Friends, for this Twenty-fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, I want to focus on the first and second readings. When read together, they give us a very good sense of Catholic social teaching in regard to the question of power. The Church’s position here is a subtle one. It doesn’t demonize political and economic power; after all, God is described as all-powerful, ... Show More
Dec 2024
Freeing Your Family for God
Friends, I always love preaching on the Feast of the Holy Family because I think the biblical message here is very surprising. We say the Bible is associated with family values, and indeed it is, but they're probably not the ones we would automatically think of. We see this in th ... Show More
15m 12s
Nov 19
The Marks of Spiritual Leadership
<p>Friends, we come to the final weekend of the liturgical year and the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King. Now, our country was formed in rebellion against a king, and kingship as a political reality is far removed from us. But what does kingship mean for us spiritu ... Show More
14m 54s
Nov 11
The Old World Has Been Shaken
<p>Friends, we come to the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, which means that next Sunday is the final Sunday of the liturgical year. During this time, the Church always gives us apocalyptic readings, and our Gospel today is from “the little apocalypse” in the Gospel of Luke. ... Show More
14m 50s
Oct 2023
S 14 Ep 19: How do I Navigate Politics now that I am a Christian?
People often say the two topics we should avoid at the dinner table are religion and politics. In this episode, we talk about both. How should a new Christian, or an established one, think about politics? What does the Bible say about politics, human institutions, and governance? ... Show More
18m 47s
Aug 2023
WOF 401: A Theology of Work
<p>Friends, is work something good or bad? Is it central to being human, or a punishment resulting from sin? And how do we understand our work theologically, tying it to God?</p> <p>On today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show," Brandon Vogt and I discuss the Catholic Church's vi ... Show More
32m 31s
Feb 2025
Day 39: The Father Almighty (2025)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore the nature of God as Almighty. Fr. Mike discusses three important points to keep in mind about the reality of God’s power. The first is that God’s power is universal. God rules over everything; it is an infinite power. He is loving, he adopts u ... Show More
20m 12s
Jul 2024
Can't I Go Straight to Jesus? Do I Need the Catholic Church? [Fr. Mike Weighs In]
Maybe you've heard the phrase before, "the middleman is a lie." Or maybe you've found yourself wondering why we have an institutional church as Catholics when the Scriptures state clearly that there is only one mediator between God and man, namely Jesus Christ.
Today, Fr. Mike t ... Show More
8m 41s