Heart to Heart: Faith Seasons Podcast

Today’s story seed is First Prize. Luke 6:37 Jesus said to his disciples…Stop Judging and you will not be judged. There was a 19-year-old woman who entered her pumpkin pie in the county fair pie contest. She won first prize. It was only her first attempt at competing. She was thrilled. Congratulations came pouring in. Everyone had something good to say about her and her delicious pie. She won the...

Luke 9:35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” Howard Storm died and lived to tell about it. Storm, the chair of the art department at Northern Kentucky University was on a trip in 1985 to view artwork in Paris when he had a medical emergency. He was rushed to the hospital with a perforation in his stomach. He and his wife were told that his life expe...

Today’s story seed is In the Church Parking Lot. Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. It started out as such a good day. As the sunlight streamed through the window, the man quietly got out of be...

Today’s story seed is Shut the Window. Luke 11:29 While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” Listen to today's story seed. A person learned something important about why they were always cold in the house. It came as an insight as the person wondered what w...

Today’s story seed is God Knows But You May Not. Matthew 6:8 Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. There is more than one way to pray. Jesus taught us the Our Father, but it isn’t the only way to pray effectively. There was a proud man who was very religious. He said a rosary each day. He never cheated or lied. He paid his taxes, raised his family, loved his wife, and yet, deep down,...

Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food,I was thirsty and you gave me drink… Listen to this story seed. The Queen lost track of her child. The palace staff could not find the little one. No one was quite sure how it happened, but the girl was clearly missing and could not be found in the castle. The child was but 3 years old and had wandered off. Despite her royal upbringing, the child...

Today's story seed has an estimated 300 million reasons to pay attention. Deuteronomy 26:8-9 He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.  Many call the United States of America the greatest nation on Earth, but one doesn’t have to look f...

Today’s story seed is Ice Cream Alms. From the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 58:6-7 This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly…Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Listen to this story seed. From the starting moment he was elected, Pope Francis has kept...

Today’s story seed is Man of the World. Luke 8:24-25 “For whoever wishes to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit oneself?” Listen to this story seed. There was a young salesman who was eager to please his boss and worked hard at his job. His sales were adequate. One day his boss...

Today’s story seed is the Perfect Party. From the Book of Joel 2:13 Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God, For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting in punishment. Listen to this story seed. A family was about to host an annual party. They had invited all of their friends and many other acquaintances. Each member of t...

Luke 2:16-21 The Shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger; once they saw, they understood what had been told them concerning this child. All who heard of it were astonished at the report given them by the shepherds. Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart. … Mary, of all the saints, is the most important, so it is ideal that we...

from Colossians 3:12-17 Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. Over all these virtues, put on love which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. … St. Paul reminds us in today...

1 John 2:12-17 Little ones, I address you, for through his Name your sins have been forgiven…Have no love for the world, nor the things that the world affords. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love has no place in him, for nothing that the world affords comes from the Father. ... While most recognized today for his highly successful works of fantasy such as The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings...

1 John 2:3-11 The way we can be sure of our knowledge of him is to keep his commandments. …Dearly Beloved, it is no new commandment that I write to you, but an old one which you had from the start. …The man who claims to be in light, hating his brother all the while, is in darkness even now.  The man who continues in the light is the one who loves his brother… . Today’s Gospel speaks of a holy old...

1 John 1:5 – 2:2 Here, then, is the message we have heard from him and announce to you: that God is light; in him there is no darkness.  If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while continuing to walk in darkness, we are liars and do not act in truth.  But if we walk in light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. To...

1 John 1:1-4 This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have touched – we speak of the word of life. …This fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  Indeed, our purpose in writing you this is that our joy may be complete. Today’s first reading is from the shor...

from Matthew 10:17-22 Be on your guard with respect to others. They will haul you into court; they will flog you… You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings…  When they hand you over, do not worry about what you will say or how you will say it.  When the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say…The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you. ... As we begin the Octave of Chri...

Isaiah 52:7-10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!” Hark!  Your watchmen raise a cry, together they shout for joy, for they see directly, before their eyes, the Lord restoring Zion… The Lord has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends...

from Luke 1:26-30 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary.  Upon arriving, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored daughter!  The Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women.” ... Blessed Mary lived in an obscure Galilean village, and yet...

Malachi 3:1-2 Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming?  And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye.  In today’s reading, Mala...

1 Samuel 1:24-28 Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah presented him at the temple in Shiloh…Hannah approached Eli and said: “Pardon, my lord! As you live, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” Samuel, dedicated to the Lord by his...

Song of Songs 2:8-12 Hark!  My lover - here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills.  My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag…My lover speaks; he says to me, “Arise my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!  For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone.  The flowers appear on the earth…”  Louis Martin wanted to be a monk but was turned away because he had not...

Isaiah 7:10-14 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!  But Ahaz answered: “I will not ask!  I will not tempt the Lord.” Then he said: Listen, O house of David!  Is it not enough for you to weary men; must you also weary my God? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child,...

from Luke 1:5-25 Then, when Zechariah’s time of priestly service was over, he went home.  Afterward, his wife Elizabeth conceived.  She went into seclusion for five months, saying: “In these days, the Lord is acting on my behalf; he has seen fit to remove my reproach among men.” Born in 1870 to Lutheran parents in Sweden, Elisabeth Hesselblad was the fifth of thirteen children. By the time she was...

Jeremiah 23:5-6 Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: “The Lord our justice.” In today’s first reading, we hear the prophet Jeremiah speaking to the Israelite...