“Blessed, Not Hashtag Blessed” - Epiphany 4 (Year A | February 1, 2026)

Send us Fan MailCPTB is a conversational, funny, and thoughtful take on this week’s Bible readings - for preachers, church leaders, deconstructors, and curious listeners who still love scripture, even when they’re not sure what to do with it. We explore the text with humor and theological depth, without certainty, outrage, or easy answers.---What does Jesus actually mean when he says “blessed”? And why does it sound so different from the way we usually use the word?In this episode of Comedians with Pastors Talking Bible, Pastors Bob Schaefer and Eric Damon are joined by comedians Johnny Traficante (@johnnytraficante) and Seth Queen (@sethqueen_comedy) to dig into the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount—those famous blessings that seem to land on the wrong people: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the persecuted.Along the way, we talk about doubt, agnosticism, nihilism, moral risk, and why real blessing has very little to do with luck, success, or being “hashtag blessed.” Johnny and Seth reflect honestly on where they’ve encountered God (and where they weren’t sure God was anywhere to be found), while Bob and Eric explore why Jesus’ blessings are descriptive, not prescriptive—and why that matters for people who are suffering and for people who think they’re doing just fine.Funny, reflective, and quietly challenging, this conversation is good news for anyone who has ever felt stuck in between, at the bottom of the barrel, or unsure what “blessed” is supposed to mean in real life.Hosted by Pastor Eric Damon and Pastor Bob Schaefer.Join the community!Email us at [email protected] us at @cptbpod on most social media platforms.More at linktr.ee/cptbpodMusic: Trickster by Phat SoundsFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10864-tricksterLicensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseScripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.