St. Anthony's Tongue

Mass Prep for Matthew 13:1–23, the Parable of the Sower.

God is not waiting for the perfect soul before He speaks. He throws the Word into distracted hearts, wounded hearts, hard hearts, and overgrown hearts.

The soul is not a machine. It is dirt. And grace is a seed with dirt under its fingernails.

The devil hates soup.Not because soup is magic, but because mercy makes the love of Christ tangible.In this video, I talk about the works of mercy as mysticism, spiritual warfare, and a way of making our faith become flesh.This idea comes from Issue IV of The Margins: God in the Gutters.Learn more / subscribe: www.stanthonystongue.com/margins

What’s the difference between meditation and contemplation—and why do Catholics so often confuse them?

In this episode of Mysticism, Word by Word, we unpack what the Church means by both, how meditation can open into contemplation, and why dry prayer is still fruitful.

In this week’s Mass Prep, we sit with Matthew 11:25–30 and explore the mysticism of being little, the meek and humble heart of Jesus, and what it really means when Christ says, “My yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

What do we do when we are misunderstood?

In this video, I talk about the ache of being misread, the temptation to become false, and the strange mercy of learning to be seen by God instead of constantly seeking the approval of every room.

The Gospel does not promise that everyone will understand your heart.

It promises that God already does.

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A new series exploring Catholic mysticism through the words and phrases that show up again and again in the mystical tradition: union with God, the dark night, meditation, contemplation, the wound of love, and more.

But before we can talk about any of those, we have to start with the most obvious and maybe most misunderstood word of all:

Mysticism.

In this episode, we talk about what Catholic mysticism is, what it is not, why it is not just spiritual fireworks, and how...

In this Mass Prep for Matthew 10:37–42, we reflect on what it means to put Christ first, take up the cross, and trust that even the smallest hidden act of love is seen by God.

Jesus is not calling us to love less, but to love in the right order. He is not asking for empty suffering, but for the cross that leads to freedom. And He reminds us that even a cup of cold water given in love will not be forgotten.

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In this episode, I walk through Issue III of The Margins, my Catholic zine on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

This issue is about the Heart against the machine: Christ’s burning love against cold religion, mechanical faith, spiritual numbness, and bloodless Catholicism.

We also talk about Emmaus, Christ’s wounds, adoration, Scripture, saints, mystical heartache, and why the Sacred Heart is not just something to admire, but something we are called to imitate.

Physical copies are available now:

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How do you know if something is from God, your own mind, or even the devil? In this episode, we talk about spiritual discernment through the wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola, especially when it comes to dreams, consolations, inner words, coincidences, and strange little moments in prayer.

Catholic discernment is not about overthinking every grace or becoming spiritually paranoid. It is about receiving what leads us toward God, testing the fruit, and staying rooted in Christ, the sacraments, and the wisdom of the Church.

...

In this Mass Prep, we sit with Jesus’ words: “Fear no one.”

Matthew 10 reminds us that Christian courage does not come from pretending life is easy, but from remembering that the Father sees us, knows us, and holds us. Not even a sparrow falls without His care — and we are worth more than many sparrows.

A simple reflection on fear, courage, trust, and acknowledging Christ before the world.

Ordinary Time is not filler.

In this episode, we explore the mysticism of Ordinary Time and why this long green season of the Church year teaches us how to live the mysteries of Christ in everyday life. After Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, Ordinary Time asks: now what does it mean to follow Jesus?

We’ll look at Matthew 9:36, the moved Heart of Christ, discipleship, the hidden Kingdom of God, the mission of mercy, and how Catholic mysticism is found not only in ecstasies and visions, but in ordinary life, daily prayer, mercy, work, fa...

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Why did Catholics become so obsessed with the Heart of Jesus?

In this episode, we explore the forgotten mysticism of the Sacred Heart—from St. Augustine and the restless heart, to medieval devotion to Christ's wounds, to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the Sacred Heart revelations. Along the way, we'll look at how the Sacred Heart challenges a cold, purely intellectual faith and calls us into a deeper life of love, mercy, and transformation.

The Sacred He...

In this Mass Prep for the Mystic Heart, we reflect on John 6:51-58, where Jesus tells us that His flesh is true food and His blood is true drink.

Catholics often talk about the Eucharist in terms of truth, doctrine, and the Real Presence — and we should. But in this Gospel, Jesus also reveals the Eucharist as union. He does not merely want to be admired from a distance. He wants to be received.

So this week, we look at three spiritual fruits from John 6:

Come hungry.
Let yourself be joined to Ch...

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Welcome back to The Holy Fool Hotline, where Catholic Q&A gets weird, tender, chaotic, and somehow still spiritually useful.

In this episode: faceless saint art returns, and this time… one of them may have a knife. We also talk scrupulosity and John 15, joy and suffering, annoying coworkers, whether the saints had tempers, why be Catholic in the least apologetics-bro way possible, folk Catholicism, Catholic masculinity, the Sacred Heart, animals, Jack White, the B-52s, and wh...

Trinity Sunday can feel intimidating, but the Gospel begins somewhere simple:

“God so loved the world.”

Catholic AI is here. But Catholic AI companies need to answer some serious questions.

In this episode, I respond to Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on artificial intelligence and ask what Catholic AI companies owe the faithful in terms of transparency, accountability, data privacy, theological review, environmental impact, and moral responsibility.

What model powers your Catholic AI? Is it using OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or another major LLM? Where do user prompts go? Who reviews the theology? What happens when someone asks about mortal sin, confession, scrupulosity, sexuality, grief, or despair? And if a company ma...

Pentecost is weirder than we usually let it be.

In this episode, we’re keeping it simple and talking through three mystical and slightly strange things about Pentecost: the Holy Spirit as holy possession, the Holy Spirit as contagious joy, and Pentecost as the reversal of the Tower of Babel.

This is not a giant theology lecture. Just a coffee-sipping reflection on fire, joy, language, and the strange beauty of the Holy Spirit dwelling within the Church.

Come, Holy Spirit.

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Joy is not denial. Joy is not pretending everything is fine. Joy is not ignoring suffering, grief, anger, doubt, or the very real darkness of the world.

But joy is resistance.

In this episode of From the Margins, I’m talking about why so many Catholics mist...

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St. Philip Neri may be one of the most punk rock saints in Catholic history.

Known as the Apostle of Rome and the Apostle of Joy, St. Philip Neri rebelled against religious gloom, spiritual ego, cold preaching, and closed-room Catholicism — not by rejecting the Church, but by making Catholic life joyful, human, embodied, and alive.

In this episode of Punk Rock Saints, we look at how Philip Neri’s devotion to the Holy Spirit set his heart on fire, how his...

In this casual Ascension Sunday reflection, we sit with one of the strangest and most beautiful moments in the Christian story: Jesus rises from the dead, appears to His disciples, speaks with them, promises the Holy Spirit… and then ascends into heaven.

But the Ascension is not abandonment.

The disciples still have questions when Christ ascends. Mary receives Gabriel before she understands the whole road. Joseph follows dreams one step at a time. Moses sees the burning bush before he understands the Exodus. Again and again, Scripture shows us that God gives Himself before He gi...

What does God actually call you?

Not the names your shame gives you. Not the names your anxiety gives you. Not the names your failures, wounds, scruples, or self-hatred have taught you to answer to.

In this episode of St. Anthony’s Tongue, we linger with some of the strange and tender names God gives the soul throughout Scripture, especially in the Song of Songs: my dove, my darling, my sister, my perfect one, along with bride, friend, little flock, and temple.

This is not about cute religious nicknames. It is about Catholic my...

Is Eastern Orthodoxy more mystical than Roman Catholicism? Or have Catholics simply forgotten the mystical heart of their own tradition?

In this episode, we explore Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic mysticism without turning it into a competition. Both East and West seek union with God. Both have deep theology, contemplative prayer, asceticism, sacramental life, and saints who burned with divine love.

But they often speak with different mystical accents.

Eastern Orthodoxy often foregrounds theosis, watchfulness, hesychasm, the Jesus Prayer, icons, Tabor, and the healing of the eye of the heart to behold divine...

This week’s Mass Prep reflects on John 14:15–21, where Jesus tells His disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” “I will not leave you orphans,” and “You are in me and I in you.”As we move closer to Ascension and Pentecost, this Gospel invites us to slow down and receive the promise of Christ’s nearness. Jesus prepares His disciples for His visible departure, but He does not abandon them. He promises the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will dwell within them.In this episode, we reflect on love, obedience, spiritual dryness, the ache of feeling abandoned...

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St. Francis de Sales might not look like the obvious choice for a “punk rock saint,” but his life was a quiet rebellion against fear, cruelty, spiritual elitism, and religious rage.

In this episode of Punk Rock Saints, we look at why St. Francis de Sales was so radical: his mission to Geneva and the Chablais, his use of written pamphlets to reach people who would not hear him preach, his gentle but courageous evangelization, and his deeply accessible approach to Catholic mysticism.

Francis de Sales reminds...

In this episode of St. Anthony’s Tongue, we ask a simple but deeply important question: Does God dwell within us?

Many Catholics have heard Saint Paul’s words that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, but we often reduce that teaching to a warning label about sin rather than a mystical truth about God’s nearness. From Scripture, Catholic theology, and the lives of the mystics, we explore the indwelling of God, the Holy Spirit within the soul, and why prayer is not about summoning a distant God.

This episode is especially for an...

Most people think mysticism is rare, strange, or reserved for a few saints.

But what if it’s actually the normal Christian life?

In this episode, we break down what mysticism really is—not visions or extraordinary experiences, but a growing awareness of God’s presence that transforms how you live, love, and move through your day.

This is about finding God in the ordinary.
In your work.
In your distractions.
In your actual life.

We’ll walk through Scripture, the lives of the saints, and a simple, practica...

In this episode of Mass Prep for the Mystic Heart, we reflect on John 10:1–10 and the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. What does it mean to recognize His voice? How do we know we are truly being led by Christ and not by noise, fear, or confusion?

Jesus tells us that His sheep hear His voice, that He calls them by name, and that He came so that we might have life in abundance. This Gospel invites us into a deeply personal relationship with God—not one rooted in anxiety or performance, but in recognition, inti...

In this episode, I explore why Catholicism might need something unexpected—a punk rock movement.

Not rebellion. Not anarchy. But a return to something real.

We’re living in a time where the faith can feel overly polished, commercialized, and repetitive. Catholic content is everywhere, podcasts, reels, conferences, products, but somewhere along the way, something deeper can get lost. The fire. The encounter. The transformation.

So what does “punk” mean in this context?

It means authenticity. It means speaking from experience, not just repeating talking points. It means refusing to conform to a cur...

In this Mass Prep for Luke 24:13–35, we walk the Road to Emmaus and ask a powerful question: why didn’t the disciples recognize Jesus?

From Mary Magdalene hearing her name to the breaking of the bread, this Gospel reveals where we actually encounter Christ today—in personal prayer, in the Eucharist, and even in the quiet moments where our hearts begin to burn.

If God feels distant or hidden, this reflection will help you see how He may already be closer than you think.

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In this episode, we explore the side wound of Jesus Christ—one of the most overlooked but deeply meaningful wounds in Scripture and Catholic tradition. From John 19 to the mystics, the side wound reveals the open heart of God, the birth of the Church, and the place where we encounter Christ in our own wounds.

What does it mean to “enter the wound”? How do figures like Thomas, Peter, and Mary Magdalene show us that transformation happens when we bring our doubt, failure, and grief to Jes...

In this Mass Prep for the Second Sunday of Easter, we reflect on John 20:19-31 and the story of Doubting Thomas.

Jesus meets His disciples in their fear, shows them His wounds, and invites Thomas to come close and believe.

This Gospel reminds us that God is not afraid of our doubt. He meets us in it.

The wounds of Christ are not erased in the Resurrection but revealed as places of encounter, mercy, and deeper faith.

What if a Catholic Q&A… got weird?

Welcome to the very first episode of The Holy Fool Hotline, a chaotic, joyful, slightly unhinged public access-style show where we answer your questions, play music, and occasionally do things like interview relics and pray for WWE legends.

In this episode we talk about:

• dryness in prayer• contemplative prayer (what does it actually look like?)• how to approach the liturgical calendar• “convertitis” and overly combative faith• joyful saints (are they actually joyful?)• encountering God in the ordinary

…and a few things I did not pla...

What did Jesus say at the end?

In this reflection, we walk slowly through the 7 Last Words of Jesus on the Cross—not as distant sayings, but as words spoken in love.

These are not just final statements.
They are words of forgiveness, closeness, longing, surrender.

For the tired.
For the searching.
For the mystic heart.

In this episode we walk through the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary as a path of the spiritual life.

From resurrection and new life, to being set free, filled with the Holy Spirit, transformed by grace, and sharing in God’s life — these mysteries show what it means to become fully alive in God.

With reflections inspired by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and St. Seraphim of Sarov.

In this Palm Sunday Mass Prep, we reflect on the mysticism of Matthew 21 and the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem.

Why do we welcome Jesus… and still struggle to recognize Him?
Why does God come gently when we expect power?
And what does it mean to lay something down before we understand where He is leading us?

This reflection is an invitation to enter Holy Week not with performance, but with awareness — allowing our souls to walk with Christ through the movement of surrender, confusion, and ultimately, resurrection.

Peace be with...

I’ve always struggled a bit with the Luminous Mysteries, so this episode is more me working through them with you than teaching at you.We walk through how these mysteries form the soul — from being claimed by God, to learning trust, to living it out, to glimpses of glory, and finally union in the Eucharist.With insights from St. Francis de Sales and St. Faustina Kowalska.

In this episode we enter the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary through a mystical and psychological lens.

The Passion of Christ is not only something that happened to Jesus — it also mirrors the transformation journey of the soul. We reflect on stages like dryness in prayer, purification, humiliation, perseverance, and total self-gift, with wisdom from St. Teresa of Ávila and St. Catherine of Siena.

This reflection is meant to help you enter deeper meditation during the rosary and recognize how God is working in your own spiritual life.

h...

In this episode we explore how to truly meditate on the Rosary through the lens of the Catholic mystics. Particularly, St. John of the Cross and St. Therese of Lisieux. The Joyful Mysteries are not just peaceful scenes — they reveal trust, perseverance, and small acts of faith that lead from darkness into joy.Please join my Patreon and Substack to get notified when the written portion of these are available:Patreon.com/AnthonysTonguestanthonystongue.substack.com

In John 11, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead — but Lazarus comes out of the tomb still wrapped in burial cloths. Still alive… but not yet free.

In this Mass Prep reflection, we explore the mysticism of Lazarus, divine delay, spiritual resurrection, and the slow process of being “unbound” after grace touches our lives.

What does it mean to “keep watch” with Christ?

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asks His closest friends a question that still reaches into our lives today: “Could you not watch with me one hour?”

Many Christians today are not losing faith, rather, they are losing rest. Exhausted by performance, overwhelmed by noise, and unsure how to simply remain present with God.

In this episode, we explore watchfulness as a contemplative practice: learning to sit with God in silence, to become aware of His closeness, and to rediscover a quieter path into the myst...