St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 21, 2026
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 7
Day 7
Our intellect is ordinarily full of ideas, opinions and considerations suggested by self-love. This is the root of many conflicts within the soul, putting before us all sorts of reasons dictated by human prudence to justify our pretensions. People who make use of this false prudence, instead of enlightening their intellect, obscure it. They reject advice given to them and let those reasons prevail in their minds which support their own opinions, even wrong ones. Make use of the virtue of prudence because it is good, but make good use of it. Employ it only rarely, with simplicity, and solely for the glory of God. (Sermons 30; O. IX, pp. 297-298)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
St. Thomas Aquinas Novena – Day 3 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 21, 2026
St. Thomas Aquinas Novena – Day 3
St. Thomas you have taught that:
“God loves his creatures, and he loves each one the more, the more it shares his own goodness, which is the first and primary object of his love. Therefore he wants the desires of his rational creatures to be fulfilled because they share most perfectly of all creatures the goodness of God.
And his will is an accomplisher of things because he is the cause of things by his will. So it belongs to the divine goodness to fulfill the desires of rational creatures which are put to him in prayer.”
― Thomas Aquinas, Faith, Reason and Theology
Through the intercession of St. Thomas Aquinas,
Grant me grace, O merciful God, to desire ardently all that is pleasing to Thee, to examine it prudently, to acknowledge it truthfully, and to accomplish it perfectly, for the praise and glory of Thy name.
In particular, please obtain the favor I ask during this novena. [Make your request here…]
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.
Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 3:1-6
Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
HH4 – The Suffering of Love – The Heart of Hope w/ Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 20, 2026
The Suffering of Love – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating
Deacon James Keating explains redemptive suffering as the practice of freely offering one’s physical, emotional, or spiritual pain in love for the good of another, uniting that suffering to Christ’s own prayer on the cross. Rather than becoming trapped in self-pity or displaced anger, suffering can be transformed into intercessory prayer through a faith-filled imagination that connects real pain, real love for others, and God’s will for human flourishing. In this way, suffering is no longer isolated or absurd but becomes meaningful participation in Christ’s saving work, not because the cross is lacking, but because Christ draws his whole body into it through freely given love.
Emotional suffering is especially common and often misunderstood in contemporary culture. While affirming the proper place of psychotherapy and medication, he presents prayer and spiritual direction as paths of deep honesty before God, where fears, anger, grief, and temptation are brought into divine intimacy rather than hidden. Drawing on saints such as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and figures like Mother Teresa, he shows how small, daily acts of self-offering prepare the soul for greater trials and guard against bitterness. The path forward is not dramatic heroics but beginning “the little way,” surrendering pain to God step by step, trusting that resurrection follows surrender, and allowing Christ to carry the soul where it cannot go on its own.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How do I usually respond interiorly when suffering enters my life: with resistance, anger, trust, or openness to Christ’s presence?
In what ways do I try to avoid pain rather than allowing God to meet me within it?
How does contemplating Christ’s healing ministry alongside his crucifixion reshape my understanding of God’s will for my life?
Which of the two criminals on the cross do I most resemble in moments of trial, and why?
How willing am I to acknowledge my own weakness, sin, and limits before God rather than defending myself?
Where in my life might love be calling me to self-gift that involves discomfort or loss?
How do I react to the idea that God does not remove all suffering but chooses to remain with me in it?
What wounds, disappointments, or griefs am I hesitant to let Christ enter more deeply?
How can the virtue of hope shape the way I endure suffering when I cannot see an immediate resolution?
In what practical ways can prayer help me unite my pain with Christ’s love instead of letting it become bitterness or isolation?
Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.
St. Thomas Aquinas Novena – Day 2 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 20, 2026
St. Thomas Aquinas Novena – Day 2
St. Thomas you have taught that:
“Even though the natural light of the human mind is inadequate to make known what is revealed by faith, nevertheless what is divinely taught to us by faith cannot be contrary to what we are endowed with by nature. One or the other would have to be false, and since we have both of them from God, he would be the cause of our error, which is impossible.”
― Thomas Aquinas, Faith, Reason and Theology
Through the intercession of St. Thomas Aquinas,
Grant me grace, O merciful God, to desire ardently all that is pleasing to Thee, to examine it prudently, to acknowledge it truthfully, and to accomplish it perfectly, for the praise and glory of Thy name.
In particular, please obtain the favor I ask during this novena. [Make your request here…]
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 6 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 20, 2026
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 6
Do not pay any attention to the kind of work you do, but rather to the honor that it brings to God, even though it may seem quite trivial. Desire only to do the Divine Will, following Divine Providence, which is the disposition of Divine Wisdom. In a word, if your works are pleasing to God and recognized as such, that is all that matters. Work hard every day at increasing your purity of heart, which consists in appraising things and weighing them in the balance of God’s will. (Letters 280; O. XIII, p. 53)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 20, 2026
Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 2:23-28
One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’
And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’
And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’
And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.’
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
SISL1 – Introduction – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts
Jan 19, 2026
Introduction – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.
Fr. Timothy Gallagher explains that struggles are a normal part of an active spiritual life and often signal growth rather than failure. When these difficulties are unnamed or misunderstood, they can hinder progress; when they are recognized and understood, they can become occasions for freedom and maturity. He introduces offers a wide-ranging map of common struggles, from those rooted in physical and emotional limits to deeper interior trials described in the Christian tradition. By learning to notice interior movements, identify what is happening, and respond wisely, people can move through challenges in a way that deepens rather than diminishes their spiritual journey. The book’s use of relatable stories allows readers to recognize their own experiences and see concrete remedies alongside them.
Before addressing struggles directly, Fr. Gallagher grounds the discussion in the deeper reason for living the spiritual life: communion with God marked by love, joy, clarity, and purpose. Drawing on the writings and experiences of saints and spiritual figures, he describes moments of profound prayer and sacramental grace that leave lasting effects even after the moment passes. These experiences reveal that God’s love, not struggle, stands at the center of the spiritual life. Difficulties arise along the way, but they are permitted because certain kinds of growth only come through them. Rooted in this foundation, the path forward becomes one of freedom, trust, and gradual transformation, lived first personally and then shared fruitfully with others.
How have recent struggles in my spiritual life revealed areas where God may be inviting deeper growth and trust?
What interior movements or patterns do I notice most often in prayer, and how attentiveness to them changes my response to daily challenges?
In what ways have moments of grace or consolation left lasting effects that continue to shape my choices and outlook?
How does remembering God’s personal and faithful love reshape how I interpret difficulty or discouragement?
What concrete practices help me name and understand my struggles rather than avoid or ignore them?
How do the sacraments strengthen me when I feel limited by weakness, frustration, or fatigue?
Where might I be seeking fulfillment in created things rather than resting more fully in God?
How does focusing on my own spiritual life prepare me to accompany others with patience and charity?
An excerpt from the Prologue:
“All who walk the spiritual journey undergo, in their individual ways, such struggles. Our spiritual tradition knows these struggles, explains their causes, and supplies their remedies. Such struggles lie within God’s loving providence. Understood and faced well, they will not harm us. They will, on the contrary, lead to growth — the reason for which God permits them.
Struggles are not the heart of the spiritual life. God’s love is — His deep, warm, faithful, and personal love for you. That is the center. That is the source of your joy. Because you know this, you love the spiritual life. And because you love it, you have begun to read this book.
We turn now to a wisdom that will protect this center and guide us into its richness.”
Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 11). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.
From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.
All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.
With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.
In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”
Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts? Visit here to discover more!
St. Thomas Aquinas Novena – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 19, 2026
St. Thomas Aquinas Novena Day 1
Day 1
St. Thomas you have taught that:
“God Himself is the rule and mode of virtue. Our faith is measured by divine truth, our hope by the greatness of His power and faithful affection, our charity by His goodness. His truth, power and goodness outreach any measure of reason. We can certainly never believe, trust or love God more than, or even as much as, we should. Extravagance is impossible. Here is no virtuous moderation, no measurable mean; the more extreme our activity, the better we are.” ― Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 5 Vols
Through the intercession of St. Thomas Aquinas,
Grant me grace, O merciful God, to desire ardently all that is pleasing to Thee, to examine it prudently, to acknowledge it truthfully, and to accomplish it perfectly, for the praise and glory of Thy name.
In particular, please obtain the favor I ask during this novena. [Make your request here…]
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 5 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 19, 2026
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 5
This poor life is only a journey to the happy life to come. We must not be angry with one another on the way, but rather we must march on as a band of brothers and sisters united in meekness, peace and love. I state absolutely and make no exception: do not be angry at all if that is possible. Do no accept any pretext whatever for opening your heart’s door to anger. Saint James tells us positively and without reservation,” … a man’s anger does not fulfill God’s justice.” [Jas 1:20] (INT. Part III, Ch. 8; O. III, p. 162)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 19, 2026
Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 2:18-22
One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!’
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 4 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 18, 2026
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 4
Day 4
Self-love dies only when our body dies, so we must, while we live in this land of exile, continue to counterattack its assaults on our senses and its underhanded tactics. It is enough if we firmly withstand, giving no willful or deliberate consent … When we feel within ourselves the first movements of self-love or of other passions, let us prostrate ourselves immediately before the heart of God and tell Him, in a spirit of confidence and humility, “Lord, have mercy on me because I am a very weak creature.” Then let us tranquilly rest in peace and put ourselves at God’s disposal. (Letters 1675; O. XIX, pp. 272-273)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
Sunday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 18, 2026
Sunday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. John 1:29-34
Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptizing with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
St. Anthony of the Desert – Mike Aquilina In Conversation with Bruce and Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts
Jan 17, 2026
In this Discerning Hearts conversation, Kris and Bruce McGregor speak with Mike Aquilina about St. Anthony of the Desert and why his life became a defining witness for Christian monasticism. Drawing from St. Athanasius’ Life of Anthony, the discussion traces how Anthony’s radical response to the Gospel shaped generations. Though untrained and simple by worldly standards, Anthony listened attentively to Scripture proclaimed in the liturgy and allowed it to govern concrete decisions. That attentiveness drew him into solitude, spiritual combat and later into moments of public witness during persecution and doctrinal conflict.
The conversation shows how Anthony’s life was not an escape from the Church but a deep service to it. From the desert he offered counsel, strengthened martyrs and confronted error when needed. His holiness attracted others, forming communities that transformed empty places into living centers of prayer. The hosts reflect on how this same dynamic continues today through ordinary people who attend Mass faithfully, pray Scripture daily and quietly allow God’s word to take flesh in their lives. Anthony’s story reveals that the liturgy is never passive. God speaks personally through it and invites a lived response that bears fruit far beyond what we can measure.
Discerning Hearts Spiritual Reflection Questions
When I hear Scripture proclaimed at Mass, do I listen with the expectation that God is speaking personally into my life today
What attachments or comforts might be limiting my freedom to respond more fully to what God asks of me
How do I handle spiritual struggle and temptation and what role do prayer and the sign of the cross play in my daily life
In what ways am I called to witness to truth and charity within my own community or circumstances
Where do I see quiet examples of holiness around me and how does their faithfulness invite me to deeper trust and perseverance
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 3 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 17, 2026
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 3
Day 3
I desire very little, and what I do desire I desire very little; I have hardly any desires, but if I were to begin my life all over again I would want to have none at all … Ask for nothing, refuse nothing; we must simply abandon ourselves into the hands of Providence, without nourishing any other desire but to do whatever God wills. St. Paul practiced this act of absolute abandonment at the very moment of his conversion. When he was deprived of his sight, he immediately said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” [cf. Act 22:10] From that moment on he put himself completely at God’s disposal. All our perfection consists precisely in the practical application of this principle. (Spiritual Treatises XXI, O. VI, pp. 383-384)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 17, 2026
Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 2:13-17
Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 9 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 16, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 9
Day 9
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
Abbe Pambo asked Abba Anthony, “What ought I to do?” and the old man said to him, “Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not worry about the past, but control your tongue and your stomach.”
“Our life and our death is with our neighbor. If we gain our brother, we have gained God, but if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ.”
“This is the Great Work of a man: always to take the blame for his own sins before God and to expect temptation to his last breath.”
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 2 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 16, 2026
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 2
Day 2
State openly that you desire to be devout. I do not say that you should assert that you are devout but that you desire to be devout. Do not be ashamed to practice the ordinary, necessary actions that bring us to the love of God. Acknowledge frankly that you are trying to meditate, that you would rather die than commit a mortal sin, that you are resolved to frequent the sacraments and to follow your director’s advice. This candid confession of our desire to serve God and to consecrate ourselves entirely to His love is most acceptable to His Divine Majesty. (INT. V, Ch. 18; O. III, p. 365)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 16, 2026
Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 2:1-12
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
IP#489 Gary Michuta – The Gospel Truth on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 15, 2026
Gary Michuta – The Gospel Truth on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Kris McGregor speaks with Gary Michuta about his book The Gospel Truth: How We Can Know What Christ Taught, which examines how the teachings of Jesus were accurately preserved and transmitted. Michuta frames the Gospels like a careful investigation, looking not only at the written texts but also at the living Jewish community that received, memorized, and handed on Jesus’ words. He explains how first-century Jewish culture relied on structured memory techniques—such as rhythm, repetition, dialogue, and setting—to ensure faithful transmission long before widespread literacy. These features, often mistaken as stylistic quirks, reveal an intentional design that allowed disciples to recall and proclaim Jesus’ teaching with remarkable reliability.
The book addresses common objections, including differences between Gospel accounts, translation concerns, and claims of later embellishment. Variations between the Gospels resemble authentic eyewitness testimony rather than collusion, while narrative details—locations, audiences, and historical markers—invite verification by original hearers. Radical teachings, such as Jesus’ divine claims and the Bread of Life discourse, demanded careful preservation because of their shocking nature. They also discuss the role of Sacred Tradition and the Church in safeguarding not only the text but its meaning, warning against modern paraphrases or private revelations detached from the consistent teaching handed down across Christian history.
How does understanding the Jewish cultural and educational context of the first century shape the way I read and hear the Gospels today?
In what ways does viewing the Gospels as living testimony within a community change my confidence in their historical reliability?
How do the memory techniques described in this episode challenge modern assumptions about oral tradition and accuracy?
What do the differences among the four Gospel accounts reveal about truth, witness, and human perspective?
How does the idea of the Gospels “inviting verification” affect my trust in what they record about Jesus?
Why is it significant that radical teachings, such as the Bread of Life discourse, were preserved even when they caused followers to walk away?
How does Sacred Tradition help me understand Scripture beyond the text alone?
What risks arise when Scripture is paraphrased or reinterpreted apart from the Church’s continuous teaching?
How does hearing the Gospel proclaimed within the Church connect me to the earliest Christian communities?
In what ways am I called not only to study the Gospels but to allow them to shape my life and faith today?
From the book description:
“Hundreds of books have been written to vindicate the Gospels by noting that they were written closer to the events they record than any other ancient history. But how do we know that they accurately recorded what Jesus said and did? How do we know they didn’t fabricate their contents? That Jesus really did work the miracles reported in the Gospels? Most important of all, how do we know what is the authentic interpretation of his words and deeds?
Christian apologists have largely neglected to answer these significant questions because they have focused instead on vindicating the Gospels apart from the community that wrote them.
The Gospel Truth fills in this gap by demonstrating that a concerted and sophisticated effort was made to ensure that what Jesus taught and did was accurately retained, recorded, verified, and passed on to future believers. It also shows how we can know whether our copies of Scripture reflect the original, whether the books in our Bible really belong there, and ways to know how to correctly understand them.”
About the Author: Gary Michuta is the author of Revolt against Reality: Fighting the Enemies of Sanity and Truth from the Serpent to the State, Hostile Witnesses: How the Enemies of the Church Prove Christianity, The Case for the Deuterocanon: Arguments and Evidence, Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger, and several other apologetic works. Gary is an instructor of apologetics for Home School Connections and is the host of “Hands On Apologetics” on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 8 – Discerning Hearts Podcasts
Jan 15, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 8
Day 8
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
A brother renounced the world and gave his goods to the poor, but he kept back a little for his personal expenses. He went to see Abba Anthony. When he told him this, the old man said to him, “If you want to be a monk, go into the village, buy some meat, cover your naked body with it and come here like that.” The brother did so, and the dogs and birds tore at his flesh. When he came back the old man asked him whether he had followed his advice. He showed him his wounded body, and Abba Anthony said, “Those who renounce the world but want to keep something for themselves are torn in this way by the demons who make war on them.”
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts Podcasts
Jan 15, 2026
St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 1
Day 1
There is no clock, no matter how good it may be, that doesn’t need resetting and rewinding twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. In addition, at least once a year it must be taken apart to remove the dirt clogging it, straighten out bent parts and repair those worn out. In like manner, every morning and evening a person who really takes care of his heart must rewind it for God’s service by means of certain practices of piety. At least once a year he must take it apart and examine every piece in detail; that is, every affection and passion, in order to repair whatever defects there may be. (INT. Part 5, Ch. 1; O. III, p. 340)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 15, 2026
Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 1:40-45
A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
VEC12 – Nestorius – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 14, 2026
Episode 12 – Nestorius – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina
Mike Aquilina discusses Nestorius as a tragic and almost darkly comic figure whose early success as a learned monk did not prepare him for leadership in Constantinople. His rigid personality, discomfort with women, and obsession with linguistic precision shaped his rejection of the title Theotokos (“Mother of God”) for Mary. What he considered logical correction instead unsettled ordinary Christian practice, clashed with long-standing prayer and devotion, and provoked resistance from both the people and influential figures in the imperial court. His attempts to curb women’s visibility in church life further alienated the city and deepened opposition from other bishops, who began to recognize that his teaching raised serious concerns about the identity of Christ himself.
The conflict culminated in the Council of Ephesus, where the issue of Mary’s title revealed a deeper question about whether Jesus is fully God. St. Cyril of Alexandria successfully argued that denying Mary as Mother of God undermined Christ’s divinity, and the council affirmed the traditional language rooted in centuries of worship. The decision was celebrated publicly with hymns and processions, while Nestorius was deposed, exiled, and eventually formed a separate community beyond the empire. Such crises unfold over long periods and flawed individuals can still prompt doctrinal clarity. Holiness, perseverance, and lived witness remain the most powerful responses to error and division in every age.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How do Nestorius’s personality traits and formation as a monk reveal the importance of humility and self-awareness in leadership within the Church?
What does the controversy over the title Mother of God teach about the connection between devotion, doctrine, and daily prayer?
How can resistance from ordinary Christians help safeguard the faith handed down through generations?
In what ways does Marian teaching shape a deeper understanding of who Jesus is?
How does the Council of Ephesus show the Church discerning truth through conflict rather than avoiding it?
What lessons can be drawn from how pride and rigidity can distort good intentions?
How does the public celebration of the council’s decision reflect the unity between worship and belief?
What does this episode suggest about enduring long periods of confusion or trial within the Church?
How does the call to holiness in everyday life serve as a response to error and division?
In what ways can personal example either strengthen or weaken the Church’s witness in the world today?
An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church
“We’ve been having an argument with these other people, the monks explained. We say that Mary is rightly called Mother of God—in Greek, Theotokos. But these other people say it’s not right to call her anything but Mother of the Man—Anthropotokos. Which of us is right?
Nestorius was delighted with the opportunity to show off his erudition. His answer probably struck him as very clever and evenhanded. In a way, he said, you’re both right. Each of those names can be used for Mary in a loose and imprecise way. But technically the proper term would be Mother of the Christ—Christotokos. If you want to be accurate, you’ll avoid calling her anything else.3
Thus, Constantinople was first introduced to that little word “technically”—in Greek, akribos—which the world would soon learn was one of Nestorius’ very favorite terms when he was arguing with people. It revealed a lot about the way he thought. The problem with most people, Nestorius seemed to believe, was that they didn’t choose their terms carefully enough. When you’re talking about important issues of theology, you need to be very precise in your language.
The problem with Nestorius, thought practically everybody else in Constantinople, was that he had just said Mary wasn’t Mother of God.
The people of the city instantly latched onto that little word “technically” as representing everything they hated about Nestorius. “If Mary is not technically the Mother of God,” they said, “then her Son is not technically God.”4 Mary had always been called Mother of God, as long as anybody could remember. The city—the whole Empire—was devoted to the Blessed Virgin. What was wrong with this new archbishop?
“He seemed afraid of the word Theotokos,” Socrates recalled, “as if it were some frightful ghost.”5 In the opinion of Socrates and many others, the problem wasn’t loose language on the part of the great majority of Christians. The problem was that Nestorius didn’t know what he was talking about. “The baseless fear he showed on this subject merely demonstrated how very ignorant he was. He was naturally a fluent speaker, so people thought he must be well educated. But actually he was disgracefully illiterate.” Socrates thought that Nestorius not only didn’t know what the great Christian writers before him had written on these subjects, but also didn’t care. He was smarter than they were. He could work things out for himself.6
Well, if Nestorius didn’t know what the great Christians of earlier generations had taught, it was about time somebody told him. Enter the Bishop of Alexandria.”
Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians. Emmaus Road Publishing. Kindle Edition.
You can find the book on which this series is based here.
Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries(2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio.
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 14, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 7
Day 7
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
The brothers praised a monk before Abba Anthony. When the monk came to see him, Anthony wanted to know how he would bear insults, and seeing that he could not bear them at all, he said to him, “You are like a village magnificently decorated on the outside, but destroyed from within by robbers.”
A brother said to Abba Anthony, “Pray for me.” The old man said to him, “I will have no mercy on you, nor will God have any, if you yourself do not make an effort and if you do not pray to God.”
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Wednesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 14, 2026
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
HH3 – What is Redemptive Suffering – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 13, 2026
What is Redemptive Suffering – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating
Deacon James Keating explains redemptive suffering as the practice of freely offering one’s physical, emotional, or spiritual pain in love for the good of another, uniting that suffering to Christ’s own prayer on the cross. Rather than becoming trapped in self-pity or displaced anger, suffering can be transformed into intercessory prayer through a faith-filled imagination that connects real pain, real love for others, and God’s will for human flourishing. In this way, suffering is no longer isolated or absurd but becomes meaningful participation in Christ’s saving work, not because the cross is lacking, but because Christ draws his whole body into it through freely given love.
The conversation then turns to emotional suffering, which Keating describes as especially common and often misunderstood in contemporary culture. While affirming the proper place of psychotherapy and medication, he presents prayer and spiritual direction as paths of deep honesty before God, where fears, anger, grief, and temptation are brought into divine intimacy rather than hidden. Drawing on saints such as Thérèse of Lisieux and figures like Mother Teresa, he shows how small, daily acts of self-offering prepare the soul for greater trials and guard against bitterness. The path forward is not dramatic heroics but beginning “the little way,” surrendering pain to God step by step, trusting that resurrection follows surrender, and allowing Christ to carry the soul where it cannot go on its own.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How can I intentionally unite my physical, emotional, or spiritual pain with Christ as a prayer for the good of another person?
In what ways do I tend to turn inward when I suffer, and how might God be inviting me to redirect that pain into love?
How can practicing small acts of self-offering in daily annoyances prepare my heart for greater trials in the future?
What emotions or wounds do I hesitate to bring honestly into prayer, and what might change if I shared them openly with Christ?
How does my understanding of the cross shape the way I respond to suffering rather than trying to avoid or escape it?
When pain makes God feel distant or absent, how can I continue choosing trust and surrender in faith?
How might my experience of suffering become a path of purification that leads me toward deeper holiness and love?
Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 6 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 13, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena Day 6
Day 6
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
A hunter in the desert saw Abba Anthony enjoying himself with the brethren and he was shocked. Wanting to show him that it was necessary sometimes to meet the needs of the brethren, the old man said to him, “Put an arrow in your bow and shoot it.” So, he did. The old man said, “Shoot another,” and he did so. Then the old man said, “Shoot yet again,” and the hunter replied “If I bend my bow so much I will break it.” Then the old man said to him, “It is the same with the work of God. If we stretch the brethren beyond measure they will soon break. Sometimes it is necessary to come down to meet their needs.” When he heard these words the hunter was pierced by compunction and, greatly edified by the old man, he went away. As for the brethren, they went home strengthened.
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Tuesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Jan 13, 2026
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 1:21-28
Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority. In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority. In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority. In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
DWG12 – The Peace of Discernment – The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 12, 2026
The Peace of Discernment – “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher
Fr. Timothy Gallagher continues his explanation of Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s third mode of discernment, focusing on what to do when clarity does not arise after weighing advantages and disadvantages through the “four columns” method. Using the example of a man discerning between remaining in finance or entering medicine, Father Gallagher explains that St. Ignatius offers a second approach within this mode for moments when peace is present but certainty remains elusive. This approach begins with interior freedom—being genuinely open to either option—and then applies three objective tests: advising an imagined stranger in the same situation, viewing the decision from the end of one’s life, and considering it in light of standing before God at judgment. Each test creates distance from personal pressure and helps the choice come into focus.
Fr. Gallagher illustrates this process through his own experience discerning whether to continue as provincial after ten demanding years. After prayer, consultation, and written reflection, clarity emerged quickly when he applied the first of the three tests, revealing that stepping aside was the wiser course. He underscores the importance of beginning discernment early, gathering accurate information, remaining in a calm interior state, writing reasons down concretely, and seeking guidance when decisions carry weight.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
When facing an important decision, how free and open is my heart to choosing either option if it truly leads me closer to God?
Have I taken enough time in prayer and reflection to reach a place of interior calm before attempting to make this decision?
What reasons, viewed in the light of faith and eternal life, draw me more strongly toward one option over the other?
If I were advising another person in my exact situation, what choice would I honestly recommend to them?
When I imagine myself at the end of my life, which decision do I believe I would wish I had made?
How does considering this choice from the perspective of standing before God help clarify what truly matters?
Have I written out and thoughtfully reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of each option without rushing the process?
In what ways might seeking counsel from a wise spiritual guide help me see this discernment more clearly?
From The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions:
“Three Times in which a Sound and Good Choice May Be Made
The first time is when God Our Lord so moves and attracts the will that, without doubting or being able to doubt, the devout soul follows what is shown to it, as St. Paul and St. Matthew did in following Christ our Lord.
The second time is when sufficient clarity and understanding is received through experience of consolations and desolations, and through experience of discernment of different spirits.
The third time is one of tranquility, when one considers first for what purpose man is born, that is, to praise God our Lord and save his soul, and, desiring this, chooses as a means to this end some life or state within the bounds of the Church, so that he may be helped in the service of his Lord and the salvation of his soul. I said a tranquil time, that is, when the soul is not agitated by different spirits, and uses its natural powers freely and tranquilly.
If the choice is not made in the first or second time, two ways of making it in this third time are given below.”
Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 5 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 12, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 5
Day 5
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
Some brothers came to find Abba Anthony to tell him about the visions they were having, and to find out from him if they were true or if they came from the demons. They had a donkey which died on the way. When they reached the place where the old man was, he said to them before they could ask him anything, “How was it that the little donkey died on the way here?” They said, “How do you know about that, Father?” And he told them, “the demons showed me what happened.” So they said, “That was what we came to question you about, for fear we were being deceived, for we have visions which often turn out to be true.” Thus the old man convinced them, by the example of the donkey, that their visions came from the demons.
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Monday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 12, 2026
Monday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 1:14-20
After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
The Significance of Jesus’ Baptism – Building a Kingdom of Love w/Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcasts
Jan 11, 2026
What happened to you at your baptism?
Msgr. Esseff reflects on the significance of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. He asks us to reflect on how our baptism has impacted our lives and does it touches those around us.
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 4 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 11, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 4
Day 4
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
Abbe Pambo asked Abba Anthony, “What ought I to do?” and the old man said to him, “Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not worry about the past, but control your tongue and your stomach.”
Abba Anthony said, “I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, ‘What can get through from such snares?” Then I heard a voice saying to me, “Humility.’
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
The Baptism of the Lord – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 11, 2026
The Baptism of the Lord – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 3:13-17
Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him. ‘It is I who need baptism from you’ he said ‘and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.’ At this, John gave in to him. As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him. ‘It is I who need baptism from you’ he said ‘and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.’ At this, John gave in to him. As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him. ‘It is I who need baptism from you’ he said ‘and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.’ At this, John gave in to him. As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 3 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 10, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 3
Day 3
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
“When the demons see Christians, specially the monks, working joyfully and growing in the spirit, first they fight them with temptation, and by placing obstacles to hinder their growth, trying to inject evil thoughts in their minds; but there is no reason for fear from their temptations because their offenses fail instantly by prayer and fasting, especially if you have had armed yourself with faith and the sign of the cross.”
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Saturday After the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 10, 2026
The Saturday after Epiphany Sunday – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. John 3:22-30
Jesus went with his disciples into the Judaean countryside and stayed with them there and baptised. At the same time John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water, and people were going there to be baptised. This was before John had been put in prison.
Now some of John’s disciples had opened a discussion with a Jew about purification, so they went to John and said, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the far side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore witness, is baptising now; and everyone is going to him.’ John replied:
‘A man can lay claim only to what is given him from heaven.
‘You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him.
‘The bride is only for the bridegroom; and yet the bridegroom’s friend, who stands there and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This same joy I feel, and now it is complete. He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus went with his disciples into the Judaean countryside and stayed with them there and baptised. At the same time John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water, and people were going there to be baptised. This was before John had been put in prison.
Now some of John’s disciples had opened a discussion with a Jew about purification, so they went to John and said, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the far side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore witness, is baptising now; and everyone is going to him.’ John replied:
‘A man can lay claim only to what is given him from heaven.
‘You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him.
‘The bride is only for the bridegroom; and yet the bridegroom’s friend, who stands there and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This same joy I feel, and now it is complete. He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Jesus went with his disciples into the Judaean countryside and stayed with them there and baptised. At the same time John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water, and people were going there to be baptised. This was before John had been put in prison.
Now some of John’s disciples had opened a discussion with a Jew about purification, so they went to John and said, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the far side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore witness, is baptising now; and everyone is going to him.’ John replied:
‘A man can lay claim only to what is given him from heaven.
‘You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him.
‘The bride is only for the bridegroom; and yet the bridegroom’s friend, who stands there and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This same joy I feel, and now it is complete. He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.’
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 2 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 09, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 2
Day 2
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
Someone asked Abba Anthony, “What must one do in order to please God?” The old man replied, “Pay attention to what I tell you: whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes, whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it. Keep these three precepts and you will be saved.”
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Friday After the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 09, 2026
Friday after the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Luke 5:12-16
Jesus was in one of the towns when a man appeared, covered with leprosy. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face and implored him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once. He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your healing as Moses prescribed it, as evidence for them.’
His reputation continued to grow, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their sickness cured, but he would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus was in one of the towns when a man appeared, covered with leprosy. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face and implored him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once. He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your healing as Moses prescribed it, as evidence for them.’
His reputation continued to grow, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their sickness cured, but he would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Jesus was in one of the towns when a man appeared, covered with leprosy. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face and implored him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once. He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your healing as Moses prescribed it, as evidence for them.’
His reputation continued to grow, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their sickness cured, but he would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
IP#508 Dr. Alexander Harb – The Kingdom of the Heart: Meditations from the Christian East on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 08, 2026
Dr. Alexander Harb – The Kingdom of the Heart: Meditations from the Christian East on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Dr. Alexander Harb and Kris McGregor explore The Kingdom of the Heart: Meditations from the Christian East, his new book that gives both spiritual and theological insight into Eastern Christian spirituality through the lens of the Desert Fathers and the Philokalia. Dr. Harb draws from his Melkite upbringing to describe how Eastern Christianity puts prayer and transformation toward the heart—an inner stillness cultivated through asceticism and the Jesus Prayer. This tradition invites us to unite our hearts with Christ’s, not just in theory but through lived compunction, metanoia (inner conversion), and deep emotional engagement with God’s love. True knowledge of God isn’t just academic but relational—akin to the intimacy of family—and how early monks wept not out of guilt, but out of being overwhelmed by divine love.
The roles of mercy, trust, and detachment from worldly distractions are essential to guarding the heart. Bright sadness—a concept from Eastern Lent—captures the paradox of Christian sorrow infused with hope. hrist’s own battle with temptation in the desert, illustrating how scripture and silence anchor the soul in times of trial. Dr. Harb’s book invites us into a journey of inner transformation with divine intimacy, wisdom born of suffering, and a deep call to holiness.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
How is God inviting me to place my mind in my heart during prayer?
In what ways have I experienced metanoia as more than just repentance, but a turning of my whole self toward Christ?
Do I allow Jesus to truly love me in my brokenness, or do I hide behind shame or pride?
What role does compunction—sorrow for sin born of love—play in my spiritual life?
How can I better guard my heart from the noise, anxieties, and distractions of the world?
Am I allowing the Jesus Prayer or similar practices to bring silence and stillness into my prayer life?
What does spiritual fatherhood (or motherhood) look like in my vocation, and how am I being formed in it?
From the book’s description:
“Although the story of our salvation began in the Orient, the richness of the spirituality of our Eastern Fathers and Mothers in the Faith has long remained hidden. The Church is indebted to the East for revealing how Christians from apostolic times lived their faith, from founding Christian monastic life to developing the worship that has helped shape our liturgy.
In this spiritual masterpiece, Dr. Alexander Harb offers penetrating meditations on nine themes of the spiritual life, drawing from Eastern Christian sources and his own real-life examples. Each chapter includes a power-packed meditation, a related Scripture passage, engaging reflection questions, and challenges that are perfectly accessible for individual or group study.
Through the lens of the Eastern Church and the Desert Fathers, you will reflect on topics such as repentance, the Jesus Prayer, heartbrokenness, discernment, family, friendship, and total reliance on God.
In these absorbing pages, you will discover:
Advice on building virtue and accepting the love, life, and fire of the Holy Spirit
Tips on entering into the stillness of prayer and reorienting yourself when distractions arise
The four stages of conversion and three stages of prayer, according to the Eastern Fathers
Ways to discern spirits, and simple yet rich wisdom to help you in times of temptation
How to encounter God’s peace more deeply in the liturgy and how to worship Him more fruitfully
Methods of attaining metanoia, cardiagnosia (knowledge of the heart), and true transformation
Although practicing asceticism can be challenging, the fruits of inner freedom, peace, and the vision of God are unmistakable. These life-changing reflections aim to help you experience God’s compassionate and healing love for you and your family. By absorbing the wisdom of the East, you will come to know the Father’s merciful love more deeply, grow closer to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and become enlightened by the Holy Spirit.”
About the Author
Having grown up in the Melkite Catholic Church, Dr. Alexander Sami Harb became interested in Eastern Christianity at a very young age. He completed his doctorate in Eastern Christian Studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome with the publication of his thesis in 2022. His theological focus was on the Desert Fathers and their attention to the heart. Dr. Harb especially worked to find ancient textual evidence of attention to Jesus’ heart within the desert and among the early Church Fathers. He lives and works as a theology teacher in Birmingham, Alabama.
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 08, 2026
St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 1
Day 1
From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:
When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert he was beset by acedia (lack of care, sloth), and attacked by many sinful thoughts. He said to God, “Lord, I want to be saved but these thoughts do not leave me alone; what shall I do in my affliction? How can I be saved?” A short while afterward, when he got up to go out, Anthony saw a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down again and plaiting a rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him. He heard the angel saying to him, “Do this and you will be saved.” At these words, Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He did this, and he was saved.
Dear God,
St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Thursday after the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 08, 2026
Thursday after the Epiphany- A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Luke 4:14-22
Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:
The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.
He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:
The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.
He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:
The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.
He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
VEC11 – Julian the Apostate – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 07, 2026
Episode 11 – Julian the Apostate – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina
Mike Aquilina recounts the rise of Julian the Apostate, a Roman emperor who came to power shortly after Christianity had gained legal standing under Constantine. Raised within the imperial family, Julian witnessed brutal violence carried out by relatives who publicly identified as Christian, an experience that shaped his deep resentment. Though outwardly conforming to Christian practices for political survival, he privately turned to classical philosophy and pagan religious traditions. As emperor, Julian revealed his true convictions and sought to restore paganism by quietly sidelining Christians from education, law, and public influence, carefully avoiding persecution that might provoke sympathy or resistance. His reign was short, lasting only two years, which limited the reach of his program.
Julian’s strategy and motivations reveal enduring lessons about faith lived authentically, especially within family life and daily conduct. His rejection of Christianity stemmed less from doctrine than from hypocrisy he observed at close range. Julian tried—and failed—to refashion paganism into a moral and institutional rival to Christianity, borrowing its structure while lacking its coherence and spiritual depth. His challenge prompted strong intellectual responses from early Church figures and demonstrated that flawed witness can have lasting consequences, while truth ultimately endures despite political power or cultural pressure.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How might the example of Julian the Apostate challenge Catholics today to examine whether their public and private actions truly reflect the Gospel they profess?
In what ways can family life become the primary place where faith is either strengthened or undermined through daily witness?
How does Julian’s gradual removal of Christians from public life invite reflection on responding faithfully to cultural marginalization?
What lessons can be drawn from the early Church’s intellectual responses to criticism when engaging modern challenges to Christianity?
How does this episode call Catholics to holiness and integrity so that others are not scandalized by contradictions between faith and conduct?
An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church
“Christians remembered Julian as “the Apostate”—the one emperor who tried to turn back to paganism. There would be no others. From 363 to 1453, when Constantinople finally fell, the Roman Empire would be Christian.
But what can we say about Julian the man? He might have been a very good emperor if he had had better relatives. In spite of his retrograde religious views, he was personally moral—in fact, puritanical—and a competent administrator when the problem was limited and solvable. Perhaps the best tribute to him comes from the Christian poet Prudentius, who neatly summed up Julian in one line:
Faithless he was to God, though not to Rome.7”
Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians. Emmaus Road Publishing. Kindle Edition.
You can find the book on which this series is based here.
Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries(2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio.
Wednesday After the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 07, 2026
Wednesday after the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of Matthew 4:12-17,23-25
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
HH2 – The Agony of Emotional Suffering – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 06, 2026
The Agony of Emotional Suffering – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating
Deacon James Keating reflects on the deep reality of emotional suffering, especially loneliness, rejection, and isolation that cannot always be relieved by therapy or circumstance. He speaks of how such pain mirrors Christ’s own experiences of misunderstanding and abandonment, making it a place where intimacy with Jesus can grow. At the same time, he acknowledges the real human need for friendship, community, and belonging. Because suffering becomes crushing when endured alone, the Christian community has a serious responsibility to notice those who are quietly hurting and to bring Christ’s presence to them through real, embodied relationships rather than words alone.
One cannot truly accompany the suffering without first allowing Christ to enter one’s own wounds. Authentic ministry flows from having faced personal brokenness in the light of God’s love, not from unmet needs or abstract knowledge about God. Deacon Keating connects this to a meditation on the Passion of Christ, where God freely enters human pain out of love. By placing personal sorrow within Christ’s wounds and contemplating the Cross daily, suffering is transformed into communion, gratitude, and hope, revealing that no one is abandoned in their pain and that love, by its very nature, always involves the surrender of the self.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How do I usually respond to emotional suffering or loneliness, and do I bring that pain honestly to Christ in prayer?
In what ways might I be resisting Christ’s desire to enter the wounded or uncomfortable places of my heart?
Where have I relied more on ideas about God than on a lived relationship formed through suffering and trust?
Who around me may be quietly suffering in isolation, and how might God be inviting me to draw near to them?
Do I seek to serve others in ministry from my own unmet needs, or from healing I have allowed Christ to work within me?
How often do I meditate on the Passion of Christ, and how does it shape my understanding of love and sacrifice?
What fears or attachments keep me from moving toward those who suffer rather than away from them?
How can I more intentionally unite my daily struggles with the Cross of Christ and live with deeper gratitude?
Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.
Tuesday After the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 06, 2026
The Tuesday after the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 6:34-44
As Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place and it is getting very late. So send them away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something to eat.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ They answered, ‘Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?’ ‘How many loaves have you?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ And when they had found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
As Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place and it is getting very late. So send them away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something to eat.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ They answered, ‘Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?’ ‘How many loaves have you?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ And when they had found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
As Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place and it is getting very late. So send them away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something to eat.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ They answered, ‘Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?’ ‘How many loaves have you?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ And when they had found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
DWG11 – Three Modes of Discernment – The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 05, 2026
Three Modes of Discernment – “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher
Father Timothy Gallagher continues his explanation of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s three modes of discernment by focusing on the third mode, used when neither immediate certainty nor a clear pattern of spiritual attraction has emerged. This approach relies on a calm, prayerful use of reason to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each good option from the standpoint of God’s greater glory. The person discerning must first understand the decision clearly, gather all relevant information, and cultivate interior freedom so the heart is not already fixed on an outcome. Prayer for light and guidance prepares the mind to evaluate the options honestly, often using a structured comparison that looks not only at the number of reasons but also their depth and significance.
The process is illustrated through extended examples, showing how discernment unfolds over time with patience, prayer, and spiritual direction. In the story of Patrick, a man invited into full-time prison ministry, the third mode gradually leads to interior clarity while also reshaping his motivations and desires. As Patrick reflects, prays with Scripture, and reviews his reasons, resistance gives way to readiness, culminating in a moment of unmistakable insight confirmed through prayer and peace. All three modes of discernment lead to the same end: a firm clarity that allows a person to move forward with confidence and trust in God’s guidance, supported by ongoing spiritual accompaniment.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
In what current decision do I find myself lacking clear certainty or a strong interior attraction, inviting a more reflective approach to discernment?
Have I taken time to understand each option concretely, including its real impact on my family, work, and service to others?
Is my heart truly free and open before God, or am I quietly attached to one outcome that shapes how I evaluate my reasons?
Do I set aside peaceful, prayerful time to reflect, or do I attempt to discern while distracted, anxious, or emotionally unsettled?
When I consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option, am I viewing them in light of God’s greater glory rather than personal comfort?
How does prayer, especially with Scripture and the Eucharist, shape my clarity and interior disposition during discernment?
After reaching a tentative conclusion, do I seek confirmation through prayer, peace of heart, and wise spiritual counsel?
In what ways might God be transforming my desires and motivations through the very process of discernment itself?
From The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions:
“Three Times in which a Sound and Good Choice May Be Made
The first time is when God Our Lord so moves and attracts the will that, without doubting or being able to doubt, the devout soul follows what is shown to it, as St. Paul and St. Matthew did in following Christ our Lord.
The second time is when sufficient clarity and understanding is received through experience of consolations and desolations, and through experience of discernment of different spirits.
The third time is one of tranquility, when one considers first for what purpose man is born, that is, to praise God our Lord and save his soul, and, desiring this, chooses as a means to this end some life or state within the bounds of the Church, so that he may be helped in the service of his Lord and the salvation of his soul. I said a tranquil time, that is, when the soul is not agitated by different spirits, and uses its natural powers freely and tranquilly.
If the choice is not made in the first or second time, two ways of making it in this third time are given below.”
Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org
The Twelfth Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 05, 2026
“On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Twelve Drummers Drumming …” sounding out the cadence of what we believe in our lives, the Twelve Points of Doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed:
1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. 3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. 5. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7. I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8. The holy catholic Church, 9. The communion of saints, 10. The forgiveness of sins, 11. The resurrection of the body, 12. And life everlasting.
Monday after the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 05, 2026
The Monday after the Epiphany – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 4:12-17,23-25
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralyzed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea, and Transjordania.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralyzed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea, and Transjordania.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralyzed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea, and Transjordania.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
How Can You Be the Light of Christ? -The Epiphany – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff
Jan 04, 2026
How Can You Be the Light of Christ? -The Epiphany – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff
Msgr. John Esseff reflects on the significance of the Epiphany, a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. He begins by reflecting on the beauty of the stars and their symbolism as a guide. The Epiphany commemorates the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles, represented by the three kings who followed a star to find Jesus and offer gifts, fulfilling ancient prophecies.
Jesus’ birth was not only for the Jews but for all nations. This universal aspect of Jesus’ mission is highlighted by the fact that the Magi were from different nations. Msgr. Esseff relates this story to the present, asking listeners to consider how Jesus is manifested in today’s world. He suggests that each individual has the potential to reveal Christ to others through their actions and words.
Msgr. Esseff includes personal anecdotes and reflections on how various individuals, including saints and ordinary people, have radiated the light of Christ in their lives. He encourages us to be a “star” in our communities, radiating the light and love of Jesus through their actions and interactions. It’s a call for all of us to manifest Christ in their daily lives, shining as lights to the nations and continuing the work of the Epiphany in the modern world.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
How can you actively demonstrate Christ’s teachings and love through your actions and interactions with others?
How does the story of the Epiphany, with the three kings and the star, deepen your understanding of God’s universal love and plan for salvation?
Who in your life has been a “radiant star,” guiding you closer to Jesus? Reflect on how their example has influenced your faith journey.
What specific actions can you take in your community or circle of influence to be a source of Christ’s light and love to others?
Have you experienced any moments of epiphany in your own spiritual journey where Christ was particularly revealed to you?
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity around the world. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world, especially to the poor. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests, sisters, seminarians, and other religious leaders around the world.
The Epiphany of the Lord – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 04, 2026
The Epiphany of the Lord – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.’
Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.’
Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.’
Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
The Eleventh Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 04, 2026
“On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Eleven Pipers Piping …” symbolizing the eleven faithful apostles: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. The list does not include Judas Iscariot, the twelfth disciple who betrayed Jesus.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus called the twelve to His side, called them to leave their homes and families, just as Jesus left his to teach us to live worthily. As we are called this holy season to help the poor and needy, the weak, the inflicted and the abandoned help us to walk perseveringly in the difficult and sometimes painful paths of service to others. Amen.
The Tenth Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 03, 2026
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Ten Lords A Leaping …” the lords or rulers of our lives establish the law. The lords stand for the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, which are holy and good, by which we should live and by which we are all judged. (Gal 3:10-28)
Prayer: Heavenly Father we strive to live by your commandments, help us oh Lord. We pray for those who have been called to rule, give them good judgment, discernment, and humbleness. Lord, help us to honor those who have been called to lead and pray for them and their families. Amen.
Day 9 – Living by the Light That Has Been Given – An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 03, 2026
An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart
Day Nine
Living by the Light That Has Been Given
Scripture
“Rise, take the child and his mother, and go.” Matthew 2:13
Reflection
Epiphany reveals Christ to the world. Over these days of prayer, we have seen that God makes Himself known freely and clearly. The Light is given. The Son is revealed. The Father’s saving work is made visible in history.
The Magi do not remain where they are. Having encountered Christ, they depart by another way. Their journey does not end at the place of revelation. It continues, shaped by what they have seen.
This is how Epiphany comes to completion. God’s self-giving calls forth a response that carries into life beyond the moment of encounter. Those who have received the Light do not possess it for themselves. They live by it.
Over these days of prayer, Epiphany has unfolded as the Church herself proclaims it. Christ is revealed to the nations, acknowledged by those who seek Him, and declared by the Father as His beloved Son at the Jordan. The Baptism of the Lord belongs within this mystery because it is there that Christ is made known openly as the Son sent for the salvation of the world. Together, these moments form one saving revelation. The Son is given. The Father speaks. The Light is offered to all.
This revelation meets the world we inhabit now. Christ, the Light given by the Father, does not remain distant from our lives. Through grace, He shines within us, calling us to bear His light into the world we actually live in. Wherever we are placed, in our homes, our work, our vocations, and our daily encounters, Christ desires to make Himself known through those who belong to Him. The Light revealed in Christ is not meant to be hidden. It is given so that it may reach all we meet, in every place and circumstance.
Epiphany reminds us that Christ’s manifestation is not an event to be admired and set aside. It is a gift that reorients the heart and shapes the path ahead. The Light that has been revealed now calls to be lived.
Grace Intention
Today I ask for the grace to live faithfully by the light Christ has given me.
Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, You have made Yourself known for the salvation of the world.
Receive my life as I place it again in Your care.
Send forth Your Holy Spirit into my heart, that I may live according to the light You have revealed.
Guide my steps, strengthen my faith, and keep me faithful to what I have received.
May my life give glory to the Father, now and always.
Saturday Before the Epiphany – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 03, 2026
Saturday Before the Epiphany – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. John 1:35-42
As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.
One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.
One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.
One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
St. Gregory of Nazianzus – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 02, 2026
St. Gregory of Nazianzus – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson
Born: 329 AD
Died: January 1, 390 AD
Dr. Matthew Bunson reflects on the life and mission of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, portraying him as a man marked by a lifelong tension between a desire for solitude and a call to serve publicly as priest and bishop. Drawn to prayer, contemplation, and ascetic discipline, St. Gregory repeatedly accepted responsibilities he did not seek, including ordination and episcopal leadership, out of obedience and love for the Church. Formed by a superb education in rhetoric and philosophy in Caesarea, Alexandria, and Athens—where he developed a deep friendship with Basil—he lived during a period when the Arian controversy threatened the heart of Christian teaching. His personal sacrifices, strained friendships, and repeated withdrawals from public life reveal a figure who carried the cross of leadership while longing for silence and communion with God.
St. Gregory if often referred to as “the Theologian” because his reflections on the Trinity arose from prayer, holiness, and lived fidelity rather than abstract speculation. His writings and orations clarified the Church’s language about the Son and the Holy Spirit, defending the Nicene faith and helping articulate terms such as procession and consubstantiality during a time of confusion and political pressure. His ministry in Constantinople, beginning from the small Church of the Anastasis, helped restore orthodox teaching through preaching rather than force. Dr. Bunson highlights how St. Gregory’s vision of Christ’s full divinity and full humanity grounds salvation, unity within the Church, devotion to Mary as Mother of God, and the call to transformation in Christ, offering enduring guidance for confronting doctrinal error in every age.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
How do I respond interiorly when God’s call leads me away from the life or plans I would naturally choose for myself?
Where do I experience tension between prayerful solitude and active service, and how might God be working through that struggle?
In what ways does St. Gregory’s obedience challenge my own resistance to responsibilities I did not seek?
How deeply is my understanding of the Trinity rooted in prayer rather than only intellectual knowledge?
What modern “Arian-like” misunderstandings of Christ do I encounter, and how do they affect my faith?
How does the full humanity of Jesus Christ shape my view of suffering, obedience, and redemption?
What role does precise language about the faith play in strengthening my spiritual life and worship?
How can my home, parish, or community become a small “Anastasis,” a place where authentic faith is renewed?
Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints, and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.
St. Basil the Great – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 02, 2026
St. Basil the Great – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson
Born: 330 AD, Kayseri, Turkey
Died: January 1, 379 AD, Kayseri, Turkey
Siblings: Gregory of Nyssa, Macrina the Younger, Theosebia
Dr. Matthew Bunson presents St. Basil the Great as a towering figure of the early Church whose influence shaped doctrine, worship, and Christian life. Living in the fourth century, St. Basil helped clarify the Church’s teaching during the Arian controversy by articulating the eternal divinity of Christ and the full personhood of the Holy Spirit. His theological work, especially On the Holy Spirit, offered clear language drawn from Scripture and liturgical practice, such as the baptismal formula, to explain the unity and distinction within the Trinity. Through vivid images like the rainbow, St. Basil provided ways for ordinary Christians and catechumens to grasp profound mysteries that remain central to Christian faith today.
Beyond doctrine, St. Basil’s pastoral leadership revealed a deep commitment to human dignity and charity. As bishop of Caesarea, he organized extensive care for the poor, founded hospitals and shelters known collectively as the Basiliad, and used his own inheritance to relieve suffering during famine. He also shaped Eastern monasticism through practical and spiritual rules centered on community, prayer, humility, and shared responsibility, influencing later figures such as Benedict of Nursia. Rooted in a remarkably holy family that included saints and bishops, St. Basil stands as both a theologian and a shepherd whose life united prayer, service, and intellectual clarity into a single witness.
St. Basil the Great
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
How does St. Basil’s teaching on the Holy Trinity deepen my understanding of who Christ and the Holy Spirit are in my daily prayer and worship?
In what ways do I rely on the Church’s language and tradition to grow in clarity about difficult truths of the faith?
How does St. Basil’s care for the poor challenge my own use of time, resources, and comfort?
Where am I being called to recognize and uphold the dignity of the human person in concrete ways?
How can St. Basil’s integration of prayer, theology, and service reshape my priorities as a Catholic today?
What can I learn from St. Basil’s patience and charity toward those who struggled to accept full Church teaching?
How does St. Basil’s vision of community life invite me to live my faith more intentionally within family, parish, or religious community?
In what ways does the example of St. Basil’s holy family encourage me to foster faith within my own domestic church?
Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints, and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.
The Ninth Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 02, 2026
“On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Nine Ladies Dancing …” symbolizing the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Prayer: Holy Spirit abide in me, let my life be abundant with Your fruit that I may bring peace and love to a hurting world. I pray that during this season of excess that the greatest of all will be the harvest of Your fruits in my life, for without an abundant harvest of Your fruits, I have nothing to give. Amen.
Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
Jan 02, 2026
Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel of St. John 1:19-28
This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’ Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’ Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’ Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
Day 8 – Receiving the Light That Is Given – An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Jan 02, 2026
An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart
Day Eight
Receiving the Light That Is Given
Scripture
“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
Reflection
Epiphany shows us that God does not hide Himself. He gives light freely. Christ is made known in the world, not cautiously or selectively, but generously.
Yet Epiphany also reveals something sobering. The same light that draws some hearts leaves others unchanged. God gives Himself fully, but He does not force the response.
Throughout the Epiphany accounts, Christ is present, visible, and active. Some rejoice. Some worship. Others are disturbed, hesitant, or resistant. The difference does not lie in how God reveals Himself, but in how the light is received.
This is not a failure of revelation. It is the mystery of freedom. God makes Himself known, and the heart must decide whether to receive what has been given.
Today, Epiphany invites us to recognize that Christ continues to give light through His presence in the Church, in His Word, in the sacraments, in creation, and in the events of the world. The question is not whether God has acted, but whether we are willing to receive the light He gives.
Grace Intention
Today I ask for the grace to receive the light Christ gives me.
Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Light given to the world by the Father’s love.
Remove whatever closes my heart to what You reveal.
Send forth Your Holy Spirit into my heart, that I may receive Your light with humility and faith.
May I not resist Your presence, but welcome the grace You give for the salvation You desire to accomplish.
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Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
From the book’s description:
