A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023.

Today, we are sticking with one of the very best for the whole thing.

ADVENTCAzT 2023 – 23 – Christmas: Paradoxical Divinity

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023.

Today, Bl. Ildefonso describes the papal doings in the ancient Roman Church.  We hear the account of the martyrdom of Stephen.  Fr. Troadec prays.

ADVENTCAzT 2023 – 24 – St. Stephen: His face was like that of an angel

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023.

Today we hear about "Hide and Seek".  Then, Fr. Troadec explains the three gifts to John which Christ gave in His "three states." (Fascinating.)

ADVENTCAzT 2023 – 25 – St. John: Christ's three gifts to John

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023.

Today we hear from St. Alphonsus about the the way Baby Jesus slept.  Benedict XVI delves into the manger.

ADVENTCAzT 2023 – 29 – Saturday in the Octave: Sleep of Pain

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023.  Today 6 minutes instead of 5.

Today we hear from Joseph Ratzinger in the 1st Anniversary of his death.  We pray.

ADVENTCAzT 2023 – 30 – Sunday in the Octave: Heartbeat

Week 48: Adventszeit, Wahlheimat and Elections

Pastor Josh Rhodes launches us into our Christmas series, "Finding," which delves into the deeper gifts our hearts desire: hope, peace, love, and joy—all found in Jesus. This week, we will discover how Jesus' birth, promises, and return provide lasting hope and explore ways to share this hope with others during the Advent season.
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Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes 
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Join us online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live

Hope // Finding - Part 1

Pastor Josh continues our Christmas series, "Finding," with a message on finding peace. In this talk, we'll discover how lasting peace—with God, others, and yourself—is possible through Jesus, the Prince of Peace, even amidst life's conflicts and chaos. 
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Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes  
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Join us online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live

Peace // Finding - Part 2

In this fun and lively episode of Side Notes, Arch and Josh dive into a mix of light-hearted banter and heartwarming stories. From mandatory Mountaineer gear at the office to the ups and downs of youth basketball coaching, you'll hear about unforgettable game moments, second-grade nail-biters, and the life lessons kids learn on the court.

They also dive into the complexities of love—how we seek it, where we misplace it, and the transformative power of God's love. Through a mix of anecdotes and deep theological insights, they explore why human relationships, while beautiful and essential, can't fully satisfy the longing in our hearts.

They tackle big questions: Why do we place impossible expectations on others to meet our deepest needs? How does social media feed into our search for affirmation? And most importantly, how does understanding God's eternal, selfless, and unconditional love free us to love others better?

Side Notes // Love // Life, Love and Nail-Biters

Laura reads the Prologue of the Gospel of John and St. John of the Cross' poem, "The Romances". This poem is a beautiful reading for reflecting on the gift of the Incarnation.

The Romances by St. John of the Cross

Merry Christmas! In this Christmas message, Pastor Josh helps us uncover the lasting joy found in Jesus—a joy that transcends life’s ups and downs. By looking to the Gospel of Luke, we’ll explore what biblical joy is, who it’s for, and how to receive it.
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Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes  
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Join us online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live

Joy // Finding - Part 4 [Christmas With The Ridge]

A cinematic Christmas duet that begins in human stillness and rises into divine light, breathing under two voices—earth and heaven—meeting in a single phrase: Heaven touches earth tonight.
This piece blends intimacy and awe—crafted for candlelight services, reflective playlists, and wintry nights that long for warmth.

Heaven Touches Earth

“Still of Emmanuel” is an ambient Christmas worship piece for piano, pads, and soft soprano—built for candlelit rooms and late-night Advent prayer. Scripture seeds: 1 Kings 19:12; Matthew 1:23.

Still of Emmanuel

“Christmas for the Broken” is a modern folk-pop Christmas duet about finding home and grace when everything feels lost. Built on acoustic warmth, real human harmonies, and a slow, steady heartbeat kick, the song invites everyone—believers, doubters, dreamers—to the same table. it rises from quiet folk intimacy to a full choral crescendo, closing with the words “We are home.”

Christmas for the Broken

CYBER CHORD writes songs the way a porch light holds a night: small, steady, and impossible to ignore. I work with AI as a true co-writer, then carve the lyric by hand and shape the track in Suno. The sound leans bare and human—country roots in the soil, a little rock grain in the teeth, and a faith-lit lift that chooses hope without preaching.

These are ordinary-room hymns: rings hidden in cotton, receipt-tape strings, a dress behind rain glass, a sink that cools while you find the words. Silence is an instrument here; sometimes there’s a full bar where the house gets to breathe. If a line can’t survive a campfire and a cracked mug, it doesn’t make the song.

If you’re new, start with the heartbreakers. They don’t shout. They stay. I believe in the holiness of the everyday, and in the quiet bravery of saying the thing before “later” takes it away.

No paid promo, no playlist buys, no cover-art pitches, no dance offers, no cold DMs. If it’s a pitch, the porch light’s off. If you’re a real listener, come in soft: pick one song, leave a genuine note (lyric or timestamp welcome), and hand it to one friend. That’s how this fire stays lit.

May your road stay open, your coffee stay warm, and your day be peaceful.

Ordained 26 May 1991 by St. John Paul II in Rome for the Suburbicarian Diocese of Velletri-Segni (ITALY). Classics at Univ. of Minn. STL in Patristic Theology from the "Augustinianum" in Rome. STD candidate at same. Former Moderator: Catholic Online Forum; Former Columnist: The Wanderer. Presently weekly columnist for Catholic Herald (UK). Ministry in Diocese of Madison. Speaker. Blogist: fatherzonline.com Twitter: @fatherz

New tracks tagged #Advent,