A Psychologist looks at Scripture
In this 8-10 minute podcast, I as a psychologist and a priest use my training and skills to examine the Gospels. I will present alternative interpretations and insights into the meaning of Scripture for men and women in the 21st century.
I can be reached at peter.dohertyomi@gmail.com.
Episodes
102 episodes
Luke 14:25-33 Sep 7-25 Jesus shocks us with incredible teachings!
For someone not familiar with Jesus’ style of teaching this Gospel would be shocking. I suspect the Gospel would be shocking for the first listeners. It completely contradicts the 5th commandment about honouring one’s parents Exodus 20:12...
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Season 2
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Episode 96
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8:33
Luke 14: 1, 7-14 Aug 31-25 Do I really have to be humble to know God?
Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus accepting an invitation to dine with one of the leading Pharisees. During this gathering, Jesus shares a teaching inspired by His observations that challenges the conventional understanding of social status. He ...
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Season 2
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Episode 95
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8:15
Luke 13: 22-30 Aug 24-25 Will we be "saved"?
Luke’s Gospel is very typical of Jesus style. We have read events where Jesus takes an accepted view, custom, or perception and reinterprets into something different. Often when Jesus is asked a question, he invites the questioner i...
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Season 2
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Episode 94
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11:22
Luke 12:49-53 Aug 17-25 Do we fully understand the passion of Jesus?
This passage might seem surprising—even unsettling. Here, we don’t see the serene, peaceful Jesus, but instead a passionate figure intensely devoted to his mission and faith. I believe Jesus is speaking metaphorically when he refers to fire—usi...
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Season 2
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Episode 93
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5:54
Luke 12:32-48 Aug 10-25 Are we TOO busy?
In this Gospel we learn that the Father is pleased to give you the kingdom, this is incredible! The kingdom is given, not earned but a free gift. This is not the only such reference, in Luke 13:29 we read that "people will co...
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Season 2
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Episode 92
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10:06
Luke 12-13-21 Aug 3-25 Be careful, procrastination is a threat to our spirituality!
We have someone asking Jesus to help settle his case, to judge the merits of an inheritance dispute. Jesus does not take the bait and makes it clear to the individual that he is not here to judge. This is a valuable reminder to peop...
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Season 2
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Episode 91
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9:56
Luke 13:1-13 July 27, 25 How to pray like Jesus taught us.
The disciples of Jesus note that John the Baptist has taught his disciples to pray. They had likely seen Jesus pray or go off to a lonely place to pray so they are curious. Jesus gives them direction and insight into prayer. T...
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Season 2
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Episode 90
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9:18
Luke 10:38-42 July 20, 2025 The story of Martha and Mary, who is your favorite?
Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus were friends of Jesus and they are frequently mentioned in the Gospels. We don’t have any record of anythng that Lazarus said but he is one of the three people in the Gospels that Jesus raised from t...
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Season 2
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Episode 89
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8:05
Luke 10:25-37 July 13-25 Are you ready for eternal life?
In today’s Gospel Jesus is asked by a lawyer what must he do to inherit eternal life. The question is direct and honest, unlike many of the questions of the Pharisees and Sadducees that are often multi layered and are intended to trap Jes...
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Season 2
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Episode 88
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9:20
Lk 10:1-12 Jl 6-25 Living our faith with all its rewards and traps!
This story is unusual because we have two distinct parts. The first part focusses on the advice Jesus gives his disciples and the second part focusses upon their return. When the 72 return,, they are rejoicing after what appe...
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Season 2
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Episode 87
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9:08
Mt 16:13-19 June 29 -25 Who is Jesus for you?
Who is Jesus for you?Jesus asked this question to his disciples. We all know by now that when Jesus asks a question, he already knows the answer and a teaching follows. Today’s reading is no exception. Jesus asks ...
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Season 2
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Episode 86
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9:32
Lk 9-11b-17Jun 22-25 What happened during the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and two fish?
Today, our podcast focusses on one of the multiplication of loaves miracles. Luke begins describing the story with Jesus healing those who needed to be cured. It appears it’s the end of the day, so the disciples want to send t...
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Season 2
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Episode 85
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11:37
Jn 16:12-15 Jun 15-25 What level of spirituality are you on?
The opening section of this Gospel brings to mind 1 Corinthians 13:11, where Paul uses the metaphor of childhood to describe spiritual immaturity: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When ...
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Season 2
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Episode 84
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8:25
John 14:15-16, 23b-26 Jun 8 The Presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives
To help us understand the Holy Spirit, the reading begins by emphasizing God’s love for us—a recurring and familiar theme in John’s Gospel.Love inherently involves vulnerability. The more deeply we love, the more at risk we are to being ...
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Season 2
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Episode 83
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8:34
Mk16:15-20 Jun 1 - 25 Jesus gives us instructions before he ascends to the Father
Jesus makes some incredible claims, and provides signs of God’s presence amongst his followers, driving out demons, speaking new languages, picking up serpents, drinking poison and miraculous healings, only to name a few. This passa...
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Season 2
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Episode 82
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10:42
John 14-23-29 May 25 Love Peace and the Holy Spirit
Love is a central and recurring theme in John’s Gospel, and it has been a focus in previous episodes. Love lies at the core of Christian faith. However, I invite you to reflect on whether your image of God is one that is easy to love. Many iden...
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Season 2
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Episode 81
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7:25
Jn 13-31-33a-34-35, May 18-25 How to increase our ability to love
Jesus’ call to love is not easy, people are so afraid of being taken advantage of or they do not feel love for the person. Is Jesus calling his followers to something they cannot achieve? Are people who are loving more vulnerable to...
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Season 2
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Episode 80
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13:02
Jn 10-27-30, May 11-25 Are there shepherds amongst us?
Jesus portrays shepherds as protectors and guides for the sheep. Likely they served as metaphors of God’s protective and guiding nature. I wonder if there is more here. Perhaps the shepherd has a role to play in our faith.&nbs...
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Season 2
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Episode 79
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8:06
Jn 21-1-19 May 4-25 Leadership, Christian style
This teaching on leadership must have been revolutionary to the first listeners to this teaching. Jesus addresses this in Mark 10:42-45, as Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentil...
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Season 2
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Episode 78
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7:28
Jn 20:19-31 Apr 27-25 How do we live Christian Peace?
Peace is not just an absence of conflict. Lasting peace needs justice. There are also several levels of peace. There is peace between countries, communities, families and ultimately our own internal peace. Most of us are...
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Season 2
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Episode 77
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9:21
Jn 20:1-9 Apr 20-25 Jesus is risen in an adult Easter
This Gospel is one of the early resurrection stories. We read about Mary of Magdala going to the tomb, knowing that she would not likely be able to go into the tomb because it would be blocked by a huge stone; but she went anyway. S...
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Season 2
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Episode 76
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8:02
Luke 22-14-23,56 Apr 13-25 Where is divine support for our struggles?
This Gospel is an account of the last meal Jesus had with his disciples. The meal is better known as the last supper. Soon Jesus' earthly mission will be over. The disciples do not realize yet that this evening is going to tak...
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Season 2
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Episode 75
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9:13
John 8: 1-11 Apr 6-25 The story of the woman caught in adultery teaches us about self-reflection
Today’s Gospel is a teaching, Gospel. Its also unusual. In most instances the person seeks out Jesus or recognizes him before asking for something. I suspect the woman in this story wanted to be anywhere else but there. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 74
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8:23
Luke 15:1-3,11-32 New Insights on the Prodigal Son
Jesus describes a young man who wants adventure and asks for his share of his father’s estate. After he receives his inheritance, he leaves and lives a carefree life. I want to draw your attention to the fact that he did not earn th...
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Season 2
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Episode 73
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8:13
Luke 13:1-9 Jesus teaches us about sin and misfortune
In this Gospel Jesus talks about two situations where innocent people were killed. Jesus articulates the thoughts of the people who believed that the people who were killed were not only responsible for their misfortunate but that their b...
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Season 2
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Episode 72
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10:59