In this second trio of readings, we explore the foundation of authority, confessions of weakness, and the role of divine order in humanity’s origin. Irenaeus illustrates how every church that aligns with Rome and honors apostolic succession stands firmly against heretical innovation. Augustine reflects upon how human flattery can derail true devotion and lead us into spiritual poverty. Aquinas then brings it home with a meditation on how woman’s later creation is neither accidental nor secondary but an integral part of the human vocation—teaching unity, mutuality, and prefiguring the Church.

Readings:

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 3

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 36 (Sections 58–59)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 92, Article 1

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🎙️ Podcast Episode 1: Readings 1–3

Today’s readings walk us through the importance of apostolic continuity, the danger of pride, and the divine design of woman’s creation. Irenaeus, in Against Heresies (Book 3, Chapter 3), reminds us that the unbroken succession of bishops from the apostles to today is a living testimony against heresy. Augustine, in The Confessions (Book 10, Chapter 36, Sections 58–59), grapples with his lingering desire for human praise, contrasting it with God’s liberating humility (James 4:6; Luke 12:32). Aquinas, in Summa Theologica (Part 1, Question 92, Article 1), contemplates whether woman ought to have been created at the beginning—and concludes that her formation from man underscores unity, complementarity, and divine wisdom.

Readings:

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 3

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 36 (Sections 58–59)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 92, Article 1

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In today’s readings, we see how curiosity, weakness, and identity each expose the soul’s struggle and God’s design. Irenaeus dismantles the false teachings of the Gnostics—those who claim we must experience every sin to be perfected, or that souls pass from body to body—and reaffirms that we are created uniquely, not recycled or fragmented. Augustine reflects on the thousand tiny distractions that disrupt our prayers and direct our hearts away from God, reminding us that even flies and lizards can reveal the shallowness of our attention. And Aquinas helps us see the wisdom behind the human form itself, not as a failed design but as a deliberate vessel suited to the soul’s higher calling—made for reason, humility, and worship, not power or speed (Psalm 148:5–6; Genesis 2:7; Matthew 13:43).

Readings:

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 2, Chapters 31–35

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 35 (Section 57)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 91, Article 3

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Today’s readings lead us deep into the heart of Christian identity and transformation. Irenaeus wraps up his long critique of the Gnostics by reaffirming the unity of creation under one God—the true Father, Creator, and Redeemer. In doing so, he exposes how all heresies fracture God’s nature and rob the world of hope. Augustine, in The Confessions, names one of the most subtle threats to our souls: the desire to know for the sake of curiosity alone. He contrasts this with godly knowledge that leads to transformation, pleading with God to keep him from tempting the Lord for signs instead of seeking Him for salvation. And Thomas Aquinas, in a short but rich meditation, answers why woman was formed from the rib of man—not from superiority or inferiority, but to reveal mutual dignity and unity. Together, these voices confront us with our call to be one: one people, one humanity, one flesh—and one in holiness of life (Genesis 2:24; 1 John 2:16; Romans 6:1–4).

Readings:

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 2, Chapter 31 Augustine, T

he Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 35 (Sections 54–56) Thomas Aquinas,

Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 90, Article 3

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Today’s Readings: Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book 2, Chapter 28 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions, Book 10, Chapters 52–53 Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 92, Article 2

Today’s readings center on the limits of human knowledge, the humility that faith demands, and the mystery of God’s wisdom. Irenaeus reminds us that not all questions need answers, especially when speculation leads us away from the one true God. Augustine, in Confessions, Book 10, Chapters 52–53, describes the seduction of the eyes and his struggle to focus on the invisible light of God rather than the visible beauty of the world. And in Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 92, Article 2, Aquinas explains why woman was formed from man—not as a sign of inferiority, but to show their unity and mutual origin in God's design. Together, these readings challenge us to submit to God’s wisdom, embrace mystery, and resist the urge to explain what God has not revealed.

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Today’s readings tackle deep mysteries of origin and truth—from Irenaeus dismantling the illogical myths of the Valentinians, to Augustine’s prayerful exploration of memory, to Aquinas’s argument that the human soul is created together with the body, not before it. Each work confronts confusion with clarity, grounding divine truth in reason, Scripture, and humility (1 Corinthians 1:26–28; Matthew 12:36).

Readings:

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 1, Chapters 18–19 Augustine, The Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 17 (Sections 26–28) Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 89, Article 4

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