Deacon James Keating Archives

AR#9 – The True Way of Love – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D.

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The impatient one, above all, desires to speed up time and to get what he wants, when he wants it. In this way, impatience is related to violence. Whereas patience takes suffering upon the self. The impatient one makes others suffer. The patient one suffers for the sake of others. This Advent, the one who suffered for our sake, will come and take on flesh; be born into our world and teach all of us the true way of love. It is not to be impatient, but to suffer for the sake of others. To suffer for the goodness of others. To suffer for what benefits others. Jesus, who lives within all Christians, moves the heart to this new kind of patience. Let us welcome it, and make choices that further the welfare of others.

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.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

AR#8 – The Art of Waiting – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D.

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I will wait, and wait, and wait with the Lord. I will wait with and in the Lord, rather than violate charity. Wanting to speed up time, and make things happen now is a violation of charity. It does violence to the nature of things. But the patient person keeps a perspective that is beyond expedient. Beyond what is immediate, and sees before him or her, all what serves love. This Advent, let’s ask for the grace to serve only what promotes 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.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

AR#7 – Confidence in God – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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AR#7 – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating, Ph.D.

Since we are God’s creation, we have come from God and we are returning to God; God has great confidence in His own grace. He has great confidence that his love for us can change us. He knows that we can make progress and be restored to spiritual and moral health. Do you have confidence in God? Do you trust God? Always desiring to restore you, once again, to happiness and interior peace. Advent is a time to be restored. Primarily, the church is asking us to be restored through the sacramental life. Advent is a time to come back to Church; come back to the Mass; come back to the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation, where God is confidently waiting for you, knowing that you can make progress and be restored to spiritual health. And to taste, once again, His happiness that He shares with you.

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.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

AR#6 – Do Not Lose Courage – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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AR#6 – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating, Ph.D.

One of our greatest sufferings as Christians is our own impatience with ourselves. We want to be good and holy immediately. St. Francis de Sales said “Have patience with all things. But chiefly, have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage, in considering your own imperfections. But instantly set about to remedy them. Begin every day a task anew.” During Advent, lets make our new task a deeper prayer life, entrusting all our desires for goodness and holiness, to the Most Holy Trinity, who has infinite patience with us. And as we receive this amazing love from the Trinity, let us ask that our own characters be reformed, so that we might have real patience with one another.

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.

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

AR#5 – God’s Patience – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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AR#5 – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating, Ph.D.

As human beings, we tend to sin. We all know this about our characters. And many times, it moves us to despair. God sees our sin, but He never loses his patience with us. And one of the reasons why God never loses His patience with His creation, is, of course, because He loves us. But also because His happiness is already fully possessed by Himself. He’s not like us when we get angry at our children, and try to move time forward; try to make things happen quickly. God is perfectly happy in Himself, and so He does no violence to time, or to people’s development. He waits. He calls. He shares His own happiness with us. And He knows in this patience that He fully possesses, that someday we will be attracted to such a powerful person, to such a peaceful person as He revealed Himself to be in Jesus. This Advent, don’t lose patience with yourself. Convert all desires to sin into Jesus’ own heart. Give it to him and He will give you a share in His own happiness.

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.

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

AR#4 – The Only Pleasure That Lasts – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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AR#4 – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating, Ph.D.

Human beings are called by God, to find their fulfillment patiently, to a life of cultivating virtue. We don’t become saints immediately; we don’t even grow in disdain of our sins immediately. For we are so attached to them, and the immediacy of pleasure that they give us, that it takes time for us to disconnect from that pleasure, and to cultivate a new love, for the only pleasure that lasts, God sharing His own happiness with us. This Advent lets ask the Lord to open our hearts more deeply so that we can receive this happiness from Him. And in so receiving it, be healed of our impatience. For what is being given, and what is coming to us, is more than we could ever imagine.

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.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

AR#3 – Healing Disorderd Desires – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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AR#3 – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating, Ph.D.

As human beings, we have disordered desires. One of our greatest disordered desires is to want things now, to be impatient, and to want things through our own efforts, without waiting or cooperating with God’s will. To wait and cooperate with God’s will, is to unleash the wonderful character trait of trust. To entrust all of our desires, and all that we wish would be fulfilled into the person of Jesus Christ, whose only desire is our goodness, our happiness, and our holiness. This Advent, let’s trust that God is thinking about us all the time and moving creation in such a way that all that is good will be given to us. Let us ask him to heal our desire to want things now. And to renew within us the desire to want only holiness, to want only what God wants for us, for he knows what is best.

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.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

AR#2 – To Be Loved and To Receive Joy – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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AR#2 – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating, Ph.D.

We want everything accomplished right away. God only knows that accomplishment follows one thing after another. He knows that it takes time for us to learn what it means to be human, to be those who are loved so deeply by His most Sacred Heart, His mother, and the saints. He knows that it takes time for us to understand that His love, and the reception of His love, is the very origin of our joy. During Advent, we ask even with more fervor, to receive this love. And we ask for the grace to release this joy, especially through the intercession of the saints and the Blessed Mother.

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.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

AR#1 – God’s Patience – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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AR#1 – Advent Reflections with Deacon James Keating, Ph.D.

One of God’s attributes is patience. He suffers His own creation, as it comes to fulfillment in His love. The God that we worship is a God who truly loves us. And in this great love, He waits. He waits for us to respond to all that He has given us. And He doesn’t simply wait in a passive way. He keeps loving us, keeps directing His love toward our hearts to awaken them with a response. This is near the very core of what Advent is about. God-loving us so deeply, directing His love toward us, and Him sharing His life with us so that we might respond in kind. So that we might wait and receive, and then respond to His great 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.

We highly recommend – The Eucharist and the Hope of Conversion with Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Discerning Hearts Podcast

SBN5 – Hell – Salvation Begins Now: Last Things First with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 5: Hell – Salvation Begins Now: Last Things First

Deacon James Keating discusses the theology of hell, emphasizing it as a reality shaped by human freedom. Hell is the consequence of dying in a state of unrepented mortal sin, where individuals knowingly and freely reject God’s love. This eternal separation from God is marked by isolation and the inability to reciprocate divine love, resulting in profound suffering. Despite cultural and theological trends that have diminished focus on hell, the Church’s teaching remains clear: mortal sin leads to eternal separation unless repented before death.

Dcn. Keating highlights the urgency of evangelization and intercession, urging Christians to pray, fast, and offer Masses for loved ones, especially those who have passed away. While sobering, he offers hope, reminding us that Christ provides all the grace necessary for salvation. By embracing purification and aligning with God’s will, individuals can live in eternal communion with Him. Hell need not be feared if one turns to Christ, whose infinite love and mercy are always extended.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Understanding Hell as a Choice
How do I perceive my own freedom and responsibility in choosing to accept or reject God’s love in my daily life?
The Reality of Mortal Sin
Do I take time to examine my conscience and recognize grave sins that could separate me from God’s grace?
The Finality of Death
How does the understanding that death solidifies my eternal relationship with God influence my choices and priorities?
Evangelizing Loved Ones
Am I actively praying, fasting, and seeking opportunities to bring my family and friends closer to Christ?
The Role of Mass in Intercession
Do I regularly offer Mass intentions for the souls of my loved ones, both living and deceased?
Hope in Christ’s Redemption
How can I more deeply embrace and trust in the saving grace and mercy of Christ to overcome sin in my life?

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1057 “Hell’s principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”

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.