The great spiritual masters in the history of the Church have always made sure to keep their earthly mortality in front of their eyes. Some have done this by keeping a skull on their desk or near their bed, and taking time each day to meditate on the fact that soon they would die and face judgment. This doesn’t have to be a morbid thought, especially since no one who is born will get out alive. We all will exit through the same door. So, the question for our listeners is: Do you ever spend even a little bit of time thinking about your mortality and the short time we have here on this earth?

In today’s world, people are freer than ever to leave home, move to distant places, try to make it on their own. It’s very understandable. It’s built into our nature. But we all come from a certain “place,” often a place where our families have established long, deep roots. Not infrequently, after trying to make it “out there,” we find that “there’s no place like home.” Have you taken that solo journey, only to find that you longed to return to be close to your family and friends? Share your take with Jerry and Debbie and the world on Tuesday.

Friday’s show will be the next “Unscripted” edition with Jerry and Debbie. What’s rolling around in your mind or on your heart? You set the table with your choice of topic or insightful take. You can ask Jerry or Debbie questions about their lives and ministries, comment on something that’s currently in the news, tell someone dear to you how much you love them – in short, whatever you would like to bring up. We look forward to talking with you soon!

WE ARE LIVE: Take 2  travels to Anaheim, California to broadcast LIVE from the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.

On Thursday, Jerry and Debbie welcome your takes on being part of a mixed-race marriage or family. The Church has always celebrated the universality of her members and the entire human race. People of different races and cultures have a tremendous amount of gifts to offer to one another. This is particularly true when they come together in the same family. If you have experience with this, be sure to call with your take. We look forward to hearing from you! (P.S. The lower picture is Jerry’s sister, Mary, and her husband, Larry. Sincere thanks to all of you who have been praying for her. She passed away on February 7, and her funeral was February 15).

There are many different forms of music. All good forms require talent and synchronization among performers. But when listening to classical music, typically performed by orchestras or symphonies, it’s hard to imagine a collection of musical artists performing on the same page like they do, with such precision. And there’s a certain beauty in classical music that is absent in some other forms of music. Of course, the Church has been blessed by countless sacred compositions over the centuries. Let’s talk about this, and how we can all perhaps grow in our appreciation of classical music.

We had a great conversation on Monday about how to encourage and accommodate a child who exhibits the capacity to excel at academics, music, sports or any other human endeavor. Lots of great takes were shared by our listeners. We also realize that some kids need a little extra prodding or encouragement to fulfill their God-given potential. That’s what we’ll talk about on Tuesday’s show. If you’re the parent, family member, teacher, neighbor or friend of a child who struggles to reach his or her potential, let’s talk about ways that they can be encouraged, motivated and helped in any way to achieve the heights God wants for them.

Every age has seen children who excel at virtually everything they do, to the point of surpassing most of their peers in academics, music, sports and a variety of other pursuits. That sometimes presents a challenge to parents and others involved in the formation of those children to find ways to keep them stimulated and interested in their particular activities, and to best facilitate their exceptional abilities. If you have (or had) such a son or daughter, share your story with Jerry and Debbie on Monday’s show. As always, what you impart to our listeners could well be just what a parent somewhere needs to hear in order to help them with their own child prodigy.

It’s one thing to gather with people you know and share beliefs with on Sunday. Maybe you even attend a prayer meeting or Bible study during the week. But our faith is meant to be lived 24/7. That means we should seek out opportunities to grow in our relationship with God whenever they present themselves. Are you part of a mom’s group? A men’s fellowship? Do you go to parish missions, retreats, conferences, etc.? Where is it that you “feed your faith” outside of weekend worship? Join Jerry and Debbie and share your inspiring take on this topic on Friday.

At some point in life, we all will be accused of doing something we didn’t do. Whether it’s being blamed by a sibling for a wrongdoing when we’re kids, or something much more serious later in life, false accusations are sure to come our way. The questions is, how do we handle it? Do we fight back? Do we humbly surrender to God’s plan for our lives? This is a huge issue and one of great importance for discussion on our show. Even a great saint like Gerard Majella faced a horrible false accusation – and remained silent so as to not damage the reputation of his accuser. Jerry will be attending his sister’s funeral on Wednesday, so be sure to call and keep Debbie and her special guest company during this illuminating discussion!

RESOURCES:
Amazing Grace Overcoming Race

Hurting in the Church: A Way Forward for Wounded Catholics
by Fr. Thomas Berg

It’s usually understood that women spend a lot more time contemplating what they are going to give to someone, whether it’s a card or a gift, than men do. But how much time is too much when it’s spent looking at virtually every card in the greeting card section in the store? Does the perfect card or gift even exist? Do recipients of cards and gifts think for a second that maybe the giver cut corners and just grabbed the first option that presented itself? Let’s examine this issue on Tuesday – Valentine’s Day!