Deacon Speakin'
161 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago -10-minute messages of positive and uplifting messages along with some homilies from Deacon Tom Scarlett, a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
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Episodes
The Patience of Job
February 05, 2024 00:04 - 10 minutes - 9.67 MBSeason 6 Epiosode 160 All around us is suffering and pain; we feel it – we see it – we experience it. But we should not allow ourselves to be made blind by it when all around us is also caring, and hope, and faith, and love…and God. God will never abandon you in all the suffering and pain – He will lift you. He will bolster you, He will call out to you, and He will shine a light in the darkness. Do not be made blind to what God gives you by the problems of pain.
The Conversation
January 15, 2024 02:15 - 8 minutes - 7.84 MBSeason 6 Episode 159 - The Conversation It all really is a conversation with God that he started with us at the moment life began for us. I say it all the time, “You will find God exactly where you look for him.” That is why it is so important to ask yourself daily in all situations: the good and the bad – where am I finding God in this? That really does provide the same answer as “Here I am,” when you start your daily search for Him.
Christmas Okra
December 18, 2023 14:15 - 8 minutes - 7.95 MBTo my mother’s disappointment, I never had a taste for okra. She was born and raised in the south and her family loved it, fried okra, okra gumbo, stewed okra; it seems that it was a staple for them. So when mom married a fella from southern Indiana and moved here with him to raise a family I'm sure she looked forward to many meals around the Scarlett table with okra as a part of it. My grandmother’s maiden name was Carrencegie and I’ve been told that I did not get the Carrencegie okra gen...
Thanksgiving - Feeding the People
November 17, 2023 21:19 - 9 minutes - 10.2 MBPodcast #157 All of us cook, I think, in part to feed our daily hunger, but just as important and perhaps more so, we cook and eat to feed our spirits, to keep us all in the same orbit of life. As the generations turn, as our family expands, the table and its simple pleasures – never just the food- but the food and the talk, the food and the laughter, the tears, the jokes, the memories, the hopes – still hold us in place, well anchored in a safe harbor. There may very well be another depre...
Gone Fishin'
June 21, 2023 14:23 - 8 minutes - 8.52 MBPodcast #156 “People who don’t fish think that fishing is lazy or boring, but it is the complete opposite. There are 100 little decisions to be made; variables to be considered and you’re never quite sure what made the difference. Did I cast too high, too far to the left? Did I reel it in too slow or too fast? Is the lure too shiny or too dull? Should I stay here, or should I go over there? And you know it’s not luck, but you do not know by how much."
Moms Love - No Charge
June 12, 2023 19:29 - 9 minutes - 8.89 MB...I sat there witnessing a moment in time, a moment that looked much differently a year ago when my mother-in-laws health was very different. She celebrated this Mother’s Day meal with us in this wonderful place due to the heaviness of this life and we celebrated with her due to the promise of this life to love – always.
Disagreeing Badly
April 23, 2023 23:11 - 9 minutes - 8.36 MBThroughout all of history, we really do have a terrible track record of disagreeing. Some might think that we could eliminate that by simply all agreeing together on everything that comes about, but that would be an rather dull and honestly an unsuccessful civilization. Disagreement is really a good thing – no scratch that – disagreement is a great thing! Disagreement fosters conversation and encourages growth. It breeds revelation and more than anything, if done rationally, can strengthen...
The Sheep Next Door
April 03, 2023 01:00 - 8 minutes - 8.31 MBWhen someone is not present to keep the sheep in check, to repair the fences, and tend the flock, and the sheep are left to their own accord, they will move beyond the safety and familiarity of the fenced-in pastures and sometimes encounter danger; or find themselves separated from the herd; or even perish as a product of their own innocent wanderings.
The Elephant and the Stake
March 19, 2023 17:33 - 9 minutes - 8.26 MBEpisode #152 The elephant at the circus has a chain around one of its legs that is attached to a stake in the ground next to it. I don’t know if this has ever crossed your mind when you’ve seen something like this, but why doesn’t this mighty elephant who we know can crush cars and uproot trees pull the stake from the ground and move about freely. Does that make any sense that one of the strongest and most majestic creatures on the planet can be held by a single chain and a tiny stake? L...
Open the Door
March 12, 2023 17:20 - 8 minutes - 7.67 MBIt is so easy to do – to get caught up in the things of this world. It happens to all of us; we all do it. We are all perfectly imperfect in our pursuit of God and our attempts to live our life for Him, but He knows that. He knows that we will stumble and fall and He knows more than anything that we will always find a way to muck it up.
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
February 26, 2023 20:30 - 8 minutes - 8.05 MBEpisode 150! Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? I have seen those who fold in these experiences, and I see others who lean into them, not alone, but strengthened in their resolve to recognize Christ in all occasions – the ordinary and the extraordinary. I have seen it before in my lifetime when it appears that someone or some folks are dealt more than they can handle, and it breaks our hearts for our Christian brethren.
The Rules of Guitar
February 21, 2023 00:38 - 9 minutes - 9.06 MBThese rules - these basics, were necessary. I could hold a guitar at nine years old and make a lot of noise on it, but I didn’t hold it the right way and the noise was certainly not music. There were some necessary things to learn. An instrument can be intimidating if you’ve only watched someone play it and never tried it yourself, and it can be especially intimidating if you tried it and like all of us the first time picking something up, the noise you make is awful. It is part of the pro...
The Cardinal in the Rafters
February 05, 2023 18:26 - 9 minutes - 8.84 MBThe overhead door to the garage was up early in the afternoon and for some reason, it had never happened before, but a cardinal flew in the open door and up into the rafters where she was trapped. Not trapped like one might expect by being stuck or caught up in something, but trapped in the broad open spaces of the rafters where she flew around in a panic trying to find her way out...
Who Is Calling?
January 27, 2023 22:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBDiscernment is not a simple question resolved with a simple answer. Many times the answer comes in the journey that you are on with God walking with you. That control we keep for ourselves; it was never yours – it always has belonged to God, but He offers it to you through your free will. Your discernment, your “calling to consider, brothers and sisters,” starts now.
Lessons from Yellowstone
January 23, 2023 03:02 - 8 minutes - 8.09 MBCowboy logic is mostly pretty solid logic. It is simple and to the point. It is easy to understand and difficult to argue. It is "the basics" and something we can all stand to get back to. Simple and basic can sometimes open the door to new opportunities and many worthwhile contributions. We all have so very much to offer, and our contributions can be great. Weigh your options and consider who might be looking at you as a role model. You really never know who might hang on your every word....
Say Something!
January 16, 2023 00:33 - 9 minutes - 8.79 MBJesus is the only bridge between us and our eternal happiness, He’s the only way to know what it means to fully be human, He’s the only way to know how much we are loved by God, and how to live fully in love. If you know all this, how can you keep it to yourself?
Remember the Fire
January 06, 2023 19:00 - 9 minutes - 8.99 MBPodcast #144 We are created as fine steel, suitable to a sword of combat, but not until we are tempered and tried and not until we are heated in the fire – the trials and tribulations of this life that strengthen us. Do not fear the fire that strengthens you.
Come and See
July 28, 2022 18:05 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBNo matter who you are, you will be challenged in and about your faith at some point in your life. Sometimes many times. Sometimes constantly. How do you and how will you respond when your faith is challenged?
The Facts of Life
May 16, 2022 15:31 - 10 minutes - 10.2 MBLove can do all things: it can strengthen and inspire, and break hearts and ease pain, it can heal wounds and it can lead the Son of Man to a cross to willingly die for we sinners of this world and ultimately defeat death itself. All for love.
The Palm Sunday Donkey
April 11, 2022 17:49 - 10 minutes - 9.65 MBThe colt; the never-saddled donkey that was tied and waiting was worthy. It was worthy because Jesus said so. He requested it. He sent for it. And it fulfilled a mighty purpose.
Give It Away!
April 11, 2022 15:29 - 10 minutes - 9.47 MBTo keep God’s love is like heading out on a trip in a new car. It’s shiny, comfortable, and is desirable; but, if you sit in the drivers seat without starting the car it will go nowhere. Your journey, your adventure to receive more and more of God’s love is not to keep it, but to give it away…every last bit that you can – give it away. It’s then that you will find that there is only more waiting for you and spilling into your lap…give that away too.
Its a Wonderful Life - Reflection - December 01 2019 - Repost 2021mp3
December 07, 2021 13:19 - 7 minutes - 6.72 MB000002A0 000002A3 00001B4B 00001BB3 0004C397 0004C397 00007EA4 00007CCF 000350AC 000350AC
These Are The Times That Try Men's Souls
November 21, 2021 15:58 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBScripture is such that you can wade in it or you can swim in it. You can read the words and gather something from them a message that inspires and blesses you and you can read it 100 times wading into the words and find something that speaks to you. Read it one more time and swim in the scripture immersing yourself into God’s intention and open up so very much more.
The Good Side of FaceBook
October 24, 2021 15:25 - 8 minutes - 7.87 MBSocial media can be a breeding ground for shaming others, but it can also be a launching pad to lift others up and encourage them. It can be a place to downplay the existence of God and talk down believers and their faith. Or, it can be a place of prayer and holiness; rosaries and prayer groups, bible studies, and religious education. Listen now to the latest podcast from Deacon Speakin'
Busy, Busy, Busy
October 17, 2021 14:37 - 7 minutes - 7.24 MB“If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy.” ― Corrie ten Boom
My Brother's Drawings
October 10, 2021 17:00 - 8 minutes - 7.55 MBMy brother was a good artist and was incredibly creative and he could put anything on paper that was in his head. Maybe I was lazy, or uncreative, or uninspired; but, I most often found myself copying whatever my big brother was drawing. He was not a fan of that and I took some shots in the arm from him for copying his work...hear more in this week's epsiode!
My Bucket's Got a Hole In It
October 04, 2021 19:51 - 7 minutes - 6.61 MBWhat was so very notable about that bucket? Sure it was made of plastic – the kind you might expect an ice cream bucket to be made of, and the blue handle wasn’t so very brilliantly blue in any sense, and although the handwriting was quite neat – it was a bit uneven, but produced a clear and concise message. So, why target the bucket – this very simple repurposed bucket?
The Good Song Theory
September 26, 2021 14:29 - 7 minutes - 7.29 MBIts funny how a melody can bring back a memory, putting you in that place and time and pulling in all the good, and sometimes bad in its entirety. Listen to The Good Song Theory and see if you agree.
The Elvis Sermon
September 19, 2021 15:22 - 9 minutes - 8.45 MBElvis Presley had a deep-seeded foundation in his faith and he seemed to be reaching for that when all else was reaching for him, placing him on a pedestal, and calling him King. Deacon Speakin' Episode 132: The Elvis Sermon
What Does God Look Like?
September 12, 2021 22:19 - 8 minutes - 8.08 MBWe are living in a time of “show me proof.” We seem to want something concrete or something at least solid that we can hold, and study, and weigh, and judge, in order to believe it. How can we hear God if we don’t know what he sounds like? How can we describe Jesus and say who He is? How can we roll up our sleeves and get to work on faith alone?
A Miracle Today
September 05, 2021 20:53 - 9 minutes - 8.37 MBWhen was the last time you saw a good miracle? Can you recall? Can you remember ever seeing a miracle in your lifetime? Maybe you can’t. Maybe miracles are those things we only read about in the old days – those things that just don’t happen any more...well, I say that's not true!
Will the Levee Hold?
August 30, 2021 18:19 - 9 minutes - 8.94 MBSome of the storms of life are spring showers while others are categorical hurricanes. As they approach and we anticipate the mark they will leave, we inevitably ask the question, “Will the levee hold?”
Life's Ups and Downs
August 22, 2021 15:20 - 8 minutes - 7.66 MBWhy do people climb mountains? Why do we make the journey, to exert ourselves, to risk a slip or a fall, to challenge our minds and bodies to go up and up. For my friend, Scott, its about the view – that spectacular sight from the top of the mountain. The moments when you appreciate the effort to get to the reward. It is the high points in life.
The Breechy Cow
August 15, 2021 17:00 - 8 minutes - 7.89 MBWhen the pasture is not looked after, weeds will grow making the grass difficult for the cows to reach. It seems that when the weeds take over the pasture, the cows have to work hard to feed and to get to the good grass. The cow at the fence has discovered sweet grass on the other side.
The Next Chapter
August 08, 2021 18:00 - 8 minutes - 8.19 MBThe basics of story-telling go like this: Take a hero; put him in a tree; throw rocks at him; get him out of the tree. You can’t ask that your story end while still in the tree. Perhaps the chapter you are currently living is full of rocks. And they hurt. And there is lots of them. And then you hear God say, “But wait, there’s more...”
Losing a Family Pet
August 02, 2021 15:21 - 9 minutes - 8.55 MBWhy, did God create these animals in the first place. He had to know from the very beginning that we would tame them and bring them close to us and make them part of our families. He had to know that we would grow fond of them and take care of them – removing their animal necessities to survive in the wild and replacing it with decorative collars, cute names, and special dishes. But most of the time, we outlive our pets and it hurts when they are gone.
Fishes and Loaves
July 25, 2021 14:55 - 8 minutes - 8.02 MBWhy doesn’t God talk to the people now like He did in the Old Testament. Why don’t we hear from Him? Well – fishes and loaves. Have a listen...Episode 124
Mrs Banta's Marigold
July 18, 2021 16:26 - 9 minutes - 9.05 MBIn a kindergarten classroom in 1975 Mrs Banta taught an unintentional lesson about life, growing from a small styrofoam cup. Season 3 Episode 123 - Mrs Banta's Marigold
Are You Ready?
July 11, 2021 18:05 - 10 minutes - 9.82 MB“I want you to be brave because this will not be popular with lots of folks because many of them do not know about me, and many have their own religions, and many of them will try to kill you because of what you believe.” “And you may very well die for serving…you may very well be killed for loving me… the same question asked 2000 years ago today - are you ready?”
How is Your Faith Today?
June 27, 2021 16:17 - 10 minutes - 9.58 MBNow we have faith: we profess our faith ever week at the Mass when we proclaim, “I believe,” but can your faith lead you to Jesus for only a touch of His cloak?
Mustard Seeds and Buzzing Bees
June 13, 2021 17:00 - 8 minutes - 8.07 MBThe bees mean no harm to the flowers they fuss over and they actually make them better by simply being a part of their lives. To me that is rather biblical. I’ve not witnessed a bee to be picky in the flowers it chooses to pollinate or to turn away from a flower it thought might be unattractive in some way. I don’t believe bees are made this way. And couldn’t we learn quite a lot about ourselves in the way the bees behave? In the lives we touch and make better because it is what we were made...
Changing Your Leopard Spots
June 06, 2021 16:09 - 9 minutes - 8.87 MBPeople get their spots and apparently they are tattooed deeply beneath the skin. But, I have to disagree with this categorizing and labeling and the finality of “this guy will always be this way, because that is the way he was made…like a leopard.”
Graduation Day
May 30, 2021 15:16 - 9 minutes - 8.79 MBGraduation day can mean many things to many people, but it is always moving onto something in which you have been prepared for. It marks the moment when the classroom stops and the real world begins.
A New Perspective on Life
May 23, 2021 18:27 - 7 minutes - 6.8 MBAppreciation for the basic things will always return more to you than want for the extra.
What's for Supper?
May 16, 2021 16:11 - 7 minutes - 7.01 MBWe hear of things like “the spice of life,” and refer to this as something special and added that makes life taste better; things like vacations, family, Church, and life experiences in general. These things often make life taste better as a good spice should, but without the spices, what does life taste like to you?
Your Velveteen Mother
May 09, 2021 00:08 - 9 minutes - 8.54 MB"You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
To Prune or Be Pruned
May 02, 2021 20:06 - 9 minutes - 9.69 MBIf you have raised kids or even been at Mass 15 minutes into a 25 minute homily, you know that kids can get rather vocal and they don’t care who knows it. To prune or be pruned...that is the question.
The Cornerstone
April 25, 2021 16:00 - 9 minutes - 9.51 MBThe cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation and all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. The integrity of the cornerstone had to be just so in order for it to receive the prestigious designation. After all, there is only one cornerstone in any building.
Hermit Crabs and Christians
April 18, 2021 17:00 - 8 minutes - 8.17 MB...I found a coffee can, went to the garden hose, filled the can with water, and placed the crab in it thinking only good thoughts for my new pet. I left the can and the crab outside, because after all, it was a wild creature and wouldn’t fare well in the house, and off I went to play in the summer Florida heat...
What Level of Fear Will You Live With?
April 11, 2021 22:43 - 9 minutes - 9.56 MBTo mask up or not, to social distance, to listen to politicians or scientists, how do we know what the best decision is for us. What is the consequence of making the wrong decision? Uncertainty can cause us a great level of fear and in the case of Covid has caused amplified and exaggerated anxiety for all ages.