Advertise on podcast: Heart to Heart: Fr. Jim Willig - Gospel Teachings

"Many are invited, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14 In this Gospel parable, some who are invited to the feast reject the king's invitation and some who accept are deemed unworthy, but among them are a few who make the cut. Which group do you fall in? Listen to Fr. Jim's teaching and learn how to be among the chosen at God's Heavenly feast. A gospel teaching by Fr. Jim Willig for Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 11, 2026 — Matthew 22:1-14. Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

In the Gospel from Matthew 21:33-43, Jesus tells the parable of the wicked tenants who kill all of the servants and the son of the vineyard owner, hoping to steal his inheritance. In his Gospel Study, Fr. Jim reminds us of the need to respect life as life; as the gift from God it truly is. Matthew 21,33-43 Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times." Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit." A gospel teaching by Fr. Jim Willig for Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 04, 2026 — Matthew 21:33-43. Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

In this Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of two sons. One who disobeys his father, but then repents and one who says he will obey but doesn’t. Fr. Jim teaches us that faith is an active verb. Jesus is essentially asking, “Do you mean what you say? If so, change your life. Follow me.” The teaching concludes with the song Give Myself to Mercy by Michael Poirier: www.prayerbreaks.org. Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir, ‘but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.” The Gospel of the Lord. A gospel teaching by Fr. Jim Willig for Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 27, 2026 — Matthew 21:28-32. Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

This Gospel Study is from Matthew 20:1-16. Jesus tells the parable of the landowner who hires workers for his vineyard throughout the day, but when the time comes to pay them an argument ensues. Those hired in the morning resented being paid the same as those hired later in the day. The landowner reminds them that they agreed to work for the wage he paid them and he can pay the others what he wishes. Matthew 20:1-16a Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, the landowner found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” The Gospel of the Lord. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Lectionary for Mass: For Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America (vol. I–IV, Second Typical Edition.; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1998–2002). A gospel teaching by Fr. Jim Willig for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 20, 2026 — Matthew 20:1-16. Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

This Gospel Study is from Matthew 18: 21 – 35. It addresses the time Peter asked Jesus, “How many times are we called to forgive another?” Jesus surprised Peter and the disciples when he said to forgive 70 times 7 times. Jesus uses the parable of the master who forgave the full debt of one of his servants after showing compassion to his plea. Then this same servant held a friend in contempt for a much smaller debt owed to him. When the master learned of this, he became angry and turned the debtor over to the ones whom he tortured until his entire debt was paid. A gospel teaching by Fr. Jim Willig for Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 13, 2026 — Matthew 18:21-35. Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Pentecost. The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles to enliven them and send them out to proclaim Christ crucified and raised. Pray today to receive that same spirit and spread the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus. from John 20:19-23 ...Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Read the full scripture: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/pentecost-sunday-mass-during-day Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Fr. Jim reflects on Jesus’ priestly prayer in John’s Gospel, revealing how Jesus prayed with deep intimacy to the Father and great love for His disciples. He reminds us that true prayer is not rote words, but a heartfelt relationship with God and loving concern for those entrusted to our care. John 17:1-11a When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you." Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

John 14:15-21 Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Fr. Jim wants us to notice the importance of the opening line in today's Gospel passage. "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Or put another way Jesus says, "Do not be afraid" that I will be leaving because I will return to you. Excerpt from John 14:1-12 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Read the full Gospel passage: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050326.cfm Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

A Gospel Study on Doubting Thomas by Fr. Jim Willig that combines stories of doubt with stories of love and hope. from John 20:19-31 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” ... Read the full scripture: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041226.cfm Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

His friends believe him dead. Jesus challenges their faith and performs one of His greatest miracles in raising Lazarus from the dead. John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33B-45 The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." When Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, +Let us go back to Judea." When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world." He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?" So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go." Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. The Gospel of the Lord Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

from Matthew 17:-1-9 Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." ... Read the full scripture: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030126.cfm Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Jesus came to fulfill the Law. Listen as Fr. Jim teaches what that really means. from Matthew 5:17-37 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ... Read the full scripture passage: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021526.cfm Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

from Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. Read the full scripture passage: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020826.cfm Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

from Matthew 5:1-12a When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.  He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. ... Read the full scripture: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020126.cfm Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry Evangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples. -- Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribe Support Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate