Does the Bible really have "nothing to say" about abortion or homosexuality? Did Jesus teach that salvation comes simply by "treating people well"?

That's what Texas State Representative and U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico claimed on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"—and his comments have sparked an important conversation among believers.

In this episode of Soulful Scriptures Everyday, we open the Word together and explore:

📖 What does the Bible actually say about these topics?

📖 What did Jesus mean in Matthew 25 when He spoke about feeding the hungry and welcoming the stranger?

📖 Are we saved by good works—or by grace through faith?

📖 How do we understand Jesus' command to "love God and love neighbor" in today's political climate?

📖 What is "Christian nationalism," and is it a betrayal of Christ?

We also reflect on House Speaker Mike Johnson's response, who reminds us that biblical commands to individuals may look different for civil authorities called to maintain order (Romans 13).

Based on reporting by Jon Brown for The Christian Post, this episode doesn't claim to have all the answers. Instead, we gather as brothers and sisters in Christ to humbly search the Scriptures together—because iron sharpens iron, and we need each other to stay rooted in truth.

Join us for a thoughtful, grace-filled conversation about faith, politics, and what Jesus actually said.

And stay until the very end. We close with a worship song called "Revival" by Papercastle —a reminder that His truth is our foundation when the world's voices grow loud.

Have a testimony or a dream where Jesus or Mother Mary visited you? Share it with us at soulfulscriptureseveryday@gmail.com. Your story could change a life.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/papercastle/revival

License code: 9E89OJ1DUAZ58FPQ

On the Indonesian island of Flores—the nation's only Catholic-majority region—a quiet revolution of mercy is underway.
For over two decades, the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit and the Divine Word Missionaries have run TRUK F, the only shelter in Maumere dedicated solely to empowering women and children escaping domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. Founded in 1997 by the late Sr. Eustochia Monika Nata, this Catholic-led organization has helped thousands of survivors find safety, healing, and hope.
In this episode of Soulful Scriptures Everyday, we share the stories of women like Evi Bota Sao, who after 20 years of abuse finally found the courage to leave—because someone believed her. And Maria Herlina Mbadhi, whose husband died after being trafficked to a palm oil plantation, leaving her to raise four children alone. And a 17-year-old incest survivor, cast out by her village shaman, who now finds safety in the shelter's care.
Based on reporting by Chris Herlinger for National Catholic Reporter, this deep dive explores how faith, compassion, and accompaniment are transforming lives in a patriarchal society where violence against women is often normalized. The sisters don't judge. They don't force decisions. They simply walk alongside the broken—and help them become "new women."
Join us for a powerful episode about courage, survival, and the Church showing up when it matters most.
Have a testimony or a dream where Jesus or Mother Mary visited you? Share it with us at soulfulscriptureseveryday@gmail.com. Your story could change a life.

Music Credits:

• Song: Mourning Light

• Artist: Arbour Season

• License: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!)

• https://uppbeat.io/t/arbour-season/mourning-light

• License Code: TC3ZZJYUNAWXVRR4

Deep in the coal mining city of Emalahleni, South Africa—the "place of coal"—a hidden crisis is unfolding beneath the earth and behind closed doors.

Girls as young as 14 are being coerced into becoming "mine wives," forced into sexual relationships with illegal miners in exchange for food, rent, and survival. Boys abandon school to work underground, disappearing into a shadow economy controlled by armed syndicates. Poverty, abandoned mines, and failed systems have created a pipeline of abuse where children are treated as expendable.

But in the darkness, light breaks through.

Catholic religious sisters are risking their lives to pull children out. They walk into informal settlements, run unmarked safe houses, and accompany survivors through trauma and recovery—often without state protection and under intimidation from both police and criminal networks.

This episode's deep dive is based on the investigative reporting of Doreen Ajiambo for Global Sisters Report, who traveled to Emalahleni, spoke with survivors, and documented the courageous work of sisters like Holy Cross Sr. Sophia Phiri and Sr. Dominica Mkhize. We are grateful for her journalism, which brings this hidden story to light.

You'll hear the stories of survivors like Lesedi, who escaped the mines and rebuilt her life because someone intervened.

This is not history. This is happening now. And the Church is on the front lines.

Join us for a heart-wrenching yet hope-filled conversation about faith in action, the cost of accompaniment, and the courageous nuns standing between children and the abyss.

📩 Have a testimony or a dream where Jesus or Mother Mary visited you? Share it with us at soulfulscriptureseveryday@gmail.com. Your story could change a life.