Most people spend their lives in pursuit of the extraordinary. We look at the lives of celebrities, glorify their excesses, and wish that our lives could be more like theirs. In this podcast, Tony talks about the ordinary moments that represent 99% of our time on earth.

Quote: For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don’t enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are you’re not going to be very happy. If someone bases his [or her] happiness on major events like a great job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage, or a trip to Paris, that person isn’t going to be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink, or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness. – -Andy Rooney

The only difference between an extraordinary life and an ordinary one is the extraordinary pleasures you find in ordinary things. – – Veronique Vienne

Reflection: Do you find yourself missing the ordinary in search of the extraordinary? What can we do to embrace the ordinary occurrences in life? Are you comfortable with your ordinary life?

4 0

When we think of beautiful people we generally think of physical beauty, a beautiful young girl, a smiling baby, a handsome athletic man. Beauty, as defined by Hollywood, the cosmetics companies, and clothing lines, are now the norm. Their image is what most people describe as beautiful. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony talks about real beauty and beautiful people.

Quotes: “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

“Do not assume that he who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good. His life may also have much sadness and difficulty, that remains far beyond yours. Were it otherwise, he would never have been able to find these words.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

10 0

Hard times, we are all going to have them. And, some of us get through them better than others. Others don’t do so well. They suffer openly, have a negative destructive attitude, and feel that their happiness has been shortchanged. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses hard times.

Scripture: “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 4:7

Quote: “Suffering has to come because if you look at the cross Jesus has his head bending down. He wants to kiss you. And he has his arms opened wide. He wants to embrace you. When you feel miserable inside look at the cross. Suffering, pain, sorrow, humiliation, feelings of loneliness, are nothing but the kiss of Jesus, a sign you have come so close he can kiss you.

Suffering, pain, humiliation – this is the kiss of Jesus!” – Blessed Theresa of Calcutta

“Life is not the way it’s supposed to be, it’s the way it is. The way you cope is what makes the difference.” –- Virginia Satir

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Reflections: How has God helped you through hard times? What is you feeling about suffering? Is there anything we can learn from experiencing hard times?

7 0

One of my favorite words in the Bible is BEHOLD! The meaning is never more relevant than it is today. Let's use Advent to Behold!

6 1

The value of a lost object doesn’t lessen just because it is lost. In today’s Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses the value of a lost soul, and how they have great value to our Lord.

5 0

We often read of that still, small voice that is in each of us. It is a voice guiding our path, discerning right from wrong, helping us make decisions that will forever be part of our lives. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses a well-formed conscience.

Scripture and Catechism: “For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. . . . His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.” CCC 1776

“Faced with a moral choice, conscience can make either a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law or, on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them.” CCC 1799

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” –1 Kings 19:12 KJV

Reflections: Do you ever make a decision that you know is wrong but do it anyway? Do you follow your conscience? When you follow you conscience do you get a good feeling?

4 0

There are two things that you can give away and still have, “Love and Knowledge.” In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony shares why.

Related Scripture
He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39

Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. Deuteronomy 6:5

Tony Quotes
“If I teach you everything I know, I still know it!” Tony Agnesi

If I love you with all my heart, I still have the capacity to love fully.” Tony Agnesi

Reflection
How will I change the way I teach and love knowing that I never lose the capacity to love fully, if I love 100%?

3 0

Let’s face it, we live in a society addicted to more. Our homes are 50% larger than they were in the 1970’s. We covet every new electronic gadget. We supersize our happy meals and accumulate more and more stuff. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses Living with Less.

Scripture: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” –Matthew 6:19-21

“He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” –Luke 3:11

Quote: “When someone steals another’s clothes, we call them a thief. Should we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat unused in your closet belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the one who has no shoes; the money which you hoard up belongs to the poor.” ― Saint Basil the Great

“Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.” – Saint Augustine

Reflections: Do you find yourself accumulating stuff that you don’t really need? Is it difficult for you to donate things that you are no longer using? Do you find yourself attached to things and not people?

5 0

Every week, when I tee it up with my buddies, we have an unwritten rule that everyone get a mulligan. A mulligan is basically a do-over, a second chance to redeem ourselves from a really bad shot. God is that way with sin. In this Five Minutes with Tony, Tony discusses forgiveness.
Scripture: If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 1 John 1:9
Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions. Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me. Psalm 51 NAB
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions. Matthew 6:14-15
Reflection: Do you ever think that your sins are unforgivable? We all have core sins, do you confess the same sins over and over again? Does that fact that God forgives a humble sinner give you a feeling that with God you can do all things?

3 0

15 0

49 1

9 0

4 0

28 0

27 0

15 2

14 0

10 0