Draw Near

Why do bad things happen to good people?

April 3rd, 2024  |  57 mins 18 secs

scripture, suffering

As we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus at the beginning of this Easter season, we revisit the topic of suffering and reflect on its relationship to the Resurrection; and the experience of resurrection in our own lives. Why do we suffer? What purpose does it serve? How should we approach it? Why does the Lord allow it? And can anything good come from it? In this episode we pull ALOT from Scripture, get a little personal and honest, and reflect suffering in our own lives, and the life of Job, in reflecting on the answers to these questions.

Emmaus Teaches the Mass (MLMG Ep 24)

March 22nd, 2024  |  24 mins 53 secs

eucharist, scripture, teaching, the mass

Did you know the Road to Emmaus reveals a lot about our encounter with Christ in the Mass? This is one of Fred and Kara's favorite passages!

Feeding the 5000 (MLMG Ep 14)

January 5th, 2024  |  27 mins 58 secs

bible, feeding 5000, proof, scripture, teaching

Serving as a "bridge" between our last episode, Bread from Heaven, and our discussion on the Bread of Life discourse (John 6); this week we take up the topic of the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. From the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, Jesus multiplied the available food such that the crowd that was following him could "eat their fill." Yet, 12 baskets remained leftover. How is this possible? What was John trying to reveal to us about Jesus Christ? What is significant about the language the Gospel writer uses and what are the parallels that can be drawn? How does this miracle point ultimately to the Eucharist? Listen to find out!

Giving the Vineyard to "Others"-priesthood (MLMG Ep 11)

December 22nd, 2023  |  26 mins 25 secs

authority, priesthood, scripture, teaching

Priests have been given authority by God to carry on the mission of Jesus Christ through His Church -- the Catholic Church.
There are often questions about why there is a priesthood. Why are priests needed instead of a simple preacher or pastor? And by whose authority do priests change bread and wine in Jesus' body and blood?
While there is Tradition for this, the priesthood is instituted in Scripture! It is not a made up construct by the Catholic Church but, rather, given by Jesus Christ.
Listen to this episode of the My Lord & My God podcast to hear where the priesthood is found in Scripture or biblical teaching.

Love Builds the Church: a Lectio of 1 Cor 13

December 20th, 2023  |  34 mins 33 secs

draw near podcast, lectio divina, love, scripture

LOVE is the root of renewal of heart, renewal in the Church, and renewal in the world. "Love" builds the Church. This is a topic Fred and Kara have wanted to take up for a LONG time on the Draw Near podcast. We share personal reflections or this passage and how God has been moving in our hearts and lives recently.

BONUS: The Book of Philippians

October 20th, 2023  |  16 mins 3 secs

encouragement, philippians, reading, scripture

As we have mentioned in the past, Fred's favorite Scripture passage... Literally, the Book of Philippians. We have teased posting a simple recording, reading the Philippians. So, as he sipped his coffee this morning, and prepared for the day, Fred thought, "Why not today!" So, we hope you enjoy!

Take some time to reflect on the wisdom the Lord offers us through St Paul; four simple chapters on living the Christian life well. And a great way to start the day.

By Whose Authority

May 19th, 2023  |  46 mins 15 secs

apologetics, catholic beliefs, scripture, tradition

Why don't Catholics believe in sola scriptura (Scripture alone) as the authority of faith? This is a common question posed to Catholics, but are we prepared to answer it? In this episode of Draw Near, Fred and Kara take up this question of authority pulling from Scripture itself.

BONUS: The Christmas Story

December 13th, 2022  |  5 mins 42 secs

christmas story, draw near, fred and kara, gospel, jesus, nativity, scripture

Following up on the surprising popularity of our reading of "Yes, Virginia There is A Santa Claus" last year, we decided to share some more Christmas stories this holiday season. We both will be inviting listeners into our homes and into our families as we celebrate this year by sharing some of our favorite Christmas stories. We invite you (and your family) to enjoy... in the words of Linus from the Peanuts, what Christmas is all about. This is a purely "sit back and relax," "story time" sort of "shorty" episode. We hope this reading will be a blessing to you this Christmas season. Thank you for listening and allowing us to be a part of your lives this year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

There's Something About Mary

December 7th, 2022  |  1 hr 1 min

blessed mother, catholic, catholic teaching, conversion, december 8, encouragement, full of grace, healing, identity, immaculate conception, mary, scripture, trauma

In the deeply personal first half of this episode, Fred and Kara reflect on their relationship with Mary, and how that has changed and grown over the years. Fred shares more of his testimony about converting to Catholicism and the role Mary played in that process. He also reflects on issues such as identity, childhood trauma, mistrust, and difficult family experiences and how these can effect our relationship with God; as well as with Mary. He shares the story of his relationship with Mary, and how she has helped him to find healing. In the second half, we return to Kara's teaching on the Immaculate Conception, which we celebrate on December 8. Kara dives into a scriptural study of key texts that point to Mary’s Immaculate Conception with hopes that each listener would be drawn deeper into the celebration of this Holy Day of Obligation.

Full of Grace

December 8th, 2021  |  29 mins 1 sec

draw near, full of grace, immaculate conception, kara kardell, mary, scripture, shorty

December 8th is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Listen to this Draw Near podcast "shorty" to learn more about this feast. Mary was set apart for all of time! Scripture shows this. The Blessed Mother was preserved from original sin from the moment of her creation. Listen to Kara teach a Scriptural study on Mary and the Catholic dogma of her Immaculate Conception.
Tags: Full of Grace, Annunciation, Mary, Catholic Church, Immaculate Conception, Marian Dogma, Draw Near podcast, Kara Kardell, Original Sin