What God is Not

Episodios

• 
  Barrenness Fulfilled 07.10.2026 59m

  This week Fr. Michael talks about examples of barrenness in scripture and how the Lord fulfilled people's requests. He talks about wanting to get to the cross without suffering, but how it is through the suffering that we grow with Christ. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show
• 
  Friends under the Fig Tree with Fr. Nathanael, OSB 30.09.2026 53m

  This week we're joined by special guest, Fr. Nathanael. Fr. Nathanael and Mother Natalia share how they received their names, their love of scripture, and then talk briefly about the scripture passage in John where Jesus asks Peter "Do you love me?" Unfortunately Fr. Nathanael's audio and video cut out during this section, so we don't get to hear his thoughts on this passage. But, we've linked to his article in the show notes so you can learn more. References: Fr. Nathanael's Article Follow a...
• 
  Hold Fast 23.09.2026 42m

  This week Fr. Michael talks about how he thinks about putting together a homily. He uses a recent Sunday Gospel and Epistle to show how he thinks about homilies and how we can link passages to our daily lives. Fr. Michael talks about the importance of reading the readings ahead of Divine Liturgy, especially if you are cantoring them. References: The Hidden Power of Silence in the Mass: A Guide for Encountering Christ in the Liturgy Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We...
• 
  Thanksgiving Prayers 16.09.2026 55m

  This week Fr. Michael walks through the Thanksgiving Prayers the congregation is invited to pray after Divine Liturgy. References: The Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great - Responses and Hymns - the prayers start on Page 95 Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show
• 
  Preparing for the Divine Liturgy Part II 09.09.2026 57m

  This week Fr. Michael picks up where he left off on last week's episode and continues walking through some of the prayers that the congregation are invited to say before Divine Liturgy begins. This week we start on Prayer 3 which begins on Page 9 of the book. References: Preparing for the Diving Liturgy Part I The Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great - Responses and Hymns - the prayers start on Page 4. This week we pick up on Page 9 Follow and Contact Us! Follow us ...
• 
  Preparing for the Divine Liturgy Part I 02.09.2026 58m

  This week Fr. Michael walks through some of the prayers that the congregation are invited to say before Divine Liturgy begins. References: The Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great - Responses and Hymns - the prayers start on Page 4 Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show
• 
  The World's Refuse 26.08.2026 50m

  This week Fr. Michael reflects on a passage from 1 Corinthians. He considers what it means to be scum of the earth, the world's refuse, and to be holy fools. He talks about what it means to be imitators of St. Paul, who in turn is aiming to be an imitator of Christ. References: 1 Cor 4:9-16 Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Suppor...
• 
  Monastic Heart of Mary 19.08.2026 1h 2m

  This week Mother Natalia reflects on a talk she recently gave at the Byzantine Young Adult convocation on the monastic heart of Mary. She specifically reflects on how Mary lived out the three evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She also gives examples of how these counsels can be lived out by priests, monastics, and lay people. References: Orientale Lumen by St. Pope John Paul II Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodre...
• 
  Ignore Evil 12.08.2026 40m

  This week Mother Natalia uses a quote from Elder Porphyrios as a jumping off point to talk about relinquishing control that evil has over us and to allow God to work through us. She then talks about recognizing the truth and gently and compassionately proclaiming the truth to others. References: Wounded by Love by Elder Porphyrios Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Webs...
• 
  We Have Seen the True Light 05.08.2026 50m

  This week Fr. Michael talks about a conversation he had with a pilot about the beauty of nature that is seen as the pilot flies the plane. Fr. Michael then connects the beauty of nature with seeing the True Light that is God. References: Theodochos The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Wounded by Love by Elder Porphyrios Reflection on the We Have Seen the True Light prayer A Simple Byzantine Breviary by Fr. Joel Barstad Rejoice O Virgin Theotokos by Fr. Joel Barstad Follow and Conta...
• 
  A Monastic, A Theologian, and Jess with Fr. Chris and Jess 29.07.2026 1h 1m

  This week we're joined by special guests Jess Allen and Fr. Chris Seith. Jess talks about intentionally practicing liturgical living. She gives examples of what that looks like practically and how it could be different in your family life vs her family life. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show
• 
  A Confession Practicum 22.07.2026 52m

  This week Mother Natalia gives some examples of how to go to confession, specifically in the Byzantine tradition. Fr. Michael outlines some practicalities from the priest's point of view and what you will hear the priest say in confession. Mother Natalia gives an example of what it might look like to go to confession when it's the parish confession time and so you don't have tons of time for interaction with the priest. The second example is when you go to confession in the context of spiritu...
• 
  Child-like not Child-ish 15.07.2026 59m

  This week Fr. Michael takes us through homilies he gave on Matthew 11 while on a recent retreat. He pulls out themes of childlikeness, reflecting on Jesus' teaching of aspects that are good and bad of being a child that we should and should not imitate. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show
• 
  Family, Concert, and Bar Ministry with Adam and Noelle Mering 08.07.2026 1h 7m

  This week we're joined by special guests, Adam and Noelle Mering. They talk about their work counseling families and doing concert and bar ministries. They talk about how they learned to be intentional in the way they interact with their children as their children are in various points in their life. Adam and Noelle talk about their accidental and now intentional ministry they do at concerts and bars. References: Family Revival Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive ...
• 
  Discerning Married Priesthood with Nick and Lorena Towle 01.07.2026 1h 9m

  This week we're joined by special guests Nick and Lorena Towle, parishioners at Fr. Michael's outreach. Nick recently discerned a call to priesthood and they talk about their vocation story leading up to marriage and to priesthood. References: Aim Higher!: Spiritual and Marian Reflections of Maximilian Kolbe Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Sen...
• 
  Growing in the Daily Grind 24.06.2026 43m

  This week Mother Natalia shares a story of personal growth and also ways that she can improve. She connects that story to our daily need to persevere in holiness, recognizing that the times during the weeks after Pentecost are when the "real work" is done. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show
• 
  Fire, Water, Work, and Community 17.06.2026 1h 1m

  This week Fr. Michael reflects on themes found in the scripture passages leading up to Pentecost. He talks about the meaning of fire and water, how they can both be destructive but cleansing. He talks about the need for community and diving in with reckless abandon. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show
• 
  A Long-Expected Parts Episode with Dr. Gerry Crete 10.06.2026 1h 7m

  This week we're joined by special guest, Dr. Gerry Crete. Dr. Gerry talks about Parts Work and how we see it played out in Lord of the Rings. He talks about how we see the characters grow and change, and the different parts we see represented in the characters. References: Litanies of the Heart by Dr. Gerry Crete The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bride...
• 
  Convictions from St. James 03.06.2026 41m

  This week Mother Natalia reflects on scripture readings from the book of James which recently convicted her. She talks about holding her tongue, being slow to anger, and quick to listen. She talks about the beauty of answering a question directly, as opposed to answering something which was not asked in order to make any excuse. She talks about silence and how silence can help us in our lives. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Gr...
• 
  Tabitha Arise! 27.05.2026 39m

  This week Fr. Michael reflects on the scripture passage from Acts where Tabitha is raised from the dead. He contrasts that with the healing of Jairus' daughter in the synoptic Gospels. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our Nonprofit Send us Fan Mail Support the show