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PODCAST

A Psychologist looks at Scripture

Dr. Peter Doherty

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.

religion & spirituality spirituality

All Episodes

9:16

A 4 East Jn 10.1-10 Apr 26-26 Faith’s Breaking Point:...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/04/20

Send us Fan Mail One of the techniques that Jesus used was using situations that the people would be familiar with. The readings today are no exception. The people would be familiar with the gate keeper for the sheep. To give you some background, most villages had a walled in field where the local shepherds would bring their flocks for the night. The shepherds would take their turn guarding the gate to make sure no one came it to hurt any of the sheep. I am think...

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8:53

Lk 24.13-35 Apr 19-26 Burning Hearts, Blind Eyes:...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/04/12

Send us Fan Mail In today’s edition from Luke 24 we hear about two disciples on a walk from Jerusalem to a village 7 miles away called Emmaus. While it seems like an innocent walking excursion, there is so much going on. We gain insight into the early days of the Church. Two of his disciples are discussing what had happen in Jerusalem just a few days ago. The situation suddenly became very interesting when they were joined by what appeared to be a very un...

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6:40

Easter John 20:19-31 Apr 12-26 Beyond Pacifism:...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/04/05

Send us Fan Mail Jesus greets his disciples with "Peace," the first words he speaks—signaling its central place in our spirituality. Amid world events and ongoing wars, this topic feels especially timely. Jesus frequently taught about peace: from the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Mt 5:9); to instructions for entering a house (Mt 10:13); and Zechariah's prophecy at his Presentation in the Temple, guiding our feet into the way of peace (Lk 1:79). Yet peace is often misunderstood. C...

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7:55

Easter Jn 20:1-9 Apr 5, 26 The Empty Tomb's Echo:...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/03/29

Send us Fan Mail On April 5, 2026, we celebrate Easter, the radiant heart of Christianity, with joyful celebrations, family gatherings, and renewed hope. Yet in our familiarity, we risk missing its visceral intensity. We view the full story through history's lens—what comes next is assured. But imagine the raw uncertainty: the searching, questioning, desperate hoping, and plunging despair of those first witnesses. Tuning into their emotions isn't mere curiosity; it mirrors our own strug...

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9:27

MT 21.1-11 Mar 29-26 Hail to the King: When Adoration...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/03/22

Send us Fan Mail There are many spiritual lessons in this seemly simple Gospel. At the beginning of the Gospel Jesus gives very specific instructions. I suspect Matthew is telling his listeners that Jesus knew what was going on and that this was a very deliberate act. I wonder what Jesus was thinking about while he was on the colt entering the city. He is listening to the people shout hosanna, wave palm branches which was a customary way to welcome an important dignita...

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8:19

5 Jn 11:1-45, Mar 22-26 Awakening the Soul: Lazarus'...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/03/15

Send a text The Gospel for March 22, 2026, is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. This is one of three resurrection stories in the Gospels—the others involve Jairus's daughter and the son of the widow of Nain. What sets Lazarus's story apart? Jesus knew Lazarus, along with his sisters Mary and Martha, whom we've encountered before. The deepest lessons emerge before the miracle itself. Jesus invites us to see death differently. Awareness of mortality prompts us to prioritize what...

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8:05

John 9.1-34 Pharisees' Blind Spot: Escape...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/03/08

Send a text The Pharisees are fixated on the fact that Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath and missing the more significant and obvious miracle of a man being given the opportunity to see for the very first time. The Pharisees clearly have an agenda and rigidly hold on to it despite the facts and that their perspective is literally missing the bigger picture. . The man who was once blind has not only gained his sight but is able to see more than the Pharisees who have always...

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7:02

John 4.5-43 Mar 8-26 From Trauma to Truth: Jesus'...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/03/01

Send a text Jesus reveals he's the Messiah only three times in the Gospels (here, to a Samaritan woman; and twice at his trial). He sees her wounds but also her resilience and faith. Despite pain, she's tied to her community. I wonder if these qualities made her a good candidate for Jesus to share his true identity with her. Unlike the sceptical Pharisees, she grasps who Jesus is—and leads her village to him. In John 4:40–42, the Samaritans invite him to stay two days. Many villagers be...

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6:43

Mt 17,1-9 Mar 1, 2026 Peter, James, and John's...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/02/22

Send a text The Transfiguration stands out from accounts of Jesus' healings and teachings. There's a group of miracles that feel different—perhaps even puzzling—but they're deeply spiritual. Consider Jesus walking on water and inviting Peter to join him (Matthew 14:22-33); calming the storm amid the disciples' pleas (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25); turning water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-11); finding a coin in a fish's mouth for the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27); or...

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6:48

Mt 4.1-11 Feb 22-26 Stones to Bread: When Desire...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/02/15

Send a text In today’s podcast we focus on Matthew’s account of Jesus completing 40 days in the desert. It is not clear whether Matthew is drawing a connection between Jesus’ time in the desert and the Israelites wandering around in the desert for 40 years. What is noteworthy is that we have Jesus being tempted by the devil. The temptations give us insight into the heart and mission of Jesus. The first one is the devil suggesting that Jesus turn the stones into b...

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10:03

Mt 5.17-37 Feb 15-26 Law as Spiritual Compass:...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/02/08

Send us a text As we develop our faith life our view of the law will change from following the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. Jesus was often critical of the Pharisees who lived by the letter of the law and chose not to recognize the purpose of the law. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus accused them of meticulously paying tithes on tiny herbs like mint, anise and cummin but ignoring "weightier matters" like justice, mercy, and faith, showing their focus on literal compliance over the...

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7:26

Mt 5.13-16 Feb 8-26 Jesus' Images: Spiritual Symbols,...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/02/02

Send us a text In today’s Gospel Jesus describes living our faith in three metaphors that would be easily understood by the first listeners. Also, I suspect the choice of the metaphors may have additional meaning too. The first metaphor that Jesus uses is comparing the impact of faith on others to the impact of salt on seasoning our food. The use of salt today has changed radically. We still need salt to prevent such diseases as hyponatremia and impacting insulin absorption ...

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14:45

Mt 5.1-12 Feb 1-26 Soul Science: The Beatitudes Unmasked

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/01/25

Send us a text In the podcast today we are introduced to a segment of the teachings of Jesus known as the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes gives us insight into the mind of Jesus. There is some debate about what Jesus actually meant but let’s look more closely. The Beatitudes are also found in Luke’s Gospel with some differences. For example, the first Beatitude is “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Complete our 1 Minute Survey

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7:56

Mt 4.12-17 Jan 25-26 From Nets to the Unknown: The...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/01/19

Send us a text This Gospel describes the early beginnings of Jesus ministry. The death of John the Baptist seems to be the trigger for Jesus, and he begins by inviting people to join him in his mission. There are two points I want to draw your attention to. In most cases one would expect the disciples to ask Jesus, but we have it the other way around. Jesus is asking them. It is noteworthy that Jesus is asking them so early in his ministry. Most of the dis...

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9:53

John 1:29-34 Jan 18-26 Where does doubt fit in my...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/01/11

Send us a text The lesson for us is not to get alarmed if we have periods of doubt or question aspects of our faith. As pointed out, these are signs of an adult faith. I invite you to see doubts as an invitation to explore, to be curious, to question and be motivated to resolve the doubt. The sad part is that so many people just hold the tension and do little or nothing with their doubts. Some people are worried that their faith is weak and are reluctant to do anything...

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8:05

Mt 3.13-17 Jan 11-25 Unburden the Soul: Faith,...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2026/01/04

Send us a text Today’s edition focuses on the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. This is only recorded direct episode of Jesus interacting with John the Baptist. To give you some context, John was inviting people to the Jordan River for a spiritual cleansing. This spiritual cleansing has been referred to as Baptism. John the Baptist was not the first to use this model of using water to wash away sin. There are many examples in Scripture of special rituals used...

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9:19

Mt 2.1-12 Jan 4-26 - The arrival of the Magi

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2025/12/28

Send us a text This Gospel speaks about the days after the birth of Jesus. What should have been a joyous event has a very dark layer behind it. In this account we have the Magi coming to acknowledge the birth of a king. On this note I encourage my listeners to check out the editions of this podcast published on December 29, 2024, and December 30, 2023, where I speak about the Wisemen and the role they played. The wisemen were looking for the infant who would be king o...

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7:22

Mt 2.13-15, 19-23 Family December 28-25

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2025/12/21

Send us a text In today’s Gospel we hear of another dream that Joesph had. If you are joining us for the first time, I urge you to listen to last weeks podcast edition where I speak about the dreams that Joseph had. I also recommend that you listen to the December 17th edition published in 2023 where I speak about Joseph’s mission. Today I want to speak about the dream that Joseph has. In the dream Joseph is warned to flee to Egypt as the king was plotting to ki...

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10:54

Mt 1:18-24 Dec 21-25 Dreams and the Divine: Pathways...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2025/12/14

Send us a text 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 when Jesus was 12 years old but that is it. We learn that Joseph was a dreamer. There are four dreams recorded, outlining what Joseph experienced. In Matthew 1:16, 18-20, an angel appears in the dream instructing Joseph ...

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9:13

A Adv 3 Mt 11:2-11 Dec 14-25 Voices in the...

A Psychologist looks at Scripture ·

2025/12/07

Send us a text 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 Christ. This expresses John's understanding that his own role and influence were meant to diminish as Jesus' ministry and prominence grew. John’s statement reflects humility and the acknowledgment that Jesus must be exalted above all else.&nb...

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140 results

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