Monday Morning Homilist: Recent Episodes
COTLF
Join Fr Manny and Jorge Santibáñez every Monday Morning as they dive deeper into the readings and preaching of the previous Sunday, and then stick around as they discuss sports and life on the Parish Podcast of Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, FL - Monday Morning Homilist!
We turn on the mics for one final (regular) episode and it's only fitting we bring MMH to a close reflecting on the simplicity of Christmas. It's been a joy doing this over the past 3 years and we thank our faithful listeners and followers, and a special thank you to The Call for being our biggest supporters, providing our music and artwork, and always spreading the Good News
Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!
With 9 days to go until Christmas, this week's reflection is simple: what brings you joy?
In sports, we quickly determine that our local teams definitely don't!
It's a wide-ranging episode today after a long but incredibly fun and successful Parish Fair Weekend. After a special announcement, we connect the dots between Advent, Mary, the Immaculate Conception, the Annunciation, road construction, confession, and the fire at Notre Dame and it's re-opening this weekend. Enjoy the show!
In the sports segment, we share our thoughts on the CFP bracket and the logic (or lack thereof) of the committee.
We're back for Advent with a simple message for the season - Run to Jesus!!
Amid all the "busy-ness" of the holiday season, and with great anticipation for the celebration of Christmas, the prayers of the Mass for Advent implore us to run towards the Lord. May these next several weeks be filled with not only hopeful expectation but with intentional prayer and heartfelt preparation to make our hearts and home a welcome place for the Lord.
This weekend's Gospel is providential for the week ahead, as the Lord challenges us to love with everything we've got - all our mind, all our heart, all our soul and all our strength. Listen in as we attempt to describe what that looks like.
In sports, the Cam Ward show continues, the Dolphins lose another heartbreaker (but look much better!), and we start looking ahead to the College Football Playoff rankings and potential matchups.
We're back after a week off and this weekend's Gospel encounter between Jesus and the blind man, Bartimaeus, gives us plenty to reflect on throughout the week ahead. Jesus' question, "what do you want me to do?" Bartimaeus' eager response to the call of the Lord. The initial reaction of the disciples and their shift in attitude when Christ acknowledges Bartimaeus. Listen in as we peel back so many layers of this beautiful encounter.
In sports, the 'Canes beat the 'Noles and everything else is just noise. Is there some ACC chaos brewing, though??
This weekend's Gospel account of the encounter between Jesus and the rich young man offers us an opportunity to reflect on how we take God’s love for granted. What it is in our life that is holding us back from spiritual greatness? What is it that the Lord is challenging us to give up, sell, or walk away from in order to follow Him?
In sports, the Panthers are back in action and we were there for the banner raising on Opening Night, College Football is doing College Football things, Fr Manny puts on his baseball commissioner hat to solve the problem with the Postseason, and the Dolphins couldn't hurt us this weekend!
This week we share Fr. Manny's homily for Respect Life Sunday. Please share it and join us in our efforts to defeat Amendment 4 this November.
It's an Izzy Monday! Izzy returns to the podcast to help us breakdown the homily of Salesian Priest, Father Pat Andellucci, a family friend of hers. We talk about what Jesus requires of us to be his disciples and the cost of being silent in the face of evil. "Jesus feeds us. Jesus challenges us."
In sports, Ashley returns from her west coast trip and gives us a first-hand account of being present for the last baseball game of the A's in the Oakland Coliseum. Emotional stuff here. We also whip around the NFL and ask who the best team is right now. Brief talk about the Canes thrilling victory over Va. Tech, and it wasn't a catch!
This week we reflect on our experience at the Live Like Bella Annual Ball and the providential connection to Sunday's Gospel as Jesus reminds us of our need to be childlike, embracing our littleness and relying on God our Father in everything.
In sports, we witnessed some extraordinary baseball history (and Fr. Manny went viral on X!), the 'Canes keep rolling, and Ashley just happens to call in from the West Coast while we're recording and gives us her take on the Dolphins game.
It's Fr. Manny's birthday today so please offer up a special prayer for him and consider making a special donation to Live Like Bella.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This Catechetical Sunday weekend, we reflect on the importance of Christian Service in the life of a missionary disciple. In reading from the Letter of St. James, we are challenged to "demonstrate [our] faith... from [our] works." This same challenge is given to us again by the Lord in the Gospel as He summoned the disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." What are some types of service we can challenge ourselves to take up this week?
In sports, It's All About the U as Cam Ward continues to make an early case for the Heisman. Jorge rants about lightning protocols and delays. And hello early-season chaos in the NFL!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Do we recognize God's voice? Do we make time every day to sit in silence with the Holy Scriptures to listen to Him? Jesus cures the deaf man in the gospel of Mark and brings him away from the crowd and all the noise of the world to open his ears and his mouth. May we open our ears to listen to God and open our mouth to proclaim our faith.
In sports, the NFL has begun, and we dissect the Dolphins' close win on opening weekend plus whip around the NFL. We also revisit the Canes victory over the Gators since we couldn't last week and talk about the rest of college football. Go Fins! Go Canes!
Special Labor Day episode today as Ashley and Jorge ask Father Manny about his time as priest chaplain of the Miami Dolphins. Father connects this ministry of presence to yesterday's readings where St. James calls us to put our faith into action. Ashley has a lot of questions about Father Manny's experience on the sidelines. You don't want to miss this.
In sports, Ashley and Father do an NFL season preview and breakdown the 2024 Dolphins season and the challenges of this roster. Jorge looks to defend his crown as our Pick Em Champion. You can join the MMH Pick 'Em Challenge HERE. Go Fins!
As we conclude our Sunday readings on the 6th Chapter of John this weekend, we read in both the First Reading and the Gospel parallel accounts of major decision points in the life of a believer. Can we double-down in following the Lord, despite its challenges and demands? To whom shall we go? May we all, despite our own shortcomings, be able to proudly and sincerely say - and live: As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!
In sports, College Football is back and we've already got chaos! We preview the UM Football schedule ahead of our season opener this coming weekend.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Surprise! It's our Season 8 debut!
Over the past few weekends, we've been hearing from the 6th Chapter of the Gospel of John, collectively known as the Bread of Life Discourse, so our reflections today are all on the Eucharist, aided by some of the amazing talks and images coming from this past Summer's National Eucharistic Congress held in Indianapolis.
Click here to learn more about the Mass Explained book we reference.
In our sports segment, we look back on the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup championship run and the highlights of the Paris Summer Olympics.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
It's our Season 7 finale and Fr Andrew joins in as a special guest for the entire episode as we're talking First Communions, broken ACs, Pentecost, truth, the winds of change, obedience, and priestly assignments.
In sports, the Panthers are moving on to the ECF against the Rangers, Fr Andrew gives a way-too-early prediction on his New York Giants season, and we're cautiously optimistic about the 'Canes this fall.
Be sure to stick around through the end as Fr Andrew bids the podcast farewell ahead of his June re-assignment to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
It's our second to last episode before summer break and this week is all about Mother's Day and the Ascension. You'd probably never associate the two things together, but Fr Manny threads the needle beautifully and leads us into a great discussion on the love and sacrifice of motherhood and what that can teach us about living out our faith daily.
In sports, the Panthers steal a game in Boston (yes, we think we got away with one - but no complaints here!) and are on the verge of clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. And we're talking a little golf... of our own! Game on!
This episode goes longer than usual and honestly, we could have probably kept going! This weekend's Gospel has so much depth to it as we discern and live out our Christian vocations and Christ's call to lay down one's life for your friends - the ultimate act of love.In sports, it's race weekend - from the Kentucky Derby's photo finish to the closest finish in NASCAR history, to the spectacle that was the F1 Miami Grand Prix. Now it's time for some more Panthers hockey! #BeatBoston
This week we're talking wine... I mean, vine! Without Jesus, we can do nothing. The call and challenge of the Gospel this week is to remain connected to the vine and allow the Lord to prune whatever needs pruning, so that we can bear fruit abundantly!
It's Good Shepherd Sunday, so pray for priests and pray for vocations! This week's episode is all about the Good Shepherd, willing to suffer and give his life for his flock. This is just as true about Jesus as it is about the priesthood.
In sports, it's playoff time for the Panthers and Heat! The Marlins finally didn't lose a series!
It's another milestone day on MMH as we've completed the full 3-Year cycle of readings and are right back where we started on Day 1 in 2021!
It's also a milestone day in the parish as our STS 2nd graders celebrated their First Communion this weekend and our season of sacramental celebrations is well underway.
On this week's podcast, we reflect on the response of the disciples as Jesus again appears to them. Is our own response to the Lord one of fear and skepticism or is it one of incredulous joy? What does finding the peace that Christ offers us look like?
In sports, Jorge finally watched the Masters and we gear up for Panthers playoff hockey on tap, and the Heat in the play-in tournament!
Happy Easter! We're back from a brief post-Easter break and it's a jam-packed episode as we talk about Holy Week, Easter weekend, Divine Mercy, and "Quasimodo Sunday." Queue up the bells of Notre Dame!
As we reflect on these last two weeks and continue praying for our 15 newly baptized parishioners, the invitation this week is to pray for the grace to feel forgiven. Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
In sports, we air out our frustration with the Marlins, talk Women's Basketball, and Fr Manny attempts to bring wrestling into the conversation but is quickly shut down!
Fr Manny and Jorge both have the week off but will be back on Monday, April 8th to fill you in on Quasimodo Sunday. Wait, what?! Tune in next week to learn more!
In the meantime, here’s Fr Manny’s Easter Homily.
After spending some time reflecting on the Palm Sunday liturgy, we reflect on Jesus' last words on the cross in the Gospel of Mark. He cries out to his Father, and the response is...silence. How many times have we turned to God in moments of trial and desperation and have heard only silence from God? We are invited as we begin Holy Week to confront the silence of the cross and enter into the passion of our Lord.
In sports, Father Manny and Jorge sift through the rubble of their NCAA Tournament brackets. We recap a good weekend for the Panthers and an even better weekend for the USA Men's Soccer Team. Finally, we preview the upcoming MLB season while doing a very deep dive on what is going on with Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter's huge gambling debt. Could it really take down baseball's biggest star?
On this V Sunday of Lent we begin the period known as Passiontide. You may have noticed the church looked a little different than usual as we veiled the statues for the first time in many years.
As we continue moving towards Holy Week and the celebration of the Lord's Passion, we are called to enter into that suffering with him.
In sports, we're starting to talk baseball, with Opening Day just around the corner! And get ready for March Madness! To join our tournament challenge, reach out via email and we'll send back the link.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
We're 3 Sunday away from Easter and as we come into the home stretch of Lent, the call for this week is to embrace the cross. It's only fitting that our church AC went out this Sunday and we were all made to feel a little uncomfortable during Mass. There's a profound lesson to be learned in being comfortable with the uncomfortable!
In the second segment, Jorge finally made it out to an InterMiami soccer match and Fr Manny recaps his Oscars scorecard.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
As we hit the halfway point of Lent, it's a perfect opportunity to pause and reflect: are we any different today than we were on Ash Wednesday? As we hear the Gospel account of Jesus tossing tables in the Temple, take these final weeks of Lent to let the Lord come into your heart and begin to toss tables and drive out sin.
In sports, it was a winning weekend as we continue through the mid-season lull.
Stay tuned through the end as Fr. Manny previews the 2024 Oscars!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
It's a pretty wide-ranging episode this week as we cover Sunday's readings, a holocaust survivor's presentation to our school's 6th graders, sacred silence, and learning how to pray.
In sports, we scratch and claw for something to talk about and finally landed on trying to make sense of the upcoming 12-team College Football Playoff format. If you come out of the segment confused, you're in good company!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Time and again in the Bible, God enters in covenants with his people. Today we talk about the promises that God makes to us and if we hold up our end of these covenants. Lent is a time to recommit ourselves to the life we are called to live as Christians. The ashes we received on Ash Wednesday are a sign of that commitment to keep our end of God's covenant with us.
In the second segment, we are in a sports wasteland, so we dive into a recently published list of the greatest songs of all time. Let's just say that many hot takes are given. Happy Presidents Day!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
It's Super Bowl Monday and we take the opportunity to dive deep into not just the weekend readings in the leadup to Lent, but also the buzzy "He Gets Us" Super Bowl commercial. The entire Lenten season is a prolonged "Come to Jesus" moment. What is it that we want to bring to Him ahead of our Easter celebrations this year?
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
In this week's Gospel we hear Jesus teach with authority. Do we allow Him to the time and space to speak with that same authority in our lives? What does trusting in the Lord really look like in the day-to-day journey of faith?
In sports - Taylor Swift the Chiefs are heading to the Super Bowl against the Niners. We come out firing with some hot takes on both of the Conference Championship Games.
In our Season 7 debut we recap the ADOM/COTLF pilgrimage to the March for Life this past weekend before diving into the Sunday readings. Can you recall a time you recognized or responded to the call of the Lord? Cherish that memory and revisit it often!
In sports, we say farewell to the Dolphins and look ahead to the Conference Championship matchups and Super Bowl.
It's our Season 6 finale! With one week to go before Christmas, this week is all about JOY, which is the true mark of a Christian. "A joyless Christian is a useless Christian." What is it that brings you joy?
We'll be off until mid-January when we return for Season 7, so we wish all our listeners and friends a blessed final week of Advent, a very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!
With 2 weeks left until Christmas, we hear the call from St. John the Baptist to "make straight the way for the Lord." If we take that message to heart, we can understand it as a call to live an authentic Christianity - one that may be uncomfortable and unpopular, but also one that will bring with it a deep and abiding Peace. As we continue preparing our hearts and homes for Christmas, we discuss what it really means to make a place for the Lord in our life.
In sports, the NFL had another week of crazy upsets, MLB trades and free agent signings are starting to heat up (Ohtani signed for how much!?), and we want bowl season chaos!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
We enter into the liturgical season of Advent on Parish Fair weekend, and what a beautiful weekend it was! We reflect on the joys and successes of the Parish Fair and the incredible sense of community that is fostered on those fair grounds. As we begin the Advent journey to Christmas, we break down the first reading from Isaiah. They say it's the hope that kills you, but we couldn't disagree more!
In sports (or what little of it we caught this weekend): It's all about CFP controversy!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
It's Christ the King and as we soon begin our Advent preparations for Christmas, we first contemplate Jesus' place in our lives. Is Christ really the king of our heart? Is he really the center of our lives?
In sports, both the 'Canes and Dolphins took care of business on Black Friday and we start looking ahead to the CFP, bowl projections, and the Dolphins road to the playoffs (and Super Bowl?!)
Father Andrew joins the podcast as two priests compare notes on how they preached the parable of the talents from two totally different perspectives. How do we share God's blessings? And on this Thanksgiving week, are we aware of the many blessings God gives?
In sports, Ashley joins us on this Victory Monday to talk about the Dolphins. Father Andrew is conflicted about his Giants' victory. And we're all conflicted about the U's performance on Saturday.
Happy Thanksgiving!
It's our 100th episode and we cover a wide-range of topics as we reflect back on 2.5 years of doing this podcast and dive into this weekend's readings and the wisdom of St. Therese.
No major hot takes in our second segment this week, but we add in plenty of Lion King references!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
It's an Izzy Monday! Izzy joins Father Manny as we talk about the priests who have made a difference in our lives as we begin National Vocations Awareness Week. What did Jesus really mean when he said "call no one on earth your father?"
In the second segment, we do NOT talk about sports because sports didn't happen this weekend as far as we're concerned. Izzy and Father compare notes on their favorite movies and discover hilarious truths about their respective movie tastes.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
It's a pop-culture-filled episode as we dive into the Greatest Commandment: Love God above all else, and love your neighbor as yourself. It's easier said than done, but once we really fall in love with God, everything changes. Have some fun and listen in as we break it down.
In sports, it's another Dolphins Victory Monday and the Canes pull out another overtime winner.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
On this World Mission Sunday, we reflect on the challenging simplicity of giving to God what is God's: our heart and our soul. Despite all the distractions and temptations of the world around us, this radical surrender is possible and we see that most clearly lived out in missions. Are you in or are you out?
In sports, Dolphins lose a tough one in Philly but its not all bad news and the Canes pick up a huge and much-needed W this weekend.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This weekend's Gospel seems harsh and unfair on first read, but Jesus' message couldn't be clearer once you break it down. Are we like the original invitees to the wedding feast, who disregard the call of the King? Or are we like the speechless guest who is thrown out because we may think that just showing up is good enough? The invitation to the Banquet of the Lord brings with it standards, expectations and obligations, we our response to that call cannot be made on our terms.
In sports, the Dolphins took care of business again. What's the issue over at UM? And some breaking news on the Marlins front just as we were hitting record!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This week's Gospel parable will - and should - make us very uncomfortable as Jesus illustrates the violent nature of sin. We dive right in as there is no sugar-coating this hard truth.
In sports - WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
On Sunday, October 1, 2023, Father Manny launched our parish's Centennial Campaign in anticipation of our 100th anniversary in 3 years. For those who did not hear his homily, here it is presented without interruption.
If you want to be part of this campaign and make a sacrificial gift and three-year pledge, please visit: cotlf.org/centennial
After years of planning, we finally publicly unveiled our plans for the Parish Centennial celebration this weekend! Listen in as we discuss some of the history and inspiration behind the projects and the homiletic gymnastics Fr Manny had to do as he prepared for the big weekend.
Please visit www.cotlf.org/centennial to learn more about the Centennial plans and how your sacrificial gift will help us build on our legacy, as we honor our past and now build and maintain for the future!
In sports, GET WILD MIAMI!!! The Marlins are in the postseason and the real fun starts now!!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This weekend's Gospel parable is another provoking one as our response to it provides some good insight. As we hear of the land owner's generosity in dispensing his wealth as he wishes, is our initial reaction one of jealously or joy? This week, we dive into the mercy and goodness of God and what should be the Christian response of joy and celebration when someone comes home - regardless of what time they arrive to the party.
In sports, the Dolphins just scored another touchdown! UM took care of business, the Marlins remain in the playoff chase, and the Dolphins just scored another touchdown!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
We reflect on forgiveness this week, as the Gospel challenges us with the parable of the Wicked Servant. So often, forgiveness - or the refusal to forgive - becomes an obstacle in our spiritual life. It is in the act of forgiving that our call to be like Christ becomes real. It is only in forgiving that we will find the freedom and rest that the Lord promises and wants to give us.
In sports, not so fast on football! The Marlins are in the thick of the wildcard chase with two weeks to go!!! The Dolphins take care of business against New England and are looking good two weeks into the season.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This weekend's Gospel challenges us to listen, which is much more difficult than just hearing. To listen requires humility, discernment, and, most importantly, prayer. Look to Mary as an example of how to truly listen - to God and to one another.
In sports, it was a winning weekend across the board with huge wins for the 'Canes and the Dolphins. And the Marlins remain in the thick of the wildcard chase entering the final few weeks of the season!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This weekend's readings pack a punch and so does our weekly podcast! Listen in as we reflect on Jeremiah's lament, the call to take up our cross, and the importance of community in the lived experience of our faith.
In sports, Ashley and Fr Manny preview the upcoming NFL season and make some wildly fun predictions for the year.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Jesus' question posed to Peter is still just as relevant for us today. Who do YOU say that Jesus is? An honest answer to that is very telling of our spiritual life and health ands holds the key to developing a deeper and more sincere relationship with Christ.
In sports, Fr Andrew joins Fr Manny to preview the upcoming season of College Football!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
We're back for Season 5! After a much-needed summer break, we hit the ground running and embrace the discomfort of this weekend's Gospel. Did Jesus really insult the Canaanite woman? What is he trying to tell the disciples, and by extension, each of us?
In sports, Ashley joins us as we share our Top 3 sports stories from the summer.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Enjoy this special Conference Championship Bonus Episode as Ashley joins us in studio to celebrate the historic run to the Finals of both the Miami Heat and the Florida Panthers! It's going to be a fun June in South Florida! Let's Go Heat! Vamos Gatos!
It's our Season 5 finale as we take a theological deep dive into the Ascension of the Lord and look ahead to next week's celebration of Pentecost. Fr Manny shares reflections from his retreat experience and Jorge highlights our parish celebrations of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. We end the season on a high note, with our spiritual posture raised to heaven!
In sports, the Heat and Panthers continue their amazing runs through the postseason and we've enjoying the ride! An overtime winner at 2am. Fr. Manny in the house for a laugher. Heat in 4?!? Vamos Gatos!
It's an #IzzyMonday for our Mother's Day episode. We talk about Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit who is the great Comforter. Our mothers also provide comfort to us and guide us, like the Spirit, in times of suffering. Let us prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit as we celebrate Pentecost in two weeks.
In sports, Fr. Andrew and Ashley join the podcast to talk about this unique time in South Florida sports history as the Panthers and Heat continue their runs into the Eastern Conference Finals. We also talk baseball, NFL, and make a brief mention about the Inter Mami winning streak. #Heatin6 #Panthersin7
"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own..."
In the 2nd reading, we hear the call to be living stones of the spiritual house built upon the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, "the way, the truth, and the life" Throughout this month of May, as we continue to celebrate Easter and now anticipate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we can't help but notice, be awed by, and perhaps even be overwhelmed by the abundance of grace that is so tangibly at work around our parish community. That is what being living stones is all about! Listen in this week as we reflect on the celebrations of First Communion, the buzz of activity around the parish, and our baptismal call to awaken friends, family, and all those we encounter.
In sports, we have some fun as the Panthers stay red hot, the Heat look to go up 3-1 tonight (#HeatIn5), the Marlins finally win in May, it's F1 weekend in Miami, and.... we totally forget to mention the Kentucky Derby!
On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we rejoice with the last of our Parish Catechumens who were welcomed home into the Catholic Church! The Sunday readings were so rich and beautiful, helping us to reflect on the call of the shepherd. Do we recognize his voice? Are we courageous enough to go where he leads us?
In sports, the Panthers are moving on after an epic comeback in the series and in Game 7! The Heat take care of business in Game 1 against the Knicks and the Marlins stay undefeated in 1-run games. Ashley joins us as we celebrate another great weekend in South Florida sports! #Heatin5
The story of the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus in this weekend's Gospel provides us with so many rich points of reflection and Fr Manny and Jorge go through it from start to finish. The journey and experience of these two disciples is a beautiful parallel of both the Mass and of our ongoing call to be Christian witnesses. Though they start off walking in the wrong direction, Jesus encounters them where they are, reveals Himself to them in the Eucharist, turns them around, and sends them on mission.
As we reflect on this story, on our own lives, and on our lived experience of parish life and ministry, let's ask for the grace to not get stuck in Emmaus, but rather to continue journeying onward, with the Lord at our side, challenging us in new and surprising ways.
In sports, we briefly touch on Panthers playoff hockey, Heat playoff basketball, and the Marlins pleasantly surprising start, having won 5 of their first 7 series to start the season!
As we wrap up the Octave of Easter, we reflect on the second reading from the Letter of St. Peter, the powerful witness of our Neophytes, and the ontological change brought about by the celebration of the Easter Sacraments. May the indescribable and glorious joy of the Resurrection continue to mark your lives throughout this Easter season and beyond! Don't put a limit on the abundance that God desires to pour out on us, especially the abundance of His Divine Mercy.
In sports, the Heat and Panthers get Round 1 of the playoffs started and the Marlins are off to a decent start this season. Ashley joins in to break down the games and gives us a look at the schedule ahead.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Happy Easter! In what's becoming a new tradition for us, Fr. Manny and Jorge record the Easter Sunday podcast immediately after the Easter Vigil with their instant reactions and recollections from the entire Triduum.
We'll be back for the next episode on Monday, April 17th, after Divine Mercy Sunday.
It's Holy Week! We invite you to enter into the Passion of our Lord this week, journeying with Jesus from the Last Supper, through Good Friday, to the silent and hopeful anticipation of Holy Saturday. There are so many characters and details in the Passion narratives that can help us to reflect deeply on the mysteries of this week. We touch on a few of them here.
In sports, we talk UM in the Final Four, FAU's heartbreaker, Marlins Opening Day, and.... how did Pickleball enter into the conversation?!?
Why are we so afraid to go to confession? As Christ called Lazarus out from the tomb, he calls us out of the darkness of sin to experience a new life.
In sports, Fr. Manny and Jorge celebrate the Canes reaching the Final Four. Plus, we put a bow on the World Baseball Classic and preview the upcoming MLB season.
It's an #IzzyMonday as Izzy joins Fr. Manny in discussing the powerful readings of the 4th Sunday of Lent. What prevents us from seeing Jesus as clearly as the man who was born blind who now beholds the face of the Lord? And on this Solemnity of St. Joseph: do we dare to DREAM BIG when it comes to the spiritual life?
In sports, Fr. Andrew and Ashley join us to discuss the Madness of the NCAA Tournament, and we blow up some brackets. Fr. Andrew is a Canes believer now. We talk WBC and the joy it brings plus the injuries. Ashley is not a Heat believer. Finally, we talk NFL free agency and Aaron Rodgers to the Jets. Fun stuff!!
In the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, we see her go from a sinner in need of a savior to a believer to an evangelizer. This is our call, too! We reflect this week on how every encounter with Jesus should be a transformative one. We close the first segment giving thanks to God on this 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' election to the Papacy. As you think back on these 10 years, what's your big takeaway from Pope Francis?
In sports, it's time for March Madness, so get your bracket picks in! The World Baseball Classic is in town with some surprising games already and more sure to come. And congrats to our school kids who performed at the Heat game halftime show last Friday!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Cursed are those who trusts in human beings...
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord...
In the Transfiguration, the disciples get a glimpse of God's glory. Every day of our lives, that same glory is revealed to us in small ways and little moments. Can we learn to value those moments of glory? As we continue our Lenten discipline, are we reallybeing challenged? If not, now is the time to adjust our Lenten practices!
In sports, we rant (again!) about clocks in baseball and the Marlins. Stick around to the end for Fr Manny's 2023 "Oscar preview" and his reluctant Oscar predictions and Jorge plays "Is this an actual movie?"
It's a full episode today and we jump right into the temptations of Christ. How many times do we speak to Jesus in the same way the devil speaks to him in the Gospel? "If you are the Son of God, if you are real, do this or do that."
Throughout these upcoming weeks of Lent, put your trust fully in the Lord and in His plans for you.
In sports: Clocks in baseball? Get outta here!!!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
It's Ash Wednesday and we're bringing you a special episode today since we weren't able to record one on Monday due to the President's Day holiday.
The Gospel today focuses on Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving, the three pillars of Lent. Why do we make special sacrifices during Lent? How can we approach Lent as a season of opportunity? Listen in and find out!
Over these next 40 days of Lent, we'll be recording our regular weekly Monday morning podcast but you'll also get special Lenten reflection episodes from Tuesday-Sunday, posted daily at 5am! We pray that you enjoy these reflections and make the most of this holy season as we journey with Christ to Calvary and ultimately to the Joy of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
We grow when we are bothered by Jesus. In this week's Gospel, Jesus delivers some hard-hitting truths. Do those truths make us uncomfortable? Do they make us nervous? Good! Take those stirrings to prayer and ask the Lord what He may be trying to say to you. We grow when we are bothered by Jesus.
In sports, Ashley joins us again to talk Super Bowl Sunday, our favorite commercials, Marlins FanFest and the state of the Heat.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
"Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." MT 5:16
Fr. Manny is on fire this week as we dive into this beautiful but challenging Gospel. Faith is not - and cannot be - a private matter!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This past Saturday, our 130 Confirmation Candidates came together for their day-long Spirit Day Retreat. On this week's episode, we discuss and reflect on some of the themes, talks, and reactions from the retreat and how they connect to this weekend's Gospel reading of the Beatitudes.
To all our faithful listeners, we pass on the same challenge we gave our young Candidates: Boast in the Lord! Share this podcast and post your love for Christ on your social media pages! Be not afraid!
In sports, Fr. Andrew joins in on the fun to break down the NFC and AFC Championship games.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
On the Season 5 premiere, Fr Manny and Jorge share their experiences and observations of the 2023 National March for Life held this past weekend in Washington, DC, including playback of live reactions and interviews recorded during the start of the March.
It's Christmas Week and the last episode of Season 4! Enjoy our Christmas Special as we talk about St. Joseph, being surprised by God, and making space for Christ this Christmas.
In the second segment, we talk some Dolphins and the World Cup (Congratulations, Argentina!) and finish up listing our top Christmas movies, most over-rated Christmas movies, and some of our favorite Christmas songs. Agree? Disagree? What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments.
Merry Christmas!!!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Good News: Christmas is almost here!Bad News: It's still two weeks away...This Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday - is all about rejoicing, but what is it we're rejoicing about? In this week's episode, we reflect on Cardinal Dolan's Sunday Homily where he reminds us that with Good News comes bad news. Rejoicing in the coming of Christ at Christmas necessitates the admission that he is coming to save us from something or that we need saving at all in the first place. Make the most of these last two weeks of Advent to reflect on this profound truth and be sure to make a good Confession before the celebration of Christmas!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Throughout this entire month of December, and this entire season of Advent, everything we do is geared towards a child - Jesus, the Christ child. As we enter into the second week of Advent, are we embracing the challenge of this season to truly allow Jesus to come into our lives and save us? The temptation is always to jump right to Christmas celebrations, but we first need to put in the work!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Advent has begun and the challenge for this season is to find moments of silence and prayer. It is in silence that we find the Lord and it is in silence that the Lord speaks to us. May the silence of this season overwhelm us and help us to better prepare ourselves for the glory of Christmas!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
"You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives. (LK 21:17-19)
This week we focus on the story of Fr. Walter Ciszek and his extraordinary witness to the faith. Do we live our faith in such a way that we risk being persecuted for it? What we need today are bold, courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ! Don't be a wimp!!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
As the calendar flips to November and our Liturgical Year soon draws to a close, our Mass readings begin turning our focus to the End Times. This week, Jesus tells us that God is a God of the living, not of the dead. Is our faith alive? If not, what's the spark that we need to bring it back to life?
In sports, we talk about THAT "game," and Tua saves the weekend!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Happy Halloween! This week's episode has a little bit of everything, from the Catholic origins of Trick of Treating to our favorite candies to this weekend's Gospel. Izzy joins the show as we reflect on our call to holiness, our celebration of All Saints Day, and how Zacchaeus shows us how to seek out - and welcome - the Lord.
Ashley is back for our sports segment and goes on an epic Heat rant!
Enjoy the trick or treating festivities tonight and come to Mass tomorrow! All children are invited to attend the 7:00pm Mass dressed as their favorite saint.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This weekend we celebrated World Mission Sunday and Fr. Manny and Jorge reflect on their missionary experiences to Southern Mexico (Fr. Manny) and the Virginia Migrant Farms (Jorge), particularly in how those experiences brought to life the wisdom of Scripture from this weekend: "The Prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds" and Jesus' parable of the prayers of Pharisee and the Tax Collector. How are you - or how can you be - a missionary disciple?
In sports, we revisit our early-season World Series picks, the Dolphins hang on this weekend, the Hurricanes... oh, the Hurricanes...
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
A powerful encounter with the husband of a future saint serves as the inspiration for this morning's podcast. Enrico Petrillo is the husband of Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo, a young Italian wife and mother who is "a witness to joy in the face of great adversity, the kind which makes love overflow despite the sorrow from loss and death." Listen in to learn about her remarkable story, Enrico's testimony, and their witness to Faith, Hope, and Love.
You can also learn more about Chiara's story at www.ChiaraCorbellaPetrillo.org or get a copy of the book we reference, A Witness to Joy, for your spiritual reading!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
Do we have an attitude of thanksgiving like that one leper who was cleansed and came back to thank Jesus? Do we thank the Lord for the good and the bad? The lepers simply asked Jesus to have pity on them. What would your reaction be if whatever "leprosy" you had suddenly vanished? Also, what happens when God doesn't answer our prayers?
In sports, we begrudgingly recap a miserable sports weekend and give thanks for the Mets finally and officially "Mets-ing!" Things are not as bad as they seem with the Dolphins. We hope...
Please listen and share!
It was a busy weekend at the parish, leading us into a busy week - and month - ahead! The vibrancy of the parish is a small reminder of all the Lord can do with our faith the size of a mustard seed. But our conversation this morning centers on the beautiful plea and prayer of the Apostles, "Lord, increase our faith!" How can we increase our faith? And what can we expect from even the smallest increase in faith, an increase the size of a tiny mustard seed?
In sports, we've got ALL our local teams in action and we go around the room. Online Neuroscience Degrees, dumpster-fire NFL Pick 'Em results, the Tyler Herro extension.... and an EPIC Angry Manny Rant you won't want to miss. Grab some popcorn. Queue the fireworks!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This weekend's Gospel of Lazarus and the Rich Man challenges us in so many ways! Are we defined by our possessions like the rich man? Do we know who the often-nameless, overlooked or ignored "poor" are in our own community - here at the parish, in our local community, or even in our families? In naming Lazarus, Jesus challenges us to get out of our comfort zone and care for the least among us - and that's not just a matter of addressing physical/material needs.
In sports, it's another huge Victory Monday! Ash and Jorge were at the Dolphins game and try to capture and convey some of that intensity and excitement after the big W over Buffalo.
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
This weekend, we celebrated Catechetical Sunday with a special Commissioning of our Parish Catechists and STS school teachers, but our morning conversation shifts our attention to the role of parents and the family as the FIRST and most important catechists for our children. What does it mean to be a catechist? How can we create a culture of prayer and continuing faith formation in our homes and in our family? You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that it's not as hard or as intimidating as that might seem!
In sports, Ashley calls in from Baltimore on this VICTORY MONDAY and share her in-stadium perspective after yesterday's huge Dolphins win. The loss for UM on Saturday was disappointing, but there's still plenty of reason for hope as the 'Canes look ahead!
Don't forget to like, comment on, rate/review, and share the podcast! Have any questions you'd like Fr. Manny and Jorge to tackle? Send them in to podcast@cotlf.org and listen in next Monday to see if we were able to answer it!
On the 21st Anniversary of September 11th, our Sunday Readings place before us the image of a God who is crazy in love with us - a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to find the 1 that has gotten lost; a woman who ransacks her own home to find a missing coin; a Son who dies on the Cross to bring redemption and salvation.
This crazy love isn't too far off from the crazy, heroic, logic-defying love that led - and continues to lead - firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and first responders to run into burning buildings and harms way to save lives.
Listen in as we powerfully reflect on just how crazy in love God is with YOU!
In sports, it was a great football weekend in the 305, a crazy Week 1 in the NFL, and frustration with the Marlins hits a comical boiling point!
A powerful email moves us as we open up this episode reflecting on a quote from Blessed John Paul I. Why is it so difficult to surrender to the Lord? Why is it hard for us to see the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Imperfect as we are, God still uses us. All we have to do is surrender to him.
In sports, COLLEGE FOOTBALL is back with a crazy opening weekend, Ash and Fr Manny preview the NFL season, and Jorge refuses to talk about baseball!
It's an Izzy Monday as she joins us to talk about this weekend's readings which are all about humility. Why is it so hard for us to be humble? Why is humility so essential to the spiritual life and for discerning God's will? Great discussion with Izzy!
In sports, Fr. Andrew Tomonto joins us for a College Football Preview as we discuss the Canes, the future of college football, and how great it is to have football back. We may also spend some time venting about the Yankees and previewing how the last month of the baseball season and postseason will shake out.
So, how many of us will be saved? Jesus tells us to strive to enter through the narrow gate. But how narrow is this gate and what do we to do to get through it? Do we have the spiritual discipline needed to follow Jesus through the narrow entrance to heaven?
We also pray for Nicaragua as they continue to endure religious persecution and the arrest of priests and a bishop.
It's a surprise launch of Season 4 of MMH! We recorded and posted a little later than usual as we're getting ramped up for the start of a new school year, but couldn't pass up on the opportunity to dive deeper into this weekend's Gospel and today's Marian Solemnity of the Assumption. We hope this surprise notification brought you a little joy. Enjoy the episode, share it with family and friends, come to Mass on Sundays, and allow our Blessed Mother to become an intimate part of your family!!
It's our Season 3 finale as we'll be taking a break over the summer! Jorge is back in the studio and we reflect on Jesus promise in the Gospel to send us the Advocate, and the Peace that comes with abiding in the Will of God. We conclude by turning to the Holy Spirit to inspire a new springtime of priestly vocations, especially here at the parish!
In sports, we cover all the bases with the Heat, Panthers, Marlins, Inter Miami, and a look ahead and some clearly unbiased predictions for UM Football this year.
Enjoy the episode. Share it with your friends. Pray to the Holy Spirit. Have a great summer!!
Father Manny is flying solo today and asks the question: "Why is it so difficult for follow Jesus' command to love one another?" So many problems in the world would be resolved if we simply followed our Lord's commandment to love one another as He loved us. Father goes into great detail about violence in Nigeria in the home diocese of one of our priests.
In sports, Ashley joins the pod to talk about the great South Florida sports weekend. Heat and Panthers are moving on (Cats for the first time since 1996!). The NHL doesn't like us. We do a deep, deeeeep dive into the Dolphins just released schedule, and we finish with a great experience we had at the Marlins game last Saturday night. Go Heat! Go Panthers!
Happy Mother's Day! Izzy joins us on the podcast again as we discuss the balancing act that was Mother's Day and Good Shepherd Sunday. We often overlook the fact that Jesus had to have picked up so many of his characteristics - and the stories he tells - from someone, that is, his parents. It's no surprise then that the Good Shepherd is so much like a Tender, Patient and Loving Mother!
In sports, it was an abysmal weekend for our local teams, so you all get Fr Manny and Jorge at their best!
This week, Jesus invites us to rest, recharge, and have breakfast! As we come full-circle in light of the Resurrection, Christ calls us back from the tumult of the sea to the peace and serenity of the shore so that we can bring in our catch, eat, and recover before going back out into the deep. So this week, find your rest, have some breakfast with Jesus, spend time before the Blessed Sacrament... we'll need it before the Lord sends us back out into the deep.
In sports, the Marlins got hot and enjoyed a great week of baseball and we're in for an exciting week with the Heat and the Panthers in the playoffs!
As we concluded the Octave of Easter with the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, there's one simple question to contemplate this week: Do we REALLY trust Jesus? Like "Doubting Thomas," our pride often gets in our way. This Easter, embrace the freedom of genuinely placing our trust in the Lord!
It was a great Sports weekend for Miami (not so much for Atlanta) with the Heat, Panthers, Marlins and Inter Miami all in action and racking up some nice wins.
HAPPY EASTER!!! How excited were we to celebrate Easter? We recorded this week's episode at 11pm on Saturday, immediately after the Easter Vigil!
"We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song!" Jesus Christ is Risen... nothing else matters.
As we celebrate the triumph of the Lord over sin and death, may the Joy of Easter renew us, transform us, and allow us to truly walk in the freedom of the children of God.
As we enter into Holy Week, we reflect on the powerful image of Jesus Christ as the bloodied and bruised fighter in the corner of the ring, staggering to keep his feet and finish what has been started. Staggering our way to the end of our 2022 Lenten journey, let's make this week truly holy, embracing the fullness of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord.
Fr. Manny and Jorge touch briefly on the Triduum and some of their favorite liturgical elements of the week leading up to the stillness and silence of Holy Saturday.
Jesus' encounter with the woman caught in adultery highlights, once again, the limitless mercy of God for each of us. Why is it that we still don't trust in that mercy as much as we should? Jesus comes to "make all things new," and that is what he does for this woman, and for each of us, every time we receive absolution and the forgiveness of our sins. May these closing days of Lent led us back into that confessional!
In sports, we're talking NCAA Tournament Final Four, Florida Panthers in the playoffs, the Carmelites as the Miami Heat's lucky charm, Marlins Opening Day this week, and the World Cup draw!
This week we're talking the Parable of the Prodigal Son and there's so much ground to cover! You can never read or listen to this parable the same way twice... from the scheming of the prodigal son to the limitless mercy of the father to the judgement of the brother, each of the characters in the story is relatable to us depending on where we find ourselves in our spiritual journey. As we enter into these final weeks of Lent and approach our celebration of Easter this year, we invite you to prayerfully reflect on this parable and remember that the church is always home!
In our second segment, "WHAT WAS THAT?!?" A hat tip to UM Hoops on their run to the Elite Eight, the USMNT all but locks in a qualification to the World Cup, baseball's Opening Day is just around the corner, CODA's big win at the Oscars and, "DID THAT JUST HAPPEN???"
A Special Episode of MMH on the Solemnity of the Annunciation as Izzy joins Father Manny to talk about Mary's yes and how by following Our Lady's example we can accomplish the impossible. Powerful testimony from Izzy here.
In sports, Ashley joins Father Manny in breaking down the Dolphins blockbuster trade for Tyreek Hill this week.
And in a special segment, Father is joined by the principal of St. John Catholic School, Mrs. Bianca Acosta, to preview this Sunday's Academy Awards. We talk about the films we enjoyed over the last year and who should be taking home Oscars.
Long episode to get you through the weekend. Enjoy!
This week's podcast focuses in on repentance and the sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession. God is extraordinarily patient, but are we sometimes too presumptuous of his mercy? Listen in as we discuss the delicate balance between trusting in God's mercy and being truly repentant, which includes firmly resolving to "sin no more."
In sports, the 'Canes dance on into the Sweet 16 while brackets continue to get busted, the Marlins finally make a splash in free agency, and the US Men's Soccer Team looks ahead to World Cup Qualifying.
Our reflection this week focuses on Sunday's 2nd Reading from St. Paul to the Philippians: What does it mean to conduct oneself as an enemy of the cross of Christ? Is our citizenship really in heaven or are we occupied with earthly things? The evil one is constantly trying to derail us. As we continue journeying through Lent, the Transfiguration of Christ not only shows the disciples what is to come after the Passion, but also shows us what our reality should be and what we should aspire to.
In sports: BASEBALL IS BAAAACK and the hot stove is boiling! We also preview March Madness.
In this first week of Lent, we're challenged to take advantage of the opportunity this Lenten season provides us to put our faith back at the center of our lives. The conversation dives deep into the lures and temptations of Satan, the "master of lies," that we're all faced with. As we go through this holy season, let's make a conscience effort to make our plans with God in the middle.
In sports, we quickly catch up on our local teams and then turn our attention to college hoops, with both the UM Men's and Women's team making some noise as March Madness approaches.
Fr. Manny shares a special reflection for Ash Wednesday 2022. Repent and believe in the Gospel! Have a blessed Ash Wednesday and a fruitful Lenten season.
This week we finish reflecting on Jesus' challenging Sermon on the Plain and look ahead to the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.
Do we allow ourselves to be led astray by false prophets or do we hold strong in following Jesus Christ? Lent is a beautiful season of opportunity to refocus and live as the disciples that Christ calls us to be. We invite you to make the most of that opportunity this year!
In our second segment, there's still no baseball and the world of sports is pretty quiet, but we finish the episode with a special prayer for peace for Ukraine, Eastern Europe and the world.
Jesus throws down the gauntlet in this weekend's Gospel, challenging us to "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (LK, 6:27-28)
What does it really mean to love your enemies? We don't hold back in this week's discussion and cover plenty of ground trying to answer that question. Enjoy!
In the second segment, we touch lightly on sports as the episode was pre-recorded on Friday (with Fr. Manny calling in from Colombia!), but we have some fun with the newest rage: Wordle!
It's the Super Bowl episode, so you know we're working plenty of sports into the conversation this week! In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes, our playbook for eternal life. Are we willing to follow His gameplan to get into the endzone? More often than not, we find ourselves getting penalized for trying to do things our own way, and that goal gets further away and harder to make.
In sports, it's all about the big game... and the joys of hosting a watch party for it!
When the Lord commands us to "put out into the deep," we listen! This week's reflection took us WAY into the deep and gives our listeners plenty to think and pray about for the week ahead. You'll just have to listen in to discover more!
In sports, we talk about the Dolphins' new head coach and Ashley gives NASCAR some love. Enjoy!
WE ARE BACK!! We kick off Season 3 with a loaded episode talking about St. John Bosco, St. Paul's beautiful excerpt from the letter to the Corinthians on LOVE, and our youth and young people.
In sports, the Super Bowl is set, our hometown teams are rolling and baseball is still locked out. We talked about almost everything... except for the 24 hours of Daytona!
It's Christmas Week! And it's an Izzy Monday! On our Season 2 finale, we look forward to Christmas 2021 reflecting on Mary and her smallness, her confident joy, and the "spring in her step" as she journeys through her own Advent.
Stick around after the sports segment for Fr. Manny's Christmas reflection which brings our podcast to a close. We'll be back soon!
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!"
Are we joy-filled Christians? What does it mean to be authentically joyful? As we hit the home stretch of Advent, with Christmas just on the horizon, Gaudete Sunday brings into focus the lasting joy of the Lord. Despite all the trials and hardships of life, we are called to be joyful at all times. Listen to discover why.
A quiet sports week means our segment won't be outdated within a few minutes of posting! We give the Dolphins some love and Fr. Manny breaks down his 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Controversy, homerism, and nostalgia ahead...
Production Note: next week's Episode 32 will bring Season 2 to a close as we take a break for Christmas and New Year's.
This weekend's readings are all about desires and expectations and it's only fitting that we take a moment to reflect on what we NEED versus what we WANT. This applies just as much to our spiritual life as it does to our material wants and needs. As we continue our Advent journey to Christmas, may we learn to more fully abandon ourselves to the Will of God, who always knows best what we want and what we need!
A beautifully busy Parish Fair weekend meant we didn't see much in the way of sports, but we share some thoughts on the madhouse that has become the Hurricanes AD/HC search and the College Football Playoff.
Happy Advent! We begin the new liturgical year with a reflection on what this Advent season should be all about: quietly preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ. While the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is in full-swing all around us, Advent invites us to slow down, be still, and vigilantly prepare in order to make the most of our Christmas celebrations.
In sports, Fr. Manny and Ashley bask in the glory of another Dolphins Victory Monday and College Football chaos continues heading into Conference Championship weekend.
This past weekend's celebration of Christ the King challenges us to allow Jesus Christ to reign as "King of our Hearts." On this Thanksgiving Week episode, we keep it simple as we reflect on living with a constant attitude of gratitude and Fr. Manny shares a little about his annual list of 100 Thanks.
In sports, we celebrate the continuing rise of "Tyler Van Dimes," bask in the always-joyous Dolphins win over the Jets, and tap into the rumor mill around the 'Canes AD Search.
It's an Izzy Monday! In today's episode, Izzy has questions about Sunday's apocalyptic gospel and Father Manny has answers. Why does Jesus paint such a chaotic picture of the end of the world? (Speaking of the end of the world, Father Manny goes off on a major tangent on the artistic genius of Taylor Swift without being prompted by Izzy.) Somehow we tie a bow on everything by asking St. Michael to defend us the spiritual battle that Christians are faced with every day in a secular world.
In sports, Ashley and Father Manny break down the Dolphins big win over the Ravens last Thursday night. We barely speak about UM-FSU because...4th and 14!
When all we have to offer is seemingly nothing, that's when God does his most incredible work!
As we celebrate National Vocations Awareness Week, we reflect on our own vocations, the challenges of fostering a vocations mentality among our youth, and the importance of turning to the Lord with our nothingness and letting Him take care of the rest. On a related note, our long-anticipated announcement of Perpetual Adoration got bumped up a month and the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel is now accessible 24-7!
In sports, it was a glorious Miami weekend as the Dolphins finally picked up another W, joining the rest of our major local sports teams for a perfect, undefeated weekend! Fr Manny and Ashley, as you might imagine, were just a little bit excited.
Happy All Saints Day! On today's episode, we discuss just how EASY it is to be a saint... really!!
These three days of All Hallow's Eve, All Saints Day and All Souls Day show us what the Communion of Saints is all about and how each of us is called to, and can easily live out, lives of holiness.
In sports, the 'Canes have a QB! And thank God for the Panthers and Heat... nothing else to discuss... really!
"Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure." - Saint John Paul II
On today's episode, we reflect on the incredible life and witness of St. John Paul II, World Mission Sunday, how we can each fulfill our Baptismal call to be a missionary, and the wonderful adventure that life with Jesus really is.
In sports, the 'Canes finally win (!), the Dolphins continue to disappoint(!!), the Heat is back in action, the Panthers are on fire, and the World Series is getting started! It's a (mostly) fun time to be a fan.
The XVI Ordinary General Synod is now underway throughout the Catholic Church around the world so this week's episode breaks down what a synod is and what we can come to expect from it over the course of these next two years. The Emmaus disciples' encounter with the Risen Christ provides us with a beautiful model for synodality and this journey ahead.
In sports.... uggghh! But hey, the Heat start this week and the Panthers are off to a great start!
En este episodio especial del Podcast, les presentamos la homilía del Padre Rogelio Puerta, párroco del Santuario de la Caridad del Cobre en Cuba
What must we do to inherit eternal life? What is it that is holding us back from inheriting eternal life? Can we dispossess ourselves of the things that possess us? A visiting Cuban priest lays down some hard truth about not living a mediocre, lukewarm faith.
In sports, Fr Manny picks his World Series champion and you’ll need to hear him say it himself, because if we put it here, you wouldn’t believe it!
Happy 95th Anniversary! As we celebrate our parish's 95th, we're thrilled to welcome Sr. Rosalie, OCD into the studio to talk about the genius of her "big sister," St. Therese, and her "Little Way." Plus a musical surprise from the children of our school.
In sports, we continue to talk about the lowly as we get into the Dolphins and look ahead to Postseason Baseball and the Marlins offseason needs.
In this week's episode, we discuss the incredible question/answer session Fr. Manny had with our Parish Religious Ed teenagers, the creeping envy that's sadly far too common, and we throw down the challenge to "ruthlessly cut out from our lives the things that keep us from becoming who God wants us to be..."
In sports, we welcome our newest staff member - and another Dolphins super-fan - Ashley Sacks to help break down the Fins game. The 'Canes kids look good and we somehow manage to squeeze in a little pre-season Hockey!
It's another #IzzyMonday as we celebrate Catechetical Sunday, explore the beautiful depths of the Ministry of Catechists, and youth as the "here and now of God."
In sports, this weekend never happened...
It's easy to talk the talk, but are we walking the walk? We dive into the Letter of James and the heroic virtue of putting our faith into action.
In sports, the Dolphins WIN! The Canes WIN (barely)! Football is BACK!!!!
We have ears, but can we listen? The healing of the deaf man may just come across as another of Jesus' healing miracles, but it has more to do with us than we think! Ephphata! Be opened!
In this week's sports segment, we revisit opening weekend of the College Football season, talk - and quickly forget about! - UM vs Alabama, look ahead to the Dolphins opener this coming weekend, and even squeeze in a little World Cup Qualifying Soccer.
It's an Izzy Monday! Izzy returns for her first episode of season 2 as she joins Father Manny to discuss what hypocrisy truly means when it comes to our faith. Do our actions as Christians actually reflect what we profess in Church or are we just giving the Lord lip service?
In sports, CJ Cristobal returns to break down the current state of the Dolphins as we look forward to the regular season, and we go into the resurgence of Inter Miami.
This episode was recorded and edited (poorly) by Father Manny, so please excuse the volume fluctuations. Jorge returns next week!
"In the end, there are but two possible options: God or radical absurdity." Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, OP
This week, we highlight the COTLF Haiti Relief Drive and its direct connection to this week's Gospel. To whom shall we go, Lord? Special thanks to all those who donated this weekend and to all those who volunteered to help receive donations and load up the truck!
Is Heaven REALLY our goal? In the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Monday's providential Gospel on the Rich Young Man, we see the roadmap to paradise. Learn more as we dive in on this week's episode of Monday Morning Homilist!
The Dolphins are back on the gridiron and we got to witness pure magic in Iowa for the Field of Dreams Game! Needless to say, we had some fun in this week's sports segment.
"All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ."
Tune in as we discuss being a united parish community, keyboard warriors, and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein).
In our sports segment, we recap our favorite Olympic moments and honor Coach Bobby Bowden.
Enjoy! Be sure to rate, subscribe, review, and SHARE! God bless you all.
We're back for Season 2 and start things off with the Bread of Life Discourse and Bishop Barron's incredible homily on Seeking Happiness. Where are we looking for it and where will we find it?
Stick around through Part II as we cover plenty of ground on our favorite Olympics moments, the Marlins trade deadline, and FOOTBALL IS COMING!
Season 1 of MMH ends with easily the most powerful podcast we've recorded, as we get into the life-changing power of fatherhood. We'll just leave it at that in the description...
Be sure to rate, subscribe, review and share these first 10 episodes of MMH and we look forward to returning for Season 2 of the podcast in early August!
What do some of the most epic characters in Salvation History share in common? Smallness! We welcome Izzy back to the podcast as we talk Mustard Seeds, Bible Characters, Meekness and Humility.
And for our baseball fans: name the top 10 all-time greatest Marlins. Fr Manny and Jorge take a swing at it.
It's Corpus Christi so this episode is all about what makes us uniquely Catholic - the Eucharist, "the Medicine of Immortality!"
We ran a little longer than usual, but we promise you some great content, lively conversation, and a few surprises in the mix, as well!
Fr. Manny flies solo to break down Trinity Sunday, Romans 8, and to dive into the great mystery of the Holy Trinity over this Memorial Day weekend.
Jorge rejoins the show for Part II on a week to forget in South Florida sports.
Happy Pentecost! This week we go deep into the Holy Father's Pentecost Sunday Homily, talking about the Holy Spirit as our Great Comforter. "If you feel the darkness of solitude, if you feel that an obstacle within you blocks the way to hope, if your heart has a festering wound, if you can see no way out, then open your heart to the Holy Spirit!"
A grace-filled Ascension weekend at the parish means another jam-packed episode here on MMH! This week, we're talking Ephesians 4, living life in a manner worthy of our call, being open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, and a special word of appreciation for our catechists! Playoff Hockey is under way and Fr. Manny goes on the record with his Dolphins schedule picks. Have any comments, questions, or feedback? We'd love to hear from you. Comment below or send us a message at podcast@cotlf.org
Happy Mother's Day! This week, we welcome special guest contributor Izzy Rennella to the podcast as we talk Mother's Day and the beautiful sacrificial love of a mother. And then CJ Cristobal joins us to talk Panthers Hockey ahead of the NHL Playoffs and some Inter Miami soccer.
Week V of Easter - Fr Manny and Jorge talk about staying connected to Jesus Christ, the True Vine, being physically present to receive the Eucharist, and bearing good fruit in our lives as Catholics. Listen through to the end as we get Fr. Manny's reaction to the Dolphins' draft picks!
Special thanks to The Call for our Podcast music/theme song and graphics!
Get to know your hosts! This week, Fr. Manny and Jorge discuss the Good Shepherd, Vocations, get into their own stories of vocational discernment and take a look ahead to Thursday's NFL Draft. Who do the Dolphins pick at #6??? Special thanks to “The Call” for our awesome new intro music! You can hear them sing every Sunday at our 5:30pm Youth Mass.
Third Week of Easter - Fr Manny and Jorge discuss authentic discipleship, the joy of encountering Jesus Christ and how that translates to the active participation of the faithful in both liturgy and life.
Enjoy our preview episode as we explain what this podcast will be all about. Be on the lookout for our first official episode coming soon!