Live Amplified
The mission of “Live Amplified” is to help reclaim wonder and awe in the Christian journey through Creation, the arts, and story; to equip listeners to seek God in what is True, Good, and Beautiful; and to inspire others to live out Jesus’ promise of “life to the full”.
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Episodes
Saturday Mar 26, 2022
Saturday Mar 26, 2022
4th Sunday of Lent Year C
The Prodigal Son Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Check out Ben Batalla's Lenten Series on "Live Amplified", featuring musical improvisations "Audio Divina" on the Sunday Gospels of Lent!
Art by Sergio Espinoza @sergioespinozaart ascensionillustrations.com
Reflection Questions:
1. What is your current relationship with God the Father? Do you view him as a distant God who only checks up on you when you have made a mistake? Or do you view him as a loving father who cares and provides for you?
2. How has your experience with your earthly father shaped the way you view God the Father?
3. Have you ever experienced this lavish mercy of God in your life? If not, would you want to experience that? Why or why not?
4. What are the struggles or sins in your life that are keeping you away from experiencing the mercy of God? If you relate to the older brother at all, what are they ways in which you feel like you have to earn God's love?
CHALLENGE: Go the Sacrament of Reconciliation this week and experience the mercy of God. He is not scandalized by your sins. He loves you and wants to restore you to relationship with him. If you are not Catholic, I encourage you to talk to a priest and share with him how you have fallen in your journey and that you desire to return to God.
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Lenten Musical Improvisations Luke Chapter 13 Verses 1-9 The Fig Tree
https://youtu.be/dJL6L2xwFGg
Art by Sergio Espinoza @sergioespinozaart ascensionillustrations.com
Reflection Questions:
1. What do you think it means to bear fruit in your life?
2. What things or situations in your life are preventing you from bearing fruit? How is Jesus calling you to repent and turn your life around?
3. Has there ever been a situation where you have wanted to give up on a noble purpose or great pursuit? Or was there something great that you desired to do but were too afraid to let Jesus guide you to seeing it through? What obstacles or distractions led you to wanting to quit on yourself? Reflect on this experience and ask Jesus to reveal to you what he wants for your desire.
4. How do you think Jesus wants to “cultivate the ground” in your life right now? What are some aspects in your life that need cultivating?
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Piano Improvisation for the Gospel of the 2nd Sunday of Lent!
Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8ocg_SOick
Reflection Questions:
1. What is your current view of God and Heaven? Is your current view of Heaven something you want to experience for eternity? Why or why not?
2. How would you define “divine life”? What does “divine life” look like to you? Who in your life lives out “divine life” daily? How so?
3. How are you currently falling short of experiencing “divine life”? What in your life is causing you to fall short?
4. How is God inviting you to experience life to the full more today? What ONE thing can you do today to experience divine life more fully?
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Piano Improvisation for the Gospel of the 1st Sunday of Lent!
Luke 4:1-13 The Temptation of Jesus in the Desert
Reflection Questions:
1. How are you currently experiencing suffering in your life? How are you responding to and confronting your particular suffering?
2. Where in your life do you seek comfort, control, and validation instead of God’s will? Why do you think you seek these things rather than God?
3. As you listen to the music, pray and relate your suffering to Jesus. Ask him to reveal to you how he is sharing in your suffering. Where is Jesus in your suffering?
4. How is Jesus asking you to confront your suffering? Ask Jesus to show you how to confront your suffering on God’s terms.
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Regardless of your background in music, I want to give you a few musical tools and language to help you dive deeper into your encounter with the Sunday Gospels through my improvisations. There are the four basic building blocks of music: rhythm, melody, harmony, and texture.
Monday Feb 28, 2022
Monday Feb 28, 2022
“Live Amplified” features on-the-spot musical improvisations on the Gospels for each Sunday in Lent! Using the wisdom of Lectio Divina and Ignatian meditation, I will guide you through meditative prayer with instrumental music and reflection.