Caryll Houselander Archives

Day 5: Seeing God’s Love in the Ordinary – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 5: Seeing God’s Love in the Ordinary

“Every ordinary thing in your life is a word of God’s love: your home, your work, the clothes you wear, the air you breathe, the food you eat…. the flowers under your feet are the courtesy of God’s heart flung down on You! All these things say one thing only: “See how I love you.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander encourages us to see every element of daily life as a tangible expression of God’s love. From the air we breathe to the food we eat and even the flowers on our path, these simple things are “words” spoken by God to remind us of His love and care. By viewing ordinary life through this lens, we begin to recognize the divine presence in all things, each moment filled with grace and meaning. For Houselander, these small blessings are like “courtesies” from God, each whispering, “See how I love you.”

Personal Reflection: Take a moment today to notice the ordinary blessings around you. How does recognizing these simple gifts as signs of God’s love change your outlook on daily life?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, Thomas Hoffman (2000). “A Child in Winter: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany with Caryll Houselander”, p.38, Rowman & Littlefield

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 4: Bringing Christ to the Everyday – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 4: Bringing Christ to the Everyday

“Sometimes it may seem to us that there is no purpose in our lives, that going day after day for years to this office or that school or factory is nothing else but waste and weariness. But it may be that God has sent us there because but for us, Christ would not be there. If our being there means that Christ is there, that alone makes it worthwhile.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander speaks to those moments of monotony and purposelessness we all encounter, especially in routine or seemingly mundane work. She reminds us that even in the most ordinary tasks and places, there is a profound purpose when we recognize that Christ is present through us. Our mere presence in these spaces allows Christ to be there too, transforming what seems wearisome into an act of divine purpose. This perspective can reframe our understanding of vocation, showing that any role or task has sacred value when approached with awareness of Christ’s presence.

Personal Reflection: Reflect on a daily task or responsibility that feels tedious or insignificant. How might viewing it as a way of bringing Christ’s presence to that place change your perspective?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, A Rocking Horse Catholic by Caryll Houselander (2013) Paperback

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 3: The Word of Love in Our Humanity – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 3: The Word of Love in Our Humanity

“Christ used the flesh and blood of Mary for his life on earth, the Word of love was uttered in her heartbeat. Christ used his own body to utter his love on earth; his perfectly real body, with bone and sinew and blood and tears; Christ uses our bodies to express his love on earth, our humanity. A Christian life is a sacramental life, it is not a life lived only in the mind, only by the soul… Our humanity is the substance of the sacramental life of Christ in us, like the wheat for the host, like the grape for the chalice.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander reflects on the profound mystery of the Incarnation, where Christ took flesh and blood through Mary, using His human body to reveal divine love in every heartbeat and gesture. This embodiment did not end with His earthly life; rather, He continues to express His love through us. Houselander emphasizes that a true Christian life is sacramental, where both body and soul participate. Just as wheat and grapes become the Eucharist, our humanity becomes the “substance” through which Christ shares His love with the world. Every aspect of our lives, however small or simple, becomes an opportunity to participate in His love.

Personal Reflection: Reflect on the ways you can embody Christ’s love in your actions, words, and relationships. How can you live each moment as a sacrament, allowing your humanity to become a vessel for His presence and love?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, A Rocking Horse Catholic by Caryll Houselander (2013) Paperback

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 2: The Gift of Christ in Each Other – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 2: The Gift of Christ in Each Other

“I saw that it is the will of Christ’s love to be put into the hands of sinners, to trust Himself to men, that He may be their gift to one another that they may comfort Him in each other, give Him to each other. In this sense the ordinary life itself becomes sacramental, and every action of anyone at all has an eternal meaning.”

Commentary: Houselander reflects on Christ’s profound willingness to entrust Himself to us, even in our brokenness. This divine humility allows us to share Christ’s love with one another, transforming our daily actions into a form of grace. By seeing each interaction as an opportunity to give and receive Christ, our ordinary lives take on a sacramental quality, where every act holds eternal significance. For Catholics, this resonates with the call to see God in every person, making each encounter a moment of communion with Christ. This perspective deepens our understanding of what it means to live a sacramental life, where our love for others becomes an expression of our love for Him.

Personal Reflection: Today, think about how you can see Christ in the people you meet, especially those you may struggle with. How can you be a gift to them, offering Christ’s love through your actions? Let each interaction become an act of faith, bringing His presence into the world.

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, A Rocking Horse Catholic by Caryll Houselander (2013) Paperback

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Day 1: Christ’s Dependence and Our Advent – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 1: Christ’s Dependence and Our Advent

“By his own will Christ was dependent on Mary during Advent: he was absolutely helpless; he could go nowhere but where she chose to take him; he could not speak; her breathing was his breath; his heart beat in the beating of her heart…. In the seasons of our Advent – waking, working, eating, sleeping, being – each breath is a breathing of Christ into the world.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander reflects on the profound mystery of Christ’s dependence on Mary during Advent. By His own will, the all-powerful God chose to be utterly vulnerable and reliant on her. This self-giving humility exemplifies divine love and invites us to ponder how our own lives, in their simplest moments, might echo this mystery. Houselander suggests that in our daily activities—our “seasons of Advent”—each breath we take is an opportunity to bring Christ’s presence into the world.

Personal Reflection: Today, consider each task, each interaction, as a moment where you can breathe Christ into your surroundings. How might you, like Mary, be a vessel for His presence in the seemingly ordinary aspects of your life?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, Marie Anne Mayeski (1991). “A Rocking-Horse Catholic: A Caryll Houselander Reader”, p.73, Rowman & Littlefield

For more reflections visit: Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit: Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit: Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit: Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit: Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts