St. Anthony's Tongue

In this episode, I talk about the mystic poets who didn’t just shape my theology—they taught me how to pray. Not the greatest-hits version of Catholic mysticism, but the voices that formed my interior life through poetry, longing, and encounter. We explore why poetry has always been the native language of mysticism, how prayer is shaped more by desire than by technique, and why some of the most transformative saints are remembered for their theology while their poetry is quietly forgotten. Along the way, I reflect on John of the Cross, Jacopone da Todi, Mechthild of Magdeburg, and St. Columba—mystics who wrote about God not as an idea, but as fire, wound, pursuit, exile, and love. This isn’t a how-to on prayer or a list of spiritual habits, rather it's an invitation into a deeper, more contemplative Catholic spirituality, where longing becomes language and love becomes the teacher. For three additional mystics, check out the bonus video on Patreon! patreon.com/anthonystongue

OOPS! This originally only included the final 30 minutes. Here is the full 1hr 45 min version. Yikes. To submit Qs for future Q&As (and get early access and other perks) consider joining our patreon here: www.patreon.com/anthonystongue In this episode, I sit down and respond to a wide range of questions from you all, touching on prayer, confession, Christian mysticism, saints, suffering, hope, conversion, symbolism, and what it actually looks like to live a contemplative life in the middle of ordinary, busy days.Some of these questions are deeply theological. Some are personal. Some are tender and unresolved. All of them are honest.

To submit Qs for future Q&As (and get early access and other perks) consider joining our patreon here: www.patreon.com/anthonystongue In this episode, I sit down and respond to a wide range of questions from you all, touching on prayer, confession, mysticism, saints, suffering, hope, conversion, symbolism, and what it actually looks like to live a contemplative life in the middle of ordinary, busy days.Some of these questions are deeply theological.Some are personal.Some are tender and unresolved.All of them are honest.We talk about things like:Whether God can forgive sins outside the sacrament of confessionHow to discern God’s will in painful, long-held prayersLay mystics and contemplation in ordinary lifeAnointing with oil, candles, and embodied spiritualityLetting go of past spiritual frameworks after conversionSaints, books, music, and the works that shaped me this yearAnd much moreThis is not meant to be consumed all at once.Feel free to pause, skip around, or come back later.Grab a drink. Sit with it. Let it unfold.Thank you for being here, and for trusting me with such thoughtful questions. I’m really grateful for this community.In Him, W.

What does the Nativity reveal about masculinity?In this video, we reflect on St. Joseph and the quiet, contemplative masculinity revealed at the birth of Christ. Against modern ideas of power, dominance, and performance, the Nativity offers something radically different. Strength expressed through tenderness. Authority shown through obedience. Holiness revealed through proximity to a vulnerable God.St. Joseph never speaks in Scripture, yet he stands at the very center of the mystery of the Incarnation. He guards the Child. He listens in the night. He acts without spectacle. In doing so, he shows us a masculinity shaped not by control, but by intimacy with God.This reflection explores the masculine mysticism of Advent and the Nativity, the fear of tenderness in modern Catholic masculinity, and the deeper strength found in silence, vigilance, and mutual gaze with God. We also consider Joseph as an image of the bridal posture of the soul, showing how availability to God can take shape in a man’s life.

In this week’s Gospel reflection we sit with John the Baptist in the darkness of uncertainty and listen to Jesus’ strange response: look again. Instead of offering clarity, Christ invites us to see Him in the quiet places where healing and mercy are already breaking in.And we explore the line that holds the whole passage together: Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.Advent asks whether we can love a God who arrives differently than we expect.