Kresta in the Afternoon

You may know Marcus Peter from his Lenten and Advent reflections and guest hosting on Kresta in the Afternoon. And now he is the host of a brand-new program: Unveiling the Covenants. Every week Marcus will explore the Covenants God has made with his people and what they mean for us today. He gives us a preview.

The Vatican II document Dei Verbum, or Word of God, contains a promise of Scripture - the Word of God is not just given to us to reveal God’s plan, it is a disclosure of God Himself. Al discusses.

Throughout history more artwork has been dedicated to the life, death and resurrection of Christ than to any other figure. In the age of film, the most well-known example is probably Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ. But of course there are many, many others. Monica Miller joins us with a look some of the best crucifixion scenes in film.

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most-studied and commented on passages in Scripture. In his Peace Message on January 1, 2017 Pope Francis said that in the Sermon, Jesus offers a manual for peacemaking. It's often seen as a guideline for authentic Christian life, but what does it say about authentic Christian business? We talk with Fr Martin Schlag.

On March 29, 1973, the last US combat troops left South Vietnam following the release of the last US POWs from the infamous Hỏa Lò Prison, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton.” Earlier in the war, the prison held Air Force pilot James Shipley, who was shot down in 1967. He spent six years in the Hanoi prison camps, where he endured brutal torture. Yet somehow he found hope and became determined to help hi...

We know from Scripture that God instituted the tribes of Israel, and later instituted the Church. But since the First Century, the Palestinian Jewish authorities have missed Messiah – so how do we know the Church hasn’t suffered from similar errors? Why would God do for the Church what he failed to do for ancient Israel? Al discusses.

Music plays a vital role in any film – just imagine watching Star Wars without Vader’s Imperial March, or the Godfather without its iconic score. What if you were tasked with composing a musical accompaniment to the passion and death of Jesus? That’s what Mel Gibson asked John Debney to do. We spoke with John when the film premiered, and we look back on that interview today.

Christina Chase can't walk, sit up straight or feed herself. Her neck and back can't support her head. But she doesn't let that lead her into anger or despair. She sees herself as a 21st-Century Therese of the Little Flower - her "littleness" contains a great encounter with God's love. She joins us.

Wellness-minded people today are increasingly turning to intermittent fasting to bolster their health. But we aren’t the first people to abstain from eating for a purpose. This routine was a common part of our spiritual ancestors’ lives for 1,500 years. Jay Richards joins us with a look at the benefits of fasting and how Christians can develop a fasting lifestyle.

Marian devotion plays a special role in Catholic life. She appears in countless works of art, is the subject of hundreds of books, and is a central character in Mel Gibson’s film The Passion. But the Scriptures don’t often mention her. Do we overemphasize Mary? Al discusses.

“This is your cross, and I am not going to take it away from you. I will be with you, and I will help you, but it is yours to carry.” Christy Wilkens heard Jesus speak those words after she prayed for her son Oscar’s healing in her parish adoration chapel one bright September day. Almost a year later she would find herself in Lourdes, France, seeking a miracle. And while her son did improve, that...

Poland has become a hotbed for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Fr. Patrick Briscoe has just returned from a visit to Poland to see how Churches there are helping in the relief effort. He gives us a report.

On the solemnity of the Annunciation, local dignitaries, priests, religious, and two archbishops were on hand to mark the inauguration of ACI MENA, an Arabic-language Catholic news agency that is the newest part of the EWTN Network. Michael Warsaw tells us how it came to be.

Ratings for the Oscars have been down for a few years, but last night gave us one of the most memorable – and controversial – moments in the event’s history. After Chris Rock made a joke about his wife, Will Smith stormed the stage and hit him across the face. Minutes later, Smith was awarded Best Actor. We look at some of the responses with Steven Greydanus.

We spoke last week with John Quinn, whose son Tyler Jacob has been taken by Russian soldiers as he attempted to leave Ukraine. Late on Friday, John received the news that Tyler is safe and has been released. He joins us.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor yesterday of a condemned man who requested to have his pastor lay hands on him during his execution. Writing for the 8-1 majority, Chief Justice Roberts founds that while the State has a “compelling interest in preventing disruptions,” those concerns “could be addressed with appropriate restrictions.” Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has more.

What would you do if you suddenly had very good reason to believe your entire family history was a lie? That's what Frank Stephens has to consider in a new novel by Larry Denninger. When cleaning out his childhood home, he discovers songs his father composed for "Clara" - but Frank's late mother was named Louise. What other secrets was his father hiding? Larry gives us a preview of the story.

As we approach Holy Week, many of us will be praying the Stations of the Cross. You don't need to attend a service at Church to do so - there are lots of ways to benefit from this spiritual practice. We talk with Dr. Ed Sri

This afternoon Pope Francis officially consecrated Russia and Ukraine. We talk with Matthew Bunson, who also has an update on the German Bishops' response to criticisms of the Synod.

Last week, Catholic activist Benedict Rogers received a formal warning from the Hong Kong Police Force’s National Security Department, threatening him with fines and even arrest for his work with Hong Kong Watch. They also demanded he shut down his website. But he isn’t letting that stop him. He joins us today.

Today is the feast of St Oscar Romero. Al looks at his life and teachings and responds to the claim that he was not really martyred in hatred of the faith.

As more Americans leave organized religion, they find themselves looking for spirituality in other places. They look to all sorts of everyday activities--from eating and parenting to dating and voting--for the identity, purpose, and meaning once provided on Sunday morning. In our striving, we are chasing a sense of enoughness. But it remains ever out of reach, and the effort and anxiety are burnin...

Dioceses all over the world, including more than 150 in the USA, have said they will join Pope Francis in tomorrow's Consecration of Russia and Ukraine. Peggy Stanton gives us a preview of what will happen and why it is significant.

Al celebrates tomorrow’s Feast of the Annunciation by looking to the writings of Fulton Sheen

Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst died by suicide earlier this year. In an essay last summer, she reflected on the pressure she felt from aging: "turning 30 feels like a cold reminder that I’m running out of time to matter in society’s eyes — and it’s infuriating." Al discusses.