The Real + True Podcast
The Catechism is not a textbook, a collection of ideas, or a set of rules. It is the faithful echo of a God who wishes to reveal himself to us and desires us to respond. Our mission is to pass down and pass along the gift of our faith by creating beautiful, captivating, and relevant content inspired by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. And we are making this content in multiple languages and accessible for free to people all over the world. The Real+True Podcast is part of Real+True, a global initiative of Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) under the patronage of the Holy See. Visit realtrue.org for more information, including videos and other materials to learn more about the Catechism on your own or with your parish.
The Real + True Podcast
Discernment, the Heart, and Temptation
00:00 Emily and Edmund kick off the episode by introducing the sixth and seventh petitions: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. They explore how modern generations oscillate between moral relativism and hyper-vigilance about right and wrong, despite many still praying regularly. This sets the stage for examining how the Catechism helps us discern objective morality amid today’s shifting cultural views.
08:08 Edmund and Emily show how over-intellectualizing the Faith led to two extremes, either thinking we can resist temptation on our own (Pelagianism) or feeling powerless without special election (Jansenism). These often show up today as indifference or scrupulosity. They unpack the Greek roots of “lead us not into temptation,” noting it means both “don’t let us enter” and “don’t let us yield,” and encourage praying for God’s help to trust His will and avoid yielding to temptation.
15:46 Edmund and Emily emphasize that temptation isn’t sinful, only yielding to it is. They encourage humility and reliance on God’s grace instead of shame. Using everyday examples like marital frustrations over an unloaded dishwasher, they show how praying for virtues (e.g., patience) can help in the midst of temptation. They highlight the Catechism’s wisdom on discernment, distinguishing growth-forming trials from temptations that lead to sin and discuss the importance of avoiding both indifference and scrupulosity.
22:15 Edmund and Emily illustrate how charity and community can justly take precedence over strict observance, reminding us that relationship trumps anxious rule-keeping. They stress discernment in distinguishing between trials and temptations. The motto: “rules without relationship lead to rebellion,” highlights the heart’s posture in prayer.
28:05 Edmund and Emily wrap up with practical tips for catechists: integrate the Ten Commandments into prayer by guiding an examination of conscience that moves beyond a checklist to a heartfelt dialogue with God. They stress honest, heart-level prayer and bringing specific struggles before Jesus, asking for grace so that doctrine informs our lived encounter, not just intellectual assent.
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.