For Jim Musgrave, he believes that everything he needs can be found in the Eucharist, but it wasn’t always this way. In this episode, we hear how Jim, who grew up without much faith, ultimately encountered Jesus primarily in the Mass during a low point in his life. Listen as he describes how this encounter led him to seek the Lord more earnestly, pursue a life of discipleship, and ultimately open his heart to discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
Show notes:
(01:10) We meet our guest, Jim Musgrave, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Detroit. He shares his background and briefly describes how his faith developed throughout his life. He shares what led him to become Catholic when he was 25 and some of his first experiences with the Catholic faith.
(06:05) Jim describes what he refers to as his lowest point, when he wasn’t sure where he was going in life, and he found himself finding peace at Mass. He shares how he encountered Jesus during this difficult season of life.
(09:25) He shares the impact that Alpha had on him as a young adult and describes how supportive his young adult community at his parish was. He talks about how these both led him to begin serving at his parish, volunteering with RCIA, and living with a missionary zeal. He was eventually asked to share his testimony at Alpha. He shares how, afterward, Fr. John Riccardo, who had been leading the retreat, sought him out and challenged him to spend more time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
(14:33) Jim describes what began to change when he started spending time with the Eucharist regularly, as Jesus ministered to him. As his relationship with the Lord developed, he shares how this helped him to open his heart to the discerning the priesthood.
(18:32) Fr. Mario points out how, even for those who don’t have thirty minutes or an hour a day to spend before the Eucharist, God is generous and will meet us where we are to minister to us.
(19:48) Jim shares how he had to learn to surrender control to allow God to work in his life. He shares how he could sense the Lord speaking to him in adoration and through the Scriptures. He also talks about his sincere desire to be a faithful disciple and how, even in seminary, he is still trying to do that each day.
(22:22) Jim shares how the Eucharist is woven into his life each day as a seminarian and the impact that has had on him and his discernment.
(28:16) Jim shares advice that he would give to anyone lost and seeking to know the Lord more deeply.
