Cantus Podcast

With the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Christmas season comes to a close, yet one of the most profound revelations of Jesus’ identity is opened to us. In the homily delivered on January 11, 2026, at the church of Santa Maria in Cappella, Deacon Massimiliano Floridi leads the faithful into the mystery of a God who chooses humility as the path of salvation. Why does Jesus—sinless and the Son of God—accept John’s baptism, a rite of purification meant for sinners? The answer is not theoretical but deeply existential: Jesus chooses to share the human condition to the very end, to “fulfill all righteousness” by adhering to the Father’s plan together with humanity, not above it. The baptism in the Jordan thus becomes a luminous manifestation of a God who does not impose Himself, but serves; who does not exalt Himself, but humbles Himself; who does not dominate, but accompanies. In a world marked by violence, arrogance, wars, and new forms of supremacism, this feast profoundly challenges the personal, communal, and even social conscience of Christians. The homily concludes with a strong call to witness: if Christ chose the way of humility and service, all the more are we called to recognize our limits and to make visible—each in our own role—the discreet yet powerful light of the Gospel. The video of the homily is available with English subtitles. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cantus.substack.com/subscribe

“God Has Made His Dwelling Among Us” – Homily by Fr. Roberto Spataro, SDBSanta Maria in Cappella, 4 January 2026 – Second Sunday after Christmas In the homily delivered at the church of Santa Maria in Cappella on the occasion of the Mass for the Second Sunday after Christmas, Fr. Roberto Spataro, Salesian, guided the faithful to rediscover the profound and ever-relevant meaning of the mystery of the Nativity. Christmas, the preacher reminded us, is not merely an event of the past, but the revelation of a presence: the Son of God has come to dwell among us, becoming—through a striking image—“a co-tenant of our existence.” This presence did not end with the Ascension, but continues, as Christ Himself promised: “I am with you always, until the end of time.” How can we recognize today this presence of the Lord, whom we no longer perceive visibly? Fr. Spataro pointed to three fundamental paths, entrusted to us by the living tradition of the Church: * The path of the sacraments, in which Christ’s own action continues: in the Holy Mass it is He who offers Himself, in Confession it is His blood that purifies and heals. * The mystical path, the interior dwelling of God in the soul of the one who loves Him and keeps His commandments, according to the promise Jesus made in the Upper Room. * The path of charity, through which Christ identifies Himself with every man and woman in need: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” The message is clear and demanding: the Lord dwells in our midst and we cannot ignore His presence, a presence that saves, that grants eternal life, and that also enlightens our prayer for our deceased brothers and sisters. A simple yet profound homily, inviting each of us to live the Christmas season as a permanent reality: God with us, today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cantus.substack.com/subscribe

In a recent conversation between Mº Aurelio Porfiri and Abbot Philip Anderson, an important question emerged—one that many listeners and subscribers may often ponder: What is the right balance between public prayer, expressed in the liturgy, and private, interior prayer? Abbot Anderson offers a thoughtful reflection that brings clarity to this perennial issue. He reminds us that the liturgy is not merely a series of external actions, chants, and ceremonies. Rather, these elements form a sacred language through which we express what is most intimate within us—our interior religion, the deep movements of the heart and conscience. Human beings are not disembodied spirits; we live, perceive, and communicate through our bodies. For this reason, we cannot reduce our relationship with God to ideas or silent thoughts. We must sing, kneel, move, and participate through the bodily expressions that the liturgy offers. These gestures do not replace interior prayer; they manifest and support it. Abbot Anderson also warns against the temptation—found in certain spiritual movements or even in some Protestant approaches—to reject external forms in favor of a purely interior spirituality. Such a view, he says, is a kind of “sin of the angel,” the illusion of being able to transcend our human condition. But when one tries to pray like an angel, he paradoxically risks losing the authenticity of both spirit and flesh. To be human is to unite interior devotion with its exterior expression. Public prayer, however, is not without challenges. Distractions are inevitable: a crying baby, movements in the pews, unexpected noises. Yet even these moments, the Abbot suggests, can become reminders of our shared humanity. He remarks with simplicity and humor that when he hears a baby cry during Mass, he sometimes feels the same way—but unlike the child, he cannot cry aloud. This insight captures the essence of the balance: prayer is both deeply personal and beautifully communal, rooted in who we are as embodied souls seeking God together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cantus.substack.com/subscribe

Abbot Philip Anderson reminds us that to truly live our faith, we must embrace our humanity rather than trying to escape it. “If you want to be an angel,” he says, “you wind up being a devil.” The Christian life is not about pretending to be something we are not, but about becoming fully human — creatures who aspire to heaven while remaining grounded in the realities of life. This balance is reflected in the simple gestures of worship: kneeling, praying, and persevering amid distractions. Anderson notes that in public prayer, we encounter crying babies and restless movements, yet these too are signs of life. He recalls smilingly that when he hears a baby cry during Mass, he thinks, “I feel just like you, but I can’t cry — I have to be a man.” Such moments remind us that holiness does not demand an escape from imperfection but rather an embrace of it with patience and love. Even non-Catholics, he observes, can be touched by the Church’s welcome of all — including the smallest and noisiest members — into the sacred celebration. Worship, then, is an act of real, incarnate humanity reaching toward God. (From the Online Course The Catholic Mass) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cantus.substack.com/subscribe

Mº Aurelio Porfiri reflects on the issue of continuity between pope Francis and pope Leo XIV. Is this really an issue? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cantus.substack.com/subscribe