Why do we keep doing the very things we don't want to do? Saint Paul asked the same question, and so does every one of us. In this meditation, Fr Gavan explores the Church's answer: original sin, the seed that tilts us toward what we most regret. Drawing on Paul's letter to the Romans, a striking scene from The Thin Red Line, and the hidden struggles of Peter, Augustine, Jerome, Teresa of Avila, and Francis de Sales (who once dug his fingernails into the underside of a desk to stay calm), he offers three pieces of good news: we can improve, every saint fought the same fight, and our very struggle is what teaches us humility. A gentle reminder that holiness is always hard won, and that your struggle is not a sign something is wrong with you. It is the path.

🔴 THIS SERIES

Meditations | Ep. 93

Meditations is a weekly podcast with Fr Gavan Jennings produced by Called to More. Each week you can expect a seed for prayer — on the life of Jesus, his Church and how we can attain sanctity.

New episodes every Saturday at 7pm Irish time (2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific).

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Do you ever think about what it’s like for other people to be around you? In this meditation, Fr Gavan reflects on the life of the apostles after the Resurrection, and how they lived closely together, trying to recreate something of the presence of Christ among them. From this, he draws a simple and practical question: how do we make life better for the people around us? Looking at the example of Christ, he points to four concrete ways we can do this: giving our time, showing affection, being considerate in how we speak and act, and bringing a spirit of cheerfulness into our daily interactions. These are simple things, but they make a real difference. If you want to grow in charity in a practical way, this is an invitation to begin with what is right in front of you.

🔴 THIS SERIES

Meditations | Ep. 92

Meditations is a weekly podcast with Fr Gavan Jennings produced by Called to More. Each week you can expect a seed for prayer — on the life of Jesus, his Church and how we can attain sanctity.

New episodes every Saturday at 7pm Irish time (2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific).

Listen here or anywhere you usually find your podcasts.

🔴 MEMBERSHIPS

We couldn't create this series without our members. If you find these videos helpful or think they might help others, please consider becoming a member below. Members receive exclusive content.

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Thank you, and welcome to the team!

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Do you ever feel like following God is something you have to do, rather than something you freely choose? In this meditation, Fr Gavan reflects on the meaning of Easter as a new creation, and what it means to live with the “glorious freedom of the children of God.” God does not force us. He does not want slaves or people acting out of fear, but sons and daughters who choose Him freely. Drawing on the parable of the talents, he shows that this freedom comes with responsibility. Each of us has been given something, and the question is what we are doing with it. Are we using what God has given us, or are we holding back? If you’ve ever struggled to see your faith as something freely chosen rather than imposed, this is an invitation to rediscover that freedom, and to begin using it well.

🔴 THIS SERIES

Meditations | Ep. 91

Meditations is a weekly podcast with Fr Gavan Jennings produced by Called to More. Each week you can expect a seed for prayer — on the life of Jesus, his Church and how we can attain sanctity.

New episodes every Saturday at 7pm Irish time (2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific).

Listen here or anywhere you usually find your podcasts.

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We couldn't create this series without our members. If you find these videos helpful or think they might help others, please consider becoming a member below. Members receive exclusive content.

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Do you ever reach the end of Holy Week and feel like you missed it? In this meditation, Fr Gavan reflects on a quiet mistake many of us make: treating Holy Week as something to observe rather than something to enter. But this week is not just a remembrance of past events. Through the liturgy, what Christ did is made present now—and we are invited to participate in it. He shows how distraction, routine, or keeping a distance can leave us unchanged, while even small, intentional steps can draw us into the heart of the mystery. Holy Week is not meant to pass us by. It is meant to transform us. If you want this year to be different, this is an invitation to stop watching from the sidelines, step closer to Jesus, and live this Holy Week more deeply.

🔴 THIS SERIES

Meditations | Ep. 90

Meditations is a weekly podcast with Fr Gavan Jennings produced by Called to More. Each week you can expect a seed for prayer — on the life of Jesus, his Church and how we can attain sanctity.

New episodes every Saturday at 7pm Irish time (2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific).

Listen here or anywhere you usually find your podcasts.

🔴 MEMBERSHIPS

We couldn't create this series without our members. If you find these videos helpful or think they might help others, please consider becoming a member below. Members receive exclusive content.

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Thank you, and welcome to the team!

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Do you ever tell yourself you’ll change tomorrow? In this meditation, Fr Gavan reflects on the quiet lie that keeps so many of us stuck: the belief that we can delay conversion and begin again later. But the spiritual life doesn’t happen in the future. It happens now. Drawing on a simple story and the Gospel, he shows how perfectionism and discouragement can lead us to give up, while delay keeps us from ever truly beginning. God is not waiting for a perfect moment. He is offering grace in this moment. If you’ve been putting things off or feel like you’ve failed, this is an invitation to stop waiting, start again, and respond to God today.

🔴 THIS SERIES

Meditations | Ep. 89

Meditations is a weekly podcast with Fr Gavan Jennings produced by Called to More. Each week you can expect a seed for prayer — on the life of Jesus, his Church and how we can attain sanctity.

New episodes every Saturday at 7pm Irish time (2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific).

Listen here or anywhere you usually find your podcasts.

🔴 MEMBERSHIPS

We couldn't create this series without our members. If you find these videos helpful or think they might help others, please consider becoming a member below. Members receive exclusive content.

Join us here: https://www.calledtomore.org/memberships

Thank you, and welcome to the team!

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Apple (Little by Little): https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast...

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Spotify (Meditations): https://open.spotify.com/show/7H2lvtJ...

🔴 WEBSITES

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For more on the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, visit their website: https://www.franciscanfriars.com

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Do you find it difficult to forgive those who have hurt you? In this meditation, Fr Gavan reflects on Jesus’ teaching that we must forgive not seven times but seventy-seven times. Through the parable of the unforgiving servant, he shows how easily we forget the immense mercy God has shown us and how quickly we refuse that same mercy to others. When we remember the debt God has forgiven in our own lives, forgiveness becomes not just a duty but a path to becoming more like Him. Learning to forgive is one of the clearest ways we imitate the mercy of God.

Why does God allow us to experience temptation? In this meditation, Fr Gavan reflects on the Gospel account of Jesus being led into the wilderness and tempted by the devil. By allowing Himself to face temptation, Christ shows us both His solidarity with our weakness and the path to overcoming it. Temptation itself is not sin, but it reveals the desires that pull at our hearts and the areas where we need God’s help. As we fast, pray, and detach ourselves from unhealthy desires, we learn to reject temptation quickly and remember that God has greater things in store for us.

Why does prayer sometimes feel empty, like your words go nowhere and your heart feels untouched? In this meditation, Fr Gavan reflects on the experience of dryness in prayer and why it does not mean you are failing or that God is distant. Drawing on the wisdom of the spiritual tradition, he shows how these seasons can purify love, deepen trust, and teach us to seek God for who He is rather than for the feelings He gives. If your prayer feels flat or silent, this is an invitation to persevere, and to discover that even in emptiness, God is at work.

🔴 THIS SERIES

Meditations | Ep. 86

Meditations is a weekly podcast with Fr Gavan Jennings produced by Called to More. Each week you can expect a seed for prayer — on the life of Jesus, his Church and how we can attain sanctity.

New episodes every Saturday at 7pm Irish time (2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific).

Listen here or anywhere you usually find your podcasts.

🔴 MEMBERSHIPS

We couldn't create this series without our members. If you find these videos helpful or think they might help others, please consider becoming a member below. Members receive exclusive content.

Join us here: https://www.calledtomore.org/memberships

Thank you, and welcome to the team!

🔴 SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ​​ / ctmcatholic

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Facebook: / ctmcatholic

Apple (Little by Little): https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast...

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Spotify (Meditations): https://open.spotify.com/show/7H2lvtJ...

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