St. Anthony's Tongue

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 love.But they often speak with different mystical accents.Eastern Orthodoxy often foregrounds theosis, watchfulness, hesychasm, the Jesus Prayer, icons, Tabor, and the healing of the eye of the heart to behold divine light. Roman Catholic mysticism often foregrounds Eucharistic union, bridal mysticism, the Sacred Heart, the wounds of Christ, the dark night, contemplation, and the heart being wounded open by love.This is not about choosing East or West. It is about recovering the mystical depth already present in the Catholic tradition.Catholic mysticism is not missing.It is Eucharistic.It is bridal.It is wounded.It is contemplative.It is incarnational.And it is still burning.

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 abandon them. He promises the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will dwell within them.In this episode, we reflect on love, obedience, spiritual dryness, the ache of feeling abandoned, the indwelling of God, and the promise that Christ still comes to us, even when He feels hidden.For everyone who has ever prayed through silence, dryness, fear, or the feeling that God is far away: you are not orphaned. He comes.

Check out The Margins: ⁠stanthonystongue.com/margins⁠St. 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 reach people who would not hear him preach, his gentle but courageous evangelization, and his deeply accessible approach to Catholic mysticism.Francis de Sales reminds us that gentleness is not weakness. Holiness is not only for monks, nuns, or spiritual elites. And maybe one of the most punk rock things a Catholic can do today is refuse to become cruel.We also talk briefly about my Catholic zine, The Margins: A Catholic Paper, and the first issue on Lazarus.In this episode:Who was St. Francis de Sales?Why is St. Francis de Sales the patron saint of writers and journalists?What does Catholic “punk rock” mean?How did Francis de Sales make mysticism accessible?Why gentleness can be a radical actCatholic media, rage farming, and refusing cruelty

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 the indwelling of God, the Holy Spirit within the soul, and why prayer is not about summoning a distant God.This episode is especially for anyone struggling with scrupulosity, spiritual anxiety, dryness in prayer, or the fear that God is far away. Catholic mysticism does not teach that we are God, nor is it New Age spirituality or Gnosticism. It teaches something far more beautiful: by grace, the living God makes His home within us.We’ll look at the temple language of Saint Paul, the promise of Christ in John 14, the indwelling Trinity, sanctifying grace, contemplative prayer, and the witness of saints and mystics like St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, and St. Augustine.God is not far away. You do not have to summon Him. By grace, He is already nearer than you think.

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 distractions.In your actual life.We’ll walk through Scripture, the lives of the saints, and a simple, practical way to begin living this out today.This isn’t advanced spirituality.This is the life you’ve been invited into all along.

In this episode of Mass Prep for the Mystic Heart, we reflect on John 10:1–10 and the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. What does it mean to recognize His voice? How do we know we are truly being led by Christ and not by noise, fear, or confusion?Jesus tells us that His sheep hear His voice, that He calls them by name, and that He came so that we might have life in abundance. This Gospel invites us into a deeply personal relationship with God—not one rooted in anxiety or performance, but in recognition, intimacy, and trust.

In this episode, I explore why Catholicism might need something unexpected—a punk rock movement.Not rebellion. Not anarchy. But a return to something real.We’re living in a time where the faith can feel overly polished, commercialized, and repetitive. Catholic content is everywhere, podcasts, reels, conferences, products, but somewhere along the way, something deeper can get lost. The fire. The encounter. The transformation.So what does “punk” mean in this context?It means authenticity. It means speaking from experience, not just repeating talking points. It means refusing to conform to a curated aesthetic of what a “good Catholic” looks like online. It means being willing to say something when it costs you something.In the 1970s, punk rock emerged as a response to music that had become too commercial, too polished, too disconnected from real life. And in many ways, we’re seeing a similar pattern today in Catholic culture.This episode isn’t about tearing anything down. It’s about calling us back—to something honest, lived, and deeply rooted in encounter with Christ.

In this Mass Prep for Luke 24:13–35, we walk the Road to Emmaus and ask a powerful question: why didn’t the disciples recognize Jesus?From Mary Magdalene hearing her name to the breaking of the bread, this Gospel reveals where we actually encounter Christ today—in personal prayer, in the Eucharist, and even in the quiet moments where our hearts begin to burn.If God feels distant or hidden, this reflection will help you see how He may already be closer than you think.

Support My Work via Patreon at www.patreon.com/anthonystongue In this episode, we explore the side wound of Jesus Christ—one of the most overlooked but deeply meaningful wounds in Scripture and Catholic tradition. From John 19 to the mystics, the side wound reveals the open heart of God, the birth of the Church, and the place where we encounter Christ in our own wounds.What does it mean to “enter the wound”? How do figures like Thomas, Peter, and Mary Magdalene show us that transformation happens when we bring our doubt, failure, and grief to Jesus? And how does this lead us back out into the world, changed?This reflection dives into the mystical meaning of the side wound, contemplative prayer, and the rhythm of the Christian life: come close, stay, and go out.

In this Mass Prep for the Second Sunday of Easter, we reflect on John 20:19-31 and the story of Doubting Thomas. Jesus meets His disciples in their fear, shows them His wounds, and invites Thomas to come close and believe. This Gospel reminds us that God is not afraid of our doubt. He meets us in it. The wounds of Christ are not erased in the Resurrection but revealed as places of encounter, mercy, and deeper faith.