The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) - Influencers and a New Stage of History

Episode Date: August 14, 2026

Who is influencing you? Jeff challenges us to examine who and what is influencing our thoughts, conversations, and families in an age of endless information and social media. Drawing from Gaudium et Spes and Philippians 4, he offers a Christ-centered filter for what we consume, share, and say. Ultimately, we are called not to chase controversy or likes, but to become true influencers for Jesus Christ. 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 https://media.ascensionpress.com/?s=&page=2&category%5B0%5D=Ascension%20Podcasts&category%5B1%5D=The%20Jeff%20Cavins%20Show for full shownotes!

This podcast is brought to you by Ascension. To discover even more free Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources, to help you live your faith every day, visit ascensionpress.com. Welcome to the Jeff Kaven Show, where we talk about the Bible, discipleship, and evangelization, putting it all together in living as activated disciples. This is show 493, influencers, and a new stage of history. Welcome to the show, my friend. I'm Jeff Kavins, and I'm here to encourage you today. I'm going to be talking today about a topic that has been on my mind for quite some time. And it's probably not the only time I'll talk about it. But I just thought today, you know what? I need to talk about this. I apologize for my voice a little bit. Getting over a little bit of a cold. We're over in Ireland. Hello to all of our fellow pilgrims. And on the way back, kind of caught a little bit of a cold. And anyway, we're going to do it. We're going to talk about it today.

And I hope you are having a good day. Hope you're having a good summer. We're starting to look to the fall a little bit. But I'm not going to bring you there yet. It's still summer for all of us. In Minnesota, we don't even consider summer over or even starting to be over until the state fair at the end of the month. And that's kind of one of our markers.

on our calendar. Well, here's what I want to talk to you about this week. And by the way, if you do want the notes for the show, I've got a few things I can share with you. All you've got to do is text my name, Jeff Kaven's one word, to the number 3-377-37-3-3-7. They'll get you all the notes there. Big announcement, of course.

We have the new Children's Bible available, The Great Adventure Bible. You can check out, Ascension Press for that. Check it out. We'll put a link down below for you. Okay, so I have noticed over the last few years kind of a change taking place on social media and people who are kind of fancing themselves as influencers and the impact that it's having on people. Now, I don't have any names to give you or anything like that. I'm not into that type of thing.

But I can talk to you about the results of what I'm seeing as a result. of Catholics, Christians in general, spending inordinate amount of time on YouTube channels and podcasts and discussions about politics and, you know, different types of scenarios going on with Israel and things going on in this country. And naturally, people need to talk about what's happening in the world. But I'm starting to notice that there are people who are talking about this admoner. nauseam to the point where people feel down, people feel discouraged. And the unfortunate thing is that sometimes it's done under the banner of, I'm Catholic. I'm Catholic. And because we're Catholic,

we have a responsibility to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We have a responsibility to utilize the tools that we have to encourage people and to move people to holiness, to following Jesus and becoming more like him. But some of the discussion that I hear, and certainly the fruit of it, does not point to that at all. And many of my friends, you might have been one who wrote me and said, this is awfully discouraging. And our kids are coming home and they're developing really negative attitudes about

different races or immigration or whatever the situation might be. Now, again, I'm not here to talk about those things. I'm here to talk about how people, I think, should be talking about these things and how much time we spend dwelling on these things and what it's doing to us. And I think that because you go by the name Catholic doesn't mean that you are necessarily a Catholic influencer. You might be an influencer for good or for bad, but you use the name Catholic. and the banner, you know, or who you are.

But in truth, the one who calls themselves a Catholic communicator or an influencer should be uplifting and speak with justice and kindness and mercy and truth, but truth spoken in love. And the way that we can tell oftentimes the effectiveness of this type of discussion is the fruit that comes from it. do people leave with a bad attitude towards certain people, or do they leave and they bring other people down and discourage other people with the conversation? And we only have so many hours in our life that we can spend communicating to other people. And then it's going to be over, and then we'll be standing before God.

And what I have found is that an awful lot of the discussion that goes on out there about different topics is so ill-informed. And I have to ask the question, who influences the influencer? Is it Jesus Christ? Is it the teachings of the church? Or is it other stations, channels, podcasts, and conferences or whatever that are simply spewing forth information that is ill-informed and uncorroborated? And that, to me, is a problem. Now, I don't normally talk about these types of things, but after hearing so many people and listening to so many conversations and receiving so many emails,

I thought, you know what, I just need to say something about we need to be careful who we're allowing to influence our kids and who you might be influenced by. And again, who's influencing the influencers? Sometimes you hear them influencing each other. And then it trickles down into our teenagers' lives. And they come home and say, did you know this? Did you know that? and you can ask, you know, where did you get that?

And they'll name the podcasts or the YouTube channels that they have been watching. Now, to be a Catholic influencer, the very heart of that is if we're going to be called a Catholic influencer, we're influencing people for Jesus Christ. And that means that the scriptures, the catechism, the saints, the Holy Father, all of this needs to be taken into consideration. before we open our mouths and start to criticize people or come up with a pejorative language to talk about different groups of people. Now, I'm the first to admit, I don't know all that is happening in the world. And I'll be the first to admit, I don't want to know all that is happening in the world. I'm not created for that. I don't have Atlas shoulders

you know, to carry all of that. And I don't think you do either and neither do your children. But a Catholic influencer is one who uses their platform for good or for evil or for self. And I don't want people going down that lane mainly because I want them to really know Jesus Christ. I want your kids to know Jesus Christ. And whatever is going on in the world out there, I'll tell you what, the answer to it is not more discussion that is pejorative language that puts people down or begins to stereotype individuals or simply to pass on information that is unfounded. Somebody else said it, so we're going to say it. But the problem with that is, is that we're responsible for every word that proceeds out of our mouth.

And the scriptures tell us that we're going to stand before God, and we're going to give an account for every word that proceeds out of our mouth. And when you realize that, and you believe that, by the way, that's heavy. And I'm wondering if we need to be reminded of that, that we need to take custody of our mouths, and we need to be stewards of the language, and we need to be like Jesus and the Blessed Mother. I mean, all you've got to ask is, if Jesus was on a podcast, would he talk like that? If the Blessed Mother was on a podcast, do you think she would just repeat everything that she hears on the Internet? I don't think so.

Now, the Scripture tells us that you will know them by their fruit. You will know them by their fruit. I was doing some research into this a little bit, and again, I think I said it earlier. I'm not going to spend a lot of my time in my life towards this. I've got better things to do. but I do know that if it's coming across my screen and people are emailing me, that maybe I should make a comment. I went back to Vatican II.

You know the Vatican II in the 1960s, early 60s, the Vatican, too, was called not because there was theological error or things they had to address or straighten out like most of the previous councils. No. John the 23rd called Vatican 2. Why? Because the world was changing. Social discourse was changing. The sexual revolution, technology. And in a document called Godiam Mitspez, the church in the modern world, there was some things said in there that I want to share with you here that I think if I didn't tell you this was from 1965, that you would think I'm talking about. today. And so I want to use this as a backdrop here. And then I want to conclude with some encouragement as to the filter that we should be using when we communicate about people or on topics or about trends and things like that. It's just a reminder. And I need to hear it myself

too. I do. It was, I think I might have told you this a few weeks ago. But I still. I started noticing that when I watched television and the news, I was commenting on it very quickly at home. And the news story would come across and it could be about a political situation, another country, the war, it could be about the whole trans issue. It could be whatever it is. And I just pipe out my opinion on it really, really quickly. And I started to notice that I wasn't feeling much joy and that I was kind of weighed down. by the heap of all of this in the world, not just hearing it, but I was offering my two cents, which didn't really matter.

And it was just my opinion, you know? And I told Emily, I said, I need to stop that. And I actually went to confession. Now, this is one of the strange times where you're going to hear me tell you what I said in confession, but I did. I confessed it. I said, my mouth is too quick to just say something about what I hear in the news. or something on a podcast or something else.

And I need to stop this. I need to take custody of my mouth because my words have ramifications. They end up, you know, in fruitfulness in a good way or a bad way, you know. And I stopped doing it. I stopped doing it. And I got to tell you, made a difference. And all I said after I heard a story was, love them, I'm going to pray for them.

And Emily said, you're different. And I said, well, I'm taking custody. what I'm saying. Now, you wouldn't think that that would have that big of an impact on someone, but it did with me, and I needed to watch what I was saying. Now, I'm going to take a break. When I come back, I'm going to share some of this document from Vatican 2, and I'm going to share with you a little bit about what to do with our thoughts and our time if we're really going to be influencers for Jesus. You're listening to the Jeff Kaven show. someone shows up in your parish because they're being drawn towards the Catholic Church.

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I want to jump right in with you a little bit of what I talked about before the break. And that is the document, Godiam and Spes. Listen to this. And I already spilled the beans that this was written back in the 60s. Okay, Goddemeet Spez. This is paragraph four. Today, the human race is involved in a new stage of history. Profound and rapid changes are spreading by degrees.

around the world. Triggered by the intelligence and creative energies of man, these changes recoil upon him, upon his decisions, upon his desires, both individual and collective, and upon his manner of thinking and acting with respect to things and to people. Hence, we can already speak of a true cultural and social transformation, one which has repercussions on man's religious life as well. Now, that's powerful right there. And what Vatican 2 was saying is that we're involved in a new stage of history. And what we're experiencing is incredibly profound rapid changes. They're spreading by degrees around the world. And they're triggered by the intelligence and creative energies of man.

And man, we have that today, don't we? We have so many new forms of creative energy and communicating in the world, but Vatican too said that it's going to have an impact on us individually and collectively. And it uses this phrase, and that is that it recoils upon us. it recoils upon us.

That is very, very powerful influenced by such a variety of complexities. It goes on to say many of our contemporaries are kept from accurately identifying permanent values and adjusting them properly to fresh discoveries. As a result, buffeted between hope and anxiety and pressing one another with questions, about the present course of events, they are burdened down with uneasiness. That's what I was talking about. The same course of events leads men to look for answers.

Indeed, it forces them to do so. And I would submit to you, my friend, that we are experiencing a burdening down with uneasiness in our lives because of the questions that we have and because, and this is very, very, very, powerful. The document goes on and it tells us why this is happening to us. It goes on to tell us that as we search for a better world, we don't have a corresponding spiritual advancement. So as we grow technologically and socially, our spiritual growth has not kept up. Consequently, these changes

recoil upon us. They bite us. They bring us down. Now here's the problem is that if we're going to submit ourselves to opinions of people who don't know what they're talking about, or they're repeating what another so-called influencer said, and it burdens us down, what are we going to do? Well, the problem is, is that we have so much technology, we can listen so much, we can talk so much, we can text, much. We can take in so much information, but we don't have a corresponding spiritual advancement. So I could ask this question. You certainly have advanced technologically with your phone, haven't you? Remember the old, is it the blueberry, Blackberry, Blackberry phone? And the old Nokia phones? The old flip phones? Well, you certainly have made some technological advance.

in your communication over the last 15 years, but I have to ask you this. Have you made any corresponding spiritual advancement to handle the weight of all of this? And I'm not even talking about the opinions people have, or the statements that they make that form people's thinking. And so Gaudiom and Spez goes on and says that with the individual person, there develops rather frequently an imbalance between an intellect which is modern in practical matters, and a theoretical system of thought which can neither master the sum total of its ideas nor arrange them adequately into a synthesis. In other words, my friend, perhaps you or your children or your teens are gaining so many opinions, so many conspiracy theories, so much information from other people.

who received it from other people, and they have no way of adequately synthesizing this into a life, the life of a Christian. And so what happens, I'm afraid, is that people get bogged down, discouraged, and they keep feeding from the same trough. And that is very, very dangerous. The truth is that the imbalances under which the modern world labors are linked with that more basic imbalance which is rooted in the heart of man. For in man himself, many elements wrestle with one another. Thus, on one hand, as a creature, he experiences his limitations in a multitude of ways. On the other, he feels himself to be boundless in his desires and summoned to a higher life.

Pulled by many attractions, silver things, he is constantly forced to choose among them and renounce some. But the problem is, we don't have a corresponding spiritual advancement to handle all of this. And I'm suggesting, particularly young people, you need to be honest about this. is this really the way you want to live your life? Tracking down every conspiracy, listening to everybody's opinion on topics you really know nothing about? Or would you want to grow in Christ? Do you want to grow in holiness? Do you want to grow in a knowledge of what answers the angst of this culture and the problems of this culture?

you will not find the answer to the problems that you are attempting to discuss and maybe solve with the things of this world and the ideas of this world. It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen because you are made for Christ. And only Christ can fill that void in your heart. and only Christ has the answers to all that's being discussed out there. So I know I could be criticized for this, and I know there could be people to say,

well, it has to be disgusted. We're doing the best that we can at it. And I'm saying, but look at the results. Look at the results. Talk to the parents. You are called to holiness. You are called to be an activated disciple of Jesus. You are called to live a great life.

as Pope Benedict said, you're created for greatness, not the greatness in the world. You're created for love. Do not settle for likes. Now, I want to share with you from Paul's letter to the Philippians, just something to think about. And if nothing else in this podcast, number 493, that I'm getting you to think at least a little bit, maybe have a discussion in the family about what we view, what we allow ourselves to take in.

You only have so many hours a day. You only have so many opportunities a day. You only have so much you can take in. Is what you're taking in on the Internet? Is that in any way equal to what you're taking in in God's word and prayer in the lives of the saints? Or is there a tremendous imbalance? Because if there is, I'm telling you,

There's a price. There's a price. Maybe God called you at the beginning. And he called you to go out and proclaim the good news and be a witness. And somehow, some way, you found out you could get more clicks by going political. You found out you could get more likes by being controversial. Jesus didn't go out and say, go into the world and be controversial. The Bible itself, the Word of God, the gospel itself, that divides people to some degree, right?

but why go out to other topics and divide people when we have the answer ourselves? Now listen to what Paul said to the Philippians. I love this. He says in chapter four, and I'll put it in the show notes for you, chapter four verse four, rejoice in the Lord always. And I'm sharing this with you as sort of a mirror to look into. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice.

Let all men know your forbearance. the Lord is at hand, have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Isn't that beautiful? There's more in just a second. But isn't that beautiful? I would suggest that before every time we're going to consume things or allow our teens to consume things to remind ourselves to rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say

rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. Have no anxiety about anything. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. the peace of God which passes all understanding, and I know that peace will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Now here's the kicker, verse 8. And can you imagine this? Imagine with me this. Pray with me about this, that this would be the vetting process as to what we listen to and what we pass on to other people, what we share on the internet, what we allow our kids to be subject to?

Listen, Paul says, finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. My friend, this is a call from the Lord for us to take stock of what we think on. What are these things? What are these things that we think about?

let me say it one more time brethren whatever is true is what you're listening to true what you're saying on a podcast is it true whatever is honorable is it honorable whatever is just are you speaking with justice are you giving people justice whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious. If there's any excellence and if there's anything worthy of praise, think about these things. My friend, if you just take that one verse, Philippians 4-8, and you meditate on that, and you say a quick prayer before all of the social media, all of the YouTube channels, everything else, and you ask yourself, is what I'm about to do worthy?

of my calling as a disciple. If you're involved in so-called influencing, what I just shared with you will be a wonderful step to being a true influencer rather than repeating what everybody else is saying and everyone else is talking about. And in the meantime, you know what we're doing?

We're not doing what Jesus told us to do. And that is what bothers me. and I just encourage you with all my heart to take stock, recollect, what do I give myself over to, and what comes out of my mouth, and what do I pass on? One more time, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there's any excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise, think about these things. That's what I wanted to share with you today.

Let's pray. Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Lord, I thank you for my brother. I thank you for my sister. Lord, I lift them up to you today and their children, grandchildren. Lord, call us to attention today regarding what we allow ourselves to think about, what we dwell on, what we meditate upon,

what we pass on, what we allow to, to come through our lips. Lord, help us to be accountable for every word that proceeds out of our mouth. For one day we will stand before you and we will be accountable. Help us, Lord, give us tenacity, give us courage to be different,

really to let that light shine. In Jesus' name, amen. Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen. I love you. God bless you. Look forward to talking to you later.