The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 324 - Prayer Is Not a Thing We Do
What if growing closer to God isn't about doing more, but learning to give everything back to Him?
In this episode, the friars reflect on the spirituality of Saint Francis and what it means to approach prayer not as a checklist, but as a response to God's love. Through his example, they explore how gratitude and a deep love for Jesus can transform the way we pray and live.
It's easy to turn our spiritual lives into something we need to accomplish or perfect. But Saint Francis reminds us that prayer isn't about performance. It's about allowing ourselves to be moved by the love of Christ and offering that love back to Him.
Join us as we rediscover the freedom of prayer rooted in gratitude, trust, and a heart turned toward Jesus.
The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount.
Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!
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Episode 322 - Keeping the Tradition (ft. Fr. Jonah Teller, OP) 
What happens when a Dominican friar joins a group of Franciscans to talk about Saint Francis? In this episode, the friars welcome Fr. Jonah Teller, OP, to celebrate a beautiful tradition between the Franciscan and Dominican orders: preaching on each other's founders' feast days.
Together, they reflect on their shared love for the Gospel, the beauty of their different spiritual traditions, and how God continues to work through both communities. Fr. Jonah shares his experience preaching for the Feast of Saint Francis, reflecting on how Francis became a man so completely open to God that His light shone through every part of his life.
Like a rainbow revealing the beauty of light, Saint Francis allowed the love of Jesus to transform him and shine outward to the world. At the heart of it all is a simple invitation: to become little, receive God's love, and give ourselves completely to Him, just as He gives Himself completely to us in the Eucharist.
Join us as we celebrate a friendship rooted in faith and discover how Saint Francis teaches us to let the light of Christ shine through our own lives.
The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount.
Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco.
Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/

Episode 321 - St. Francis and Love's Reply
What if following Jesus wasn't about doing more for God, but responding to how much He already loves us? In this episode, the friars continue their reflections on Saint Francis of Assisi through the book Love's Reply, exploring the heart behind his radical poverty, penance, and complete surrender to God.
For Saint Francis, giving up everything wasn't about proving his holiness or earning God's love. It was a response of gratitude to the One who had already given him everything. The friars reflect on how true conversion begins when we recognize that everything we have is a gift from the Father.
Like Saint Francis, we are invited to let go of our self-reliance, pride, and need for control, not simply to become better people, but to make more room for Jesus in our hearts and lives.
Ultimately, holiness is not about how much we accomplish for God, but how deeply we allow His love to transform us.
Join us as we discover the heart of Saint Francis, and learn to make our own lives a loving reply to the God who loved us first.
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The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. 
Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!
🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/

Episode 320 - Sharing in God's Work of Reconciliation
Have you ever felt responsible for correcting someone you love, but struggled to know whether to speak up or let it go? In this episode, the friars reflect on what it means to share in God's work of reconciliation. When we see someone making mistakes, struggling with sin, or drifting away from the faith, it's natural to want to help.
But how do we know when God is asking us to step in, and when He's inviting us to surrender? Through the example of Saint Francis, the friars explore how fraternal correction is not simply about pointing out what's wrong, but about loving others with the same mercy, patience, and tenderness we've received from Jesus.
Sometimes love calls us to speak the truth with courage. Other times, it asks us to listen, build trust, pray, and allow God to work in ways we cannot.
Ultimately, we are called to participate in God's work of salvation, not carry the burden of saving everyone ourselves. Join us as we learn to love with courage, correct with mercy, and trust God with the hearts and lives of those we cannot change.
The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount.
Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!
🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/

Episode 319 - Trusting God with Tomorrow
Have you ever felt like things are going well and started waiting for something bad to happen? In this episode, the friars reflect on what it means to trust God with tomorrow.
When life is peaceful, fruitful, or good, it can be easy to brace ourselves for suffering, fear the next tragedy, or believe that the "other shoe" is about to drop. But that fear often reveals a deeper question: Who do I really believe God is? The friars invite us to stay rooted in the present moment, where God is actually meeting us.
We are not promised perfect understanding of the future, but we are invited to make acts of faith, hope, and love right now. Like Saint Francis, we can learn to cling to what is true: God is good, all good, supreme good.
Join us as we learn to stop living in fear of what might happen, and begin trusting the Father who is with us, caring for us, and holding tomorrow in His hands.
The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount.
Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!
🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/