With a dramatic reading by Fr. Michael of those who mocked Jesus' on the cross, Fr. Jim focuses on the thief hanging to Jesus' right side; the thief who recognized his own sinfulness and need for repentance.

from Luke 23:35-43
...Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
"Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us."
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
"Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal."
Then he said,
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He replied to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise."

Read the full scripture passage: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112325.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

When will Jesus return? The disciples didn't know 2,000 years ago and we don't know today, but the message is the same: Believe in me. Tell others about me. Wait for me, patiently and with perseverance. Listen as Fr. Jim expounds.

from Luke 21:5-19

"Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."

Read the full scripture passage: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111625.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Which life is your priority? This one or the next?

from Luke 20:27-38
Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called out 'Lord, '
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."

Read the full scripture package: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110622.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Zaccaeus went out on a limb for Jesus. Would we?

from Luke 19:1-10
At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."

Read the full scripture passage: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103022.cfm

Homily read by Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ
Gospel Study by Fr. Jim Willig

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

from Luke 18:9-14
Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --
greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector...

Read the full scripture passage: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102625.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

What does it mean to pray always? Does it mean to pray without ceasing? As Fr. Jim notes, St. Luke is giving us a little hint. The goal isn't to pray without end, but to be consistent and to persevere in prayer, regardless of the outcome.

from Luke 18:1-8
...The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Read the full scripture: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101925.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

What are you thankful for?

Imagine you wake up tomorrow and all you have left are the things you were thankful for today.

Now what are you thankful for?

from Luke 17:11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
"Jesus, Master!  Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

Read the full scripture passage: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101225.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Fr. Jim asks: "If you could ask God for one gift or blessing, what would it be?" The apostles said, "Increase our faith." and Jesus compares their faith to a tiny mustard seed and the power even that tiny bit would bring. Can we even wrap our heads around the enormity of God and the true gift of faith?

from Luke 17:5-10
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied,
"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you...

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100525.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Lazarus, a poor sick man covered in sores is ignored by the rich man living near him. They both die. Who gets the royal treatment in heaven? Listen to Fr. Jim's gospel teaching to find out.

from Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'

Read the full scripture passage: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092825.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

from Luke 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples,
"A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
'What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.'
The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.'
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
'How much do you owe my master?'
He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'
He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'
Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.'
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

Read the full scripture passage: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092125.cfm

Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry
Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.
--
Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe
Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate