The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) - Drink in the New Year: The Word of God Is a Fountain

Episode Date: December 31, 2021

Jeff takes us into the new year by sharing a beautiful prayer from St. Ephraim, which highlights how reading the Word of God is like drinking from a fountain and having our thirst quenched. He also shares his conversation with the hosts of Ascension's new podcast launching in 2022, La Biblia en un Año, which brings the Bible in a Year experience to the Hispanic community. Snippet from the Show "For your word, Lord, has many shades of meaning just as those who study it have many different points of view. The Lord has colored his word with many hues so that each person who studies it can see in it what he loves. He has hidden many treasures in his word so that each of us is enriched as we meditate on it."- St. Ephraim Email us with comments or questions at [e-mail]. Text “jeffcavins” to 33-777 to subscribe and get Jeff’s shownotes delivered straight to your email! Or visit ascensionpress.com/thejeffcavinsshow for full shownotes!

You're listening to the Jeff Kaven Show, episode 251. Drink in the New Year. Hey, I'm Jeff Kavins. How do you simplify your life? How do you study the Bible? All the way from motorcycle trips to raising kids, we're going to talk about the faith and life in general. It's the Jeff Kaven show.

Well, welcome to the final show of 2021, another year behind us. Some people would say, thank God, it is behind us. As the last couple of years have been really difficult for a lot of people posing new obstacles and challenges in their personal life and their family life and their life at work. But I got to tell you, over the last couple of years, yes, there have been difficulties. But I have also found that over the last couple of years, these circumstances have provided a wonderful opportunity. to become more like Jesus. Maybe sometime I'll do a show

and I'll just outline some of the ways that I feel God has really moved in my life over the last couple of years. You might want to do that too. You know, take out a sheet of paper and write down some of the ways that the Lord has used the circumstances that we have been in

to transform your life. And then as a gift of praise and thanksgiving, just offer that up to the Lord and to say, Lord, I like Paul, can be thankful in all situations. A lot of people find that a challenge. In fact, when I tell people that, hey, you should be thankful. They're like, oh, don't tell me that. But you really should be thankful for everything in life. It's, life's good. It is. I know it's got difficulties, and there's been some real tragedies in the last year. But life, generally speaking, is extraordinary. It really is

extraordinary. And I have found that even in my suffering, that I have come to know the Lord better. And I've changed through suffering. So I want to give you a gift today. It's a prayer from St. Ephraim. I'll do that in just a few minutes. St. Ephraim, of course, is that great saint from the fourth century. And he's got a prayer that deals with drinking. And we're talking about drinking in the new year here. Not what you thought, but it's drink in the new year, but it is drinking in the Word of God. Speaking of the Word of God, I have something new for you. I wanted to let you know that I have a new daily show. Started up in, actually in November, it's a new daily show with Jonathan Rumi from The Chosen. That's right. Jonathan and I are teaming up every day. He's reading the

gospel reading of the day, according to the liturgical calendar, and then I'm giving about a five-minute devotion every single day. And you can find that on the Hallow app. If you haven't checked out the Hallow app, it's chalk filled with all kinds of goodies. And on that app, if you download it and you register and put my last name at the end, it's www. hallow.com forward slash Jeff Kavens. That's one word, Jeff Kavens at the end. Well, you're going to get three months free. And you can check it out. See if you like it. I think you will. I'm putting a lot of time and energy and my heart into a daily devotion every day. And I've got to say, it's really an honored work with Jonathan Rumi, aka Jesus, from The Chosen.

Ascension Press has a wonderful relationship with the folks over at Hello and hope to see more things happen in the future. I'd also like to share with you at the end of the show today. I'd like to introduce you to two new friends of mine, Father Sergio Serrano and Father Dempsey Rosales Ocasta. Now, Father Sergio is going to be in the role of Father Mike Schmitz in the Catholic, Spanish Bible in a year. And Father Dempsey is going to be in my role as the trail guide, the one that kind of keeps you on the path

and explains where we're going, where we came from, in the Bible in a year. That's Father Sergio Serrano and Father Dempsey Rosales Acosta, and we're going to hear from them after the first break on this show. Okay, so drink in the new year. I remember growing up playing baseball in the summer, and in Minnesota, it can get hot in the summer and quite muggy. And after every inning, all of us would run over to the drinking fountain, and you know the, you know the drill, you go to the drinking fountain, don't put your mouth on it. and it's hardly coming out, you know, or you get to a drinking fountain that's just shooting up in the middle of the air and just water flying everywhere.

And we drank like wolves. We drink like horses, you know, just so thirsty. Well, my prayer for you in the new year of 2022 is that God would put a hunger in your heart, and you would thirst for him. You would drink deeply from the word and allow God. God's word to refresh you, to direct you, to protect you, to correct you, and to heal you in 2022. Now, if you have already gone through Bible in a year in 2021, maybe you want to give it another go. You can also go deep into the Great Adventure Bible Studies. There's an eight-week one

called Unlocking the Mystery and a 24-week one, the Great Adventure, the Bible Timeline. It's a story of salvation history. You can do that. But, Wherever you go, have a relationship with God's Word this year, certainly with Lexio Divina, daily meeting with the Lord, but I always encourage people to be in a study. We've got a lot of great studies at Ascension Press. Well, St. Ephraim, the great saint, he gave a real poetic prayer, a beautiful prayer where he likens studying the Bible to drinking from a fountain. I just kind of explained to you how as a young kid we had this thirst, you know, and we just drank from that fountain water flowing over the edges, and we didn't really care.

And what St. Ephraim says in his beautiful prayer is that studying the Bible is like drinking from a fountain. And when you drink from a fountain, the truth of the matter is that you actually take in far less than you receive. You will take in a bit of water and it quenches your thirst. But for every bit of water that you take in, there's a lot of water that falls to the ground. And in his prayer, he makes a point out of telling you and me, hey, don't be discouraged. Don't be discouraged if you don't drink all of it. If there's some that falls to the ground, don't be bummed, as we would say today. But rejoice.

Rejoice in what, Lord? well, rejoice in what you have received. Don't be bummed out about what you didn't receive and fell to the ground. Now, the advantage of having this perspective on reading scripture and studying scripture, or the catechism for that matter, is that you'll realize suddenly that there's always room in your heart to grow. And there's always room to continue to expand your knowledge of God, your understanding, of God. And it's good. And you can thank God that your thirst was quenched right now in that drink and not bummed out that all that water went to the ground, but you will rejoice knowing that there is

more room for you. And you can drink again and again and again and again, and you're not going to exhaust that fountain. Here's the prayer. I'm going to read this purposefully. And if you're in the car, don't close your eyes. Please keep driving. If you're taking a walk, maybe you want to sit on a or just take a nice stroll and listen to this prayer. It's not my prayer. I wish it was. I'm not this good. But it's St. Ephraim's prayer regarding studying the Bible and reading the Bible. And I hope this takes you into the new year. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Lord, who can grasp all the wealth of just one of your words?

What we understand is much less than we leave behind. like thirsty people who drink from a fountain for your word lord has many shades of meaning just as those who study it have many different points of view the lord has colored his word with many hues so that each person who studies it can see it when he loves he has hidden many treasures in his word so that each of us is enriched as we meditate on it The Word of God is a tree of life that from all its parts offers you fruit that is blessed. It is like that rock opened in the desert that from all its parts gave forth a spiritual drink. He who comes into contact with some share of its treasure should not think that the only thing contained in the Word is what he himself has found. He should realize that he has only been able to find.

find that one thing from among many others, nor because only that one part has become his should he say that the word is void and empty and look down on it. But because he could not exhaust it, he should give thanks for its riches. Be glad. Be glad that you are overcome and do not be sad that it overcame you. The thirsty man rejoices when he drinks and he is, is not downcast because he cannot empty the fountain. Rather, let the fountain quench your thirst than have your thirst quench the fountain. Because if your thirst is quenched and the fountain is not exhausted, you can drink from it again whenever you are thirsty. But if when you thirst, when your thirst is quenched and the fountain is also dried up, your victory will bode evil

for you. So be grateful for what you have received and don't grumble about the abundance left behind. What you have received and what you have reached is your share. What remains is your heritage. What at one time you are unable to receive because of your weakness, you will be able to receive at other times if you persevere. Do not have the presumption to try to take in one draft, what cannot be taken in one draft, and do not abandon out of laziness, what can only be taken little by little. Amen. Isn't that a beautiful prayer and kind of a devotion and a thought about reading God's word as a drinking fountain? When we come back from the break, I'm going to introduce you to two wonderful guys, Father Sergio, Father DeVos, Father

Dempsey. They are the Spanish guys who are going to be taking Bible in a year out to the entire Latino community. You're listening to the Jeff Kaven show. What if you could see that the infinite God is present in your life? What if it was as simple as stopping, opening your heart, and allowing yourself to be found? I'm Danielle Bean, an author, speaker, and host of the Girlfriend's Podcast. In my new book, Whisper, Finding God in the Every Day, I share wisdom from the saints, real-life experiences, and prayer practices that help you to see, know, and grow closer to God in your everyday life, no matter how busy you are. If you've ever been inspired by stories of great saints but wondered where that leaves the rest of us, this book is for you.

In it, we explore how we meet God in joy, pain, other people, prayer, and in the awesome gift of the sacraments. Join me on this journey. of letting go, being still, and allowing God to meet us right here, right now, right where we are. Order your copy of Whisper, Finding God in the Every Day, at ascensionpress.com. And I want to thank you for coming back and staying with the show here. I mentioned before the break that we have an opportunity to meet a couple of really special guys who are going to be taking Bible in a year to the next level. had so much feedback over the last year about the Bible in a year and people asking about

all kinds of languages. I mean everything, Portuguese and French and German. The obvious one is Spanish, and that's one of the requests that we have been getting. And I'm glad to tell you today, very happy to tell you, we've got two guys that are going to be Father Mike and myself, and that is Father Sergio from Colombia and Father Dempsey from Houston, Texas. I want to welcome both of you to my show. Thank you. Thank you, Jeff. I am here in my hometown in Colombia. Thank you to be here. Yeah. I'm so excited about this. And this is the first time that we've had an opportunity to talk.

And people are wondering today in the church, how do we grow? How do we duplicate, you know, our parishes? And I can't think of a better way than to share the story of salvation history with people all around the world. Spanish is really growing in the United States. It has been for many, many years. But I've even heard some people say that in the future, Spanish may become even the dominant language in the United States. So Father Sergio, you are going to be in the role of Father Mike on the Bible in a year. And I want to welcome you. And give us a little background on yourself. I know you're in Colombia. But how did you get kind of hooked up to the Bible in a year? year and what did it mean to you this last year? Well, Jeff, thank you again for inviting me to your

program. I am here in my vacation time. I took a week to come to Colombia. I am in my mother's house. And how they came in contact with this program. Everybody has been talking about it in United States. Everybody knows Father Mike. He is a celebrity. And let me not talk about you because you are greater. Everybody knows this Bible plan that you created, which is very amazing. And many Hispanics came to me and they asked, can we follow this program? What do you think about it? I went, I listened to it, and I thought that it was a little fun. It's beautiful because we Latinos, we love stories.

We love what grandpas have to tell us. You know, when I was a kid, I used to ask my grandmother, how do you fall in love with my grandfather? And she told us that every Christmas, every Christmas she was telling us a story. So when I saw this plan that is putting the narrative books together to tell us the story of salvation, I think it was my hook to get me into what we know today as the great adventure that is the history of our salvation. So I need to thank you for doing that. Yeah, well, you're going to be in the role of Father Mike.

Those are big shoes to walk in. I know you can do it. And playing the role of me, Jeff, in the Bible in a year. for Spanish is Father Dempsey, a great scholar, Bible teacher from Houston, Texas. Father Dempsey, welcome. Thank you. Thank you very much for being here. For me, has been an honor to be here, and I think it's the hand of God who has been acting behind these scenes to limit to this role. I didn't hear about the Bible in a year in Spanish, but I get to know the Bible in a year through other people, people who have been listening to it in the parishes and also the university, and they asked me, Father, this, have you heard the Bible in a year? And I began to listen to, but through them. And they asked me, so what about in Spanish? I said, I don't know. In that time, I didn't have a clue at all whatsoever, ever, that I will be actually participating actively in a Bible in a year. And I'm very honor and proud, and I have to fill your shoes, which are huge, are massive. As we say in Spanish, Los Apato Grandissimo de Jeff.

The big shoes of Jeff. I think there are shoes that you can walk in for sure. That's for sure. I want to ask you both, at this time in history, where we're at right now, what does reading through the Bible in a year as a narrative, as a chronological story, what does it mean to people today with all of the problems that they're facing, all the obstacles in life. What do you see Bible and a year Spanish doing in the Latino community?

I think this is a moment of hope. I am always amazed how in the darkest moments of the church of the humanity, always a saint comes out or an idea comes out in the church. And I think this is a great idea that helps so many people around the planet to have hope in this time of COVID and this time of losing jobs, Loops in lives, loops in family members. This has come like the little light, the sparkle that is bringing the light back into the darkness that we are going through. So I think for us Hispanics, who are storytellers, who are story listeners, this is coming as a refresh time, you know, like going back to the fountains and enjoying and discovering that the love of God goes beyond.

and it's going to help us to go through this 2022 that is coming up. Father Dempsey, how about you? What do you think about the Bible in a year? What is it going to do at this time in history for people who really are struggling? I think I can summarize that in two words. First, clarity and second, nourishment. Why? Because most of the problem that we have in the Hispanic community is how to understand the Bible.

It's so complicated. It jumps from here to there. And the Bible in a year gave a sense of clarity to see more or less how God this has been acting through history in a continuous way. And nourishment is because in our communities, we don't have the culture of reading every day. We don't have the culture of sitting down for a moment. But we have the culture of listening. We have the culture of now the video, the network, the networks, the social media. So that it will be the ways to nourish, the way to feed the great hunger that we have for knowing God more.

That is for sure. So those two elements are crucial very much. Father Sergio, do you have any advice for families? I'm thinking about fathers, husbands, mothers, as far as taking in the Bible in a year and then using it within the family setting. Because today, I think it could be argued that the family's in trouble in America and around the world. and the one thing that will draw us together is knowing God's plan for our life, which is what you are now jumping into for this entire year. But a little advice for people in the Latino community concerning how to use this within the family.

Jeff, that's a wonderful question. And when you were asking me, the first thing that came to my mind was Saint-Tierrez, you know, When she was asked, how did she turn to be so holy and to know more about God and to do those beautiful things? She says, I learned it from my daddy who came every night and kneel down and pray. I think that if our Hispanic children will see the parents listening to the podcast, if they see the parents listening to the Bible, children seem to replicate everything parents do. And today is a big need of us to set an example. The Pope has called us to be witnesses of the gospel.

And the best way to be witnesses is showing people what is good. And if this is good, I as a parent should put it on me radio when I go home in mid-radio, when I go out, put it in my cell phone. As we see people doing TikTok all the time, doing Instagram, why not to put a podcast that is going to nourish and to bring clarity to my family to my day-by-day situations that's father to them to just present? it. Yeah. Well, Father Dempsey, you work actually at St. Thomas in Houston at the seminary there. And so you are in touch with seminarians, people who are going to be priests. They're going to be transitional deacons and then

ordained to the priesthood. How do you see Bible in a year in the Latino community flowing through the priesthood into the local parish? Oh, I think it's crucial. And I'm also teaching at the University of St. Thomas, and I see not just only the seminarians, but also all those who want to study scripture or Bible or theology who are not only in the path of the priesthood. So right now is a very important moment, and it is quite important, and this is crucial. When we become a priest, sometimes we are so loaded with things to do that actually we start to forget to read the scripture, to be the first ones, to nurture ourselves. Augustine was so brilliant. He said, we cannot give out.

outwardly, what we don't have inwardly. So we need, we are the first one, we need to read the scripture in such a way that it will be digested by us in order to be more effective by the people of God, through the people of God, to the people of God. Also, with those lay people who actually are actively studying in order to be instruments, ministers, helpers to spread the voice of God. And we need to be the boombox, the microphones of God. But what happens if the microphone is defective?

So the microphone has to be effective by reading and immersing into the swimming pool of the Word of God. That is for sure. Yeah. I love that. I love the image you just gave there, Father Dempsey, of a.k.a. me. But I like that image of the boombox. We need to be called boomboxes. And we're sharing the message out there.

And I guess I'd throw that question right back to you. And that is, how can... How can the average person who is listening to Bible and a year Spanish, how can they become a boombox to share with all of their friends and colleagues at work? I truly believe in the echo of the word of God. So every time that God speaks through His word, we have the great potential to be an echo of that word by sharing what I felt, by sharing what I believe, by sharing.

by that single aspect of sharing, communicate. Today I heard this, and actually this word touched me. That echo becomes some kind of resonance of the voice of God through me that may actually enlighten or maybe open or spark something somebody else. And at the end, it's not us, the one who are working, actually. It's God who is working through us every time that we become an echo, a boombox, speaker, a wave. him to continue to open other doors and to resonate, resonate in another echo, in another place, in another person. And I think that it's wonderful. Father Sergio was brilliant when he was saying

about the family. When you read the Bible in a year, let's say I am a father and a family. And I said, today I heard this and you share it with your wife and then with your children. It becomes a boombox and echo. And sooner or later, thou have to be effective because God is the one who act. We don't do anything. The only thing that we do is to be obedience to what we are called to do, our mission. Father Sergio, especially because he's of the order of the preachers. My goodness, so he will be becoming literally an embodiment of that vocation, all of us priests too, but especially though who has that special charism. And that is essential. That for me is crucial in my vocation. That is crucial for all of us who are participating in this kind of mission.

Because this is a mission. It's not just only a work to do. It's a mission. It's a vocation. For one reason, we are here. And God has to take care of that. All right. That's beautiful. And I'm going to borrow that boombox analogy sometimes. So you might end up hearing that on one of my shows. That's very good. Father Sergio, all the way over in Columbia, you also are a boombox. And you're going to be booming the message out the next year. If somebody comes up to you and says, well, what should I tell my friends about this? How would I share Bible in a year, Spanish with a friend? What is there in it for them? What are they going to get out of it? Well, Jeff, something that I have experienced as a young person

is that when I heard God's voice, when I heard his message, it create on me the need to communicate what I was experiencing. So what I would like to tell me, people is just allow the word to be grounded in your heart. And God is going to give you the tools, the resources, the words that you need. The only thing that you need to do, and every day in this little podcast that I am putting together, the first thing that I tell people is pray to the Holy Spirit that he will open your mind and your heart that his word can work on you. And then I give my reflection because it's not about what I say. I am just an instrument. An instrument that maybe needs to be refined, that needs to be repainted, whatever.

And what is going to do, the work is if you allowed, meaning the listeners, the Holy Spirit to do the work. And then he will put the words to communicate because something that the Pope has been saying is that we need to communicate what we receive and also that we need to show people how joyful the message is and that we need to connect our heart, to what we have received with our mouth and show it not only with words, but with a smile to show people that this message comes with a joy in the midst of problems, in the midst of situations that are difficult to handle, and then you could receive this beautiful word that

comes to comfort you. So I tell people, don't worry about what you are going to say. Just allow yourself to speak of the joy that you receive when you listen to God's word. Right, right. Well, Father Sergio, you're going to be in that role that Father Mike played, and that is daily reading the word and giving a bit of a devotion, a bit of a word of a word of a word of Father Dempsey, you're going to do what I do, and that's kind of keep people on course with, as we move into each period, these are the main characters, these are the main events, this is a fork in the road, you could take a wrong turn here, these are where the prophets speak and so forth. And while the names Father Sergio and Father Dempsey are going to be on Bible in a year Spanish, you bring up a good point, Father Sergio, and that is that people need to remember that when they read and hear the Word of God, it is unlike any other book. And the primary thing is the Word itself, and the Word of God is powerful.

It'll accomplish that which God purposes. It's like a sharp sword, you know, double-edged sword. it will pierce to the heart and the soul of a person. And so when people hear the Bible, it's not just a literary exercise of hearing about history, but there is something about the Bible that is distinct and different in itself. It's the book of books, the library of libraries, and it has a life all its own, and it can really change lives. Your comments, Father Sergio?

Well, Father Dempsey is a lot of, he's very fan of San Agosting, which I am as well. San Agostin was always seeking for the truth, seeking for God. He only passed in front of a church. He heard the message, and that was enough to transform his life. So we have a book in front of us that has changed human direction, who has changed human hearts, who has changed problems in everybody's life. So this is not a magic book, but it's a book where you can find connection

with the one who created this beautiful world, who created me, who knows me, to whom I can know high my feelings, my needs. So why not to come and encounter with him and allow him to embrace me, to hug me, to talk to me, and allow that beautiful God to bring me back to him? because we can get loose very easy today.

So this time, this 20 minutes, 30 minutes that we are going to give every day, more than listening to a program are 20 to 30 minutes that I am giving to myself to my connection with God to allow this beautiful fountain, which never ends to nurture my life and to bring clarity to my life at Father Dempsey. Well pointed out, I think those are key elements, you know. We are going to be nourished and we are going to be. taking the clarity that is needed for our lives today. Right. You bring up a good point, and that is that the Bible is for me. People have asked

the question in the last year, why did you guys do this? And I think that the bottom line is we needed it. Yes. We need to be washed in the water of the word and cleansed, and we get direction, we get correction, we get encouraged by the Word of God. And Father Dempsey, you've been studying it for years, and just make a quick comment as to how is the Bible different than all the other books in the world? Yeah. For me, the Bible, it's so special that it's alive. So it's not just a book.

It's not just only a written word that is divine inspired by itself. It's alive. And the Bible has a life by itself that goes beyond even the physical persons who wrote that book or those books that we collected together. And it's so powerful that one phrase, one episode has the tremendous potential to transform and to touch the life for a person or a community. Sometimes, even for me, especially I'm talking here in a very personal way, one phrase touched me in such a way in one period of my life that actually transformed the complete manner in which I see my own reality. And sometimes I read chapters of phrases in years in the past and then all of this sudden after five years, I read it again. and it has a complete different meaning

and not just only to me to everybody who will approach this book with the open heart and then by itself the book will do everything else because it's got there sometimes I feel like a Bible like it is some kind of a partiture

that kind of a music sheet so it is there but until somebody who is who knows how to play it and fantastic music will start to come out and that melody will in one way and another, touch feelings and emotions uniquely in every person, that that is

miraculous. That, for me, is just by itself incredible. And that has been acting in that way for millennia. There's no other book ever that can do the same, ever. It's impossible. Right. Now, that's a beautiful thought. One more question for you both, and that is, what is your prayer?

What is your, what is the desire of your? heart for those who are going to be listening through the Bible in a year this coming year. What's your prayer for them? Well, my prayer for them is the same that I do for me. Something Jeff that I learned early in my formation as a preacher was that the word that I was preaching was not for others because the closest ears to the preacher are his own. So sometimes when I think. that I am giving the message to somebody that I prepare while I am delivering my message,

I notice that it wasn't for those people that are sitting in front of me or who are in the other side of the cell phone or the tablet. The message is for me. So I always invite people to say, you know, why is this message coming to me today at this time? Why did I open this app or why did I open my laptop or this computer to listen to something that I was surprised for. So my prayer is allow God to surprise you because God is a God of surprises. And we have forgotten that. We want to have a God that has everything planned and written. And we even want to go ahead and God keeps surprising us.

I was very surprised today that yesterday was raining really heavy. And today, I thought that I will not be able to write my mom. motorcycle, and it's a radiant, beautiful son. So I say, Lord, you know, you are full of surprises and your word. I always find it fresh. Many people ask when I do preach, and says, do you have your homily together in a piece of paper? I said, no, I have only some ideas. Because if I do rewrite my homilies, if I do reuse them, I will lose the surprise, the gift

that daily gift that God wants to give me. So my prayer is, Lord, allow these minds and hearts to be open to your surprises. Because you are a God that is faithful, loving, and kind. And people today need to know how much you love them. So my prayer is, Lord, that they can feel your faithfulness and love as I do in my poor life. Because being an unworthy servant, you put me in front of this ministry, which is a heavy responsibility, and I had big shoes to feel, so God help me. Help me. Yeah, you're going to do just great. You're going to do fine. And God's going to bring your unique gifts and your unique

perspective on life and your understanding of the Latino community, which is just beautiful. And, you know, sometimes people will tell me, like around May, they'll say, well, I just started. I'm behind. They'll say, I just started. And I say, no, no, you're not behind. You're not behind. You're right on schedule because the readings that come out in the next 10 days are just going to be the readings you need to hear. And if you had started earlier, you wouldn't hear how you're hearing it today. And so, whenever you begin, when you begin, trust that God has you there. And if you miss a few days, don't give up. Don't give up.

Just keep on going. Father Dempsey, your prayer for people today that are going to be going through Bible in a year of Spanish? Yes. My prayer is to be a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, honestly. That for me is a very personal prayer. Every time that I read the scripture or I do my lexio or I pray every day is to be filled, but whatever God wants to put in me. And then the rest, he has his plan. I mean, he has his own tricks to do. So he's a masterpiece of his irony. But in the moment that we are open to it, to whatever he wants to put in us, my goodness, I think that it will be extraordinary. So that is my prayer. To be a dwelling place of whatever God wants to put in us. His Holy Spirit is the most important one. Yes.

Well, that's beautiful. I can't thank the two of you enough for stepping up to the plate and being the boomboxes that God has called you to be to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. Honestly, I can't think of anything that people need more than to hear a word from God on a daily basis. Now, if people are interested in this, and we'll have this in the show notes as well, I want to encourage people to go to ascensionpress.com forward slash la Biblia. One word, La Biblia, L-A-B-I-B-L-I-A-A-L-B-B-B-B-A, and you will go to the landing page where you can get the download. and that is a Bible timeline, it's like a PDF that you can go through the entire story with

Father Sergio and Father Dempsey. It is the piece of equipment that you need. And also, I want to encourage all of you who are Spanish speaking, or you know of people who are Spanish speaking and are hungry for God, to get a copy of the Great Adventure Bible in Spanish. That is a Bible. That is a Bible that is color-coded, and that's what we're going to be using through a Bible in a year. And I can see you, I'm talking with Father Sergio right now. He has a well-worn, Great Adventure Bible. Very good. And so if you want to follow along, get yourself a great adventure Spanish version of it, along with the Bible timeline chart in Spanish. And that also is found at ascensionpress.com. But more than anything else, share this with your friends. Share this

with your family. The way that Bible in a year English got going was it was very organic. It went live on January 1st last year. And within 24 hours, it was number one in the country. And that didn't happen just because we did a show. It happened because of people like you who joined and shared this with others, liked it, and passed it on. And you can do the same thing with Spanish Bible in a year. In fact, I would encourage you to go to the landing page, ascensionpress.com forward slash la Bibliya. And I would encourage you just to share that link with all of your friends. It doesn't matter if they are English-speaking, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese.

Share it with them and ask them, do you know of anybody in the Spanish-speaking world who could benefit from hearing the Bible throughout this entire year? That's how you can work with us and get this out there. So my friends, Father Sergio, aka Father Mike and Father Dempsey, who's playing in my role, that's probably the last time I'm going to say that because the two of you are going to stand on your own feet, walking your own shoes, and you're going to be such a blessing to the Latino community. And, you know, Father Mike and I tried to do this in Spanish. I'll be honest with you.

But we both had to go back to the dictionary. and learn words and things. And we figured, this isn't going to work. So you guys have answered a call. I'm being facetious, but you've answered a call that is so needed out there today. I'd love to hear both of you. I'm just curious of the beautiful sound.

Father Sergio, you can go first and Father Dempsey after that. Just a blessing for all of our listeners today in Spanish. Well, thank you so much. Father Miscortioso, we thank you very much for this time that has done. Thank you, thank you for the Father Mike

that we've brought your word to nurture our lives. Also, thank you thank you for the

life of Jeff to whom you've to put this plan and that us help us to discover

us into your plan of salvation. Bendisen to us and us your spirit that the

Father Demsi every day receive more to your saint spirit for that we need

with the good and me indigno Sierbo Tew Pone in

my Lavios your power to could get to the odors of of those

who need to please and all this we need to in the name of Christ, in who all

we can and who live and reina in the unity of the spirit and it's God

for the years of the centuries, Amen. You thank you God

of the universe for this moment, for this project, for this mission

of the Bible in a year, we need, we need to give you give you to give

to give us the father Mike in all what he has done and what

you do you you have to continue doing that you give force and much blessings in

all what needs to the Father Sergio and over all of all those that you

will be you can't open the heart and you can make of them instruments

of your love in whatever and in whatever state in whatever

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you gentlemen so much.

And I also want to give a shout out to your wonderful producer. Alejandra. She's been working with Father Mike and I over the last year. She does a fantastic job. Kudos to her. I don't know how you say that in Spanish, but kudos to her, I think, is in every language. She's done an absolutely fine job as well as all the support at

Ascension Press. My friends, thank you so much for joining me. This is really the first show of the year with 2022. And for the Latino community, God bless you. And you're in for the ride of a lifetime. God bless you. Thank you.