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Juan Point at a Time

Juan Point at a Time

By Juan P Ruiz

I am a Jesuit priest in the Roman Catholic Church. This podcast is a collection of my best homilies thus far... plus some of the rest. (Feel free to be the judge of that.) My focus is often on spiritual insights that are gleaned from the readings or the occasion being celebrated. May it bring some reprieve and encouragement for the journey. :D
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Healing by Authority that comes from God

Juan Point at a TimeJan 11, 2022

00:00
04:39
Entering into the Wilderness

Entering into the Wilderness

This homily was given at a mass where a major relic of Saint Jean de Brébeuf was present which is why the homily has so much to do with him.

Feb 22, 202409:34
Of course I will it. Be healed.

Of course I will it. Be healed.

One can sometimes doubt if Jesus desires our spiritual healing, but it is more likely that he is inviting us to take another step.
Feb 12, 202408:44
Attitudes That Harm Us

Attitudes That Harm Us

Jesus confronts an unclean spirit in today's Gospel, one which he easily casts out and a sort of spirit which each of us might need to be liberated from as well.
Jan 30, 202408:03
A Cameo Worth Noting

A Cameo Worth Noting

The prophetess Anna makes a cameo in today's Gospel and her history can prove a valuable, though simple, lesson.

Dec 30, 202305:36
How to Grow in Wisdom

How to Grow in Wisdom

You know wisdom when you see it, but how do we grow in it?

Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 32

Nov 20, 202307:34
What is My Price of Admission?

What is My Price of Admission?

Without even realizing it, we may sometimes be charging Christ a price of admission into our hearts. And there's a simple question way to figure out what that price might be.

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 31 - Thursday

Nov 10, 202305:26
Preparing a Room for the Guest

Preparing a Room for the Guest

Jesus invites us to develop routines that keep us open to his Spirit and remain faithful to them.

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 29 - Tuesday

Nov 06, 202303:33
A Litmus Test for our Relationship with God

A Litmus Test for our Relationship with God

Jesus opens the eyes of the Pharisees in today's readings with a litmus test that we can apply to our own lives.

Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 30

Oct 29, 202307:37
North American Martyrs sacrificing for the sake of the Gospel

North American Martyrs sacrificing for the sake of the Gospel

Today is a memorial of 8 Jesuits who were martyred in North America and their witness can still be a model for us today, even in a context which lacks the violence of their time.

Memorial of the North American Martyrs
Oct 24, 202306:57
Start Praying Right Where You Find Yourself... and Don't Stop

Start Praying Right Where You Find Yourself... and Don't Stop

Today's reading offers some suggestions from Jesus on prayer.

Ordinary Time - Week 27 - Thursday

Oct 13, 202305:45
Christ has resolutely set himself on our hearts

Christ has resolutely set himself on our hearts

Jerusalem is a city, but also a symbol. Luke is well aware of what he is doing when writes that Christ determined to go there.

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 26 - Tuesday

Oct 05, 202304:17
Lord, I am not worthy you should enter under my roof.

Lord, I am not worthy you should enter under my roof.

Unworthiness can be a rather distasteful concept in popular culture, but they are valued within our Christian tradition. So much so that we repeat it every mass... Why?

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 24 - Monday

Sep 21, 202304:23
God sees us first

God sees us first

Today's Gospel is about an encounter between Philip, Jesus, and Nathaniel. As always, God takes the lead.

Feast of Saint Bartholomew

Aug 24, 202303:01
Decide in neither Desolation nor Jubilation

Decide in neither Desolation nor Jubilation

Saint Ignatius offers guidelines for the discernment of spirits in his spiritual writings. If I could add one thing with confidence thus far, it would be the simple reminder in this homily.

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 17 - Saturday

Aug 07, 202305:04
Two Criteria for Companions on our Spiritual Journeys

Two Criteria for Companions on our Spiritual Journeys

This homily was given to high school freshman at the end of their orientation.

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 17 - Friday

Aug 06, 202306:26
Accepting as God does

Accepting as God does

We can easily get lulled into one extreme or another when it comes to accepting others. Jesus wants to free us to love others just as he has loved us.

Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 13

Jul 10, 202306:52
3 Perspectives on Meaning in the Universe

3 Perspectives on Meaning in the Universe

Jesus speaks with metaphor about how the body is illumined or darkened by what we believe to be out there in the world - and tracking how different worldviews perceive meaning can help us understand our own perspective.

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 11 - Friday

Jul 03, 202303:37
Telling Lies Telling Small Little Lies

Telling Lies Telling Small Little Lies

Sometimes we tell lies to avoid a storm, but it erodes our integrity and becomes self-defeating. Jesus gives us the best reason not to do so.

Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 12

Jun 27, 202307:41
Keep Holy Those Sacred Spaces

Keep Holy Those Sacred Spaces

Like an expectedly intense liturgist, Jesus unexpectedly draws our attention to sacred spaces. How much do I do to maintain my own?

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 08

Jun 19, 202305:48
Get over thyself, my friend.

Get over thyself, my friend.

Jesus points Peter three times beyond himself, and, Saint Philip Neri, who is celebrated on this memorial, is one example of what that can look like.

Memorial of Saint Philip Neri

Easter - Week 07 - Friday

Jun 12, 202304:57
God has judged the world.

God has judged the world.

God has judged the world and in response He gave his only Son.

Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 09

Jun 05, 202305:32
Jesus had to leave.

Jesus had to leave.

Jesus didn't want us creating more division or setting ourselves against each other, that's why he had to leave. The unity Jesus wants is Catholic, universal.


Solemnity of the Ascension

May 21, 202305:29
Judas Sullied What Jesus Washed

Judas Sullied What Jesus Washed

Jesus teaches us a small lesson on how to respond to those whose betrayal is pending. It is a small lesson to learn, but very difficult lesson to practice.

Easter - Week 05 - Thursday

May 14, 202303:09
Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and the Life

Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and the Life

Jesus refers to an often-heard and often-misunderstood or not-understood phrase in today's reading. This homily is a bit of unpacking of that phrase.

Year A - Easter - Week 05

May 07, 202345:08
We already know the Good Shepherd

We already know the Good Shepherd

Jesus claims that the sheep know the voice of the good shepherd... So what is that good shepherd like?

Easter - Week 04 - Sunday

May 01, 202307:57
When God Seems Disguised

When God Seems Disguised

People have difficulty recognizing Jesus after his resurrection. Is it because he wears disguises or they are missing something that has always been evident?

Year A - Easter - Week 03

Apr 23, 202310:31
What Thomas Sought

What Thomas Sought

What exactly did Thomas doubt and was the doubt the real issue? Easter - Week 02 - Divine Mercy Sunday
Apr 16, 202308:39
A Missing Detail on Resurrection Sunday

A Missing Detail on Resurrection Sunday

Who tells the story of the the salvation of the world? Easter Sunday
Apr 10, 202305:21
The Messiness of Farewells

The Messiness of Farewells

Saying farewell well is always worth the trouble, even with the smallest things. And Jesus isn't bothered by the process in the least.

Holy Week - Monday

Apr 03, 202305:06
Martha's Redemption

Martha's Redemption

Martha gets such a bad rap she just doesn't deserve, which only makes her redemption all the sweeter.

Year A - Lent - Week 05


Mar 27, 202313:41
Living in a Shelter of Shame

Living in a Shelter of Shame

We can sometimes get stuck living in a little shelter of shame, but the good and great news is that God's got so much more in mind for us.

Year A - Lent - Week 03

Mar 12, 202313:18
The Fear of Anonymity

The Fear of Anonymity

A fear of anonymity coupled with never feeling known is a surely an indication of some evil spirit baloney.

Lent - Week 03 - Wednesday

Mar 09, 202306:04
Easier Said than Done, but Better Enjoyed than Not

Easier Said than Done, but Better Enjoyed than Not

Jesus invites us to forgive rather than judge or condemn, but that seems to be easier said than done. In today's homily, I offer a couple examples that help illustrate where one might begin when feeling stuck in judgment or condemnation.

Lent - Week 03 - Monday

Mar 07, 202306:17
Have no Fear When God shines forth through Man

Have no Fear When God shines forth through Man

The moment of the transfiguration is a revelation of who Jesus and where Christ continues to dwell today. Year A - Lent - Week 02
Mar 05, 202309:29
Stop Arguing and Start Praying

Stop Arguing and Start Praying

Jesus encounters his disciples in an argument about a young lady and takes a different tact for healing her. 

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 07 - Monday

Feb 23, 202305:30
Mythbusting Paul's Conversion

Mythbusting Paul's Conversion

The moment and duration of Saint Paul's conversion were not quite as people often imagine them.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

Jan 31, 202303:51
Given Authority with no expectation of Perfection

Given Authority with no expectation of Perfection

God shares his authority with us, even knowing that we often won't represent him perfectly.

Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 02 - Friday

Jan 23, 202304:01
Giving out Blessings... Have at it!

Giving out Blessings... Have at it!

At the moment of the baptism of Jesus, John the Baptist makes a mistake many of us fall into, thinking we need to be good enough to give away a blessing.

Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 02

Jan 19, 202307:25
The Smallest Beginnings can Lead to the Greatest Stories

The Smallest Beginnings can Lead to the Greatest Stories

Saint Brother André Bessette is remarkable because he was tiny, did small things, and had an incredible influence.

Jan 10, 202304:46
Promote Christian Competition!

Promote Christian Competition!

There is an arena in which Christians can compete with one another directly and it leads to the good of all the world.

Memorial of Saint Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen.

Jan 06, 202304:21
God is saying, "I love you."

God is saying, "I love you."

The incarnation and nativity of Jesus tell us about how God prefers to say "I love you."

Solemnity of Christmas (Homily for Mass during the Day)

Dec 28, 202209:02
A Peak at Someone's Foundations

A Peak at Someone's Foundations

Everyone's house is built on some foundation, but the foundations are rarely visible. Yet sometimes, people show by their actions in secret upon what foundations their house rests.

Advent - Week 01 - Thursday

Dec 20, 202203:57
Double the Trouble and Double the Payoff

Double the Trouble and Double the Payoff

The Gospel of Matthew has a unique feature where the number of people healed or the number of animals encountered is twice that of other similar Gospel stories... No details within the Gospels are without purpose.

Advent - Week 01 - Friday

Dec 13, 202203:30
Secret Gratitude is like Ingratitude

Secret Gratitude is like Ingratitude

Often Jesus shows us the way by walking ahead of us by expressing his pain openly, so that we can treat each other differently.

Year C - Thanksgiving 

Dec 06, 202203:16
Striving for What is Worth Having

Striving for What is Worth Having

The Gospel reading sounds like it's about the rapture, but it's actually something much more mundane, and rather frightening.

Year A - Advent - Week 01

Nov 29, 202208:14
Who is Wearing the Crown?

Who is Wearing the Crown?

Sometimes it seems easier to wear the crown than let it rest on Christ, but he is king of the universe and it is for love of us that he takes the crown upon himself.

Solemnity of Christ the King - Year C

Nov 22, 202208:60
Saint Charles Borromeo - Heroism of Cosmic Proportions

Saint Charles Borromeo - Heroism of Cosmic Proportions

Saint Charles Borromeo enjoyed power and privilege as the beneficiary of less-than-ideal practices, yet he used every bit of it for the good of others. 

Nov 10, 202206:30
Avoiding the Question Trap

Avoiding the Question Trap

Especially with topics around which we know so little, such as the bodily resurrection of the dead, we can get stuck in the muck and lose sight of living in the present moment.

Year C - Ordinary Time - Week 32

Nov 08, 202208:47
Giving Away Stature

Giving Away Stature

Jesus is always pouring himself out for others. In this case, he pours out a part of himself some may never think to give away.

Year C - Ordinary Time - Week 31

Nov 03, 202207:54
Benefits of Acting Humbly even if for the wrong reasons

Benefits of Acting Humbly even if for the wrong reasons

Even though we may do it for the wrong reasons, if we act humbly when it comes to teamwork, everyone benefits. Year 2 - Ordinary Time - Week 30 - Saturday
Nov 01, 202204:37