What I do not understand

What I do not understand

Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/] ---  What I Do Not Understand "What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate." — Romans 7:15 St. Paul nails it. We know what sin is. We know it's wrong, bad for us, and damaging to our relationship with God. And yet — we still do it anyway. It's not like we wake up each morning thinking, "Today I'll sever my relationship with God." It's subtler than that. We get lax. We get tempted. We wander. And before we know it, we're somewhere we didn't intend to be. So where does sin lurk in our own lives? Where are we most tempted? It starts with the little things. It's rarely one dramatic fall — it's the small compromises, the small indulgences, the small moments of inattention that lead us down the path. That's where we need to be vigilant. To combat sin, we have to keep our guard up. We have to know where it lurks and see it for what it is. And in those moments — in all moments, really — we call on our Lord and our Lady for the grace to persevere. Let us pray. Lord, help us to see clearly where we are most vulnerable, and give us the grace to stand firm. Our Lady, pray for us. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Hear and do

Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/] --- Hear and do We are called to not just be hearers of God's word, but doers as well. Chances are, you've already heard it all. Between Mass, Scripture, Catholic school, and religious education, most of us have a pretty solid idea of what we should do, what's right versus wrong, and how God is asking us to live. There's always room for discernment — but the broad strokes? We know them. And that's the critical point. Knowing isn't enough. Hearing isn't enough. We have to take the teachings of Jesus Christ and actually live them. There are actions that must follow. Christ Himself says it plainly: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) A true disciple hears — and does. Let us pray. Lord, move us from knowledge to action. Help us not just to hear Your word, but to live it today. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The path to greatness

Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/] --- The path to greatness Developing virtue is a balancing act — finding the golden mean between two extremes. Take magnanimity and humility. On the surface, they look like opposites. A magnanimous person strives to do great things and is deserving of honor. That desire lives in all of us. Think of kids' daydreams about saving the day, being the hero. The desire for greatness is hardwired into us. That's magnanimity. Then St. Thomas Aquinas gives us this definition of humility: "It consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior." So on one hand, we're made for greatness. On the other, we're told not to stretch beyond our own bounds. Opposites, right? Not quite. When we dig a little deeper, we find that both are expected of us — and that it's actually through humility that we reach magnanimity. Humility helps us acknowledge our very real weaknesses, which causes us to depend on the Lord. Greatness is not something we attain on our own. We're human — flawed and sinful — so we turn to the One above us. It's by faith in Jesus Christ that the door to greatness opens. Not by our own power, but His. Knowing who we are, and who God is — that's what frees us to seek greatness in His name, for His glory. Let us pray. Lord, keep us humble enough to depend on You, and bold enough to pursue the greatness You've placed within us. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

One step

Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/] --- One Step No matter how daunting the road ahead looks — personally, professionally, or spiritually — all we have to do is focus on the current moment. This is especially true for the spiritual life. Let's be honest: most of us are a long way from being saints. It can feel like standing at the base of a mountain, trying to see the peak through the clouds. The gap between where we are and where we need to be seems infinite. And in many ways it is — because without God's help, we can't reach that peak. But our job is simple. Show up in this moment. Don't get caught up in what needs to happen tomorrow, or next week, or a year from now. Just think about what needs to happen right now. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So take a step. Then another. And another. If we misstep — and we will — that's fine. Redirect and keep moving. Lean on prayer, the Eucharist, and Confession to find the way forward. "Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil." (Matthew 6:34) Let us pray. Lord, help us to trust You with tomorrow and give our whole selves to this moment. One step at a time, keep us moving toward You. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Set us free

Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/] --- Set us free Before we receive the Eucharist at Mass, we profess the Mystery of Faith. "Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free." Think about that: You have set us free. Freedom is part of our everyday lives. We talk about it in our country's history and in our current political climate — freedom of speech, religion, and press, opportunity, equality. All of that matters. But that's not what we're talking about at Mass when we say Christ has set us free. It's much bigger than that. Christ died and rose to save us — setting us free from sin and death. Two of the greatest evils we face. And we cannot escape them on our own. There is no other path to freedom from sin and death except through Him. So let's sit with that today. Do we see ourselves as imprisoned by sin and death? Do we recognize our need for a Savior? Are we calling upon Him — or are we still squandering in sin? Let us pray. Lord Jesus, thank You for setting us free. Help us to live as people who believe it. In Your name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe [https://www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]