A Psychologist looks at Scripture
In this 8-10 minute podcast, I as a psychologist and a priest use my training and skills to examine the Gospels. I will present alternative interpretations and insights into the meaning of Scripture for men and women in the 21st century.
I can be reached at peter.dohertyomi@gmail.com.
Episodes
117 episodes
Mt 1:18-24 Dec 21-25 Dreams and the Divine: Pathways to Spiritual Growth
In this podcast today I will be focusing on the dreams that Joseph had. We don’t have much else on St. Joseph. We don’t hear much about him after the birth of Jesus. He is mentioned in the story of the finding in the temple wh...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 110
•
10:54
A Adv 3 Mt 11:2-11 Dec 14-25 Voices in the Wilderness: Guiding Spiritual Growth Together
John was the Hearld of the Messiah. His role was simple, increase the awareness of the people of the coming Messiah. In the Gospel of John 3:30, John the Baptist says, "He must increase, but I must decrease," referring to Jesus Chri...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 109
•
9:13
Mt 3:1-12 Dec 7-25 The Forerunner’s Mindset: Understanding John the Baptist’s Life and Ministry
I focus on information from the Scriptures and try to figure out what likely was the back story. I will attempt to explain more in detail as we unpack the life of John the Baptist. I am very careful in using tradition and historical...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 108
•
14:46
Mt 24.37-44 Nov 30-25 "Being Spiritually Alert: Reading the Room in Life and Faith"
I recognize that staying alert can be exhausting at times and there may be times when taking a break would be appropriate. I highly recommend developing skills to reflect on our lives when we might not have been as alert as we needed to b...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 107
•
7:42
Luke 23.35-43 The Outlaw’s Insight: Understanding Jesus Through Unexpected Eyes
This Gospel describes some of the last moments of the life of Jesus on Earth. The Gospel seems more appropriate for Lent and Easter. Jesus says very little. He is dying on the cross, he is dismissed by the leaders who are resp...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 106
•
7:38
Luke 21.5-19 Nov 16-25 From Judas to Us: Understanding Betrayal Through Scripture and Science
Jesus warns us that we will be betrayed not just by anyone but by people who are close to us, family members. Experiencing betrayal is unfortunately more common than we would like. Being betrayed by those who are close to us is espe...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 105
•
10:55
John 2.13-22 Nov 9-25 Jesus speaking his truth to power
Todays Gospel is quite different from most others. In this Gospel we have Jesus aggressively driving the money changes and sellers out of the temple. At first glance it is quite different from Jesus’ usual way. There are...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 104
•
11:09
Luke 7,11-17 Nov 2 – 25 "Life Restored: The Widow’s Son and the Jesus Miracle"
There are three stories in the Gospels where Jesus raises someone from the dead. We have the story of Lazarus being raised (John 11:38-44), Jarius’ 12-year-old daughter being raised as recorded in (Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40 and Matthew 9:18...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 103
•
7:30
Lk 18.9-14 Oct 26-25 "Faith or Facade? Unpacking Motives in Doing Good"
So, we overhear the prayers of two very different men. One man, the Pharisees has done a lot and includes what he has done in a list expecting I guess to impress God. He was doing okay until he compared himself to the tax collector....
•
Season 3
•
Episode 102
•
8:07
Luke 18:1-8 Oct 19-25 The Sacred Pause: Lessons on Waiting from the Bible
In the Gospel of Luke 18:6-8 Jesus is teaching his disciples to pray always. He uses a short parable of a woman seeking justice from a corrupt judge. The woman successfully hassles the judge, wearing him down to finally getting the ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 101
•
8:34
Luke 17:11-19 Oct 12-25 The Leper who Returned: Jesus, Healing, and the Power of Gratitude
In today’s Gospel we read about a healing, specifically the healing of ten people with leprosy. Although this account is about people getting healed of a dreaded disease it is what happens after the healing that is most significant....
•
Season 3
•
Episode 100
•
9:54
Luke 17:5-10 Oct 5, 25 Exploring the Disciples’ Quest for More
In today’s Gospel Jesus is asked by his disciples on how to increase their faith. It looks like the disciples are finally understanding the ministry of Jesus. Remember the story of the rich young man found in Matthew 19:16 who asks ...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 99
•
10:07
Luke 16:19-31 Sept 28-25 Guarding Wealth, Forsaking Grace
In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares a profoundly interesting parable. I would like to examine it further and in detail. In the parable, Jesus introduces the rich man, we do not know his name, but he wears purple, the color of royalty and feas...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 98
•
10:01
Luke 16: 1-13 Sept 21-25 The Narrow Path of Loyalty: When Hearts Are Divided
Today's Gospel highlights the importance of consistency and faithfulness, even in the small things. I find Jesus’ teaching about serving two masters particularly thought-provoking. Often, it feels like we have more than two masters competing fo...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 97
•
8:17
John 3: 13-17 Sept 14-25 Are you ready to participate in creation?
Today’s Gospel from John focusses on a conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus. To give you some important background information, Nicodemus was a Pharisee. Scripture scholars remind us that despite the negative portrayal of Pharisees...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 97
•
7:24
Luke 14:25-33 Sep 7-25 Jesus shocks us with incredible teachings!
For someone not familiar with Jesus’ style of teaching this Gospel would be shocking. I suspect the Gospel would be shocking for the first listeners. It completely contradicts the 5th commandment about honouring one’s parents Exodus 20:12...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 96
•
8:33
Luke 14: 1, 7-14 Aug 31-25 Do I really have to be humble to know God?
Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus accepting an invitation to dine with one of the leading Pharisees. During this gathering, Jesus shares a teaching inspired by His observations that challenges the conventional understanding of social status. He ...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 95
•
8:15
Luke 13: 22-30 Aug 24-25 Will we be "saved"?
Luke’s Gospel is very typical of Jesus style. We have read events where Jesus takes an accepted view, custom, or perception and reinterprets into something different. Often when Jesus is asked a question, he invites the questioner i...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 94
•
11:22
Luke 12:49-53 Aug 17-25 Do we fully understand the passion of Jesus?
This passage might seem surprising—even unsettling. Here, we don’t see the serene, peaceful Jesus, but instead a passionate figure intensely devoted to his mission and faith. I believe Jesus is speaking metaphorically when he refers to fire—usi...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 93
•
5:54
Luke 12:32-48 Aug 10-25 Are we TOO busy?
In this Gospel we learn that the Father is pleased to give you the kingdom, this is incredible! The kingdom is given, not earned but a free gift. This is not the only such reference, in Luke 13:29 we read that "people will co...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 92
•
10:06
Luke 12-13-21 Aug 3-25 Be careful, procrastination is a threat to our spirituality!
We have someone asking Jesus to help settle his case, to judge the merits of an inheritance dispute. Jesus does not take the bait and makes it clear to the individual that he is not here to judge. This is a valuable reminder to peop...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 91
•
9:56
Luke 13:1-13 July 27, 25 How to pray like Jesus taught us.
The disciples of Jesus note that John the Baptist has taught his disciples to pray. They had likely seen Jesus pray or go off to a lonely place to pray so they are curious. Jesus gives them direction and insight into prayer. T...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 90
•
9:18
Luke 10:38-42 July 20, 2025 The story of Martha and Mary, who is your favorite?
Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus were friends of Jesus and they are frequently mentioned in the Gospels. We don’t have any record of anythng that Lazarus said but he is one of the three people in the Gospels that Jesus raised from t...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 89
•
8:05
Luke 10:25-37 July 13-25 Are you ready for eternal life?
In today’s Gospel Jesus is asked by a lawyer what must he do to inherit eternal life. The question is direct and honest, unlike many of the questions of the Pharisees and Sadducees that are often multi layered and are intended to trap Jes...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 88
•
9:20
Luke 10:1-12 July 6-25 Living our faith with all its rewards and traps!
This story is unusual because we have two distinct parts. The first part focusses on the advice Jesus gives his disciples and the second part focusses upon their return. When the 72 return,, they are rejoicing after what appe...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 87
•
9:08