Feast of Ss. Peter & Paul  Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16, verses 13-19
We hear of St. Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi of who Jesus is, but our podcast today answers the question: who are Peter & Paul?  And why does that matter in my life today?  Answer?  We wouldn't be here without them.  Both of them.  

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 8, verses 18-22
On this Feast of St. Irenaeus, Jesus reminds us that the end goal of discipleship is not just around the corner.  We need to be in it for the long haul.  He also reminds us that the time of decision is today.  Right now.  Our excuses may be legion and they may be good ones.  But they are just that - excuses.  Will we follow or not?

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 8, verses 1-4
Jesus comes down from the mountain, after having been teaching from its summit for the last three chapters.  And while life is great on the mountaintop, it is lived in the valley.  Appropriately enough, Jesus encounters a leper immediately upon returning.  This is where the rubber meets the road.

The Feast of St. John the Baptist: Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, verses 57-66, 80
We are told the story of the birth of John the Baptist.  But even more importantly, we see where this story points for not only the life of John, but the life of Christ.What is true of John, my friends, of course is true for us as well.  We find our story within it's verses.Special guest appearance by my brother

Sermon on the Mount: Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 15-20
We conclude this three week run of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount today with Jesus cautioning us to beware of false prophets.  How will we know them?  By their works. Not by their Twitter or Instagram or Snapchat posts.  Not by their slogans or their traditions.  A tree is known by its fruit.  That's all you need to look at.

Sermon on the Mount: Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 6, 12-14
Jesus continues through His great discourse in Matthew's Gospel.  Today, he speaks of pearls and swine, treasure and dogs.  So just what, exactly, are those pearls that we carry?  And what does that responsibility invite me to?  Beyond that, Jesus invites us to travel the narrow road for broad is the path that leads to destruction.  How do I make sure I take the right exit?

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 1-5Jesus continues His Sermon on the Mount teachings, today inviting us to be wary of our judgment of others.  The distinction we flesh out, however, is between judging situations and judging other people's intentions and goodness.  One is ok.  The other is not.We also celebrate a feast day today: St. Aloysius Gonzaga

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 19-23
Jesus continues to make His way through the Sermon on the Mount.  Today, he challenges us to look at what we value.  Is it something transitory or passing?  Or is it eternal?  So how do we know?  We can only find out what we value by looking within.  But there are some tools that can help us know what we value on the outside...namely our checkbooks and our calendars.  

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 7-15Jesus continues His Sermon on the Mount.  Today we get that section displaced from yesterday's Gospel in which Jesus teaches us how to pray with the Our Father.  Two points we ponder - what it means to go to your inner room and why that is so necessary.  And we discuss the similarity of the Lord's Prayer with the Greatest Commandment that Jesus gives to the Scribe when questioned.

The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 1-6, 16-18 (Sermon on the Mount)Jesus uses the examples of prayer, fasting and almsgiving to show how they can be tools that bring us closer to the Father, or also tools that can be more about us.  What goes on beneath the decisions we make and the actions we choose?