Sunday – Praying daily for the Poor Souls – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Sunday

O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee,
by the precious blood
which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed in the garden,
deliver the souls in purgatory,
and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all;
and bring it to Thy glory,
there to praise and bless Thee forever.

Amen.

Sunday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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Sunday of the Thirty-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 According to St. Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.

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 of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.

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 of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.

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.

The Poor/Holy Souls and Purgatory – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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The Poor/Holy Souls and Purgatory – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

Msgr. John Esseff and Kris McGregor discuss the significance of All Souls’ Day and the theology of purgatory. The deep connection Catholics share with the souls in purgatory, who are part of the larger body of Christ. He describes his personal practice of praying for those he’s known who have passed, recalling their names and lifting them in prayer during Mass. The Church provides special graces on All Souls’ Day to pray for these “holy souls,” who yearn to be with God but require purification.

The process of purgation as a cleansing fire, likening it to the Sacred Heart’s fire that purifies the soul’s imperfections, drawing it closer to God’s perfect love. This fire is not only for the souls in purgatory but is present throughout the Christian life, in trials and sufferings that refine believers. He reflects on Jesus as an anchor for the souls, grounding them in hope and drawing them closer to heaven. Msgr. Esseff invites listeners to pray for the dead, encouraging them to recall and “remember” those they love, trusting in God’s mercy and the promise of eternal life.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Union with the Holy Souls: How can I deepen my relationship with the souls in purgatory through prayer and remembrance?
Understanding Purgation as Divine Love: In what ways do I see God’s purifying love working in my own life?
Embracing the Fire of the Sacred Heart: How can I open myself more fully to God’s love that refines and transforms?
Contemplating Life after Death: What beliefs do I hold about purgatory, and how do they shape my prayers for the deceased?
Reflecting on Baptism and Eternal Life: How does my baptismal identity anchor my hope in the resurrection and eternal life?
Offering Prayers and Sacrifices: What specific actions can I take today to pray for the souls in purgatory and support their journey to heaven?
Facing Death without Fear: How can I grow in trust and confidence in God’s love, freeing myself from fear of death?
Interceding for Family and Friends: Who in my life, living or deceased, needs my prayers, and how can I actively remember them today?
Living the Paschal Mystery: How am I experiencing the cycles of suffering, death, and resurrection in my spiritual journey?
Recognizing God’s Mercy for All Souls: How does God’s desire for everyone’s salvation influence the way I pray and hope for others, even those who struggled in life?

Reading 1 Wis 3:1-9

“The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.”

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. Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians, and other religious leaders around the world.

Saturday – Praying Daily for the Poor Souls – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Saturday

O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee,
by the precious blood
which gushed forth from the sacred side
of Thy Divine Son Jesus
in the presence of and to the great sorrow
of His most holy Mother
deliver the souls in purgatory,
and among them all especially that soul
which has been most devout to this noble Lady;
that it may come quickly into Thy glory,
there to praise Thee in her,
and her in Thee,
through all the ages.

Amen.

Day 5 – St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Dr. Anthony Lilles STD - Beginning to Pray 3

Day Five – For the Grace of being overcome by the Fire of God’s Love

For Saint Elizabeth, the Holy Spirit is the consuming Fire of God’s Love. To fully offer oneself to the Lord, one needs to allow one’s whole existence to be set on fire by this Divine Love. This means a total offering of oneself analogous to the offering of holocaust proscribed in the Mosaic Law. Before Christ, such an offering would be completely consumed in the sacred fire before the altar of sacrifice. It was a sign of what God deserves from us, and with that acknowledgment, the people’s worship was deemed acceptable to the Lord. Christ’s offering of Himself on the Cross was the perfect fulfillment of this practice. Only it was not earthly flames that consumed His self-offering. Instead, He burned with the Gift of the Father’s Love and through this obedient love, opened up a pathway for us to render the Holy Trinity a hymn of praise so beautiful, God is utterly delighted by it.

Why should God be delighted by what we offer Him? It is because the Holy Spirit renews the mystery of the Word made flesh in us through our faith in Christ. The Word of the Father, the Radiant One, not only captivates the hearts of those who seek Him, but He is also the greatest delight of the Father. The Father delights in His Son because His Son communicates the truth about His love – and this is the Father’s glory. Born out of the silent fullness of the Father’s heart, the glory that the Word reveals makes all things new. When the Father spoke His Word into our humanity, He renewed humanity so that Christ’s humanity became the instrument to reveal the glory of God.

The Holy Spirit renews this whole mystery in us when we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by His coming into our hearts. When we accept what Christ has done for us out of love for the Father, the love with which Christ burned, burns in us. This fire purifies us of our attachments to sin and at the same time implicates us in the plight of those whom God has sent into our lives. In this way, we discover new liberty to give ourselves in love of God and our neighbor that we did not have before. It is the freedom of Christ – the One crucified by love. Through this Gift of the Holy Spirit, the Father even recognizes the beauty of Christ in us – a beauty that delights Him and a beauty that saves the world.

Saint Elizabeth understands that, in a certain sense, being overwhelmed by the Fire of the Holy Spirit extends the mystery of the Incarnation through our humanity – into the circumstances, relationships and events of our lives. The more we surrender our humanity to the love of Christ and die to our plans, the more vulnerable we are to this movement of Love at work in us.

The mission that Saint Elizabeth exercises from heaven is geared to the total transformation of our lives that the Holy Spirit accomplishes when we make ourselves vulnerable to His wholly simple and wholly loving movement in us. For this kind of openness, let us pray:

O My God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely so as to be established in you as still and as peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing be able to disturb my peace, nor make me depart from you, o my Unchanging One, but may each moment carry me further into the depths of your Mystery. Pacify my soul, make it your heaven, your beloved abode, your resting place. May I never leave you there alone, but may I be entirely present, my faith completely ready, wholly adoring, fully surrendered to your creative action.

O my beloved Christ, crucified by love, I would like to be a bride for your heart. I would like to cover you with glory, I would like to love you… unto death. I feel my powerlessness, however, and I ask you to clothe me with yourself, to identify my soul with all the movements of your soul, to defeat me, to overwhelm me, to substitute yourself for me, that my life might be but the radiation of your Life. Come into me as Adorer, as Healer, as Savior. O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life listening to you, I want to be completely docile, ready to learn everything from you. Then, through all nights, all voids, all weakness, I want to fixate on you always and to remain under your great light. O My beloved Star, fascinate me so that I would not be able to forsake your shining light.

O Consuming Flame, Spirit of love, come over me until my soul is rendered into an incarnation of the Word; may I be for Him another humanity in which he renews His whole Mystery.

And you, O Father, bend over your little creature, cover her with your shadow, and see in her only the Beloved in whom You are well-pleased.
O my Three, my All, my Beatitude, Infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I lose myself, I surrender myself as prey. Bury yourself in me in order that I might bury myself in you, while waiting to contemplate in your light the immeasurable depths of your grandeur.

Amen

The Novena to St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is authored by Dr. Anthony Lilles S.T.D.

For the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

All Souls’ Day – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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All Souls’ Day – 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 According to St. Matthew 11:25-30

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

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 exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

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 exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

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.

IP#483 – Thomas Jacobi – How Saints Die by Fr. Antonio Maria Sicari on Inside the Pages w/Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Thomas Jacobi – How Saints Die by Fr. Antonio Maria Sicari on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

How Saints Die: 100 Stories of Hope is more about how to live than how to die. With Ignatius Press editor, Thomas Jacobi, we discuss life and death, and the challenges of living a life which strives for holiness. We discuss how the saints are great beacons of hope for the world and our essential companions for the spiritual journey.

Thomas Jacobi will say in our conversation:

“Each Saint is a unique revelation actually of the personality of God, in Christ. Each Saint is so different and each saint reveals something new that we didn’t or couldn’t see before about Christ, about God. And that’s why it’s so important to get to know the saints. They reveal to us who God is in a fresh and exciting way. So I would encourage people to pick up this book for that reason.”

We would agree with Thomas!

You can find the book here

From the book description:

“Italian Carmelite Antonio Maria Sicari’s vibrant biographies of saints—from Augustine to Catherine of Siena to Faustina Kowalska—have been read across Europe for decades. In How Saints Die, Sicari turns to the most difficult challenge in the life of a Christian: the hour of death.

What he uncovers in this darkest moment, however, is not desolation, but inexplicable joy. “I have recounted the death of many saints,” he writes, “but all of them have confirmed for me the truth of this ancient Christian intuition: in the death of a saint, it is death that dies!”

With in-depth research and a flair for storytelling, Sicari brings before our eyes the gracious last hours of one hundred men and women—lovers and martyrs, thinkers and workers, ancients and moderns, old men and teens. Included are Kateri Tekakwitha, Maximilian Kolbe, Mother Teresa, Thomas Aquinas, Josephine Bakhita, Jérôme Lejeune, Clare of Assisi, and many more. In each, a new shade of the divine light shines through.

Those seeking insight into the mystery of death and suffering will find in this book not only wisdom, but rich and realistic consolation.“

A Litany of Saints – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

A Litany of Saints for the Discerning Heart

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Teresa Monaghen…Pro Sanctity - The Universal Call to Holiness 1

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

Saint Michael, pray for us.
Saint Gabriel, pray for us.
Saint Raphael, pray for us.
All you holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, Protector of the Church, pray for us.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

Saint Peter, pray for us.
Saint Paul, pray for us.
Saint Andrew, pray for us.
Saint James, pray for us.
Saint John, pray for us.
All you holy Apostles and Evangelists, pray for us.
All you holy Martyrs, pray for us.

Saint Stephen, pray for us.
Saint Lawrence, pray for us.
Saint Gregory, pray for us.
Saint Ambrose, pray for us.
Saint Augustine, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, pray for us.
Saint Benedict, pray for us.
Saint Bernard, pray for us.
Saint Dominic, pray for us.
Saint Francis, pray for us.
All you holy Priests and Clergy, pray for us.
All you holy Monks and Hermits, pray for us.

Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, pray for us.
Saint Agatha, pray for us.
Saint Lucy, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, pray for us.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, pray for us.
Saint Anastasia, pray for us.
Saint Clare, pray for us.
All you holy Virgins and Widows, pray for us.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, pray for us.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.
Saint Bridget of Sweden, pray for us
Saint Catherine of Siena, pray for us
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.
Saint Teresa of Avila, pray for us.
Saint John of the Cross, pray for us.
Saint Francis de Sales, pray for us.
Saint Jane de Chantal, pray for us.

Saint Claude de La Colombière, pray for us.
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, pray for us.
Saint John Vianney, pray for us.
Saint John Henry Newman, pray for us
Saint Charbel Makhlouf, pray for us.

Saint Juan Diego, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us.
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, pray for us.
Saint Gemma Gilgani, pray for us.

Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, pray for us.

Saint Fautina Kowalska, pray for us.
Saint Maximillian Mary Kolbe, pray for us.
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us.
Saint Andrea Bessette, pray for us.
Saint Gianna Berretta Molla, pray for us.

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, pray for us.

Blessed Solanus Casey, pray for us.
Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.
Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us.
Venerable Bruno Lanteri, pray for us.
Venerable Fulton Sheen, pray for us.
Servant of God Leonie Martin, pray for us.
Servant of God Dorothy Day, pray for us.
Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty, pray for us.
All you Holy Saints, Blesseds, and Servants of God, pray for us.

Lord, be merciful. Lord, deliver us, we pray.

From every evil, Lord, deliver us, we pray.
From every sin, Lord, deliver us, we pray.
From the snares of the devil, Lord, deliver us, we pray.
From disease, famine, and war, Lord, deliver us, we pray.
By your Incarnation, Lord, deliver us, we pray.
By your death and resurrection, Lord, deliver us, we pray.
By the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Lord, deliver us, we pray.

Be merciful to us sinners, Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.

Guide and protect your holy Church, Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.

That You are continually taking care of me, Jesus, I trust in you.
That not knowing the future invites me to lean on You, Jesus, I trust in you.
That You are with me in my suffering, Jesus, I trust in you.
That my suffering, united to Your own,
will bear fruit in this life and the next, Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked, Jesus, I trust in you.
That my life is a gift, Jesus, I trust in you.
That You are my Lord and my God, Jesus, I trust in you.
That I am Your beloved one, Jesus, I trust in you.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, hear us.
Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Amen.

Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory – Day 9

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Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory – Day 9

composed by by St. Alphonsus of Liguori

Visit the Discerning Hearts “Holy Souls” page for the complete novena and text of the prayers

My God! How was it possible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Goodness, how long-suffering hast Thou shown Thyself to me! Henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee; I promise rather to die than to again offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance, and do not permit that I should ever again fall into sin. Have compassion on the holy souls in Purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face, and forever love Thee. Mary, Mother of Mercy, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.

Say the following prayers: 1 Our Father… 1 Hail Mary…

The Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

(State your intention(s) here while recommending yourself to the souls in Purgatory.)

Blessed Souls, I have prayed for thee; I entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for me a miserable sinner, who is in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.

Day 4 – St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day Four – For the grace to be captivated by Christ

In her prayer to the Trinity, Saint Elizabeth asks particular graces of each of the Divine Persons. From Christ, she asks to be captivated by Him. She refers to Him as the Radiant Star and asks for the grace to fixate on Him and to learn all from Him. She situates this petition within her awareness of her own inadequacies, voids, weaknesses and failings. She does not run from these struggles, but she also knows that she cannot overcome these on her own. She needs help – the help that comes from Christ alone. When we look to Him, it is not our failures that ultimately define us – instead, it is the love that He has for us that becomes definitive in our lives. If we allow the dynamism of His presence to draw our hearts to Him, rather than self-pity or despair, we find the strength to trust Him even as everything in our lives seems to be falling apart. If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, He will lead us to the victory of good over evil in our hearts, our families and our communities. He is greater than every evil and He loves to reveal His strength in our weakness. When we come across that painful emptiness in which everything seems impossible, Jesus is present there too — ready to shine on us anew and to help us find our way once again.

In the spiritual mission of Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, she knows how much it brings the Radiant Star great delight when we allow Him to be the light that shines in the darkness of our lives – and, when we ask her to help us find this light, it increases Saint Elizabeth’s joy to help us triumph. Let us pray:

O My God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely so as to be established in you as still and as peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing be able to disturb my peace, nor make me depart from you, o my Unchanging One, but may each moment carry me further into the depths of your Mystery. Pacify my soul, make it your heaven, your beloved abode, your resting place. May I never leave you there alone, but may I be entirely present, my faith completely ready, wholly adoring, fully surrendered to your creative action.

O my beloved Christ, crucified by love, I would like to be a bride for your heart. I would like to cover you with glory, I would like to love you… unto death. I feel my powerlessness, however, and I ask you to clothe me with yourself, to identify my soul with all the movements of your soul, to defeat me, to overwhelm me, to substitute yourself for me, that my life might be but the radiation of your Life. Come into me as Adorer, as Healer, as Savior. O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life listening to you, I want to be completely docile, ready to learn everything from you. Then, through all nights, all voids, all weakness, I want to fixate on you always and to remain under your great light. O My beloved Star, fascinate me so that I would not be able to forsake your shining light.

O Consuming Flame, Spirit of love, come over me until my soul is render into an incarnation of the Word; may I be for Him another humanity in which he renews His whole Mystery.

And you, O Father, bend over your little creature, cover her with your shadow, and see in her only the Beloved in whom You are well-pleased.
O my Three, my All, my Beatitude, Infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I loose myself, I surrender myself as prey. Bury yourself in me in order that I might bury myself in you, while waiting to contemplate in your light the immeasurable depths of your grandeur.

Amen