So, The Inner Life with Patrick Conley just served up a spiritual reality check with Fr. John LoCoco. 

 

Let’s break down what they talked about. You can listen to the whole hour here!

 

 

What’s an Idol Today, Anyway?

 

It’s not a statue of a cow in your basement. 🐮🚫

 

Fr. LoCoco throws it way back to the Israelites and the golden calf, reminding us that idolatry isn’t about ditching God entirely, it’s about saying:

 

🗣️ “Yeah, God’s great… but I also need [insert favorite distraction here].”

 

So anytime we put our security, comfort, or identity in anything besides God... we’ve just made a little modern-day idol. 🧎‍♂️📱💸

 

 

🔍 How to Spot the Sneaky Idols in Your Life:

 

Father explains some red flags 🚩 that you might be sliding into idolatry:

 

-You're lowkey panicking when you're without your phone. 📱🙃

 

-You feel "off" if something disrupts your perfectly color-coded calendar. 🗓️😤

 

-You lose peace if your Amazon package is late by, like, 20 minutes. 📦🕐

 

Modern idols don’t look like statues... they look like:

 

-Our phones 📲

 

-Our schedules 

 

-Our desire to control every little thing 🕹️

 

-Even our own will 🙇‍♂️

 

Basically, anything that makes you go “I can’t live without ___” might be an idol in disguise.

 

 

🧠 The Root of Idolatry? Anxiety & Control

 

Fr. John points out that idols are born from anxiety: like the Israelites panicking when Moses took too long. We start grasping for stuff when we don’t fully trust God’s timing or plan.

 

🙋‍♂️ Ever check your phone 83 times during a grocery trip? He gets it. He’s been there. He even started leaving his phone at home like it’s 1995... and he survived.

 

 

⏳ Time = Worship

 

Want to find your idols? Check your screen time report. 😬 Father says the cold-hard truth: “What we give our time to, we give our hearts to.”

 

-Spend 2 hours scrolling and 2 minutes praying? That’s a spiritual math problem worth solving. 📉🙏

 

 

😱 Materialism, Mammon & That Amazon Addiction

 

One of the biggest idols today? Consumerism.

 

-We want fast.

 

-We want easy.

 

-We want it NOW. 🛒⚡

 

Fr. LoCoco calls out our “Prime Delivery Panic” and microwave-level patience.  Because we don’t just consume… we let what we consume start consuming us.

 

🧵 He encourages us to “do things the slow, hard, holy way.” Bake the bread. Build the thing. Find God in the process, not the package.

 

 

💪 Practical Ways to Fight Modern Idols:

 

-🚫 Try leaving your phone behind, on purpose.

 

-🛑 Delay gratification just to remind yourself that you can.

 

-Practice some healthy discomfort. Lent is a prime time (ha) to root out idols.

 

-🙏 Make prayer your first response, not your backup plan.

 

 

🎙️ Listener Spotlight: Phyllis’s Testimony = 💯

 

Phyllis called in, sharing how unemployment shook her faith. At first, she trusted God. As the job hunt dragged on, anxiety crept in. When she finally got a job, she felt relief but also guilt for feeling secure in something other than God.

 

Fr. John clapped back with encouragement:

 

💡 “Struggling isn’t failure; it’s part of the fight for faith.”

 

 

Yes. Just staying in the spiritual ring counts as a win. 👏👊

 

 

TL;DR: Are You Worshipping Without Realizing It?

 

Ask yourself:

 

-What do I turn to for comfort before God?

 

-What would totally wreck me if it was taken away?

 

-Am I reflecting God’s glory... or just my own Pinterest board?

 

👀 If you’re unsure, Lent is your golden opportunity (not calf 🐄) to check yourself.

 

 

“You become like what you worship.” 💭

 

 

So… don’t become your Amazon cart, your Instagram grid, or your daily planner. Become like Jesus. That’s the goal. ✨

 

 

Need a modern idol detox? Try a little prayer, penance, and holy patience. God's not asking for a piece of your pie... He wants the whole pie. 🥧💖

 

Let’s give it to Him. 

 

 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

 

So,&nbsp;The Inner Life with Patrick Conley just served up a spiritual reality check with Fr. John LoCoco.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s break down what they talked about. You can listen to the whole hour <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/03/modern-idols-the-inner-life-march-28-2025/">here</a>!
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="305" data-end="308">
&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s an Idol&nbsp;Today, Anyway?
&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s&nbsp;not a statue of a cow in your basement. 🐮🚫
&nbsp;
Fr. LoCoco throws it way back to the Israelites and the golden calf, reminding us that idolatry isn&rsquo;t about ditching God entirely, it&rsquo;s about saying:
&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="566" data-end="648">
🗣️ &ldquo;Yeah, God&rsquo;s great&hellip; but I also need [insert favorite distraction here].&rdquo;
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
So anytime we put our&nbsp;security, comfort, or identity in anything besides God... we&rsquo;ve just made a little modern-day idol. 🧎&zwj;♂️📱💸
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="793" data-end="796">
&nbsp;
🔍 How to Spot the Sneaky Idols in&nbsp;Your Life:
&nbsp;
Father explains some red flags 🚩 that you might be sliding into idolatry:
&nbsp;
-You're lowkey panicking when you're without your phone. 📱🙃
&nbsp;
-You feel "off" if something disrupts your perfectly color-coded calendar. 🗓️😤
&nbsp;
-You lose peace if your Amazon package is late by, like, 20 minutes. 📦🕐
&nbsp;
Modern idols don&rsquo;t look like statues... they look like:
&nbsp;
-Our phones 📲
&nbsp;
-Our schedules&nbsp;
&nbsp;
-Our desire to control every little thing 🕹️
&nbsp;
-Even our own will 🙇&zwj;♂️
&nbsp;
Basically, anything that makes you go &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t live without ___&rdquo; might be an idol in disguise.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1440" data-end="1443">
&nbsp;
🧠 The Root of Idolatry? Anxiety &amp; Control
&nbsp;
Fr. John points out that idols are born from anxiety: like the Israelites panicking when Moses took too long. We start grasping for stuff when we don&rsquo;t fully trust God&rsquo;s timing or plan.
&nbsp;
🙋&zwj;♂️ Ever check your phone 83 times during a grocery trip? He gets it. He&rsquo;s been there. He even started leaving his phone at home like it&rsquo;s 1995... and he survived.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1850" data-end="1853">
&nbsp;
⏳ Time = Worship
&nbsp;
Want to find your idols? Check your screen time report. 😬 Father says the cold-hard truth: &ldquo;What we give our time to, we give our hearts to.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
-Spend 2 hours scrolling and 2 minutes praying? That&rsquo;s a spiritual math problem worth solving. 📉🙏
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="2134" data-end="2137">
&nbsp;
😱 Materialism, Mammon &amp; That Amazon Addiction
&nbsp;
One of the biggest idols today? Consumerism.
&nbsp;
-We want fast.
&nbsp;
-We want easy.
&nbsp;
-We want it NOW. 🛒⚡
&nbsp;
Fr. LoCoco calls out our &ldquo;Prime Delivery Panic&rdquo; and microwave-level patience.&nbsp; Because we don&rsquo;t just consume&hellip; we let what we consume start consuming us.
&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="2499" data-end="2638">
🧵 He encourages us to &ldquo;do things the slow, hard, holy way.&rdquo; Bake the bread. Build the thing. Find God in the process, not the package.
&nbsp;
</blockquote>
<hr data-start="2640" data-end="2643">
&nbsp;
💪 Practical Ways to Fight Modern Idols:
&nbsp;
-🚫 Try leaving your phone behind, on purpose.
&nbsp;
-🛑 Delay gratification just to remind yourself that you can.
&nbsp;
-Practice some healthy discomfort. Lent is a prime time (ha) to root out idols.
&nbsp;
-🙏 Make prayer your first response, not your backup plan.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="2951" data-end="2954">
&nbsp;
🎙️ Listener Spotlight: Phyllis&rsquo;s Testimony = 💯
&nbsp;
Phyllis called in, sharing how unemployment shook her faith. At first, she trusted God. As the job hunt dragged on, anxiety crept in. When she finally got a job, she felt relief but&nbsp;also guilt for feeling secure in something other than God.
&nbsp;
Fr. John clapped back with encouragement:
&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="3301" data-end="3368">
💡 &ldquo;Struggling isn&rsquo;t failure; it&rsquo;s part of the fight for faith.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
Yes. Just staying in the spiritual ring counts as a win. 👏👊
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="3435" data-end="3438">
&nbsp;
TL;DR: Are You Worshipping Without Realizing It?
&nbsp;
Ask yourself:
&nbsp;
-What do I turn to for comfort before God?
&nbsp;
-What would totally wreck me if it was taken away?
&nbsp;
-Am I reflecting God&rsquo;s glory... or just my own Pinterest board?
&nbsp;
👀 If you&rsquo;re unsure, Lent is your golden opportunity (not calf 🐄) to check yourself.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="3759" data-end="3762">
&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="3787" data-end="3829">
&ldquo;You become like what you worship.&rdquo; 💭
&nbsp;
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
So&hellip;&nbsp;don&rsquo;t become your Amazon cart, your Instagram grid, or your daily planner. Become like Jesus. That&rsquo;s the goal. ✨
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="3963" data-end="3966">
&nbsp;
Need a modern idol detox? Try a little prayer, penance, and holy patience. God's not asking for a piece of your pie... He wants the&nbsp;whole pie. 🥧💖
&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s give it to Him.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out <a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.
&nbsp;

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.