Simply Holy with Marge Fenelon

Feeling like you blew Advent this year? Christmas is coming closer – fast – and you’re feeling like your Advent striving has fizzled. Don’t despair! True, we’re coming down the home stretch of Advent, but there’s much you can do to make the most of it even if you’ve hardly done anything spiritually fulfilling these past weeks. Marge describes the beautiful ancient verses known as the “O Antiphons” and explains how they can help you make the absolute most of this home stretch to Christmas.

Some people have had the great gift of hearing Jesus’ voice in their hearts during a special moment. Others struggle to hear him. The fact is Jesus is always talking to you. The question isn’t whether he talks to you but rather how and when. In order to hear his voice, you must be truly listening for what he has to say. Oftentimes, people miss hearing Jesus because they’re trying to make him speak in the way that they want to hear him. Sometimes Jesus does speak to us directly, but at other times it’s subtle and through the people and happenings around us. Marge describes her own desperate yearning to hear the voice of Jesus and the amazing way in which he finally did speak. Finally, she talks about the role of prayer, practice, and persistence in hearing the voice of Jesus as Mary did.

We all experience isolation at times in our lives. Whether it’s physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, isolation can be hard to cope with and can lead to other problems if left unchecked. Many biblical figures experienced isolation from Abraham, Moses, Job, and Jeremiah to Mary, the Holy Family and even Jesus himself. What can they teach us about coping with isolation? Learn more as Marge examines the kinds and causes of isolation and gives practical steps to cope with it.

Our tendency is to rebel when God asks something of us that is contrary to our plans. It could be a heavy cross we don’t feel we’re strong enough to bear, a sacrifice that we think is just too big to make, or loss of control in our own lives or in the life of someone who is important to us. This inner rebellion can sometimes take the form of conflict, confusion, grief, helplessness, or even hopelessness and it causes disquiet within us as we struggle to grapple with God’s will. Perhaps there’s something you’re struggling with right now. How do you make God the Lord of your disquiet? Marge examines the essence of disquiet, the example of St. Ignatius and our Mother Mary, and offers concrete steps for allowing God to be Lord of any disquiet you experience.

Complaining is usually seen as a negative thing – something for wimps, losers, doubters, and maybe even something sinful. But, is it? There is such a thing as Holy Complaining, and there are times when we have a right to complain as long as our complaining takes the form of honest, respectful communication with God. Learn the value of complaining and how to complain in a holy way by considering the story of Job, the art of holy complaining, and the Psalms of Lament and Complaint.

Facing discouragement with joy? Is that even possible? Yes, and no. It’s possible when you approach it in the right spirit and with the right tools. While recently in Ireland for a speaking engagement, Marge learned about the amazing, joyful, spirit of the Irish people in the face of discouragement - including religious persecution, execution, and famine - and how to apply that in your own times of discouragement. Listen to Marge tell about the Abbey that Refused to Die and the promise Jesus made to you about overcoming discouragement in the face of persecution, troubles, and tribulations.

Suffering can be a real downer topic, but not this time. In this show, Marge brings joy to suffering by talking about the upside. Yes, there IS an upside! By our Baptism, we are members of a royal priesthood and as such, our suffering has great value and redeeming power when offered with Jesus’ Passion on the Altar. Learn how to unite your suffering with that of our Lord and his Blessed Mother while maintaining your royal composure even in the midst of struggle.