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. Support My Patreon! Buy a Zine!

Support the Patreon! Buy a Zine! 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,...

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 f...

Grab a copy here: stanthonystongue.com/margins 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 hea...

Support my Patreon! Buy a Zine! 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 spiritu...

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 King...

Support the channel on Patreon: patreon.com/anthonystongue Get The Margins Catholic zine: stanthonystongue.com/margins 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 revelati...

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...

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,...

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 stra...

Grab Issue II of The Margins: Joy Against the Machine here: https://www.stanthonystongue.com/margins Support St. Anthony’s Tongue on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/AnthonysTongue 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...

Catholic Zines: www.stanthonystongue.com/margins Patreon: www.patreon.com/anthonystongue 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...

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 wh...

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, m...

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...

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 aban...

Check out The Margins: ⁠stanthonystongue.com/margins⁠ 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 re...

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 th...

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 dis...