Heart to Heart, A Catholic Media Ministry
“Go into all the world and proclaim the
Good News to all creation.” Mark 16:15
In the Gospel, Jesus is accused of driving out demons in the name of Beelzebul but again, Jesus turns the attack back on His attackers. Fr. Michael reminds us that Satan loves deception and tricks. We must pray hard to distinguish between God’s Spirit and the evil spirit. When we hear the good spirit of…
Once again Jesus is put to the test, but again he turns the test around on His interlocutors and exposes their hypocrisy and true selves. Listen and learn as Fr. Jim provides the historical context for this test and the deeper meaning behind Jesus’ command to “Give to God What is God’s” If you would…
On this commemoration of the 100 year anniversary of the last apparition to the three children at Fatima, Fr. Michael expounds on the 15 promises that Mary gave for those who devoutly pray the Rosary. Hint: If the Rosary isn’t a regular part of your prayer life, now might be a good time to start.…
“Many are invited, but few are chosen.” MT 22:14 In this Gospel parable, some who are invited to the feast reject the king’s invitation and some who accept are deemed unworthy, but among them are a few who make the cut. Which group do you fall in? Listen to Fr. Jim’s teaching and learn how…
Jesus was a master of turning a well known story on its head to force his listeners to look deeper into themselves and into their beliefs and actions. This introspection is no less important today than it was in Jesus’ time. Are you able to be humble? Can you empty yourself for Christ? Read the…
This week’s Gospel Study from Fr. Jim is sadly timely after the devastating shooting in Las Vegas. In the Gospel from Matthew 21:33-43, Jesus tells the parable of the wicked tenants who kill all of the servants and the son of the vineyard owner, hoping to steal his inheritance. In his Gospel Study, Fr. Jim…
Today’s homily reminds us that we are called to live generously because we have been generously blessed by God. Fr. Michael points out the challenge of being generous without needing recognition or accolades. Can you live generously out of simple gratitude for God’s generous blessings? Read the homily transcript here: We Are Called to Live…
In this Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of two sons. One who disobeys his father, but then repents and one who says he will obey but doesn’t. Fr. Jim teaches us that faith is an active verb. Jesus is essentially asking, “Do you mean what you say? If so, change your life. Follow me.” The…
Despite our cultural and societal differences, Fr. Michael reminds us that St. Paul called early Christians to be “One in Christ.” This oneness, this unity, should transcend human divisions. Just as in Paul’s day, we too have divisions in our society that we must overcome to truly be united in Christ. One division in our country…
This Gospel Study is from Matthew 20:1-16. Jesus tells the parable of the landowner who hires workers for his vineyard throughout the day, but when the time comes to pay them an argument ensues. Those hired in the morning resented being paid the same as those hired later in the day. The landowner reminds them…
This Gospel Study is from Matthew 18: 21 – 35. It addresses the time Peter asked Jesus, “How many times are we called to forgive another?” Jesus surprised Peter and the disciples when he said to forgive 70 times 7 times. Jesus uses the parable of the master who forgave the full debt of one…
Going the wrong way. Too sick to walk. Loaded down with stuff. Weak and wandering. Just for looks. These are the anti-symbols of the Camino. Watch as Fr. Michael demonstrates each true symbol and how they can help us grow closer to God even if we can’t fly to Spain and walk the path ourselves.…
Are we just like Peter or is Peter just like us? One minute he’s the rock, the foundation of the faith, and the next he tries to tell Jesus what to do and how to do it. As hurricanes ravage the southern parts of our country (and the island nations surrounding them) humanity shines forth.…
This Gospel Study addresses Matthew 18: 15-20. In this scripture reading, Jesus tells His disciples that whenever two or more are gathered in His name, He is always present. Fr. Jim gives a great analogy of one suffering from anorexia, as he calls it spiritual anorexia or bulimia. We need to be fed on the…
Do you trust God or do you pay lip service to your faith? Who are the “Poor in Spirit”? Sometimes the answers to these questions are difficult to face and not what we expect them to be. Watch as Fr. Michael describes his own failure to truly trust God and his realization that his own…
Fr. Michael gave this powerful homily last Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017 in response to the violence from Charlottesville, VA on Aug. 11-12, 2017 in which one woman tragically lost her life. This homily, like the Gospel which precedes it, has many layers. It is worth listening to in its entirety, perhaps even more than once.…
To get the most out of this episode on Saints (our Catholic mentors) you really need to watch the full episode, but if you only have 5 minutes, catch the shortened version as a primer. One catch though is that the ending “Sound Poem” may not make sense until you watch Fr. Michael explain it…
Watch as Fr. Michael describes the conflict of growing up in a loving, yet imperfect home. This Stepping Stones story is one of human forgiveness and divine perfection from God, our Father in Heaven. Stepping Stones is a collaboration between Fr. Michael, Heart to Heart and Shalom World TV. These episodes air on Shalom’s satellite and internet…
Watch this beautifully crafted episode from Shalom World’s series Vocare, which takes an indepth look into Fr. Michael’s call to the Society of Jesus and to the priesthood. From Shalom’s website: God enters into the brokenness of our lives and calls us to be more than we ever imagine we could be. Shalom World is…
When was the last time you experienced the powerful quiet of God’s voice speaking to you? Fr. Michael tells of several times in his life when he had to make tough decisions, and it was only by stepping out of the noisy world and into the quiet of a retreat that he was able to…