Tag Archives: LifeTeen

Podcast Mondays

Mondays, Mondays. Why do we always hate Mondays?

Okay, I don’t exactly hate Mondays, but sometimes it depresses me, especially after a particularly good weekend. I’ve been feeling that lately, and I still blame PMS on it (TMI). But Monday is a fact of life, no matter how much we want to deny it, it will come. It will come. It will come.

It doesn’t mean I have to succumb to Monday blues, of course. Sometimes I worry that I’d need prevera if I keep on having the Monday blues…but I found a solution for it just recently: Podcast Mondays!

Old school much?

I think I started listening to podcasts right after Switchfoot in Manila. Wait, I correct myself: I didn’t start listening, I started watching, since it was Switchfoot’s video podcast. Then I subscribed to some of Lifeteen’s podcasts, and I find myself downloading faster than I could listen! Not that I mind, though, because podcasts are kind of fun — brings me back when I used to listen to the radio all night. :P

So why Podcast Mondays?

I don’t know. Maybe it’s because Mondays is the best time to listen to them, since I’m trying to psych myself up for the week?

Oh wait. I thought of an explanation earlier. Most of the podcasts I listen to are Catholic podcasts, and I find that listening to them on Mondays makes the day feel like an extended Sunday. I don’t know if that made sense. Listening to them on Monday helps me to start the week right and uplifts my soul, somewhat.

Here are the podcasts I listen to:

  1. The Mix (Lifeteen) – one of my favorite podcasts of all. The Mix contains different reflections, music, interviews and talks from Lifeteen, and they always, always hit the spot. I love it, and I wish they’d produce more of this because I learn so much from this. I love this because it brings me back to my YFC days, and it’s almost like I’m in the talks with them.
  2. Love Life (Lifeteen) – This is a favorite, because it talks about what it says: love life. Dating questions, love life questions, all in the Catholic POV. Some of them are for the younger people, though, but it’s still relevant. If you’re looking for love life advice, be sure to listen to this podcast.
  3. THE 171 (Lifeteen) – I haven’t listen to this podcast for so long, but I still download them out of habit. THE171 sounds like a college course, because it sort of is. It answers different Catholic questions — Apologetics, in some sense, but in the teen language. I like it because I get to learn more about my faith. :)
  4. Catholic Movie Reviews (Lifeteen) – It is what it says: movie reviews. They don’t review only Catholic movies, though — they review most of the hit movies in a Catholic POV. I don’t really agree with everything since I’m kind of lax when watching movies, but it gives me good insight to know what to watch out for.
  5. Busted Halo Cast (Busted Halo) – They have been podcasting for so long that I can’t listen to them all the way from the start, but it’s always fun listening to them. It’s kind of like THE171, but more fun because it sound like an actual radio show. The priest answers some questions, throws questions to the other one with him, and there’s also other fun stuff like church search and all that. Of course, church search is only in the US, but information is always handy. :P Oh, and Fr. Steve Dwyer’s laughter — the best. :D
  6. Boundless Show (Boundless.org) – Of all podcasts I listen to, this is the most like a radio show. There’s an actual panel, interview and a question after, and there’s always a fun banter in the show. It’s not a Catholic podcast though, but a Christian one (but remember, Catholics are Christian, too!), and they always have good points on love life and all that. :)
  7. In Between Sundays – I’ve only started to listen to brothers Nick and Pat, and I love them. It’s like Boundless Show, only by Catholics! I love the advice they have, and the fun segments in the show, especially the 3-J’s. :) The show is always relevant, especially for young adults. Like they say: it’s a podcast for the other 6 days of the week. I totally agree. :D

There’s also the Sunday Sunday Sunday podcast by Lifeteen that I get every Sunday, and I download Podrunner every now and then to help when I run. I used to listen to Grammar Girl too, but stopped…although I think I should listen to her again.

So yeah. Podcast Mondays. Good way to start the week. :) Any other podcasts you might suggest?

Ash Wednesday

Today is the start of the Lenten season, and I think that this is the earliest Ash Wednesday I can remember. This year holds the earliest Holy Week too — with Holy Monday falling on my birthday. I have mixed thoughts on that, but let me get back at that later. :)

Earlier today I heard mass with some officemates and I was amazed at how many people heard mass today — the usually not-so-full chapel overflowed outside, all the way to the street. I remember my dad and I joking about how the church is filled to overflowing during Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve mass, and suddenly we realize how many people really live in the village. Only in the Philippines. ;) But it’s nice to see the chapel overflowing with people; it gives me hope that people still care.

I was listening to Lifeteen‘s Lent Overview podcast earlier and Mark Hart mentioned how he used to not like Lent as much as he liked Advent when he was a kid, because Lent means sacrificing a lot of things, and it always happens to be Friday whenever he wanted to eat the most meat. I have to admit that I used to think the same thing. I hated how during Holy Week, there’s nothing to watch on TV. I hated how we all have to be inside and stay inside and be forced to attend masses, go through the entire Bisita Iglesia in the heat of summer. I was happy when Easter rolls by because that means I can finally eat normally, and there’s no somber mood around the place.

It was only recently that I started to appreciate the entire season, and that’s what I plan to impart to you for the next few weeks until we reach the “climax”. I think this is really something we should take time to reflect on. :) You don’t have to be a real estate agent or a priest or a really “holy” person to appreciate this season.

In the meantime, here’s the podcast I mentioned earlier for your listening pleasure. :)

[audio:lent-overview.mp3]

If you haven’t heard mass yet, there’s still time! I’m sure there’s another one (or two) masses before this day ends. And I’m also inviting you to join the 40 days of prayer and fasting led by Bo Sanchez. Click on the link for more details. :)

Eggs and Bunnies on Easter

Will asked something about the relationship of eggs and bunnies on a Christian holiday, Easter, which celebrates Christ’s resurrection. I never really thought about it, really. I have to admit that I’ve participated in Easter Egg Hunts (not winning anything, though) but I’ve never had an Easter chocolate bunny (is it really that good?).

Thinking about it now…what does eggs and bunnies have in connection with Jesus’ resurrection? Did bunnies show up when he got out of the grave? Was their main course eggs? Why?!

Okay, I’m exaggerating. Anyway, I looked up some information regarding this on one of my favorite Catholic resource websites, LifeTeen.com ((If you want to learn more about the Catholic faith, visit this site! They have easy to understand articles and answers to basic questions a Catholic or a non-believer (I think) would ask.)) and found exactly what I needed. Click on the link to read Mark Hart’s very interesting analogy with all these “symbols” in Easter and Jesus’ rising from the dead. :) Enjoy and be blessed. :)

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