Podcast Summary: Called to Love Through Action

Podcast: Called (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Host: Ascension
Episode: Called to Love Through Action w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz and Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow
Date: February 6, 2026

Overview

This rich and inspiring episode explores how ordinary people can live extraordinary lives of service. Fr. Mike Schmitz is joined by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, founder of Mary’s Meals, who shares his remarkable journey from salmon farming in rural Scotland to leading a global movement feeding over 3 million children daily. Together, they discuss the necessity of concrete action in faith, the power of small steps, and the central role of love, prayer, and joy in Christian service.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Biblical Mandate for Action

• Fr. Mike opens by reflecting on James 2:17—"faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead"—and Matthew 25, emphasizing the call to care for those in need (00:53).
• Magnus underscores that exercising "the preferential option for the poor is not an option"—it’s essential to Christian life (00:17, 48:06).

Magnus’s Unusual Path to Service

• Magnus recounts his upbringing in a small, mostly non-Catholic Scottish village, emphasizing his parents' radical witness: adopting an abandoned child and transforming their home into a Catholic retreat center (03:01–05:47).
• He describes his early adulthood as a shy salmon farmer who stumbled into his vocation through small acts of faith in response to the Yugoslav Wars (06:34–08:34).

Notable Quote

"I gave up my job, sold my house, and I just said to God, I'll keep doing this as long as there's a need and as long as people keep giving."
—Magnus, 00:02, 08:23

Embracing Smallness, Trust, and Providence

• Magnus reflects on feeling unqualified and how God gently led him, step by step, often revealing miracles of providence at just the right time (09:22–12:43).
• He recounts a story of receiving an anonymous donation for the exact amount he needed immediately after spending their last funds (10:29–12:43).

Notable Quote

"God is a gentle God, isn't he? He asked me to do one little thing and I did it. And then he asked me to do another and another. And that's what this felt like, this whole journey."
—Magnus, 09:22

The Birth of Mary’s Meals

• The defining moment: Meeting Edward in Malawi, whose only ambition was "to have enough food to eat and... to go to school one day" (17:16–18:22).
• This encounter inspired Mary's Meals’ mission: "providing one meal every day in a place of education" (17:16–21:06).

Notable Quote

"Mary's Meals just became a response, really, to Edward's words, this idea of providing one meal every day in a place of education."
—Magnus, 17:16

Simplicity and Staying Faithful to the Mission

• Mary’s Meals is rooted in simplicity and local empowerment: Locally sourced food, community volunteers—including those living in poverty—cook and serve the meals (42:10–43:31).
• The charity intentionally resists the pull to expand its mission beyond its core calling, focusing on "being faithful to the one thing we were asked to do" (44:35–45:15).

Notable Quote

"We've been asked to do this one thing and to do it very well and to stay faithful to it. We're not called to do everything, any of us."
—Magnus, 45:05

Measuring Success: Love over Numbers

• While growth (serving more children) matters, true success for Mary’s Meals is defined by fidelity to love and prayer, not just metrics (27:20–29:53).
• It's a paradox of surrender and holy ambition: setting goals, but leaving space for God’s surprises (29:53–31:33).

Notable Quote

"We need to leave room for the Holy Spirit to work. Nearly all the big things that have happened in Mary's Meals... have been things we didn't really plan."
—Magnus, 27:20

Transformation through Service

• "We become more fully human when we step out"—Magnus explains how service transforms both the giver and the receiver (13:26–15:18).
• Fr. Mike draws parallels to the story of the loaves and fishes—God multiplies small offerings when given in love (15:19, 16:13).

Fruits of Faithful Action

• Magnus shares the story of Leti, an orphaned girl who, thanks to Mary’s Meals, excelled in school, graduated, and now works for the organization, inspiring others (32:17–35:07).

Notable Quote

"It would have been worth it for Leti. There are millions of Letis out there now today."
—Magnus, 35:07

The Centrality of Prayer

• Magnus asserts that Mary’s Meals is "a fruit of prayer" and insists on regular discipline in prayer for sustaining long-term commitment (38:07–40:10, 53:01).

Joy in Service

• Service, Magnus insists, must be characterized by joy: "We want people to look at us and say: See how they love one another" (54:48–55:40).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

| Quote | Speaker | Timestamp | |-------|---------|-----------| | "Faith without good works is dead." | Magnus (James 2:17) | 00:17 | | "God is a gentle God, isn't he?... He asked me to do one little thing and I did it. And then he asked me to do another and another." | Magnus | 09:22 | | "Mary's Meals just became a response, really, to Edward's words, this idea of providing one meal every day in a place of education." | Magnus | 17:16 | | "We've been asked to do this one thing and to do it very well and to stay faithful to it. We're not called to do everything, any of us." | Magnus | 45:05 | | "I feel like Our Blessed Mother is my boss. Like, that's how I would put it. I work for her. It's hers. I'm working for her. I'm doing my best, and she looks after us." | Magnus | 24:00 | | "We become more fully human when we step out." | Magnus | 13:26 | | "It would have been worth it for Leti. There are millions of Letis out there now today." | Magnus | 35:07 | | "If we really want to carry out an authentic act of charity... there's always gonna be an element of risk involved." | Magnus | 38:07 | | "Prayer number one. Try to be a person of prayer, even when it's difficult... so much flows from that." | Magnus | 53:01 | | "We want people to look at us and say: See how they love one another, you know... joy is such a big part of that." | Magnus | 55:40 |

Important Timestamps

• Faith in action and the call to serve: 00:53–02:14
• Magnus’s early life and faith formation: 03:01–06:34
• First relief mission to Bosnia: 06:34–08:34
• Providence in ministry (miracle of the exact donation): 10:29–12:43
• The origin of Mary’s Meals, meeting Edward: 17:16–20:12
• Scaling up in Malawi & organizational model: 20:15–22:21
• On not being overwhelmed and the role of prayer: 38:07–40:10
• Leti’s story—long-term impact: 32:17–35:07
• Joy as hallmark of ministry: 54:48–55:40

Practical Takeaways & Advice

For Individuals

• Start with what's in front of you, however small—offer your "five loaves and two fish."
• Joy, love, and steadfastness matter more than doing something "spectacular."
• Root action in disciplined personal prayer and trust God to work through you.

For Communities (Parishes, Schools)

• Tangible acts of mercy (food pantries, food drives, etc.) must be central for authentic Christian witness (46:25–48:13).
• Faith communities that are not serving others risk spiritual stagnation.

For Everyone Discernment

• God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
• “Just start. Put it into action”—the need is massive, but real change is possible through cumulative small acts (49:16–51:13).

How to Engage with Mary’s Meals

• $25 feeds a child for a whole school year.
• Learn more, donate, or volunteer at marysmeals.org (55:57).

Final Reflections

• The episode is a profound call to transform faith into practical love, with prayer as its foundation and joy as its hallmark.
• Magnus’s story powerfully illustrates how faith, when put into action—one small step at a time—can multiply and transform countless lives.

“Let's do what we can do, what's in front of us today. That's all we're asked to do.”
—Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow (51:13)