“Don't have minimal expectations; just expect everything to happen.” | Jason Smith

In his mid-thirties, Jason experienced Eucharistic adoration for the first time and his life hasn’t  been the same ever since. In this episode, hear how spending time before the Lord helped Jason to grow in devotion and reverence for Jesus. He also shares how he cultivates faith within his three sons and why he prioritizes time with the Blessed Sacrament in his daily life. 

(00:52) Our co-hosts welcome Jason Smith, St. Scholastica parishioner and father to three boys. He shares a bit about his upbringing in the faith and how he grew up in and around the St. Scholastica community. 

(05:26) Jason describes how he ended up attending a Faith in the Fire retreat in his mid-thirties and shared a bit about how this retreat impacted him. He shares how, on this retreat, he experienced adoration for the first time and shares what that was like. 

(10:09) He talks about how, before going on the retreat, he was told the retreat would change his life and how he approached it with an attitude of “what have I got to lose?” He shares more about what took place on the retreat and how it did, in fact, change his life. 

(13:12) Jason shares how, following his experience of adoration on this retreat, he began to find more meaning in his practice of the faith. He shares how his experience in adoration helped him grow in  reverence for the Eucharist during the celebration of the Mass. 

(17:54) Fr. Mario comments on how we can look back and see the ways God has worked in our lives, even if we don’t realize he is working in the moment. 

(18:44) Jason shares how his involvement with a men’s group began to affect him. He shares the impact of spending his Saturdays in the small group, Mass, and adoration. He talks about how during this season of his life, the Lord was able to work on him and how the support of his community  helped him to grow. 

(23:25) He shares how he encourages his sons to pursue the faith, primarily by his example. Our co-hosts and Jason discuss how children can grow in the faith over time, and the importance of planting seeds, even when they don’t fully understand every aspect of the faith. 

(28:23) Jason talks about the different ways he experiences Jesus in adoration, whether it’s in moments of desolation, or he senses Jesus’ direct response to his prayers. He offers encouragement to listeners, to fight for time before the Lord, emphasizing how time spent with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament can be life changing.