The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.

“The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.” returns for its third season with what is sure to be a crowd favorite: a conversation with the legendary Catholic musician Matt Maher. A nine-time Grammy Award nominee, Maher has written some of the most widely sung worship songs across many Christian denominations, including “Lord I Need You,” “Your Grace Is Enough,” and his latest, “Gonna Be Alright.” Together with host James Martin, S.J, Matt reflects upon: The profound conversion experience Matt had in his early 20s that led to his vocation as a praise and worship singer-songwriter. The evolution of praise and worship music in the last century The ways that “writing to task” and divine inspiration have shaped Maher’s songwriting The ministry of being on the road with people and home with family Timcodes: 0:00 In a didactic age of faith, we need to return to the experience of God 5:10 The conversion experience that led to Matt’s vocation as a Christian musician 12:39 Church music progression: from the St. Louis Jesuits to modern praise and worship 24:35 Writing out of the experience of the Eucharist 26:10 Any great song tells the truth 30:10 The practices that keep Matt spiritually alive 34:13 Discernment and detachment for creatives 38:28 Encountering God in relationships 46:54 Audience Question: I am often moved to tears at mass but don’t understand why? Maggi Van Dorn’s producer’s notes on this episode Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: [email protected] Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Founder of Homeboy Industries and best-selling spiritual writer, Greg Boyle, S.J., joins James Martin S.J. on the season finale of “The Spiritual Life” podcast. They talk about who inspired Greg to join the Jesuits, where he goes for spiritual direction each morning, bringing a mystical lens to reading the Bible, and how the community at Homeboy, the world’s leading gang intervention rehabilitation program, has made God’s love real to him. Timecodes: 0:00 Greg Boyle doesn’t know a bad person 5:20 How Homeboy ministries began 14:17 How joy, humor and fearlessness attracted Fr. Greg to the Jesuits 20:20 Why you need a mystical filter to know the God of Love 24:45 You want to see Jesus so you can be Jesus to others 35:55 Hate is a symptom of bad health, not a bad person 47:00 Dealing with criticism and praise 50:31 Greg’s morning spiritual practice 54:45 Audience Question: How do we know for sure if God forgives us? Take our Listener Survey here! Read Fr. Jim’s spiritual reflection on moral heroes Fr. Greg Boyle’s books: Tattoos on the Heart Barking to the Choir Cherished Belonging Forgive Everyone Everything Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: [email protected] Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hasan Minhaj is “down to catch a blessing,” wherever that may be. The Emmy Award-winning comedian joins James Martin, S.J. on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to share his Muslim faith, how laughter helped to save his life, and his hopes for interreligious dialogue and prayer. Timecodes: 0:00 How a traveling comedian looks to an ancient faith 4:11 Why laughter is important to the spiritual life 8:13 Hasan’s early childhood influences 9:35 The story of Islam 13:26 Malcolm X & Dr. Sherman Jackson on being Muslim in America 26:02 An inter-faith dialogue on Jesus and the Trinity 30:22 Dealing with negative stereotypes about Islam 33:40 The call to prayer 37:58 Encountering God through acts of virtue 41:30 Islam does not depict God through images 44:15 Audience Question: Advice for someone who hasn’t lived a religious life and has doubts, but still feels called to faith? Hasan’s podcast episode with Fr. Jim: Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know Read ⁠Fr. Jim's ⁠ spiritual reflection⁠ on this episode Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: [email protected] Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Brooks is known as one of America’s leading public intellectuals, a longtime columnist for The New York Times and now a staff writer at The Atlantic. He joins James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to share how he went from a mostly cultural Jew, to a “Jew-y” Christian in the land of faith. Timeline: 0:00 Traveling to the land of faith 6:20 Our social and political problems are spiritual ones 10:04 Understanding the America’s religious revival 11:46 Religious but not yet spiritual 14:05 David’s movement to faith 19:05 Dorothy Day and St. Augustine influences 28:15 Unpacking David’s mystical experiences 34:35 A new frontier in the Christian faith 37:33 Three Jewish women that paid attention: Simone Weil, Edith Stein, Etty Hillesum 47:50 Audience Question: How do we maintain hope in bleak times? Brooks is the bestselling author of several books including: How to Know a Person: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/652822/how-to-know-a-person-by-david-brooks/ The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/217649/the-second-mountain-by-david-brooks/ The Road to Character: https://www.acappellabooks.com/pages/books/343956/david-brooks/the-road-to-character Bobos in Paradise https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bobos-in-Paradise/David-Brooks/9780684853789 Read Fr. Jim's ⁠ spiritual reflection on this episode Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: [email protected] Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Radio host and author, Katie Prejean McGrady joins host James Martin, S.J., to talk about the religious revival sweeping across America, how youth ministers can share eternal truths without falling prey to black-and-white thinking, and a spirituality of family life. Katie is an award-winning Catholic author, speaker and host of The Katie McGrady Show on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel. She also hosts a weekly podcast, Family Mass Prep on Hallow with her husband Tommy. Timecodes: 0:00 “Jesus is constantly surprising me” 5:20 Is there a religious revival happening for young people? 10:00 Avoiding the dangers of black and white thinking in youth ministry 14:22 Katie’s “big Catholic” upbringing 17:40 Making spiritual sense of suffering 22:00 Ignatian contemplation with Jesus 30:40 The spirituality of being a parent 39:12 How parents can get their kids to mass 46:06 Audience Question: How can I fully participate in the Catholic liturgy when I find myself at odds with Catholic teaching? Some of Katie’s books: Room 24: Adventures of a New Evangelist Follow: Your Lifelong Adventure with Jesus Read Fr. Jim's spiritual reflection on this episode Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: [email protected] Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices