What does it really mean to be “ready” for Jesus—at Mass, at death, and at His coming? Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks start from the Communion prayer (“Lord, I am not worthy…”) and move into a practical vision of readiness: honest need, real repentance, and daily love. They unpack why salvation, healing, and holiness belong on one spectrum; how the Eucharist prepares us for a lifelong relationship, not a quick visit; and why Christ’s command “love one another as I have loved you” sets the measure. Throughout, we hold the three lenses: integrity with ourselves, charity toward others, under a living relationship with God.

Key Ideas

Readiness begins with need: “Only say the word and my soul shall be healed”—we cannot self-prepare; we ask for grace and mean the words we pray.

Mass as formation for life and death: hearing the Word, offering ourselves, receiving Jesus—practice for meeting Him at the end and every day.

From guest to covenant: not a tidy “company’s coming” moment but a shared life with God—ongoing cleaning, cooking, and reconciling.

Salvation = healing = holiness: one continuum—love poured into our wounds makes us whole and able to love like Christ.

Command of love: not just the “golden rule,” but Christ’s measure—love others as He loves (costly, steadfast, in the mess).

Links & References

Scripture mentioned (no links):

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…” (cf. Matthew 8:8).

Parable of the Ten Virgins/Bridesmaids—watchfulness and readiness (Matthew 25:1–13).

“Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34).

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Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, readiness, Advent, watchfulness, “Lord I am not worthy”, under my roof, Eucharist, Holy Mass, Communion prayer, preparation for death, Second Coming, parable of the ten virgins, Matthew 8:8, Matthew 25:1–13, John 13:34, love one another, salvation, healing, holiness, sanctification, repentance, confession, grace, practical atheism, interior freedom, covenant, daily discipleship, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, Catholic podcast, prayer, virtue, mercy, hope

“If the computer gets smarter than me… is that a problem?” Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks tackle the fear narrative around AI by comparing it to other powerful tools (cars, planes) that required strong safeguards—not panic. They explore why AI lacks moral intuition, how optimization without ethics can harm, and why deepfakes and spoofing demand new habits of verification. The conversation lands in the three lenses: honesty about our fears (self), charity through wiser trust and presence (others), under a living relationship with God that anchors what’s real.

Key Ideas

• Power needs guardrails: like aviation checklists and redundancies, AI calls for safety, oversight, and clear human control.
• Limits of machines: AI optimizes; it doesn’t intuit, repent, or take responsibility—persons do.
• Edge cases matter: “no-win” moments (e.g., deer vs. car) reveal why human moral criteria must shape algorithms.
• Deception risk: voice/video/text imitation raises the bar for validation; adopt healthy skepticism and confirm identity more often.
• Back to reality: prioritize embodied relationships and parish life; let the Church help form attention, virtue, and trust.

Links & References
(none explicitly cited in this episode)

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Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, artificial intelligence, AI fear, safety and safeguards, aviation analogy, self-driving cars, edge cases, moral intuition, ethics, deepfakes, identity verification, phishing, deception, truth, discernment, prudence, attention, presence, relationships, parish life, Church, spiritual formation, responsibility, human dignity, technology as tool, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, Catholic podcast, practical spirituality

AI is powerful—but it’s not a person. In this episode, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks cut through hype and fear to frame AI as a tool in service of human creativity and relationship, not a replacement for them. We explore how parents and educators can guide kids wisely, why presence beats perfection, and how prudent governance and virtuous use turn technology into a channel for love. Throughout, we hold the three lenses: honesty with self, charity with others, under a living relationship with God.

Key Ideas

Personhood vs. tools: AI can assist; it cannot love, intend, or take responsibility—only persons do.

Formation first: families, schools, and parishes can coach attention, boundaries, and creative habits so tech serves growth.

Create, then edit: let AI help with drafts or analysis, but keep the human voice, judgment, and accountability.

Presence > polish: prefer relational availability over endless “optimization”; use tech to free time for people.

Prudence and trust: welcome governance and guardrails; cultivate virtue so our choices—online and offline—reflect the Gospel.

Links & References

Holy See, Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith & Dicastery for Culture and Education, Antiqua et nova. Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence (Jan 28, 2025) — official Vatican text: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20250128_antiqua-et-nova_en.html

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Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, artificial intelligence, Antiqua et nova, Vatican AI note, human dignity, personhood, creativity, editing workflows, parenting, education, formation, attention, boundaries, prudence, governance, virtue, moral responsibility, presence over perfection, relationships, technology as tool, discernment, accountability, spiritual growth, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, practical spirituality, Catholic podcast, work and family life, ethics, builders of AI, trust and safety