Scripture for Your Inner Outcasts

Transcript

Speaker 1: With great power, The apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses, would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles. And they were distributed to each according to need.

Speaker 2: Welcome back to Scripture for your inner outcasts. Today is April 14th, 2026. Tuesday in the second week of Easter.

Speaker 3: Today, our guest presenter is Doctor Catherine Wesseling. Doctor Catherine is a behavioral scientist, the founder of Catholic Story Groups and a co-developer of the Virtue Quest Strengths Survey.

Speaker 1: This meditation is from acts chapter four verses 33 through 35. With great power, the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them for those who owned property or houses, would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. The following line stands out to me. There was no needy person among them. As I read that out loud, I notice a sense of calm and peace come in my own body as I think about each of my exiles, former exiles. They all have needs. Even after unburdening, they still have the needs to be seen, known, heard, valued, responded to, delighted in, cherished and held as not as if they no longer have needs just because they no longer carry a burden and their needs are not a burden. Even if some of my protectors view them that way. It was my exile's needs in particular that got them exiled in the first place. When their needs exceeded my original caregiver s capacity, my parent's capacity, or their willingness to meet those needs. These younger parts of me were exiled. They were viewed as is unacceptable. Here in these verses, it says that the earliest Christian communities were set up to meet everyone's needs. No one was exiled. What if every Christian community, family and internal system was designed to meet everyone's needs? As I reflect upon my own internal system attuning to the neediest of my parts, the youngest of my parts, a little baby part, a five year old part, and a preteen part. These former exile parts. I want to attend to them and make sure that they have their needs met. Namely, to be seen, known, and loved by the innermost self. And of course, by God.

Speaker 3: To learn more about the internal Family Systems concept of unburdening. Check out our sister podcast, Interior Integration for Catholics episode 115.

Speaker 1: Let's close with our invocation Our Lady, our mother Untier of knots. Pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.