Becoming Gift - Christ Centered Health

This segment discusses the complex process of evangelizing children, especially during adolescence and adulthood. It explores the stages of identity development that typically occurs for teens, the influence of relationships on this process, and practical strategies for parents to nurture faith in their children while allowing them to go through their own process of experimentation and identity synthesis.Key Takeaways* Listening without overreacting can place parents in a more influential role for their older children.Parents need to separate their identity from their teen and adult children’s outcomes to effectively foster faith. When they tie their self-worth to their child’s religiosity, their actions become attempts to validate themselves, hindering authentic influence.* Modeling Authentic Faith Overrides Sheer Instruction in Shaping Older Children’s BeliefsLiving a faith-driven life demonstrates principles more powerfully than verbal lessons. When parents act consistently with their beliefs, children internalize the values more deeply than through preachiness.* The Digital Age Has Created a New Terrain for Identity ExperimentationOnline spaces can act as virtual changing rooms where children try on identities, often outside the boundaries of their family’s culture* Parents need to examine and be rigorously honest about their motivesParents often project their fears and self-image into their children’s faith journey, but a necessary step is to emotionally detach and critically assess whether concerns stem from love or ego.Links* Andrew’s Substack* Physically Spiritual Podcast* Morning OfferingThumbnail This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This conversation explores the spiritual works of mercy: instruct the ignorant and admonish the sinner, and the profound impact of living out faith in everyday life. It discusses how the Gospel transforms our understanding of salvation, the importance of relationship in evangelization, and that we begin our eternal life while we are alive on Earth, a prefigurment of heaven or hell.Key Takeaways* Evangelization as a Form of MercyEvangelization is about practicing mercy by caring for people’s spiritual well-being, making it a compassionate act rather than an obligation.* The Testament of Sin and Spiritual DeathSin causes immediate spiritual damage, reframing moral effort as essential healing rather than guilt management.* The Power of Family and Relationship in EvangelizationSpiritual renewal occurs within personal relationships, emphasizing the importance of everyday love and intimate connections.* Living in a Foretaste of Hell and the Call to Present JoyEvangelization involves offering a glimpse of heaven through community and mercy, inspiring hope amid societal struggles.Links* Andrew’s Substack* Physically Spiritual Podcast* Morning OfferingThumbnail This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment explores relational evangelization, emphasizing the importance of building trust and genuine relationships to share the faith effectively. It explores the role of Oxytocin in trusting relationships and how engaging in interactions that boost oxytocin can help someone move through the threshold of trust to genuine curiosity.Links* Andrew’s Substack* Physically Spiritual Podcast* Morning OfferingThumbnail This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This conversation and essay explore the process of evangelization physically and neurologically, exploring the effects of attachments, friendship and the lateralization of the brain in conversion. It emphasized the need for “relational density” in parishes and how authentic community transforms lives and spreads the Gospel.Links* Andrew’s Substack* Physically Spiritual Podcast* Morning OfferingEssay In the radiance of the Easter season, the Church overflows with grace. It is a season when the Acts of the Apostles comes alive, and the Mass readings recount how the early Christian community spread. With this season, I would like to take a different approach to evangelization, one that attends to what is physically and neurologically happening in the human person as the Gospel takes root.As noted in the book Divine Renovation, many Catholic parishes have operated on an implicit assumption: people must first “behave” according to Christian moral standards, so that they can “believe” the doctrines of the faith, and only then “belong” to the community. The expectation has been that newcomers arrive already living a life in conformity with the Faith. Yet the path most people take in personal transformation reverses this sequence. They first “belong” to a group, through those bonds, they come to “believe” in what the group holds, and afterward they begin to “behave” in ways that reflect those beliefs. This process of bringing life into harmony with the Gospels is lifelong. This reversal sequence is not a compromise; it is the natural order of human formation. The Church exists precisely for those who do not yet look, act, or move like Christ. We want people who need Christ to walk through the doors of the Church.This insight is more than pastoral strategy. It is rooted in the architecture of the human brain. The Christian book The Other Half of Church explores formation in discipleship considering the lateralization of the brain, and it highlights the consequences of an overemphasis on a “left-brain” approach to discipleship when it states:“When we neglect right-brained development in our discipleship, we ignore the side of the brain that specializes in character formation. Left brain discipleship emphasizes beliefs, doctrines, willpower, and strategies but neglects right brain loving attachments, joy, emotional development, and identity. Ignoring right brain relational development creates Christians who believe in God’s love but have difficulty experiencing it in daily life, especially during distress. In a left-brain community, we are taught Christian doctrine, but the doctrine has difficulty showing up in our instantaneous reactions.” Hendricks & Wilder, The Other Half of ChurchI think the Catholic Church in the United States has often been guilty of being a “half-brain church.” The Church has swung like a pendulum between extremes. In past decades, the emphasis has been on belonging, sitting around and singing Kumbaya, but without clear doctrinal direction, leaving people empowered yet adrift. In other eras, the Church has stressed orthodoxy and catechesis, emphasized doctrines, yet producing believers who maintain a polished exterior on Sunday while their private lives remain fractured by addiction, sin, and isolation. Hope lies in integration. We must become a whole-brain church, empowered by community with Christ and the parish and directed by His teachings.The simple principle is this: our bonds are above our ideals, and our ideals are above our skills. Right relationships precede right beliefs, because neurologically humans are behaviorally more powerfully driven by attachment bonds than by instruction. To live the Gospel, especially in moments of stress and difficulty, we need right loving relationships that form us.This has profound implications for evangelization. The Gospel is not transmitted by a pill or a program; it is transmitted by people. We are the delivery system. What the Church needs today for renewal is “relational density”. This means that the people next to us in the pews are not just acquaintances but true friends, even though the status quo is that oftentimes the people we worship beside are strangers.There comes a moment in every meaningful relationship when our filter and self-consciousness dissolve. That person who we previously struggled to talk to suddenly becomes someone who we want to spend time with. We are now spontaneously ourselves. It is in the space of unguarded presence that we are no longer acquaintances but that we now belong to one another. This is the space where right-brain transformation occurs, and the Gospel can truly spread into our difficult, hidden places.Jesus modeled this perfectly. He did not lecture the apostles into sanctity; He lived with them for three years. They ate, walked, failed, and rejoiced together. The apostle John, “the one whom Jesus loved,” illustrates the outcome: his very identity became anchored in Christ’s love. The character formation this wrought in him showed up during Christ’s Passion, giving him the courage to walk with Christ into the High Priest’s Courtyard when the others fled and Peter denied Christ and to stand with Jesus and Mary at the foot of the Cross. The same dynamic is available to us. When parishes become communities of genuine friendship with Christ and one another rather than collections of Sunday acquaintances and strangers, they can become places where the lived witness of the community resonates the Gospel into people’s hearts.Pope Francis captures this vision or “relational density” in evangelization powerfully in Evangelii Gaudium:“the Gospel tells us constantly to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter with others, with their physical presence which challenges us, with their pain and their pleas, with their joy which infects us in our close and continuous interaction. True faith in the incarnate Son of God is inseparable from self-giving, from membership in the community, from service, from reconciliation with others. The Son of God, by becoming flesh, summoned us to the revolution of tenderness.” Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 88bEvangelization begins with “becoming a people,” a group that belong to one another. A community whose life renounces the ancient lie of Cain “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) This process starts by knowing “where is your brother” and forging real friendships within the parish, but it needs to lead us to stepping into the lives of those outside the Church and investing time and presence in them. Knowing them and being known by them.We are called to move beyond surface-level community into the relational density where deeper conversion happens. In doing so, we become a people whose tenderness, whose friendships, and whose embodied witness draw others into the belonging that leads to belief and, finally, to transformed lives. This is the afterglow of Easter made visible: not merely stories we hear from the early Church, but a new springtime that our parishes are invited to participate in.Thumbnail This is a public episode. 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This segment explores the resurrection narratives, our encounters with the resurrected Christ, and journaling. It explores how writing things down can have significant psychological benefits and that journaling can have significant spiritual benefits.Key Takeaways* It is a blessing that the four Gospels record the intimate details of Christ’s Resurrection.* We can have encounters with the Resurrected Christ too, and the Church has a beautiful tradition of spiritual journaling and autobiography.* Journaling helps process spiritual and emotional challenges, and can be a tool for intimacy with God.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingThumbnail This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This segment explores the Easter Triduum, its deep liturgical symbolism practices, and how to authentically participate in Holy Week celebrations. Discover insights on entering into the Paschal mystery with vulnerability and reverence through insights from Dietrich von Hildebrand’s Liturgy and Personality.Key Takeaways* The Triduum is an opportunity to experience Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection Liturgically.* Liturgical rituals offer sensory gateways that expose us to the mysteries of faith and prepare us for deeper communion.* Fully embracing the liturgy demands a posture of openness and vulnerability, not mastery, judgement or performance.LinksDietrich von Hildebrand’s Liturgy and Personality Andrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingThumbnail This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment discusses the importance of small acts of self-denial, emphasizing how minor, consistent actions can lead to meaningful spiritual growth. It highlights research on self-control, shares personal examples, and encourages focusing on developing virtues to overcome concrete struggles rather than grand gestures unrelated to day-to-day life.Key Takeaways* Small acts of self-denial strengthen the willpower muscle.* Grand gestures can sometimes mask ego or avoidance.* Simple acts like not salting food or giving up the plans in our head can be powerful.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingEssayDuring Lent, Catholics may be tempted to pursue dramatic gestures of fasting and sacrifice, imitating something from the life of a saint, or following the latest influencer’s challenge. Yet, if you are anything like me, these grand plans often falter before Laetare Sunday. Smaller gestures carried out faithfully have more lasting impact: small, consistent acts of self-denial can shape the heart rather than impress the world.When the prophet Samuel seeks a king to replace Saul, God warns, “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7). Though David was handsome (cf. 1 Samuel 16: 12), God’s choice rested not on outward impressiveness but on inner character. God isn’t looking for grand gestures, He is looking for hearts like His own.Scientific research echoes this ancient wisdom. A 2010 study by Mark Muraven found that participants who practiced small, unrelated acts of self-control—improving posture, keeping a food journal, or noting their mood—developed greater stamina when later faced with a demanding test of willpower (source). The “willpower muscle,” grows through modest, repeated effort, not through isolated heroic feats. This finding aligns beautifully with the Catholic understanding of virtue: character is formed in the faithful repetition of small choices.Grand gestures carry a potentially unrecognized risk: they can become a subtle form of avoidance. A person may fast dramatically yet still scroll endlessly on their phone, ignore the dishes in the sink, or cling rigidly to personal plans. A forty-day fast can feed the ego, leaving untouched the everyday foibles that actually hinder love of God and neighbor. Small, faithful acts that address vice and overcome attachments have the potential to transform our lives.These small denials may feel insignificant, yet their cumulative effect is profound. They strengthen the will, root out hidden selfishness, and train the heart to say “yes” to whatever the Lord places before us in the present moment. In a culture that prizes visible achievement, Lent invites the opposite, hidden fidelity.Thumbnail This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment proposes fasting from unnecessary speech and explores the benefits of silence and listening. The conversation emphasizes the importance of silence for healing, spiritual growth, and genuine connection with others and God.Key Takeaways* Fasting from unnecessary speech can help us overcome an attachment to idle words that can slow our spiritual growth.* Contemporary research has demonstrated that noise can harm and silence can heal.* Silence enables us to encounter others and God. Deep listening is an antidote to isolation and loneliness.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingEssayDuring Lent, we should consider deeper interior disciplines like fasting from idle speech. This is deliberate choice to embrace silence so we might listen to God, to others, and to our own interior. In a world saturated with noise, this fasting becomes a radical act of spiritual generosity, one that heals the soul even as it challenges our natural impulse to fill every quiet moment with our own voice.The Catholic tradition proposes a discipline of avoiding idle words, speech that is unnecessary, excessive, or inappropriate. For cloistered religious, silence is woven into the fabric of daily life, yet even in the convent it can be elusive. St. Teresa of Avila, the great mystical doctor of the Church, confessed that for over a decade she hindered her own spiritual growth by lingering too long in the convent parlors. Though many of her conversations were spiritual in tone, they were often unnecessary, driven more by the pleasure of talking than by genuine need. When she renounced this attachment, the profound mystical experiences began unfolding in her soul. Her example reminds us that even “good” speech can become an obstacle when it displaces the solitude our state in life calls us to.Blaise Pascal observed in his Pensées that “all the unhappiness of man arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber.” (Pascal, Pensées, 139) Even before the advent of the radio, television, and internet we were driven out of silence and solitude by restless loneliness, incapable of being with ourselves and listening for GodScientists have corroborated what the tradition proposes. The World Health Organization has documented that environmental noise ranks second only to air pollution as a cause of disease burden. One in three people suffer daytime annoyance and one in five experience sleep disturbance from traffic, rail, and air traffic noise, elevating risks of cardiovascular disease and hypertension (source). By contrast, another study found that just two hours of uninterrupted silence stimulates neurogenesis in the hippocampus, the brain region associated with memory and learning (source). The body literally begins to repair and grow in the absence of sound.Silence is more than the mere cessation of noise. In his book The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise, Robert Cardinal Sarah describes the interior silence required for true listening: “In order to listen, it is necessary to keep quiet. I do not mean merely a sort of constraint to be physically silent and not to interrupt what someone else is saying, but rather an interior silence, in other words, a silence that not only is directed toward receiving the other person’s words but also reflects a heart overflowing with a humble love, capable of full attention, friendly welcome and voluntary self-denial, and strong with the awareness of our poverty. The silence of listening is a form of attention, a gift of self to the other, and a mark of moral generosity.” (Robert Cardinal Sarah, The Power of Silence, 143)Silence is an act of love, of receiving others and giving ourselves. We can give this gift to God, another person, and to ourself.Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium, urges the same revolution of encounter and listening: “the Gospel tells us constantly to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter with others, with their physical presence which challenges us, with their pain and their pleas, with their joy which infects us in our close and continuous interaction. True faith in the incarnate Son of God is inseparable from self-giving, from membership in the community, from service, from reconciliation with others. The Son of God, by becoming flesh, summoned us to the revolution of tenderness.” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 88b)Encounter demand vulnerability, an open receptiveness to the other’s choices and preferences. A willingness to experience their strong emotions and difficult experiences. This receptiveness can extend to Christ’s sacramental presence as the Eucharist. The Eucharist is always linked to His passion and death. As we approach Holy Week, we are all invited to this revolution of tenderness toward Christ in our repentance and in walking the way of the cross with Him liturgically through the Triduum.Ultimately, silence prepares us for prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “in the silence of the spirit of adoption, we are enabled to share in the prayer of Jesus” (CCC, 2717). Silence that becomes solitude, full of God’s presence, is a supernatural encounter. In the desert with Christ, we learn to listen before we speak, to receive before we offer.Modern life continues to find new ways to evade true silence. An example of this is the ubiquitous presence of headphones in public spaces. Walk through a grocery store or a park and you will see scores of people moving through places filled with people but wrapped in private sound. Many public spaces may be quieter today than they used to be, but each person has become inundated by isolated noise. The joyful ring of conversation has faded, and the attention of true presence has been banished by lonely sounds reverberating in the skull.True solitude is open-hearted and connected. It is vulnerable quiet that makes room for God and for others. Isolation, by contrast, is closed and defensive. The fear of loneliness often drives us toward noise; we dread the moment when silence forces us to recognize who we have become and who others truly are. The remedy is deeper engagement. When we listen to a friend’s story, to the stirrings of conscience, or to the still small voice of the Lord, loneliness dissolves into communion.Thumbnail This is a public episode. 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Pope Leo’s Lenten message this year invited people of good will to focusing on listening, fasting from hurtful words, and fostering love through quality conversations. Recent scientific research highlight how positive interactions positively shape personal wellbeing. Living this harmony of truth, speaking positively and creatively, can transform the world.Key Takeaways* Fasting during Lent can include abstaining from hurtful words.* Quality interactions, even brief ones, significantly boost well-being.* Love and trust are more powerful than control in influencing others.EssayIn his Lenten message for this year, Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion, Pope Leo invited the faithful not only to fast from food but also to fast from words, to practice a simple yet demanding form of abstinence by refraining from language that offends or wounds our neighbor. In a world saturated with political conflict and heated rhetoric, this call feels provocative and timely. Tensions do not begin far away; they begin within each of us and in the ordinary relationships closest to home. When the news leaves us feeling powerless, wondering what we could possibly accomplish as individuals on the world stage, we are reminded that God works from the inside out. Real change starts with becoming the people we are called to be and loving those immediately around us. If every household embraced this discipline, the world would already be transformed.Scripture insists on the power of speech and the importance of speaking well. Chapter four of Ephesians commands, “No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4: 29) The instruction is positive: speak words that build up and bestow grace. This vision echoes in the heart of Christian theology. Christ is the WORD made flesh, and the God who spoke creation into being invites us to participate in that same creative work. Our words can generate new ideas, forge bonds of love, and bring goodness into existence. Speaking is a way of participating in God’s act of creation.Contemporary research confirms what faith has always proclaimed. A study completed in 2023, by lead researcher Jeffrey Hall, and published in 2025 in the Journal of Communication Research titled “Quality Conversation Can Increase Daily Well-being,” (source) identified seven concrete behaviors that foster deep connection:* Catching up: sharing recent events in one another’s lives * Meaningful talk: discussing important, deeper topics* Joking around: using humor and playfulness * Showing care: expressing genuine concern* Listening: giving another person full, undivided attention * Valuing another: making someone feel that their opinion matters* Offering a sincere compliment: genuine praiseThe findings were clear: even a single quality interaction in a day can measurably increase well-being. Quality of interactions matter more than sheer quantity, though both contribute; and face-to-face conversations consistently outperform those conducted by phone or online. These results are in harmony with what is found in Scripture.The path to transformation does not begin with winning an argument but with the willingness to receive, hear, and truly see the other person. Bonds of relationship, shape minds more powerfully than abstract ideals. Love creates the context in which truth can be received.We see this pattern vividly in the Gospels, particularly in the intimate, personal conversations Jesus shares throughout the Gospel of John. Time and again, encounter precedes conversion. The Church has taught these truths for centuries and now empirical research supplies the data that corroborate revelation. The truth is symphonic. What God reveals in Scripture harmonizes with what He reveals in creation. The Word that spoke the universe into being, the universe that scientists research, is the same Word that speaks to us through sacred text.In the moment of choosing our words, we can be challenged by the human impulse to control. Often, when we press others to change, especially those closest to us, we act from a place of fear. We fear they will not reach heaven, or, we fear how their choices reflect on us. The desire to “convert” someone can become an attempt to save ourselves rather than an act of trust in God. Once we place God firmly at the center of our life, once He is our source of comfort and security, the need to control resolves into trust, trust in God’s power, His providence, and His love.This is where the image of the symphony becomes especially powerful. The truth we proclaim must ring true in every measure of our lives: our words, our actions, our silences, our relationships. When people encounter that harmony, the Gospel becomes compelling not because of convincing arguments but because of lived integrity. Fasting from wounding words is daily training in trust. It is the refusal to let fear dictate our speech and the decision to let love shape our conversations.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingThumbnail: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This segment explores overwhelming impact of information overload in today’s digital age. It emphasizes the need for fasting from media and technology to cultivate silence and presence in our lives. The conversation journeys through the psychological effects of constant information consumption and the importance of being mindful of our media diet to foster deeper connections with ourselves and God.Key TakeawaysThe average person spends seven hours a day on screens.More information does not equate to salvation. Curiosity can be a vice if it distracts from our duties. Silence allows us to listen to ourselves and God.Humans are designed to seek new information for survival. The brain treats new information similarly to food.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This conversation discusses the need for fasting during Lent, emphasizing the difference between Temperance and Fasting. It explores the necessity of fasting intentionally, the various fasting approaches one can take, including the idea of fasting from technology. The discussion highlights the need for a deeper understanding of fasting as a means of spiritual growth and reliance on God.Key TakeawaysFasting is assumed as a part of life by Jesus. Setting intentions for fasting helps focus on spiritual goals.Modern society’s view on food impacts our understanding of fasting. Fasting historically involved greater trust due to greater food scarcity.Giving up the superfluous is temperance; giving up the necessary is fasting.Different types of fasting can be practiced during Lent. Fasting from technology can be as significant as food fasting.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This conversation explores the concept of the ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ as articulated by St. John of the Cross, emphasizing its multifaceted nature and common misunderstandings. It discusses the spiritual journey of the soul towards union with God, the role of faith, and asceticism and contemplative aridity. Takeaways* St. John of the Cross talks about the entire spiritual life as a “night” in three ways: the need to deprive the sense appetites, the darkness of faith, and the obscureness of God.* Deprivation of worldly desires is essential for spiritual growth, and purgation is necessary for the soul’s purification.* Contemplative Aridity is different than Spiritual Desolation. While both experiences may feel similar, contemplative aridity is a result of growing closer to God, and spiritual desolation is the result of sin, weakness, or the need for humility or self knowledge.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This segment explores the discernment of spirits, focusing on the internal movements experienced during prayer. The discussion explains the differences between consolation and desolation, providing insights from St. Ignatius of Loyola’s teachings. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding these spiritual states and offers practical advice for navigating them in one’s spiritual life.Takeaways* Discernment of spirits helps make sense of internal feelings. Consolation is when prayer feels easy and God feels close. Desolation is when prayer feels difficult and God feels distant.* In consolation, one should recognize God’s grace and make a plan and pray that the consolation continues.* In desolation, one should not make major changes to their spiritual life, but intensifying existing prayer practices can help during desolation.* God’s presence is always there, even if not perceived.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment discusses growth in prayer from a Christian perspective, emphasizing the importance of intimacy with God and the role of asceticism in spiritual development. It contrasts Christian prayer with non-Christian forms, highlighting the need to address personal sin. The discussion also touches on the relationship between health and asceticism and the creation of a personal rule of life.Key Takeaways* Growth in prayer is linked to moral life and virtue. Removing barriers between oneself and God is essential.* Christian prayer embraces humanity rather than obliterating it. God speaks to us through our feelings and thoughts.* Asceticism can be framed in everyday life choices for order and health.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This segment explores the Examine Prayer, a meditative approach to reflecting on one’s day in the presence of God. It emphasizes the importance of memory in this practice, explaining how our memories can be renegotiated through the lens of God’s presence. This practice can be essential in overcoming habitual sin and preparing for confession.Takeaways* Examine prayer helps recall sins and blessings. The practice of Examine Prayer builds a habit of perceiving God.* Our memories are relational and shaped by experiences.* Memory is not always accurate; it can be renegotiated. We can insert truth into our memories through prayer.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This conversation explores christian prayer and the importance of meditation. It emphasizes that prayer is not just vocal but must come from the heart and mind, and how meditation serves as a tool to deepen one’s relationship with God and more fully engage the heart. The discussion also touches on the role of spiritual reading in enhancing prayer life.TakeawaysPrayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God. Vocal prayer takes physical form through words, and the heart must be present in prayer.Christian meditation fills the mind with God, unlike non-Christian meditation which is usually an emptying of the mind.Meditation requires practice to strengthen our ability to focus. The church provides tools to aid in meditation and prayer like the Hallow App and Guided Meditation Books.Spiritual reading should lead to a dialogue with God, not just information retention.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment explores the nature of prayer, emphasizing its human aspect and the importance of preparation for prayer. It contrasts Christian meditation, which focuses on filling the mind, with non-Christian meditation, which often aims to empty the mind. The conversation explains how Christian meditation involves engaging the whole self in the act of prayer and forming deep connections with scripture and personal experiences. TakeawaysPrayer is a very human thing to do.Christian meditation focuses on filling the mind with truth.Non-Christian meditation often aims to empty the mind.A true mystical experience is a grace from God., not achieved through technique.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This segment discusses the place of faith and prayer for the human person. It argues that prayer is not just an addition to an already complete human person but completes and fulfills human natureKey Takeaways* God is not a bonus; He is foundational to our being.* God created humans that are primed to receive Him.* The imagination enables humanity to have experiences that are not perceived.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment delves into the transformative power of gratitude. Discover how Thanksgiving is not just a holiday but a practice rooted in faith. Explore the physiological benefits of gratitude, from improved cardiovascular health to enhanced brain function, and learn practical ways to incorporate thankfulness into your daily life. Key Takeaways* Thanksgiving is deeply rooted in the Scriptures and the faith, the Greek word for “Eucharist” translates to “Thanksgiving”.* Gratitude can have profound physiological and neurological benefits* Expressing appreciation to others strengthens relationships and spreads positivity, creating a ripple effect of joy and connection.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This episode of Becoming Gift significance of labor from a Christian perspective, and how it is central for health and holiness. It emphasizes the dignity of labor and the role it plays in fulfilling God’s creative work. The conversation contrasts the societal views on labor, particularly the undervaluation of blue-collar work compared to white-collar jobs, and highlights the importance of raising children as a noble form of labor. The discussion also touches on the impact of AI on job markets and the intrinsic fulfillment that comes from engaging in meaningful work.I am particularly indebted to Jacob Imam and the New Polity think tank for my knowledge of this topic. You can find Jacob discussing these ideas on Pints with Aquinas: Takeaways* Labor is a concept that Christianity dignifies uniquely compared to paganism.* St. Paul emphasizes the importance of work in the Christian life.* Labor should reflect human dignity and contribute to God’s creation.* Raising children is the highest form of labor.* Creative callings can manifest in various forms, including parenting and artistry.Keywordslabor, dignity, work, fulfillment, creative calling, parentingLinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This episode of Physically Spiritual explores stress, highlighting how our biology is still influenced by ancestral survival mechanisms, despite living in a modern world. It proposes three forms of asceticism to calibrate our stress levels and the tools of breath to regulate moments that are too stressful.Takeaways* Our ancestors’ experience has shaped the physiology of our stress response.* Human biology can be more resilient to acute, immediate threats. that resolve quickly than chronic stressors that are not resolved.* We can adopt an asceticism of time, asceticism of attention and asceticism of the present moment.* Breathing with extended exhales slows the body down and can calm down the stress response.* When you are in an anxiety loop try to change your physiology to interrupt the unwanted thoughts.Keywordsstress response, chronic stress, asceticism, stress management, breathLinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This episode of Becoming Gift emphasizes the importance of purpose and discipline in the spiritual journey, likening it to the rigorous training athletes undergo to win a race. It highlights the need for believers to train their bodies and provides an overview of how to start exercisingTakeaways* Living the faith requires intentional effort and discipline.* A well rounded approach to exercise includes balance, strength, and endurance* Focus on strengthening your legs to extend your health span.* We have to be humble, start slow, and make reasonable progress.Keywordsdiscipline, training, spiritual growth, perseverance, strengthLinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This episode of Becoming Gift delves into the importance of sleep, exploring its role in health and holiness. It highlights the biological and spiritual significance of sleep, the activation of the glymphatic system, and offers practical tips for improving sleep quality.Takeaways* Sleep is crucial for both health and holiness. * The glymphatic system cleanses the brain during sleep. * Regular sleep patterns enhance emotional regulation and self-control. * Sleep deprivation increases health risks like cardiovascular disease. * Practical tips include consistent wake times and reducing screen time before bed.Keywords: sleep, health, holiness, glymphatic system, rest, sleep tipsLinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment explores the concept of eating for wellness and holiness, exploring the historical, theological and spiritual significance of food. It highlights the historical trade-off between security and freedom, using biblical references to illustrate how food has been a central theme throughout salvation history. The episode proposes universal dietary principles that transcend specific diet ideologies, emphasizing the importance of eating sufficient protein, focusing on whole foods, and limiting sugar, grain, and oil. Key Takeaways* Food is a basic need and has been a central theme throughout history. There’s a trade-off between security and freedom, often seen in the context of food.* Biblical references show the significance of food in spiritual and historical contexts.* Universal dietary principles include adding protein, focusing on whole foods, and limiting sugar, grain, and oil.* Some people receive a supernatural calling that transcends biological needs, like hermits.Keywordswellness, holiness, food, security, freedom, diet, protein, whole foods, cravings, survivalLinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment explores fasting for health and spirituality. It delves into the teachings of Christ on fasting, historical and cultural perspectives on fasting, and the physiological benefits and risks associated with fasting. The discussion also covers various fasting methods and their impact on health and spirituality.Key Takeaways* Fasting is a core part of human existence, and Christ's teachings presuppose fasting btu that fasting should be done without being showy.* Fasting is seen as extraordinary in contemporary society, but this is not the norm. Most cultures and religions have unique fasting practices, and, historically, fasting was likely very common.* Recent studies have found that fasting can be as effective as calorie-restricted diets for managing a healthy body weight and has many other potential positive benefits* Some people find it helpful to differentiate when they fast for health and spirituality.LinksAndrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment discusses the critical role of connection and relationships in promoting health and wellness. It explores the alarming rise of loneliness in society, particularly among younger generations, and its detrimental effects on health. The discussion emphasizes the importance of building relationships through vulnerability, hospitality, and active listening. It also address the challenges posed by social media and the fear of judgment that can hinder genuine connections and advocates for fostering real-life interactions to enhance well-being and longevity.Key TakeawaysConnection is essential for health and wellness.Friendship is crucial for spiritual and emotional well-being.Vulnerability is necessary for deeper relationships.Hospitality helps in making new friends especially once you have a job or family.Andrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning Offering This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift segment explores solitude and cultivating the ability to be alone and present with God and self. It distinguishes between mere quiet and true silence, and loneliness versus solitude, highlighting the negative impact of societal noise on health and the healing properties of silence. The discussion also covers practical methods for integrating silence and solitude into daily life, including scheduling silence, eliminating sources of noise, and limiting information inputs.Key Takeaways:* Solitude vs. Loneliness, Silence vs. Quiet: Solitude is not just being alone but being present to oneself and God, while loneliness is merely not being around people. True silence is a "silence of the heart" that goes beyond just the absence of external noise.* Health Benefits of Silence: Environmental noise is a significant burden on health, second only to air pollution amongst environmental insults, contributing to annoyance, stress and sleep disturbance, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Conversely, spending just two hours in silence promotes neurogenesis, the creation of new neurons in the brain, indicating silence can promote healing.* Solitude as a Prerequisite for Communion: The "communion of persons" can form only on the basis of a "double solitude," meaning true solitude is essential for genuine connection and communion with others, as highlighted by Pope St. John Paul II in his Theology of the Body.* Practical Steps for Cultivating Silence: To build the habit of silence and solitude, one should make space for it by scheduling it, use device "quiet hours," eliminate background noise (like TV or music), limit information inputs, and engage in journaling to clear the mind. For parents, it's important to accept moments of silence as they are offered by the Lord rather than adhering to rigid expectations.Becoming Gift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This episode explores how to achieve significant progress in health and wellness by applying the Pareto Principle. It discusses how identifying and focusing on the "big levers" in one's life and focusing on the 20% of effort that yields 80% of results.Key Takeaways:* The Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) suggests that a small percentage of effort or input leads to a high percentage of results, meaning that focusing on the 20% most important actions can achieve 80% of the desired outcomes in health and wellness.* We need to distinguish between "big levers" and "small levers" in health and wellness, big levers cause significant changes, while small levers offer only minor differences. People often focus on minor things when learning about health, rather than what truly impacts the big picture.* Each lever can be “pushed” or “pulled.” The four "big levers" for making substantial changes in one's life: Relationship (connecting with others or solitude), Nourishment (eating or fasting), Movement (exercise or rest/sleep), and Labor (creativity/purpose or managing stress). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

The topic of this week’s segment is the virtue of studiousness in acquiring knowledge, and the vice of curiosity. The podcast delves into the various ways one can fall into the vice of curiosity, including studying too much, studying the wrong things, or learning for the wrong reasons, and emphasizes the crucial balance between knowing and doing, or loving.Key Takeaways:* Understanding Studiousness and Curiosity: Studiousness is defined as a virtue in acquiring knowledge. However, one can fall into the vice of curiosity by studying too much, studying the wrong things (such as something "too low," "bad" like the occult, or things that don't apply to one's duties), or studying in the wrong way (immoderately consuming data). This vice also includes learning for the wrong reasons, such as pride, covetousness, or self-reliance, which can resemble. Curiosity can be Practical Gnosticism or "salvation through knowledge".* The Danger of "Action Faking" and Postponing Action: The self-help industry often promotes dissatisfaction and consuming self-help content can lead to "action faking," where thinking about a task or planning for it provides the good feelings of actually doing it, without any real action being taken. This excessive learning or planning can postpone actual doing, acting, and loving. If reading one or two books on a subject haven't led to change, reading additional books is unlikely to help.* Prioritizing Loving Over Endless Knowing: Learning can become a distraction or a form of self-medication, preventing individuals from addressing immediate responsibilities or deeper issues. Knowing should direct loving, and the "doing" or "loving" should constitute the majority of one's efforts, not just the "knowing". Excessive intellectualization without corresponding action, can lead to negative outcomes.Andrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingBecoming Gift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This podcast proposes an approach rooted in wonder and awe when examining personal challenges. It delves into the issues of self-condemnation and other judgmental forms of self-awareness. The discussion also identifies potential issues with the idea of curiosity, which was historically considered a vice that was an excess of the virtue of studiousness. A posture of studious wonder and awe is a virtuous alternative for self-reflection that fosters an open mind to new possibilities without succumbing to self-judgment.Key Takeaways:* Self-condemnation is counterproductive for improvement: Making oneself feel bad is generally not an effective path to self-improvement and can even worsen struggles by increasing the need for coping mechanisms.* Embrace wonder and awe for open-minded self-awareness: Instead of judgmental self-awareness, adopting an attitude of wonder and awe allows for non-judgmental introspection, keeping the mind open to discovering new solutions and understanding oneself better, allowing God to teach about one's life.* Contrition is a positive form of sorrow, unlike self-generated bad feelings: True contrition, or sorrow for sin, is an honest recognition of reality that arises in the context of simple self perception, allowing emotions like sadness to surface, rather than being a self-inflicted punishment.* Humility and reliance on grace are essential: Recognizing personal weaknesses without self-condemnation leads to a humble acknowledgment of the need for God's grace and help, rather than relying solely on willpower to overcome challenges. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This episode explores longevity and lifespan extension through a catholic lens, prompted by recent scientific news about Chinese scientists reversing aging in primates, equivalent to a 15-year life extension in humans using modified stem cells. While longevity can serve as a proxy for overall health, Key takeaways:* Considerations About Life Extension: Do Catholics have a duty to extend life as a part of their right to life? The distinction between ordinary versus extraordinary means of life support can be helpful, one is not obligated to use extraordinary or extreme measures to extend life. Pope St. John Paul II's concept that we have a "duty to die well" is also important, emphasizing that this life serves as preparation for heaven.* The Crucial Role of Motivation: A significant point of reflection is the motivation behind desiring a longer lifespan. One needs to consider whether the desire is for a longer life is for a good reason, or if it stems from a bad motivation like a fear of death, a wish to avoid judgment, or the pursuit of excessive wealth or power. * Societal Implications and Generational Transfer: The podcast highlights the importance of passing on leadership and wisdom to subsequent generations. It suggests that an "unhealthy demographic" in society can arise when key leaders become increasingly older, delaying the transfer of leadership roles. Instead, older individuals are ideally suited to become "sages" and advisors, guiding the next generation of leaders rather than retaining direct power indefinitely.Andrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingBecoming Gift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift segment explores how human instincts, particularly fear and self-preservation, interact with faith ideals at both individual and national levels, drawing a connection to current events. The episode delves into the concept of divine filiation—humanity becoming God's sons and daughters—as a way to leverage the inherent human need for connection and family/tribe and overcome self-interested behaviors amongst individual and nations often called realpolitik.Key Takeaways:* Instincts, Faith and Co-regulation: The episode highlights the ongoing tension between human animal instincts (such as the need for food, reproduction, and safety) and the ideals derived from faith. It explains that humans naturally lean into relationships for emotional regulation and safety, a phenomenon called "co-regulation," where nervous systems literally regulate each other, helping people feel safe, social, and connected.* Divine Filiation as a Foundation for Trust and Global Family: God's invitation for humanity to become His sons and daughters (divine filiation) establishes a familial relationship among people worldwide. This concept fosters a disposition of trust, leveraging the natural human instinct to find safety in one’s family or tribe, thereby promoting unity and trust across nations and peoples. This contrasts with the “state of nature” apart from grace in which instincts foster suspicion a fear between strangers of realpolitik between nations.* The Consequences of Drifting from Christian Ideals: As Christianity wanes in the world, there is a re-emergence of realpolitik amongst previously Christian nations, a political theory where practical objectives and national self-interest supersede ideals. This shift away from Christian principles is linked to increased mistrust, trade wars, and kinetic conflicts globally, as societies lose the capacity for agape (selfless love) without God's grace, returning to a "state of nature" driven by fear. The ultimate solution for world peace is turning towards Christ, embracing divine filiation, and living out the faith especially through baptism and praying the Our Father. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

This Becoming Gift Segment explores the experience of fear and how faith can help the believer overcome it. Andrew highlights that fear is a deeply ingrained humanity, tracing its theological origins back to Adam and Eve's first experience of fear after their sin. He explains how our body's nervous system is designed to keep us safe and promote survival, but how we can lead our nervous system by making choices.Key Takeaways:* The Autonomic Nervous System: Our autonomic nervous system has two main sides: the sympathetic ("gas") side, which speeds things up for fight or flight, and the parasympathetic ("brakes") side, which slows things down. When the sympathetic system is activated when the body detects something potentially unsafe, it increases heart rate and breathing, adjusts inner ear bones and dilates pupils to prime the body to notice potential threats. * Fear & Choice: The catechism recognizes that fear can diminish or even nullify our responsibility for sin by affecting our ability to make good choices (CCC 1735). However, once we become aware of our fear response, we gain significant influence over it. It is within our control because we can choose what we perceive – what we focus our eyes on, and what our imagination and memory dwell upon, and our nervous system will respond to what we place our attention on.* Practical Tools for Modulating the Nervous System: We can modulate our nervous system through conscious choices. One powerful tool is breath control: breathing in activates the sympathetic system, while breathing out activates the parasympathetic system. By slowing down the exhale, we provide more input to the "slow down" or "rest" side of our nervous system. Similarly, directing our attention away from anxiety-inducing things towards calming elements, such as nature or comforting memories, can shift our state and slow down our heart rate.* The Power of Story: "Story follows state" meaning our brain often creates stories to make sense of how we feel. The good news is that we can choose to tell ourselves different stories. The gift of faith helps us believe a different, more hopeful story, leading to peace, hope, and trust. Faith, by keeping God in mind and trusting that He is in charge and loves us, can literally regulate our nervous system. A practical "toolbox" for managing fear includes choosing where our attention goes (keeping eyes on Christ), minimizing exposure to anxiety-inducing things, breathing, praying, and meditating on good things like scriptures. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

In this "Becoming Gift" unpacks the transformative principle of "focus on virtue, surrender the results" for health and wellness. Discover how shifting your attention from external metrics to consistent virtuous actions can purify your intentions and help to overcome discouragement.Key Takeaways:* Focus on Actions, Not Metrics: Instead of focusing on numbers like scale wight of strength gains, try to judge yourself on virtuous behaviors like consistent fasting, sticking to your diet plan, getting to bed on time, or going to the gym consistently. This approach can reduce emotional swings with plateus and setbacks and purify your motivations.* Actions Transform Desires: Consistently engaging in good actions helps you become the kind of person who delights in doing good things, restoring your nature and bringing you into a fuller life in alignment with God's design.* Navigate Challenges with Humility: Expect an "ebb and flow" of motivation, including "desert periods". Avoid "all-or-nothing" thinking (e.g., giving up after one slip). Instead, embrace humility to maintain peace and avoid self-glorification.* Define Your Virtue: Identify the specific virtue you're cultivating. The ultimate goal is to grow in the character of Christ, understanding that temperance might mean moderation for some, but complete avoidance for others, depending on God's unique call for you and your own history and story.Andrew’s SubstackPhysically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingBecoming Gift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

• Proclaim Christ, Not Your Diet: The central theme is drawn from 1 Corinthians 1:23, stating "we proclaim Christ crucified". In the absence of true religion, passion for health and wellness, including diets, can sometimes fill the space meant for God, becoming a "false religion".• Skepticism Towards "Diet Wars" and Market Motives: The health and wellness space is characterized by "diet wars" between equally passionate proponents of contradictory approaches. Given that the market is driven by profit motive, particularly regarding processed foods in the "standard American diet" (SAD) which can trick us into eating more, it is important to be skeptical of what is being sold.• Focus on Intentional Eating Principles While Recognizing Individual Needs: Principles to consider are focusing on whole, minimally processed foods like "shopping the outside of the grocery store" and minimizing "sweet fat," which is rare in nature and can act almost like a drug in the brain. At the same time, recognizing one's own story is crucial, as different diets work differently for individuals based on preferences, struggles, or physical conditions. The ‘good’ diet that happens is better than the ‘perfect’ diet that never does.Andrew’s Substack Physically Spiritual PodcastMorning OfferingBecoming Gift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

• The Body is Important But Not An Absolute: While Christians are called to care for the body, it is not an absolute value and can become a "cult" if overemphasized.•Decision-Making Filters: Decisions about bodily health for Catholics involve three principles: stewardship of the body, imitation of Christ, and living out one's particular vocation.• Living Out Vocation May Conflict with Health Values: Living out a specific vocation, such as choosing to have another child or becoming a priest, may involve circumstances (like sleep deprivation, stress, or financial changes impacting diet quality) that seem contrary to societal health values or lead to lifestyle choices that are less conventionally "healthy". As Christians we are called is to give oneself away in love through vocation.Becoming Gift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

• Christ is the ultimate model for holistic health and wellness for Catholics, serving as the image of a flourishing human being, which goes beyond mere physical appearance.•A key principle from Jesus's life is being radically given to one's mission, suggesting that focusing on mission can lead to other positive outcomes, including health, as a consequence, rather than making health the primary goal.•It is important to receive and accept oneself as a gift from God, understanding that much of one's appearance is determined by genetics, and to avoid the harmful cycle of comparison based on superficial traits. Visual motivation and focusing on surface-level appearance can be misleading and potentially unhealthyBecoming Gift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

The episode focuses on bodily health and stewardship. The central theme is how Catholics can respect the life of the body without making it an absolute value or idol. The episode introduces the concept of stewardship as the core idea for achieving this balance.Key Takeaways:• CCC 2289 “If morality requires respect for the life of the body, it does not make it an absolute value. It rejects a neo-pagan notion that tends to promote the cult of the body, to sacrifice everything for its sake, to idolize physical perfection and success at sports. By its selective preference of the strong over the weak, such a conception can lead to the perversion of human relationships.”• The core concept is Catholic stewardship. Stewardship is presented as a basic posture or relationship toward creation. This involves acknowledging that created things, including our bodies, have their own meaning and dignity that we can discover by encountering them.• The body is not merely a means to an end. A view (associated with classical liberalism) that the world's "stuff" is neutral and humans can assign meaning and do whatever they want with it is contrary to the Catholic view of stewardship. Applying this neutral understanding to the body can lead to ideologies like transhumanism. Encountering God's creation reveals His design and helps us understand ourselves more fully, implying a responsibility towards it, not just free use or abuse.• Using the body as a means to an end is not true stewardship. This can include seeking various types of pleasure (e.g., through overeating, excessive sleeping, lust) or using physical attractiveness for external validation, specific relationships, compliments, or out of vanity. Such uses, even under the guise of health, can be vice.• The true end for a human person is to know, love, and serve God and love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the end we should discover when we encounter our own body and ourselves as whole human persons. Even martyrdom is not contradictory to stewarding the body, as giving one's whole self for love (especially God) serves the body's true end.• Finding balance is key. Virtue lies in the mean, and prudence helps discern how to care for the body without obsessing over health.• Prioritizing higher duties helps maintain balance. A practical tip is recognizing that neglecting higher duties (like loving God, spouse, children, family, living one's faith, mission) for lower ones (like health routines) indicates that things are out of order.• Modernity presents unique challenges. Historically, external environmental boundaries limited consumption. Modern society practically provides us with the limitless ability to consume" (like a modern supermarket), has brought humans into a "quasi garden" state, making it much harder to exercise self-limitation. Humans historically flourished with environmental boundaries.• An examination of conscience can be applied to how we care for our bodies, including choices about eating, sleeping, exercise, and clothing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

The Becoming Gift segment this week strives to disprove idea of faith and reason are in opposition, Faith and Reason are like "two wings" on which the human spirit ascends to truth, as described by Pope St. John Paul II. This discussion on Morning Offering criticizes both a "leap of faith" approach that rejects reason and a scientism that reduces reason solely to the measurable, presenting both as narrow extremes that distort a broader understanding of faith and reason. This episode emphasizes that while faith is above reason, they are always in harmony, and that scientific pursuits need to be grounded in philosophy and the humanities for them to be used well.Key Takeaways:• The relationship between faith and reason is often presented as conflicting or "at war" in society, with historical myths suggesting the Church is anti-science or anti-reason.• Two extremes in society that exemplify this misunderstanding are the "leap of faith" idea (faith requires jumping off a cliff) and "scientism" (reducing reason to only what is measurable by the scientific method)• The Catholic Church has always taught that there is a harmony between faith and reason• Reason should be understood broadly, encompassing science, poetry, literature, stories that point to deeper realities, classical studies, and the university6.• Faith is also broader than just belief in God; humans constantly operate on a kind of "natural faith" in daily life, such as trusting other drivers or believing people love us. This natural faith is an ordinary part of the mind's operation.• Catholics also possess "supernatural faith," a theological virtue that "divinizes" the mind, allowing it to see reality as God sees it and experience things beyond reason.• Scientific pursuits should be grounded in philosophy and the humanities. The historical reason for academic doctorates being "philosophical doctorates" (PhDs) is that these fields were guided by philosophical principles. Philosophy can ensure scientific power is used well.• Faith and reason are mutually important. Theology is seen as a science above philosophy, the study of God, needed to guide and direct philosophy. Seeking God brings everything else into order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe

Becoming Gift Segment Introduction - Broadcast April 23rd 2025 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewreinhart.substack.com/subscribe