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  • Today we're going to look at the institution of the Eucharist and the institution of the priesthood and the foundation of the whole sacramental system. Here is where Jesus Christ brings the life of God in eternity and unites it with our lives here in the maze. Here is where God makes us his family, so that we can live in a new way, starting now and lasting forever. Everything that's happened in the story to this point has led up to this moment, and this is what he has spent the last days of Holy Week preparing us for.

    Learn MoreThe Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.
  • Jesus has been saying, "My hour has not yet come." Today he'll say, "My hour has arrived." It is Holy Thursday, and on this great and ominous night filled with huge moments in salvation history. The first thing he chooses to do is wash the feet of his apostles. Now, why did he do that? And why is it significant that Judas left right after he did that? And what does it mean for us when washing feet is no longer quite the thing it apparently was back then? We'll find out this week on The Extraordinary Story.

    Learn MoreThe Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.
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  • It's Wednesday of Holy Week, the day before the big days. The chief priests hold a special meeting. They want to find a way to arrest Jesus without alarming the crowds of people in Jerusalem. It's hard because Jesus knows their plans and is steering clear. They're stuck and they can't find a way. And then there's a knock on the door and a man is ushered into the room. He asks, how much will you give me if I hand him over to you? We will review why Judas would want to betray his master, and it's important that we do, because it's the same reason you and I may want to betray him also.

  • The veil drops and we see the Kingdom of Christ for what it is. Angels and thrones and icons all around us. And we ourselves for what we are. Either sheep seeing the true worth of our neighbor or goats. We also get to see some sweet payback when Jesus, tired of the Pharisees trying to trap him, verbally traps them instead.

    Learn MoreThe Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.
  • This week on the extraordinary story. Jesus stages an intervention for the Pharisees. And for me, too. In a way, we will discuss the seven woes of the Pharisees and a surprising hero who is the opposite of what they are.

    Learn MoreThe Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.
  • In this episode of The Extraordinary Story, we are with Jesus during the last week before his death, where we learn how two challenges from his opponents provoked Jesus to share wisdom that has changed the course of history. We will discover who asked him to pay taxes, and why his answer addresses the fundamental problems of alienation in the world today. We will also address what it means to "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

    Learn MoreThe Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.
  • As Jesus faces his imminent death in the final week of his earthly life, he reveals that the end goal of history is marriage. We'll learn in what way Jesus considers his relationship with us a marriage, why we wont be married to our spouses in heaven, and how to fight the darkness that threatens to swallow us whole while we wait for the wedding.

    Learn MoreThe Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.Click here to see all episodes of The Extraordinary StoryListen to “The Extraordinary Story with Tom Hoopes” wherever you listen to podcasts: click here for Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible or Podbean.
  • As the incarnation of of Son of God approaches its most dramatic moment, Jesus urgently decides to... tell some stories. In this episode, we'll learn why the stories Jesus tells in the last week of his life actually are very urgent, and why Jesus focuses here on stories about work. Along the way, we'll learn what kind of "boss" God is, what kind of work he expects us to do, and what's at stake if we fail.

    Learn MoreThe Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.Click here to see all episodes of The Extraordinary StoryListen to “The Extraordinary Story with Tom Hoopes” wherever you listen to podcasts: click here for Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible or Podbean.
  • We return to Jerusalem on the morning after Jesus's triumphal entry as he curses a fig tree. We'll learn why he did such a strange thing, why he insisted to Greeks that he himself was a grain of wheat, and what all of this reveals about the Garden of Eden - and ourselves. This episode is all about the “nature logic” of the Gospel, and the way the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is woven into the very fabric of the cosmos.

    In this episode

    You have to die before you can live. Jesus' paradoxical teaching about the "grain of wheat" may seem strange at first, but as St. Cyril of Alexandria, Pope Benedict XVI, and Larry Chapp point out, it's written all over the natural world for us to see plainly, foreshadowing the redemptive suffering of Jesus on the cross and echoing the eternal life and love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

    00:00 Introduction01:02 Reading of Matthew 18: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree01:41 Why is Jesus hungry?02:31 The importance of a fig tree in the Gospel03:42 God is working to restore paradise for all creation04:41 The Garden of Eden and gardens in the Gospels07:12 God is the gardener of salvation history. Examples in the Old Testament08:27 Jesus’ action is foreshadowed by the prophet Ezekiel09:44 It was “not the season for figs” but God expects fruit anyway10:11 Jesus teaches about the “dying seed”12:19 St. Cyril of Alexandria and the “analogy of nature”13:21 Cardinal Ratzinger explains the “mystery of the dying grain”14:41 Larry Chap and the mystery of redemptive suffering15:11 Reading of John 12 - “He who loses his life will save it”16:43 Suffering on earth is an image of the inner life of the Trinity17:17 Jesus “leaned obedience through what he suffered”19:24 The Fathers of the Church took the Gospel’s “nature logic” seriously20:43 St. Clement of Alexandria: The Word of God is the pruning knife of the soul22:20 Reading of Luke 13: Jesus’ parable of the master’s vineyard23:46 Application of the parable24:19 ConclusionLearn More

    For more content from Benedictine College, visit media.benedictine.edu

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • This week, we follow Jesus in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and discover the raw power of Jesus alone on a donkey. We'll learn why a donkey is a more kingly steed than a chariot. We'll learn what it means that God's kingdom is "already, but not yet." And we'll learn what the wrath of God looks like from God's perspective.

    In this episode:

    Today's episode begins the story of the single week that changed all of history. It is a story about a conqueror who commanded no army, had no weapons, and made no attempt at self-defense - a conqueror who did nothing but teach, and pray, and suffer, and die.

    00:00 Introduction00:57 Jesus is no ordinary worldly conqueror02:50 John 12:12-19 - Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem03:58 Previous “triumphal entries” of Jerusalem’s conquerors04:26 Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of the Temple of Solomon05:41 Alexander the Great enters Jerusalem06:52 Jesus enters the city on a donkey07:14 What does the donkey mean in prophecy?09:00 Other theories about the donkey09:31 The Kumran Community theory09:47 The donkey points us towards Jesus’ identity and mission11:06 The Triumphal Entry is a fulfilment of Christmas prophecy11:45 Jesus is ‘the prophet’ Moses foretold12:17 The Kingdom of God is “already, but not yet”12:47 Jesus’ entrance is like VE Day from World War II13:53 Bishop Robert Barron: “God rules through his viceroys”14:17 We are under the lordship of the True King in Christ15:53 Jesus and the repentant thief16:42 The Festival of Booths and its relevance to the triumphal entry19:30 The Cleansing of the Temple20:10 Jesus wants to restore the temple to its Edenic significance21:11 God’s wrath and Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the temple23:17 Jesus intends to restore all of our ‘temples’ as well24:03 Conclusion

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • Welcome back to The Extraordinary Story, a podcast about the life of Christ. Season Four will guide us through the final week of Jesus’ life as he approaches the ‘hour’ for which he came: death on a cross. But Tom Hoopes has done some thinking during the break, and returns with a fresh perspective to share with us about why all of this even matters in the first place.

    In this episode:

    Why does Jesus need to die at all? Is God just so angry at humanity that he needs to kill his Son to calm down? (Spoiler: He’s not.) We’ll learn about Tom Vander Woude’s heroic death and how it reveals a deep truth about Jesus’s sacrifice. In addition, we’ll get a glimpse at the big picture of salvation history, how Christianity changed (and changes) everything, and why the “Our Father” is God’s game plan to bring back Eden, forever.

    0:00 - Introduction2:55 - The death of Tom Vander Woude6:32 - Tom Vander Woude’s life and death models Christ’s sacrifice9:22 - What does Jesus’ death really accomplish?10:14 - Is God the Father thirsty for blood?11:30 - Jesus took our place in the sewage to push us out of it13:49 - Christ experienced every type of suffering for us15:49 - The “Our Father” prayer is a blueprint18:35 - “Thy Kingdom Come” and the covenants in Scripture18:58 - God plans to restore Eden20:26 - The Gospel, revisited21:54 - What is “The Sign of Jonah”?24:05 - The explosive growth of early Christianity25:27 - How Christianity radically reshaped the whole world27:05 - The irony of the Charlie Hebdo tragedy28:53 - Summary and conclusionLearn More:

    Tom Vander Woude’s Legacy: https://media.benedictine.edu/you-pull-ill-push-tom-vander-woudes-legacy

    A Father’s Sacrifice (Focus on the Family): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im9_iAQhd5E

  • Jesus is back at dinner again with Martha, her sister Mary, and Lazarus. There's a growing sense of doom in the air. It's the feeling we all know too well - that something is about to go terribly wrong, and we're not sure what. Mary takes out a jar of ointment, and everyone would have been impressed when they saw it, because it was worth a year's wages all on its own. They are even more astounded when she pours the whole thing out on Jesus's feet. Suddenly, the hidden menace they felt all along takes on a face and a voice as Judas Iscariot himself speaks up.

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • Jesus has been headed to Jerusalem: determined, relentless, and unstoppable. He has been telling anyone who would listen that he is going there to die, but no one is listening. Just before they reach the top of the Mount of Olives with a view of Jerusalem he stops to tell them a strange parable.

    This week Tom Hoopes dives into the Parable of the Talents, which shows us God's attitude towards our spiritual efforts. If we let it, this parable can change our lives by teaching us faithfulness to the generous God who has given us all we have, and inspiring in us diligence to work hard for His Kingdom.

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • Jesus is headed to Jerusalem and nothing is going to stop him- certainly not on the rough and dangerous Jericho Road. A multitude joins Jesus on the path, and as they proceed to Jericho a crazed voice calls out to him: "Son of David, have mercy on me!" In the city, a little man hangs out of a tall tree staring at him. And suddenly, Jesus isn't so unstoppable after all.

    In this episode, Tom Hoopes focuses on the healing of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, and the conversion of Zacchaeus, the prominent tax collector. Through each story, Jesus reveals that his plan to save humanity includes the healing of each one of us whom he encounters on the road.

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • "They are going to kill me," Jesus told his disciples. It was his third great prediction of how it was all going to end: "We are going to Jerusalem where they will condemn me to death." At this moment James, John, and their mother decided to approach Jesus and demand places of honor in the Kingdom. Jesus's response was not what they were expecting.

    In this episode, Tom Hoopes unpacks Christ's instruction to his disciples to "take the lowest place" and explores its relevance to our Christian witness, our daily suffering, and our relationship to an all-powerful God who took the "lowest place" for us and calls us to join Him there.

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • Jesus is devastated. His friend is dead. He is crying. He stands before Lazarus' tomb and cries out. Was his voice startlingly strong, or broken with the pain that had finally reached a fever pitch? We don't know how he said it, but we do know what he said: "Lazarus, come forth."

    In this episode, Tom Hoopes explores Jesus' relationship with the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Lazarus' death and raising shows us what it means to be a friend of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the Resurrection and the Life.

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • Pope Benedict XVI said, "The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." We're going to explore just that in this episode as we read the story of the Rich young Man, which is a hinge story in the gospel. One of the big important turning points in the gospel. And we'll even touch base with Ted Turner before it's done. So stick around for that. We're reading from the Gospel of Mark. This particular gospel is one of the ones that shows up in all three Synoptic gospels. It's in Matthew. It's in Luke with slight variations, some of which will note. But we're going to go back to our old friend Mark to read the story of the rich man.The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • Jesus has told us all along how loving and caring our Father is and how terrible sin is. But in the parables of the Persistent Widow, and the Pharisee and the Publican, He casts God as uncaring and indifferent in the parable anyway. Then he shows us an unrighteous, righteous man and a righteous sinner. He wants to do is powerfully put across how sovereign, majestic and other God is. But that's not what I'm going to talk about. I'm actually going to talk about some very practical ideas about prayer that come out of these parables and then touch on narcissism and then, just for fun, share some common Catholic phrases that show that we have deeply imbibed these lessons.

    The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • The Pharisees try to trip Jesus up by asking him about divorce and marriage. Jesus answers in words that have caused a lot of trouble ever since. "Where God has joined together, let no man put asunder." So we're going to look at divorce and marriage today. I'll try to make the case that what Jesus did here was actually a very freeing thing. I'll even give the surprising words of a priest at my daughter's wedding. So stick around for that. Plus, the one thing that every couple must do.The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.

  • God is so unfair. Jesus tells three parables today, and each one shows God being unfair. What is up, for instance, with the shrewd steward who cheats his boss and then gets praised for it? What's up with a rich man who enjoys food and drink like you and I do? And Jesus doubles down and then quadruples down on the torment he deserves for eternity.

    Then there are the laborers. Some slave all day in the hot sun. Some just barely do any work at all. And they all get exactly the same wage. Making Jesus. What? Some kind of socialist? We'll also look at a smart guy who says there is no hell for precisely the sorts of reasons we're outlining here. And then we'll get real for a bonus minute.The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to give us his Cross as a ladder up and out. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.Listen to more great content from Benedictine College.