Encyclopedia of Catholic Theology

Do Not Be Afraid of What Others Think | Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. reflects on Matthew 10 and Christ’s command: “Fear no one.”We often live according to how we are perceived by others, shaping our lives around their judgments, whether favorable or critical. This tendency can become so strong that our sense of identity is rooted more in the minds of others than in reality itself.But Jesus redirects our attention. We do not exist most truly in the thoughts of others, but in the knowledge and love of God. Human opinion does not constitute our being, nor can it save us.The problem is not that others think about us—but that we allow their thoughts to define us. What others think is neither creative nor salvific.God’s knowledge, by contrast, is real, creative, and sustaining. He knows us into being, and His knowledge is ordered toward our salvation.To “fear no one” is to live not in reference to human judgment, but in the truth of how we exist before God. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ectplus.org/subscribe [https://www.ectplus.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Emotions are Not Intrinsically Evil | Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. reflects on Matthew 9 and the significance of Jesus’ compassion.When Jesus sees the crowds, His heart is “moved with pity.” This reveals something essential: the emotional life is not inherently disordered or sinful.Christ shows us that to be human is not only to think and to choose, but also to feel. And because Jesus is like us in all things but sin, His emotions reveal their true purpose.The problem is not that we have emotions—but that they are wounded. And what is wounded can be healed.Grace does not bypass the human person. It transforms the whole person—intellect, will, and even the affective life.No part of our humanity is beyond the reach of Christ. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ectplus.org/subscribe [https://www.ectplus.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Whoever Eats This Bread Will Live Forever | The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. reflects on John 6 and the shocking claim at the heart of the Eucharist."I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever." The Jews quarreled among themselves — not because the question was bad, but because they turned inward rather than toward Jesus.This is the great temptation for all of us. When faced with a saving truth we cannot fully understand, we turn to our own objections, our own standards, our own debate. But there is no clarity within ourselves. We are not God.Jesus does not enter their dialectic. He does not take a poll or address their objections. He simply reiterates the truth: "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you."Jesus alone is the principle of clarity about his sacred mysteries. He invites us to make him our first stop — not our last resort. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ectplus.org/subscribe [https://www.ectplus.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

You Cannot Be Indifferent to Jesus | Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. reflects on John 3:16 and the claim that there is no neutrality before Christ.Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned — but whoever does not believe has already been condemned. Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. The choice, however, cannot be avoided.There are only two saviors: Jesus, who came to draw us into union with Himself — and ourselves, a project of self-salvation that is doomed to fail.Every part of life belongs either to Christ or to that false project. Holding something back is not neutrality. It is antagonism.Jesus invites us to open every part of ourselves to Him — because what is not united to Him is not saved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ectplus.org/subscribe [https://www.ectplus.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

What to Do When There Is No Peace | Pentecost Sunday

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. reflects on John 20 and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The disciples are afraid, hiding behind locked doors. Yet Jesus comes to them, bringing peace and instituting the sacrament of confession.Even today, we can feel distant from Christ—held back by fear, sin, or shame. But the Gospel reveals a powerful truth: nothing can separate us from Jesus.St. Paul teaches that “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” When we invoke the holy name of Jesus, we are not alone. The Spirit is already at work, drawing us into union with Christ.The name of Jesus is not just a word—it is a prayer, a presence, and a path to peace. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ectplus.org/subscribe [https://www.ectplus.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]