S16 E7 - Our Need for Jubilee with Dr. John Bergsma
·47 min·4 clips
A Protestant pastor reads a 2nd-century text and realizes he must become Catholic because the Eucharist is Jesus.
The episode begins with a sponsorship ad for Corda Catholic candles and an introduction by Sister Miriam James-Heidlund, Heather Kim, and Michelle Benzinger. Dr. John Bergsma is introduced as a theology professor at Franciscan University and vice president at the St. Paul Center. He shares his coffee preference and then recounts his journey from being a Protestant pastor in West Michigan to entering the Catholic Church. His disillusionment with Protestant doctrines led him to study at the University of Notre Dame in 1999, coinciding with the Jubilee year of 2000. There, he met a Catholic friend named Michael who defended the Church from Scripture and introduced him to the church fathers. Reading Ignatius of Antioch's letter on the Eucharist being the flesh of Jesus was a pivotal moment, leading to his conversion within a day and a half, though it took 18 months to formalize. Bergsma emphasizes that the Jubilee year's graces affected him even as a skeptic, highlighting papal authority from Matthew 16. He discusses writing his book 'Jesus and the Jubilee' because this might be his last Jubilee, and it was published just before Christmas Eve 2024. The hosts ask how the Jubilee can become personal, and Bergsma explains it as freedom from sin and Satan, rooted in Isaiah 61 and Jesus' ministry. He connects the sacrament of reconciliation to Jubilee, describing it as a 'power-up chamber' and using analogies like 'flushing cookies' to renounce sin. The conversation shifts to Lent and hope, with Bergsma noting hope as a neglected virtue and Lent as a time to develop it through patience and prayer. He reveals his 16-year-old son has brain cancer, framing hope in Christ rather than outcomes. The hosts share personal reflections on expecting miracles and praying with faith. The episode ends with 'one thing' segments: Bergsma recommends Dr. Hahn's meditations on the seven last words, Michelle praises Bergsma's book, Sister Miriam mentions the Floriani chant group, and Heather recommends a book on fathering sons. Listeners are invited to join the book study with discussion questions and a discount.
