PoC-11 1st Saturday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation


The Cross of Christ Teaches Us. . .How to Love

The-CrossSteps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask——Do I allow God to love through me?

Seek—Keep before you the image of Jesus forgiving those who nailed him on the cross and see everyone with whom you come into contact through Christ. Think about how Christ died for those people and how precious they are as children of God, the same God who loves you

Knock—Meditate on 1 John 4:11–12.

My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us.

Are there people whom you do not love? Ask God to fill you with his love. What does the Father see in these people that you don’t? Ask God to heal you of any painful scars that you still suffer from what others might have done to you. Ask Jesus to touch his wounds from his crucifixion to your own woundedness, that it may become a source of blessing.

Transform Your Life—Put God first in your life. Realize that you can love your spouse, your children, your friends, and your enemies only to the degree that you keep God first. We tend not to expect others to be perfect if we worship the only One who is perfect.

Power-of-the-Cross2-198x300

The author of The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book61189_profile_pic1-213x300! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work.

The Power of the Cross is now available as a free e-book,
check out more information by going here

Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

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 11: “Love Your Enemies” – Discerning Hearts Podcast

A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 11: “Love Your Enemies”

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Matthew 5:43-48
“You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way, you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and his rain to fall on the honest and the dishonest alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Host Reflection:

Jesus’ teaching today is among the most challenging in the Gospel: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” It overturns our natural instincts and calls us to a higher standard of love—one that reflects the heart of the Father.

This love is what the New Testament calls agape love: a love that is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. It is not based on feelings but is an act of the will, a deliberate choice to seek the good of another. This kind of love requires humility and often feels impossible—especially when directed toward those who are difficult to love or who have wronged us. Yet, it is precisely in these moments that agape love becomes an extraordinary act of grace.

We cannot achieve this love on our own. Agape love demands cooperation with God’s grace. It is through prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit that we are strengthened to love as God loves, even when our natural instincts resist.

The Desert Fathers embraced this radical love as a path to holiness. Abba Agathon said:
“If I could meet a leper and give him my body in exchange for his, I would gladly do so. That is perfect love.”(Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Agathon 23)

This teaching shows that love is not limited by how we feel but is expanded by our willingness to act for the good of others, even at great personal cost. Loving our enemies begins with prayer. When we pray for those who hurt us, we open our hearts to God’s transforming grace. Over time, our wounds can become places of compassion, and our hearts can be made free to reflect God’s own mercy.

In her mystical conversation with God, recorded in The Dialogue of Divine Providence, St. Catherine of Siena, a Doctor of the Church, receives these profound words from the Father, reminding us of the inseparable bond between love of God and love of neighbor.

“The soul who loves Me (God) loves every virtue and hates sin. Such love of virtue is always evident in love of neighbor, because love of Me and love of neighbor are one and the same thing, and whatever is done for another is done for Me.”
(The Dialogue, Chapter 7, trans. Suzanne Noffke, O.P.)

Her words call us to see Christ in every person, even those who oppose us. Agape love invites us to participate in the reconciling love of God, who desires to bring all people to Himself. This love, though difficult, is the path to holiness and true peace.

As we reflect today, let us ask: How can we take the first steps toward loving those who are difficult to love? How can we trust in God’s grace to enable us to live out this agape love?

Reflection Questions:

Take a moment to reflect on these questions and allow them to guide your prayer today:

  1. Who are the “enemies” or difficult people in our lives, and how can we respond to them with love?
  2. How can prayer for those who hurt us open our hearts to God’s grace?
  3. In what ways is God calling us to reflect His perfect, unconditional love in our relationships?

Closing Prayer:

Let us now bring our time of reflection to God in prayer, asking for the grace to love as He loves.

Lord, You call us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. This love is beyond our natural strength, but we trust in Your grace to make it possible. Open our hearts to see Your image in every person, even those who are difficult to love. Teach us to pray for those who hurt us, and transform our wounds into compassion. May our love reflect Your perfect and unconditional love, bringing healing and peace to the world. Amen.


This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.

 

St. Joseph Novena – Day 6


O glorious Saint Joseph,faithful follower of Jesus Christ,St.-Joseph-11
to you we raise our hearts and hands
to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign heart of Jesus
all the helps and graces necessary
for our spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly for the grace of a happy death
and the special favor we now request…

(State your request here.)

O guardian of the Word Incarnate,
we feel animated with confidence that your prayers
in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen.

DAY SIX

O glorious Saint Joseph,
appointed by the Eternal Father
as the guardian and protector of the life of Jesus Christ,
the comfort and support of His Holy Mother,
and the instrument in His great design
for the redemption of mankind;
you who had the happiness of living with Jesus and Mary,
and of dying in their arms,
be moved with confidence we place in you,
and procure for us from the Almighty,
the particular favor which
we humbly ask through your intercession…

(State your request here…)

Amen.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

1st Saturday of Lent – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

1st Saturday of Lent- 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. Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

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 said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

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 said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

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.

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.

SC-2 – The 3rd and 4th Stations – Stations of the Cross with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Episode 2 -Stations of the Cross: Reflections with Deacon James Keating 
The Stations of the Cross – one of the most powerful devotionals alive in the heart of the Church. Reflecting and deeply meditating on the Passion of the Christ, Deacon Keating guides us through the 3rd station (Jesus falls the first time), the 4th station (Jesus encounters His Blessed Mother), and the 5th station (Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry the Cross) along the Way of the Cross.

For other episodes in the “Stations of the Cross” series click here

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. 

More episodes of Stations of the Cross with Deacon James Keating Ph.D.

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

Deacon Keating is also the author of:


You can find the book here.

From the book description:

Deacon James Keating’s book Abiding in Christ: Staying with God in a Busy World is a how-to-pray resource. This book helps readers to find a quiet space wherein they can be present to God and offers suggestions of how they can be more open to God s movement within them.

PoC-10 1st Friday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation


The Cross of Christ Teaches Us. . .Reconciliation

The-CrossSteps to Take as You Follow Chris

Ask—Is there anyone I do not love? In what way can I allow the love of Christ to control me?

Seek—Allow the image of the cross of Christ, the price Jesus paid to redeem all creation, to dominate your thoughts when you find yourself growing angry at someone. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to be reconciled to those who have hurt you.

Knock—Meditate on 2 Corinthians 5:14–15.

The love of Christ overwhelms us when we reflect that if one man has died for all, then all men should be dead; and the reason he died for all was so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them.

What controls you? What motivates you from the moment of your rising to the point when you take your rest at night? Dwelling on Paul’s words, ask the Lord to fill you with his love so that it may be the controlling force in your life.

Transform Your Life—Jesus told his disciples to be reconciled before coming to the altar with their sacrifice. If we carry anger or sin we need to be reconciled to Christ before coming to receive him in the Eucharist. This may mean making contact with people whom we have hurt and asking their forgiveness. We should also go to confession regularly, so that Holy Communion is a true sign of communion with God and all his creatures.

Power-of-the-Cross2-198x300

The author of The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book61189_profile_pic1-213x300! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work.

The Power of the Cross is now available as a free e-book,
check out more information by going here

Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

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. Joseph Novena – Day 5


O glorious Saint Joseph,faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
to you we raise our hearts and hands
to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign heart of Jesus
all the helps and graces necessary
for our spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly for the grace of a happy death
and the special favor we now request…

(State your request here.)

O guardian of the Word Incarnate,
we feel animated with confidence that your prayers
in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen.

DAY FIVE

O holy St. Joseph,
what a lesson your life is for us,
ever so eager to appear
so anxious to display before the eyes of men
the graces that we owe entirely to the liberality of God.
In addition to the special favor for which we plead in this novena…

(State your request here…)

grant that we may attribute to God the glory of all things,
that we may love the humble and hidden life,
that we may not desire any other position
than the one given us by Providence
and that we may always be a docile instrument in the hands of God.

Amen.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

Day 10: “Reconciliation and Forgiveness” – Discerning Hearts Podcast


A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 10: “Reconciliation and Forgiveness”

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Matthew 5:23-24
“If you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering.”

Reflection:

Forgiveness is the doorway to healing, the first step toward true reconciliation. We accept that a past action has happened that has hurt us, and we begin to let it go, not by our own strength, but through the grace of God, who leads us toward healing and freedom. Jesus reminds us that before we approach God, we must examine our hearts and choose to forgive. Forgiveness is an act of the will—a decision to release resentment and entrust justice to God. It is not always easy, but it frees us from the weight of bitterness and prepares us to receive God’s mercy.

Sometimes, the wounds in a relationship run deep, and forgiveness is not a single moment but a continuing process. We may not always feel emotionally ready to forgive, but turning to the Father and asking for His grace to forgive is the first step. When we do not feel sincere, authentic forgiveness is fully possible at a given moment, we can begin with a simple prayer.

“Father, pour Your mercy upon the one I need to forgive. The pain is still present, and forgiveness feels difficult. Grant me the grace to heal through Your mercy and have the strength and freedom to fully forgive.”

You may need to say it multiple times over days, months, or even years, but each time you do, you take a step closer to the full freedom of forgiveness. The desire to forgive, even if imperfect, is what allows God’s grace to gradually transform your heart.

Abba Moses the Black said:

“The man who is angry with his brother is like a man who drinks poison and hopes it will kill his enemy”(Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Moses 7)

Holding onto anger harms us far more than it does the other person. Forgiveness frees us, even when reconciliation is not possible. Sometimes, the other person may not be open to restoration, and wounds may remain. But even if human reconciliation is unattainable, God is always open to us. His mercy is never withheld, and He invites us to bring our brokenness to Him for healing.

Reconciliation is more than resolving conflicts; it is about restoring relationships. The word reconciliation comes from the Latin reconciliare, meaning to bring together again, to restore harmony. True reconciliation happens when we see others as God sees them—not as adversaries, but as fellow children of God, wounded as we are, in need of grace and healing. It is not merely about resolving disputes but about restoring communion.

Abba Dorotheus provides wisdom:

“Do not imagine that you will be able to correct others before you have corrected yourself. Reconcile first your own heart to peace, and then you will be able to bring peace to others.” (Discourses and Sayings, Dorotheus of Gaza)

Before we can reconcile with others, we must reconcile with God. Sin damages our relationship with Him, distorting our vision and leading us away from His love. Often, we fail to recognize the weight of our sins or their consequences. True reconciliation begins when we see ourselves in the light of His love and seek His mercy.

One of the greatest gifts of the Church is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Christ instituted this sacrament to restore us to grace, lift the burden of sin, and renew our hearts.

Confession is not about judgment but healing. God longs to pour out His mercy, removing the barriers that sin creates between us and Him. When we avoid this sacrament, we deny ourselves the grace that Christ freely offers.

St. Augustine offers this insight:

I probed the hidden depths of my soul and wrung its pitiful secrets from it, and when I mustered them all before the eyes of my heart, a great storm broke within me, bringing with it a great deluge of tears… For I felt that I was still captive of my sins, and in my misery, I kept crying, ‘How long shall I go on saying, “Tomorrow, tomorrow”? Why not now? Why not make an end of my ugly sins at this moment? (Confessions, 8.12)

Reconciliation with God leads to freedom. It gives us the grace to seek healing in our relationships.

Abba Poemen reminds us:

“If someone wrongs you, you should say to yourself, ‘If it were not for this sin, perhaps I would not be saved.’”(Apophthegmata Patrum, Poemen 65)

Even the wounds inflicted by others can lead us to a deeper dependence on God’s mercy. If we allow them, these struggles can purify our hearts and teach us humility.

Lent is a time to examine our hearts, to forgive, and to be forgiven. Forgiveness sets us free; reconciliation restores what was broken. As we reflect today, let us ask: How can we take steps toward reconciliation in our lives? How can we trust God’s grace to heal the wounds that division has caused? And where in our hearts do we need to surrender resentment and ask for the grace to forgive?

Reflection Questions:

  1. Is there someone we need to forgive or seek forgiveness from?
  2. How can we let go of anger, resentment, or division and find peace in God’s mercy?
  3. How can we practice humility in seeking reconciliation with others?
  4. In what ways have our sins damaged our relationship with God, and how can we seek to restore that relationship?
  5. How can we renew our hearts through the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, You are rich in mercy and call us to reflect Your love in our relationships. Help us to forgive as You forgive, and to walk in the freedom of Your grace. Open our hearts to recognize the ways in which we have wounded our relationship with You and grant us the humility to seek Your mercy. May we never fear the Sacrament of Reconciliation but embrace it as a gift of Your love. Transform our hearts, Lord, that we may live in the fullness of Your grace.

Amen.


This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.

 

1st Friday of Lent – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

1st Friday of Lent- 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. Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’

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 said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’

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 said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’

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.

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.

That Great Silence in Storms Midst – Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast


That Great Silence in Storms Midst

by Dr. Anthony Lilles

The beauty of these 40 days of Lent is that every hardship and trial can be made into an offering of love. If we keep our course, whether anxiety or frustration, disappointment or heartbreak, hidden in the exigencies of the moment is a sacrament, a visible sign of grace, inviting the response of faith, opening to a deeper encounter with the one who longs for our freedom. The challenge is to focus on the Lord’s presence in the midst of the wind and the waves. Turn off every screen and speaker, silence the cell phone in all the talking heads, enough of the candid music and arguments, eyes open, attentive ears, ready heart, abstain, fast and be silent. This is the life vest to put on.

Seek an icons glow until heaven finds you for it is not we who make our way to Him so much as He who is set out to rescue his pilgrims in the threatening storm. Days of darkness when nothing makes sense, when evil would seem to have the upper hand, these are taken into account in the gospel in God’s plan. If this is chastisement, then it is long deserved by me more than anyone else. Save the innocent Lord who my own silence has left so vulnerable. It is challenging to walk under the shadow of glory for we must forsake those earthly lights on which we too long relied. Under that shadow, are less for power and gluttonous appetite are unveiled, and we feel the sorrow of not being in control or having the instant gratification to which we feel entitled. And then finally, we face that lonely alienation that has been driving us, and a certain painful emptiness that we too long sought to evade.

It is good to be sobered and to face the truth. Here, even social distancing can occasion compunction. And the piercing of the heart unleashes a sudden torrent and healing’s faith first hint whispers truth. All that once appeared good no longer does so. And what is really good, we have not yet learned to see. So dark, alone, and vulnerable, and in need, we finally begin to pray. Lighted candle on the kitchen table as night descends. Such simple joys are filled with meaning As the beads of the rosary slip through the fingers, and the Bible passages echo out loud what memories of grace and of friendship fill the silence? All of this only directs the heart and to even deeper places towards depths that the memory cannot go or the intellect glimpse, but every word of the Word is drawn there. Meaningful silence is resound when the heart speaks to heart. And an astonishing secret is shared between creator and creature for in that ardent furneness of love, what bright warmth welcomes the Pilgrim soul and the Pilgrim God.


Anthony Lilles, S.T.D. is an associate professor and the academic dean of Saint Patrick’s Seminary & University in Menlo Park, California. For over twenty years he served the Church in Northern Colorado where he joined and eventually served as dean of the founding faculty of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. Through the years, clergy, seminarians, religious and lay faithful have benefited from his lectures and retreat conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church and the writings of St. Elisabeth of the Trinity.