track 1: I mean, I wrote

it like four times.

:

01:05:17,178 --> 01:05:18,088

I like got on.

:

01:05:18,118 --> 01:05:19,578

I was like, Oh my gosh, that's Mary.

:

01:05:19,578 --> 01:05:20,558

And I was like, wait,

:

01:05:20,848 --> 01:05:22,378

that I just, I got to do it again.

:

01:05:22,383 --> 01:05:23,853

-:

was, that was literally me.

:

01:05:23,883 --> 01:05:25,393

I was like a ride at Disneyland.

:

01:05:25,393 --> 01:05:28,993

You know, I gotta get back on and I gotta

:

01:05:28,993 --> 01:05:29,963

see our mother again.

:

01:05:30,098 --> 01:05:30,458

Track 1: Yes.

:

01:05:30,508 --> 01:05:30,858

Same.

:

01:05:30,893 --> 01:05:34,403

-:

anyways, when I went there and I saw,

:

01:05:34,823 --> 01:05:38,263

you know, the hundreds of thousands

of people and the devotion that these,

:

01:05:39,243 --> 01:05:45,803

these Mexican Catholics had, um, as they

greeted their, their reina, their queen,

:

01:05:47,663 --> 01:05:50,733

It was very, it was very like compelling.

:

01:05:50,733 --> 01:05:56,183

It was very beautiful because as I

watched them honor our lady, I, I,

:

01:05:56,183 --> 01:06:00,993

couldn't help, but think back to what

Mary did for Mexico, what Mary did for

:

01:06:01,003 --> 01:06:05,213

me, what Mary has done for countless

people through the ages and leading

:

01:06:05,213 --> 01:06:10,303

them, not only being such a humble vessel

to accept God's will, but to literally

:

01:06:10,303 --> 01:06:14,603

be the vessel, which gave birth to

the Lord that fashioned his humanity.

:

01:06:15,028 --> 01:06:19,908

And even in heaven, she

continues to love on us.

:

01:06:20,633 --> 01:06:25,723

Her children and to want one

desire, and that is for us to

:

01:06:25,723 --> 01:06:27,763

also be saved by her son, Jesus.

:

01:06:29,003 --> 01:06:30,413

It's pretty amazing actually.

:

01:06:31,413 --> 01:06:33,783

So yeah, to be in Guadalupe and to kind of

:

01:06:33,823 --> 01:06:40,543

like wrap that up in a bow, it was, um,

yeah, it was very amazing to just see

:

01:06:40,543 --> 01:06:45,143

the devotion there because of all the

history of this culture and the people.

:

01:06:45,183 --> 01:06:52,673

But ironically, as someone who's not even

Mexican, who is very much Korean American.

:

01:06:54,853 --> 01:06:59,173

To see how Our Lady for some reason

was appearing to me, not literally

:

01:06:59,173 --> 01:07:00,603

in a vision, but, you know.

:

01:07:01,143 --> 01:07:02,343

In a mysterious way through

:

01:07:02,343 --> 01:07:02,963

this image.

:

01:07:02,963 --> 01:07:03,383

Yeah.

:

01:07:03,673 --> 01:07:06,713

It was really cool, man.

:

01:07:07,143 --> 01:07:07,603

So,

:

01:07:08,513 --> 01:07:09,203

Track 1: No, I love that.

:

01:07:09,203 --> 01:07:13,063

I love that she has such a pivotal

part of your story and that we were

:

01:07:13,063 --> 01:07:16,753

able to not just talk about Mary in

general, but about Mary, you know,

:

01:07:16,823 --> 01:07:20,143

for our Lady Guadalupe specifically, I

have a great devotion to her as well.

:

01:07:20,333 --> 01:07:22,273

The necklace I'm wearing

is the one I literally

:

01:07:22,343 --> 01:07:22,953

-:

:

01:07:23,323 --> 01:07:23,953

Track 1: last summer.

:

01:07:23,953 --> 01:07:25,033

And so she's always with me.

:

01:07:25,033 --> 01:07:26,303

So I'm surprised.

:

01:07:26,303 --> 01:07:26,563

I'm surprised.

:

01:07:26,963 --> 01:07:30,363

to be that we're talking

about her because she is so

:

01:07:30,623 --> 01:07:30,923

-:

:

01:07:30,953 --> 01:07:31,373

Yeah.

:

01:07:31,983 --> 01:07:36,043

Track 1: before we wrap up, I have one

last question I want to touch on quickly.

:

01:07:36,043 --> 01:07:38,833

And that would be, what is your advice?

:

01:07:39,153 --> 01:07:41,563

Um, you know, we've talked

a lot about like who she is,

:

01:07:41,633 --> 01:07:43,473

how amazing she is, how plays.

:

01:07:43,533 --> 01:07:44,453

plays a role in our life.

:

01:07:44,473 --> 01:07:48,213

But what about the person who's

hearing this and maybe wants to

:

01:07:48,213 --> 01:07:52,453

but feels intimidated by her for

some reason or nervous or scared?

:

01:07:52,713 --> 01:07:55,403

What is your advice to someone, um,

who doesn't really know where to start,

:

01:07:55,633 --> 01:07:57,053

um, on how to build a relationship

:

01:07:57,183 --> 01:07:58,603

-:

Yeah, no, that's a great question

:

01:07:58,613 --> 01:08:00,163

because I do hear it quite a bit.

:

01:08:00,183 --> 01:08:04,473

I hear, uh, people outside

the church, inside the church.

:

01:08:04,733 --> 01:08:06,853

Um, I've heard this question a lot.

:

01:08:06,863 --> 01:08:07,983

Like I, yeah.

:

01:08:07,983 --> 01:08:11,733

How do I, I want to like

have a relationship with her.

:

01:08:11,733 --> 01:08:14,653

I don't know how to start,

or I have my questions.

:

01:08:14,653 --> 01:08:15,633

I have my concerns.

:

01:08:15,633 --> 01:08:17,423

I don't relate to her as much.

:

01:08:18,763 --> 01:08:19,093

And.

:

01:08:19,577 --> 01:08:21,018

You know, for various reasons, too.

:

01:08:21,018 --> 01:08:23,997

Like, some people might not relate to

her because, I mean, let's face it,

:

01:08:24,018 --> 01:08:28,238

maybe, maybe they didn't have a good

relationship with their earthly mom, and

:

01:08:28,298 --> 01:08:31,698

the thought of turning to having another

mom in heaven, like, that can be hard.

:

01:08:31,718 --> 01:08:34,768

Like, honestly, like, just on a

very human developmental level,

:

01:08:35,438 --> 01:08:37,188

she can feel like, uh, I don't

:

01:08:37,818 --> 01:08:39,528

want a relationship with her.

:

01:08:39,568 --> 01:08:43,957

But, oddly, you can't really not

have a relationship with her because,

:

01:08:45,013 --> 01:08:48,723

She is so part and parcel with what

Jesus accomplished in this world.

:

01:08:49,372 --> 01:08:52,163

And regardless of whether we have

:

01:08:52,163 --> 01:08:56,113

that relationship or not, she is

praying for everyone who is alive.

:

01:08:56,863 --> 01:09:05,193

And, um, so what I would say is what

I said to my wife, which was, what

:

01:09:05,193 --> 01:09:07,143

would you say to the best mom ever?

:

01:09:08,452 --> 01:09:14,523

The mommy always wanted the mom, the

most loving mother of all time, the

:

01:09:14,523 --> 01:09:16,573

sweetest, like gentlest, kindest,

:

01:09:16,973 --> 01:09:22,483

most virtuous, honorable woman, mother,

Like, how would you speak to her?

:

01:09:23,743 --> 01:09:25,903

You wouldn't have to do

much for her to love you.

:

01:09:26,243 --> 01:09:29,243

Cause that's what mothers do so

well as they bring that comfort

:

01:09:29,243 --> 01:09:30,332

and that warmth to their children.

:

01:09:31,452 --> 01:09:33,792

And, And, so I would start there.

:

01:09:34,193 --> 01:09:38,202

I would just simply ask them to

do what I asked my now wife to

:

01:09:38,202 --> 01:09:40,988

do, which is, would you like to

just say a simple prayer to her?

:

01:09:41,747 --> 01:09:42,827

And you can speak to her.

:

01:09:42,938 --> 01:09:44,528

I mean, speak humbly,

:

01:09:44,528 --> 01:09:48,528

but speak honestly, like, Hey, I

don't have a relationship with you.

:

01:09:48,528 --> 01:09:49,528

I'd like to get to know you.

:

01:09:49,528 --> 01:09:55,538

And I'd like for your prayers so

that I can be closer to Jesus.

:

01:09:55,548 --> 01:10:02,298

So I can be a faithful disciple like you

were so that I can, um, fulfill God's will

:

01:10:02,298 --> 01:10:04,908

for my life and, and, and, and be holy.

:

01:10:05,438 --> 01:10:12,628

Um, and so just as you would ask

any other person who you perceive as

:

01:10:13,143 --> 01:10:17,403

Uh, holy or has a good relationship

with God or is very devotional.

:

01:10:17,403 --> 01:10:21,793

And so naturally you don't go to the

sketchy people and be like, Hey, bro,

:

01:10:21,793 --> 01:10:23,723

pray for me, pray for your prayers.

:

01:10:23,723 --> 01:10:24,783

You know, you know, I need your prayers.

:

01:10:25,153 --> 01:10:27,768

It's like, that's not what

you're going to be asking for.

:

01:10:27,768 --> 01:10:29,253

You're going to go to the nun.

:

01:10:29,263 --> 01:10:32,973

You're going to go to, you know,

the lady who's at church, like all

:

01:10:32,983 --> 01:10:35,473

the time, you're going to be asking,

:

01:10:35,993 --> 01:10:36,363

right.

:

01:10:36,463 --> 01:10:37,343

Track 1: All the time.

:

01:10:37,423 --> 01:10:37,553

Yep.

:

01:10:37,663 --> 01:10:38,133

-:

:

01:10:38,383 --> 01:10:38,733

Right.

:

01:10:39,063 --> 01:10:39,613

And so.

:

01:10:40,698 --> 01:10:45,018

Once again, she doesn't discriminate,

even though she had a lot of

:

01:10:45,018 --> 01:10:46,848

reason to discriminate, right?

:

01:10:46,888 --> 01:10:50,428

I mean, she was there watching her son

get brutalized and murdered on a cross.

:

01:10:51,678 --> 01:10:57,088

And yet she too extended her

forgiveness to all those who did that.

:

01:10:57,188 --> 01:11:02,598

And we are all responsible, ironically,

and yet she was willing to offer

:

01:11:02,598 --> 01:11:04,918

that mercy in union with her son.

:

01:11:05,158 --> 01:11:06,938

Um, once again, don't confuse it.

:

01:11:06,938 --> 01:11:07,848

She's not the savior.

:

01:11:08,928 --> 01:11:13,838

But her role was so profound in what

Christ needed to accomplish in this world.

:

01:11:13,918 --> 01:11:20,968

And, and so spend time with her by

just asking, honestly, um, there

:

01:11:20,968 --> 01:11:23,548

are some really good books out

there, uh, that I'd recommend.

:

01:11:23,628 --> 01:11:27,338

Um, one of them would be

by Father Mike Gately.

:

01:11:27,398 --> 01:11:30,598

It's called, um, 40 days to morning glory.

:

01:11:30,608 --> 01:11:34,658

It's about, it's all about Mary and

what Mary and consecration means.

:

01:11:35,153 --> 01:11:36,043

Track 1: Oh no, no.

:

01:11:36,093 --> 01:11:36,923

We're both wrong.

:

01:11:36,963 --> 01:11:38,713

It's it's 33, isn't it?

:

01:11:38,843 --> 01:11:38,873

-:

:

01:11:38,873 --> 01:11:39,293

I'm sure.

:

01:11:39,353 --> 01:11:39,553

Yeah.

:

01:11:39,553 --> 01:11:39,933

Whatever.

:

01:11:39,973 --> 01:11:40,983

50, 60,

:

01:11:41,113 --> 01:11:41,673

99,

:

01:11:41,788 --> 01:11:46,118

Track 1: I think it's 33

days to morning glory.

:

01:11:47,233 --> 01:11:50,423

-:

Father Mike Galey, uh, he's written

:

01:11:50,423 --> 01:11:54,033

a really great book there and,

um, preparing oneself for Marian

:

01:11:54,143 --> 01:11:55,843

to entrust themselves to Mary.

:

01:11:55,853 --> 01:11:56,803

That's a really good book.

:

01:11:57,713 --> 01:12:02,293

Um, if you want to kind of go to like

an old school, like classic, there's

:

01:12:02,293 --> 01:12:04,013

a book called true devotion to Mary.

:

01:12:04,093 --> 01:12:07,503

And, um, it was written by

that French priest and St.

:

01:12:07,503 --> 01:12:08,353

Louis de Montfort.

:

01:12:08,773 --> 01:12:12,193

Um, the language is a little

bit more like old fashioned.

:

01:12:12,193 --> 01:12:13,003

So people might.

:

01:12:13,483 --> 01:12:14,683

I mean, no, take it for what it is.

:

01:12:14,683 --> 01:12:15,643

It's, it's a beautiful book,

:

01:12:15,673 --> 01:12:19,863

but, um, it is a little, it's written in

a different style, but I would say that

:

01:12:19,863 --> 01:12:23,093

father Mike Gates, Gately's book, he does

a really good job of kind of making more

:

01:12:23,093 --> 01:12:29,253

contemporary, like, um, there's more of

like a, what's the word it's more user

:

01:12:29,253 --> 01:12:33,003

friendly in the sense of like explaining

what Marian consecration is all about.

:

01:12:34,063 --> 01:12:36,333

Um, yeah, I, I

:

01:12:36,333 --> 01:12:40,033

would, I would probably recommend

that, but yeah, just spending

:

01:12:40,033 --> 01:12:41,493

time with the rosary, obviously.

:

01:12:41,533 --> 01:12:41,893

Um,

:

01:12:41,908 --> 01:12:42,488

Track 1: Yeah, no,

:

01:12:42,653 --> 01:12:45,193

-:

just, you know, even if it's just a

:

01:12:45,193 --> 01:12:49,583

decade, like I pray a decade with my

kids every night and this one, our

:

01:12:49,583 --> 01:12:51,243

father, 10 hail Mary's in a glory being.

:

01:12:51,243 --> 01:12:53,803

And, and you'll, you'll see that one.

:

01:12:53,803 --> 01:12:57,003

It's very like meditative and that

we're not just repeating prayers

:

01:12:57,013 --> 01:12:57,913

for the sake of repeating them.

:

01:12:57,913 --> 01:12:59,643

We're, we're meditating

on the life of Christ.

:

01:12:59,683 --> 01:13:02,833

So even there, there's like

a beauty to that prayer.

:

01:13:03,723 --> 01:13:05,373

Um, so that's what I'd

recommend to people.

:

01:13:05,934 --> 01:13:06,505

Track 1: Thank you.

:

01:13:06,565 --> 01:13:07,005

Yeah, I know.

:

01:13:07,005 --> 01:13:08,075

That's a great place to start.

:

01:13:08,805 --> 01:13:11,385

Paul, it's been so wonderful

to have you on the show today.

:

01:13:11,385 --> 01:13:11,835

Seriously.

:

01:13:11,835 --> 01:13:14,055

It's been such a gift to

have this conversation.

:

01:13:14,065 --> 01:13:16,195

I know that it's going

to bless so many people.

:

01:13:16,195 --> 01:13:17,255

It's already blessed my life.

:

01:13:17,295 --> 01:13:18,636

So for coming on.

:

01:13:18,636 --> 01:13:21,205

Um, where can people find more of

:

01:13:21,390 --> 01:13:21,820

-:

:

01:13:21,840 --> 01:13:27,510

Um, they can, uh, if you want to check

out my ministry website, it's pjkmusic.

:

01:13:27,510 --> 01:13:28,040

com.

:

01:13:28,510 --> 01:13:31,300

Um, there you can find out

more about my ministry.

:

01:13:31,300 --> 01:13:35,970

I'm, I'm traveling all year long

doing, uh, events, conferences,

:

01:13:35,980 --> 01:13:37,820

school assemblies, parish missions.

:

01:13:37,850 --> 01:13:40,309

So if you would be interested

in having me speak in your

:

01:13:40,309 --> 01:13:41,240

community, it would be great.

:

01:13:41,320 --> 01:13:44,290

You can send my info to an organizer.

:

01:13:44,290 --> 01:13:46,270

If you're an organizer

yourself, you can reach out.

:

01:13:46,740 --> 01:13:50,390

Um, if they wanna follow along on social

media, you can just look up Paul J.

:

01:13:50,390 --> 01:13:50,760

Kim.

:

01:13:50,820 --> 01:13:52,950

Um, I'm most active on Instagram.

:

01:13:53,040 --> 01:13:56,790

Um, my account is, hey, P-J-K-H-E-Y-P-J-K.

:

01:13:57,130 --> 01:13:59,980

Um, I got some things on YouTube,

but man, I, it's been a while

:

01:14:00,070 --> 01:14:01,360

since I've uploaded anything.

:

01:14:01,510 --> 01:14:02,380

I gotta get to that.

:

01:14:02,890 --> 01:14:04,090

And then lastly, um.

:

01:14:05,059 --> 01:14:06,320

Track 1: YouTube is a commitment.

:

01:14:06,340 --> 01:14:06,910

-:

commitment.

:

01:14:06,910 --> 01:14:07,360

Sheesh.

:

01:14:07,420 --> 01:14:12,420

And then lastly, um, I wanna say to all

the young adults out there, I created

:

01:14:12,420 --> 01:14:16,920

an online course a few years ago, um,

to just help, um, young adults who are

:

01:14:16,925 --> 01:14:21,570

trying to tackle all the, the Catholic

things that young adults are facing from

:

01:14:21,570 --> 01:14:23,400

dating, discernment, personal finance.

:

01:14:23,820 --> 01:14:25,620

How do I grow my faith?

:

01:14:25,620 --> 01:14:27,030

How do I do this life well?

:

01:14:27,030 --> 01:14:29,520

And you can find out more about

that at Catholic adulting.

:

01:14:31,585 --> 01:14:32,895

But that's what I would share.

:

01:14:32,945 --> 01:14:35,335

And so I want to thank you, Mari,

for spending time with me and

:

01:14:35,335 --> 01:14:36,955

allowing me to be on this podcast.

:

01:14:36,955 --> 01:14:40,945

And like you said, I hope it

blesses somebody and yeah, may,

:

01:14:40,955 --> 01:14:45,545

may God be praised and may be

praised through the intercession

:

01:14:45,595 --> 01:14:47,555

of his Holy mother and our mother.

:

01:14:47,555 --> 01:14:48,225

Track 1: Absolutely.

:

01:14:48,275 --> 01:14:48,715

Amen.

:

01:14:49,665 --> 01:14:50,205

Beautiful.

:

01:14:50,575 --> 01:14:51,295

All right, everybody.

:

01:14:51,345 --> 01:14:52,675

We'll see you next Wednesday.

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Ever Be
A faith and lifestyle podcast.
The Ever Be Podcast is a faith and lifestyle podcast filled with meaningful conversations and practical tips that will inspire and empower you to live a Christ centered life in today’s modern world. Through her own experience of surrendering completely to God and finding true fullness of life, your host Mari Wagner, has committed to having God’s praise “ever be” on her lips and sharing that message with the world. Listen in for insightful, real life conversations and actionable steps on how to claim the full life God created you for.

With over 100K followers and counting, Instagram content creator and founder of the popular Catholic lifestyle brand, West Coast Catholic, Mari Wagner is showing the world how to live a bold, attractive, and fulfilling Catholic life by being in the world but not of it. On the podcast you’ll get a combination of heartfelt solo episodes with Mari, interviews with exciting guests, and up-close and personal time with both the Wagner’s—Mari and Trey. What more could you ask for?!

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Host Mari Wagner covers topics that you actually care about from faith life, to relationships and marriage, to homemaking, to healthy living. Each episode is crafted to resonate with your challenges and aspirations as a modern Christian woman seeking purpose, balance, and joy.

Tune into the Ever Be Podcast for valuable advice, relatable stories, expert insights and just some fun girl chats with someone who really gets you. Hit play to get out of the rut you constantly feel yourself in, and subscribe to join the community and experience the fullness of life Jesus has in store for you.

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