After Easter, it’s easy to forget what the Passion felt like from the inside. In this episode, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks step back into the apostles’ experience: men from wildly different backgrounds who watched miracles, trusted the mission, and still scattered in fear when Jesus was arrested. Joe names the real-life parallel: we can believe in something—and still not react the way an outside observer thinks we “should,” then carry guilt, confusion, and self-questioning afterward.
Father frames it with a practical lens: we all have “parts,” and courage can collapse fast when a stronger force shows up—especially when the Roman Empire’s violence becomes real and immediate. The apostles didn’t yet have the lived proof we do that surrender can lead to resurrection. And Jesus’ response becomes the center of hope: He knew Peter would deny Him, knew they would flee, and still gave Himself completely—Body, Blood, foot-washing love—without confusion or withdrawal.
Joe also raises a pointed Holy Week question: if Jesus called out the betrayer at the Last Supper, why didn’t the others stop Judas? Father offers a plausible explanation (drawing on Pope Benedict XVI’s Holy Week treatment): Jesus may have spoken quietly enough that only John fully heard—while the others interpreted Judas leaving as normal Passover charity. The episode closes by tying it together with human realism: after a week of shock, danger, grief, and emotional overload, “not processing it well” might have been the most human outcome possible—exactly the kind of weakness Jesus came to redeem.

Key Ideas


The apostles’ fear wasn’t random: real power and credible violence can collapse confidence instantly.


They hadn’t seen “crucifixion → resurrection” play out even once; we have 2,000 years of witnesses—and still struggle.


Jesus loved them with full knowledge of their weakness: Peter’s denial was foretold inside the context of Eucharistic gift.


Judas’ exposure may not have been public to all; John’s proximity to Jesus at table could explain how details were known later.


Thomas “the twin” becomes a mirror: wanting “just a little more proof” is deeply human—and Jesus meets it.


Scripture Mentioned (no links)


Last Supper accounts (betrayer revealed; Judas leaving)


Peter’s denial prediction and denial


Thomas Didymus (“the twin”) and the need for proof


Passion themes: arrest, scattering, fear, surrender, resurrection


Links & References (official/source only)
Pope Benedict XVI (official Vatican profile):https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en.html
CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com .

Tags (comma-separated)
Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, Easter, Holy Week, Passion, apostles, disciples, fear, scattering, Peter, denial, Judas, betrayal, Last Supper, Eucharist, Body and Blood, foot washing, Roman Empire, persecution, courage, trauma, overwhelm, human weakness, grace, redemption, mercy, resurrection, love victorious, love never dies, Thomas, Didymus, doubt, proof, faith and reason, spiritual consolation, parts work, subpersonalities, Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, Scripture reflection, YouTube podcast, Father and Joe on YouTube

Holy Thursday has a way of “breaking through” our usual routine—especially when the liturgy makes the silence loud. In this episode, Joe Rockey shares a vivid Holy Thursday experience: the deliberate movement of the Eucharist away from the main tabernacle to an altar of repose, the audible finality of doors closing, and how those sensory moments help us feel what’s coming—Gethsemane, abandonment, fear, and the Passion.

Father Boniface Hicks explains the Church’s intent: Holy Thursday begins one long liturgy that stretches to the Easter Vigil. The Eucharist consecrated on Holy Thursday is the last new consecration until Easter; Good Friday has communion without a new consecration. The altar of repose represents the Garden of Gethsemane—often decorated like a garden—and invites the faithful to “stay awake” with Jesus in prayer, traditionally until midnight when the Blessed Sacrament is removed and hidden, symbolizing Jesus’ arrest and imprisonment.

From there, the conversation turns deeply practical: prayer isn’t supposed to be one clean emotion. The apostles carried confusion, loyalty, fear, failure, and shame—yet Jesus still restores them, especially Peter. The takeaway is simple but demanding: nothing authentically human is excluded from redemption. If we don’t bring our real emotions to Jesus—discouragement, anger, sadness, anxiety, confusion—He won’t force His way in. But if we do, He can purify, perfect, and elevate all of it into communion with Him.

Key Ideas

Holy Thursday and Easter Vigil form a single arc: the last consecration happens on Holy Thursday until the Easter Vigil.
The altar of repose symbolizes Gethsemane and invites disciples today to keep watch with Jesus.
Local customs vary (even how “jarring” moments are expressed), but the aim is the same: participation that reaches beyond intellect into the heart.
Don’t exile feelings: Jesus intends to redeem everything in us—only what we bring to Him can be healed.
Peter’s restoration shows the pattern: Jesus meets us where we failed and rebuilds love, trust, and mission.

Scripture Mentioned (no links)

The Garden of Gethsemane accounts (stay awake / disciples sleeping)
Peter’s denial and restoration (threefold denial / threefold confession imagery)

Links & References (official/source only)

None explicitly referenced with clear official/source URLs in this transcript.

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, Holy Thursday, Good Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, altar of repose, tabernacle, Eucharist, Blessed Sacrament, consecration, communion service, Easter Vigil, Paschal Triduum, Garden of Gethsemane, stay awake with me, watch and pray, disciples, apostles, Peter, denial, restoration, charcoal fire, emotions in prayer, anxiety, fear, sadness, anger, disappointment, shame, redemption, healing, spiritual growth, liturgy, participation, Catholic tradition, seven churches, prayer walk, bilateral stimulation, Easter season, Resurrection appearances

So many of us wait for the “perfect moment” to get serious about our relationship with God—when life is calmer, when we feel cleaner, when we’re more “ready.” This Holy Week episode challenges that myth. Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks explain why Holy Week isn’t just a yearly event—it’s the pattern of all time, revealing God as relationship (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and inviting us into that communion of love right in the middle of real-life chaos, failure, and vulnerability.

They walk through how the Church’s liturgies don’t merely remind us of the Paschal Mystery—they make it present so we can actually participate and be transformed. And they name a common obstacle: when things go wrong—conflicts, tech glitches, miscommunication, shame, weakness—we assume we should stay away until we’re “better.” Instead, those are precisely the places where love gets trained, where sin (missing the mark of love) gets healed, and where we learn to aim at what matters most: the perfection of love.

Key Ideas

Holy Week is the pattern of all time: every week echoes it (Thursday, Friday, Sunday), because God revealed Himself fully in it.
God is relationship—an eternal communion of love—and Holy Week reveals the Father and the Son’s rescue mission for humanity through the Holy Spirit.
The Church’s Holy Week liturgies lead us into these mysteries and make them present so we can participate, not just remember.
The “perfect moment” is a trap: feelings of unworthiness, brokenness, and setbacks don’t disqualify you—they’re where love is practiced and healed.
Aim matters: don’t aim life at money, popularity, pleasure, or control—submit those to the service of love.

Scripture Mentioned (no links)

John 1:1–18 (Prologue of John referenced)
Passion themes referenced: betrayal, abandonment, endurance “like a lamb” imagery (implicit Passion/Isaiah language)

Links & References (official/source only)

None explicitly referenced with official/source URLs in this transcript.

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, Holy Week, Paschal Triduum, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday, Palm Sunday, Chrism Mass, confession, grace, redemption, resurrection, Passion of Christ, perfection of love, holiness, sin as missing the mark, vulnerability, unworthiness, shame, betrayal, forgiveness, communion of love, Trinity, Father Son Holy Spirit, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, liturgy, participation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, Satan hates Holy Week, division and misunderstandings, bringing burdens to Jesus, aiming at love, idols, money honor power pleasure, transformation, Catholic podcast, Father and Joe on YouTube

How can a society move from celebrating Jesus as Messiah to accepting (or even demanding) His crucifixion—within days? Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks pick up the thread from the previous episode and go deeper into the forces that make moral collapse feel “normal”: self-interest, fear, groupthink, and the quiet pressure of power structures.

Father frames a key clarification: it’s not certain the Palm Sunday crowd and the “crucify him” crowd were the exact same people—Jerusalem was flooded with pilgrims for Passover. But even those who loved Jesus still faced a terrifying reality: Rome’s violence was real, and even the apostles fled when things became dangerous. The conversation turns practical: if corruption can become invisible from the inside, how do we train ourselves to resist the crowd, keep Scripture speaking clearly, and stay close to people with integrity—so we don’t breathe “putrid air” so long we stop noticing it?

Key Ideas

Palm Sunday’s contrast (Hosanna → Passion) is real, even if the crowds weren’t identical.

Fear is a powerful silencer: when violence is credible, even loyal followers often retreat.

Jesus didn’t present as a worldly power figure (no army, no weapons), so the “little ones” recognized Him—but lacked power to defend Him.

Groupthink pulls people downstream; self-interest (status, honor, money, security) keeps them there.

Resistance becomes possible when we: (1) honor courageous witnesses, (2) let the Gospel keep challenging our rationalizations, and (3) surround ourselves with high-integrity people who keep the air “fresh.”

Scripture Mentioned (no links)

Palm Sunday readings (Triumphal Entry + Passion narrative)

Matthew 7:3–5 (beam/splinter)

References to the apostles fleeing during the Passion narrative

Links & References (official/source only)

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (official site):
https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/

Pope Benedict XVI (official Vatican profile):
https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en.html

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, Palm Sunday, Passion narrative, Holy Week, Hosanna, crucify him, crowds, groupthink, fear, courage, self interest, power structures, corruption, public opinion, moral courage, integrity, apostles, discipleship, Rome, persecution, Pharisees, scribes, humility, resistance, conscience, truth, Gospel, Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, Jordan Peterson, beam in your eye, Matthew 7:3-5, virtue, repentance, conversion, community, faithful witness

What if you were one of the money changers in the Temple—doing what “everyone” said was acceptable—until Jesus showed up and flipped the tables? In this episode, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks take a fresh angle on a familiar Gospel moment: not from the perspective of the disciples, but from the unnamed people caught in a system that slowly drifted from worship to marketplace.

They unpack why the issue wasn’t currency exchange itself, but desecrating the Temple—turning God’s house into a commercial space. Then Father adds a deeper layer: the money changers were set up in the courtyard of the Gentiles, a space meant to welcome non-Jews who were being drawn toward God. Clearing it wasn’t only a moral correction; it carried a prophetic message—God’s salvation is universal, and room must be made for the nations.

The conversation becomes a practical mirror for modern life: how groupthink, incentives, and “location, location, location” logic can normalize behavior we’d question if we had fresh eyes—and why we need Scripture and the Church to “air out” the room when we’ve stopped noticing the stench.

Key Ideas

The practice (currency exchange / selling offerings) wasn’t intrinsically evil; the sin was turning sacred space into a marketplace.

Corruption often happens gradually: you stop noticing it from the inside (“stench in the room” analogy).

Groupthink can normalize what individuals might resist alone—especially when money and institutional approval are involved.

The courtyard of the Gentiles matters: Jesus’ action also signals the universal mission—making room for those outside.

A helpful self-audit: where am I “going with the flow” in ways that would change if God overturned the tables in my world?

Scripture Mentioned (no links)

Matthew 21:12–13 / Mark 11:15–17 / Luke 19:45–46 / John 2:13–22 (Temple cleansing accounts)

Acts 10 (Cornelius)

Jeremiah 31 (new covenant referenced)

Links & References (official/source only)

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (official site):
https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, money changers, cleansing of the temple, Temple in Jerusalem, house of prayer, den of thieves, sacred space, reverence, desecration, corruption, groupthink, moral blindness, incentives, location location location, courtyard of the Gentiles, Gentiles, universal salvation, mission to the nations, Messiah, prophetic sign, Pope Francis, Pope Benedict, Jordan Peterson, Ordinary Men, conscience, ethics, integrity, repentance, self examination, Scripture in daily life, Acts 10, Cornelius, Jeremiah 31, Council of Jerusalem, YouTube podcast, Father and Joe on YouTube

If God’s will is love, what does it mean to love yourself without sliding into narcissism—or the opposite extreme of self-neglect and self-hatred? Continuing the “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” conversation, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks bring needed nuance: self-love isn’t self-worship, and self-denial isn’t automatically virtue.

They unpack why “harder” is not inherently “better,” why suffering is only meaningful when ordered to a higher purpose (love), and how true humility is simply honesty—being clear about what you’re good at and what you’re not. The episode reframes self-care as stewardship of your humanity: caring for yourself with the same respect and consistency you’d give a loved one (or even your pet), so you can show up with more freedom, joy, and capacity to serve.

Key Ideas

Ordered self-love avoids two traps: narcissism (self as god) and self-disregard (treating God’s creation as worthless).

The Christian goal isn’t “maximum suffering”; virtue often makes the good easier, more spontaneous, and more joyful over time.

Sacrifice matters—but only when it’s for a higher purpose (love of God and neighbor), not as an identity or performance.

Humility is honesty: “I’m good at X” isn’t pride, and “I’m bad at Y” isn’t self-hatred—it’s reality.

Grow the gifts you actually have, and let that growth expand your ability to love and serve others more effectively.

Links & References (official/source only)

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (official site):
https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/

CliftonStrengths (Gallup) overview:
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx

Immanuel Kant (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry):
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, love, self love, ordered self love, narcissism, self care, stewardship, humility, virtue, holiness, Lent, fasting, suffering, sacrifice, purpose, love and limits, joy, gratitude, human nature, Immanuel Kant, moral formation, Jordan Peterson, treat yourself like someone worth caring for, CliftonStrengths, Gallup StrengthsFinder, gifts and talents, discernment, prudence, growth mindset, service, charity, family leadership, fatherhood, YouTube podcast, subscribe on YouTube, algorithms

A 4-year-old’s Lenten question opens a bigger one: what does it actually mean to “act like Jesus” and pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? In this episode, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks connect Lent, Scripture, and real-life decision-making—showing that God’s will is love, but love isn’t vague “good vibes.” Love has reality, boundaries, and practical limits: what you can give, what someone can receive, and what wisdom calls for in a specific moment.

They start with the Garden of Eden and the way God speaks truth about consequences, then move into how virtue matures us toward love as the “crown” of the virtues. The conversation closes with a key challenge: most of life isn’t a carved-in-stone playbook—so how do we actually develop discernment, trust our judgment, and keep growing (with God’s grace and the help of others)?

Key Ideas

“Act like Jesus” isn’t imitation theater—it’s becoming formed in God’s logic over time, especially through Lent.

God’s will (in heaven and on earth) is love, and virtue exists to serve love.

Love has limits in practice: what you can do, what others can receive, and what is realistically possible.

We avoid what is clearly wrong, but we don’t always instantly know the most loving “right” in gray areas.

Discernment grows through prayer, experience, feedback, community wisdom, and noticing wounded places that distort decisions.

The Holy Spirit forms Christians gradually—more sensitivity, better judgment, more Christlike freedom.

Scripture Mentioned (no links)

Genesis 2–3 (Garden of Eden context)

Matthew 6:10 (“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”)

Galatians 6:2 (“Carry one another’s burdens…”)

Romans 13:10 (“Love is the fulfillment of the law”)

Acts 3:1–10 (the beggar at the Beautiful Gate)

Links & References (official/source only)

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (official site):
https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, Lent, Ash Wednesday, first week of Lent, giving things up, sacrifice, act like Jesus, thy will be done, God’s will, love, virtue, prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude, crown of virtues, discernment, spiritual growth, Holy Spirit, spiritual consolation, wisdom, counsel, moral norms, right and wrong, gray areas, parenting and faith, fatherhood, children’s questions, Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, Genesis, Our Father, Matthew 6:10, Galatians 6:2, Romans 13:10, Acts 3, Beautiful Gate, community learning, trusting intuition, woundedness, conflict aversion, spiritual formation, YouTube podcast, subscribe on YouTube

What do you do when someone crosses a line—especially when tolerating it could pay off financially? In this episode, Joe Rockey brings a fresh, real-world story: after years of work building a client’s business toward a major breakthrough, a volatile outburst (in front of Joe’s wife and kids) triggers a hard decision—ending the relationship right as the payoff is finally in reach.

Joe and Father Boniface Hicks walk through the difference between reacting in anger versus setting a boundary with prudence. They explore why some “wins” can feel morally and emotionally “dirty,” how a parent’s choices shape a family’s peace, and how God can give clarity through interior calm (the “snow globe” settling). The conversation stays grounded in the three-relationship lens: integrity within self, charity and boundaries with others, and discernment under God.

Key Ideas

Not every hard decision is a moral absolute; many are prudential judgments about what you will (and won’t) tolerate.

Boundaries protect your family culture as much as they protect your business.

Sometimes the “cost” isn’t money—it’s the sense that accepting certain behavior taints the relationship and the fruit of the work.

Discernment can show up as interior peace and clarity after a difficult decision (“snow globe” settling).

Growth is real when old triggers don’t produce the old reactions—faith can re-train anger into measured action.

Links & References (official/source only)

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (official site):
https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, anger, boundaries, prudence, discernment, interior peace, spiritual consolation, St Ignatius, snow globe analogy, integrity, family leadership, fatherhood, marriage, self-control, emotional regulation, respect, conflict, workplace behavior, client management, business ethics, professionalism, verbal outbursts, tolerance limits, long-term payoff, sacrifice, protecting children, trust, relationships, communion, God’s guidance, decision-making, consequences, freedom, courage, peace