Deacon James Keating Ph.D. – Abiding in Christ on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Deacon James Keating and Kris McGregor discuss Abiding in Christ: Staying with God in a Busy World, a book aimed at helping the laity cultivate a deeper spiritual life. Abiding in Christ requires intentionality amidst the distractions of modern life and the importance of regularly recalling God’s presence, particularly through Scripture and the sacraments. Using the analogy of a physical move, he describes the spiritual journey as a transition from the fleeting pleasures of sin to the lasting fulfillment found in God’s presence. Sin often appears tangible and immediately gratifying, but God provides an equally concrete counter-move through the sacraments, which invite believers into a deeper encounter with Him.
Keating also addresses the modern challenge of reducing faith to an intellectual exercise or mere entertainment. Prayer and worship should focus on being with Christ rather than following rigid methodologies or seeking emotional highs. Simple, heartfelt prayer for the Eucharist as the ultimate home for the soul. To combat discouragement, we should seek fellowship with those who find hope in Christ, avoid the negativity of social media, and remain steadfast in prayer and sacramental life.
Discerning Hearts Discussion Questions
The Struggle to Remain with God: How do I intentionally make space in my daily life to abide in Christ despite the distractions of modern culture?
The Power of Scripture in Spiritual Renewal: In what ways can I incorporate Lectio Divina into my routine to displace worldly anxieties and deepen my encounter with God?
The Deceptive Pleasure of Sin: What sins in my life offer fleeting gratification, and how can I allow the beauty of God’s truth to attract me away from them?
The Tangibility of the Sacraments: How do I recognize and receive God’s presence in the sacraments as a real and substantial counter to the false comforts of sin?
The Challenge of Spiritual Transition: Where do I currently find myself in my spiritual journey, and how can I persevere through the discomfort of transition toward deeper communion with God?
The Eucharist as Spiritual Home: How does my participation in the Mass and reception of the Eucharist reflect my longing for true rest in Christ?
The Temptation to Reduce Faith to Entertainment: In what ways have I sought emotional or superficial experiences in my spiritual life instead of true encounter with God?
The Simplicity of Prayer: How can I strip away unnecessary complexity in my prayer life and simply rest in the presence of Christ?
The Need for Christian Fellowship: Who in my life strengthens my faith, and how can I cultivate relationships that encourage spiritual growth?
The Call to Persevere in Hope: What steps can I take to avoid discouragement and remain steadfast in my pursuit of holiness amid life’s challenges?
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.
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.
Friday of the Third 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 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’
He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’
Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.
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 the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’
He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’
Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.
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 the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’
He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’
Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.
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.
Fr. Basil Nortz – Holy Silence, Part 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Fr. Basil Nortz and Kris McGregor continue their discussion the book Holy Silence: A Practical Guide to Recollection in God. It explains the significance of silence in deepening one’s spiritual life, particularly through the concept of liturgical memory, where the events of Christ’s passion and the Eucharist become present realities. He also highlights the necessity of interior silence, noting how distractions, internal conversations, and self-directed thoughts can hinder true prayer. Fr. Nortz stresses that silence enables a deeper union with God and facilitates a more attentive and recollected state in daily life.
The book covers various types of silence, such as the silence of judgment, self-love, emotions, and the will. Fr. Nortz discusses the importance of surrendering to God’s providence, embracing purification, and practicing humility, especially in an era of constant opinions and digital noise. He also addresses the role of sacraments, particularly confession and the Eucharist, in attaining inner peace. The ultimate goal of these practices is to cultivate a profound silence of union, where one experiences God’s presence beyond external circumstances.
The Role of Liturgical Memory: How does the concept of liturgical memory deepen your understanding of the Eucharist and its presence in your daily life?
Interior Silence in Prayer: What distractions commonly disrupt your interior silence, and how can you cultivate a more recollected heart in prayer?
Silence of Judgment and Humility: How does practicing the silence of judgment help you grow in humility and foster a more charitable outlook toward others?
The Influence of Self-Love: In what ways can self-love be properly ordered toward God, and how can you guard against its distortions rooted in worldly desires?
Surrendering to God’s Will: How can you cultivate greater openness to God’s providence and allow His will to shape your spiritual journey?
The Role of Suffering in Silence: How does embracing silence, particularly in times of suffering, draw you closer to Christ and His example in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Sacramental Grace and Recollection: How can frequent reception of the Eucharist and Reconciliation help you maintain spiritual vigilance and interior peace?
The Presence of Guardian Angels and Saints: How does recognizing the presence of your guardian angel and the communion of saints impact your sense of companionship in the spiritual life?
The Influence of Media on Silence: How can you create boundaries with media consumption to foster a more contemplative and recollected spirit?
The Silence of Union with God: How does pursuing different forms of silence lead to a deeper experience of God’s love and presence in your daily life?
“Fr. Basil Nortz masterfully builds upon the classic reflections of Sr. Marie-Aimée de Jésus, a nineteenth-century spiritual mystic and Carmelite nun, on the twelve degrees of silence. By cultivating these types of silence, you will find out how you can — even amid your busy days filled with chatter, commotion, and noise — listen to the voice of God.
In these profound pages you will find ways to overcome your fear of silence and discover:
Keys to obeying God’s will
Kinds of silence that are holy and kinds that are unholy
Ten tips on what to do — and what to avoid — to bridle your senses
Seven ways to guard your imagination and foster recollection
How to direct your emotions with reason and foster silence of the heart
Effective ways of responding to injustice
You will learn the one sinful attitude that cuts us off from the merciful forgiveness of God and will acquire ways to stop passing judgment against others. Additionally, you will learn the most important attitude that disposes us to God’s plans and allows us to enter into His love and converse with Him affectionately throughout the day. Moreover, you will find practical techniques for overcoming distractions in prayer and advice from the saints on methods of meditation to develop silence of the spirit.
Above all, you will glean how to maintain peace of soul and live free from anxiety and despair, regardless of temptations or life’s battles. By relying totally on God, you will fearlessly rise after falls and begin again. You will begin to see the loving hand of God in all things, contemplate the light of His presence, and “be still” in the silence of His love.
“Holy silence is what helps the soul acquire the strength necessary to bear the presence of the all-pure God, who is ipsum esse subsistens (subsistent being itself),” explains Fr. Nortz. “The intensity of that fullness, far from inspiring languid inaction, produces a vibrant joyfulness that St. John expresses in the book of Revelation in terms of the saints singing with full voice.” “
About the Author: Reverend Basil Nortz, O.R.C., is a priest in the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross. He graduated from Christendom College in 1986 with a B.A. in theology. His seminary studies were at the Insitutum Sapientiae in Anapolis, Brazil.
Fr. Basil Nortz – Holy Silence, Part 1 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Fr. Basil Nortz discusses his book Holy Silence: A Practical Guide to Recollection in God, showing how silence is an active and positive disposition that opens the soul to God. Inspired by a 19th-century Carthusian nun’s list of 12 types of silence, he developed this framework over years of retreats and pastoral work. True silence is not merely an absence of noise but a means of deepening one’s attentiveness to God’s voice. Drawing from the wisdom of the saints, he explores different forms of silence, such as those of speech, body, senses, imagination, and memory. Each serves to protect interior peace and foster recollection in a world filled with constant distractions. Cultivating holy silence helps believers grow spiritually, recognize God’s will, and resist the unnecessary noise that can drown out divine guidance.
Fr. Nortz also discusses the role of angels in guiding the soul and the need for discipline in speech and media consumption. He warns against the dangers of defamation, excessive communication, and sensory overload while encouraging engagement with sacred art, quality literature, and uplifting music. Monastic wisdom, such as reciting the Sanctus before activities, provides practical ways to maintain awareness of God’s presence. By practicing silence properly, believers create an inner sanctuary where God dwells, leading to a deeper life of contemplation and union with Him.
The Role of Silence in Spiritual Growth: How can embracing silence in daily life help deepen your relationship with God and strengthen your interior peace?
Forms of Silence and Their Purpose: Which types of silence—speech, body, senses, imagination, or memory—present the greatest challenge in your spiritual journey, and how can you cultivate them more intentionally?
Avoiding Noise and Distractions: What practical steps can you take to limit unnecessary noise, whether from media, conversations, or technology, to create space for recollection and prayer?
Speaking with Charity and Restraint: How can greater discipline in speech, including avoiding gossip, detraction, and idle talk, reflect a deeper commitment to holiness and love for others?
The Influence of the Imagination and Memory: How do the images, stories, and memories you engage with shape your spiritual life, and what changes might help purify your imagination and recollection?
The Guardian Angel’s Role in Spiritual Discernment: In what ways can a stronger awareness of your guardian angel’s presence help you recognize God’s guidance and resist spiritual distractions?
Sacred Art and Beauty as Paths to God: How can surrounding yourself with sacred art, quality literature, and uplifting music draw your mind and heart closer to God’s presence?
Monastic Wisdom for Everyday Life: What lessons from the Desert Fathers, Benedictines, and other spiritual traditions can be applied to modern life to foster a greater sense of recollection and devotion?
Trusting in Divine Providence: How does cultivating silence help you recognize God’s providence in the details of your life, rather than seeing events as random or dictated by fate?
Silence as a Path to Deeper Prayer: What adjustments in your prayer life can help incorporate silence as an essential means of listening to God and growing in intimacy with Him?
“Fr. Basil Nortz masterfully builds upon the classic reflections of Sr. Marie-Aimée de Jésus, a nineteenth-century spiritual mystic and Carmelite nun, on the twelve degrees of silence. By cultivating these types of silence, you will find out how you can — even amid your busy days filled with chatter, commotion, and noise — listen to the voice of God.
In these profound pages you will find ways to overcome your fear of silence and discover:
Keys to obeying God’s will
Kinds of silence that are holy and kinds that are unholy
Ten tips on what to do — and what to avoid — to bridle your senses
Seven ways to guard your imagination and foster recollection
How to direct your emotions with reason and foster silence of the heart
Effective ways of responding to injustice
You will learn the one sinful attitude that cuts us off from the merciful forgiveness of God and will acquire ways to stop passing judgment against others. Additionally, you will learn the most important attitude that disposes us to God’s plans and allows us to enter into His love and converse with Him affectionately throughout the day. Moreover, you will find practical techniques for overcoming distractions in prayer and advice from the saints on methods of meditation to develop silence of the spirit.
Above all, you will glean how to maintain peace of soul and live free from anxiety and despair, regardless of temptations or life’s battles. By relying totally on God, you will fearlessly rise after falls and begin again. You will begin to see the loving hand of God in all things, contemplate the light of His presence, and “be still” in the silence of His love.
“Holy silence is what helps the soul acquire the strength necessary to bear the presence of the all-pure God, who is ipsum esse subsistens (subsistent being itself),” explains Fr. Nortz. “The intensity of that fullness, far from inspiring languid inaction, produces a vibrant joyfulness that St. John expresses in the book of Revelation in terms of the saints singing with full voice.” “
About the Author: Reverend Basil Nortz, O.R.C., is a priest in the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross. He graduated from Christendom College in 1986 with a B.A. in theology. His seminary studies were at the Insitutum Sapientiae in Anapolis, Brazil.
Thursday of the Third 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 4:21-25
Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’
He also said to them, ‘Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’
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 the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’
He also said to them, ‘Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’
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 the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’
He also said to them, ‘Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’
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.
Barricades on the Road to Contemplation, Part 1 – St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation with Fr. Donald Haggerty
Fr. Donald Haggerty discusses the spiritual obstacles, or “barricades,” that hinder the path to deeper contemplation, as outlined in Chapter 7 of his book. Drawing from St. John of the Cross’ The Dark Night, he explains how the seven capital sins manifest as spiritual vices, impeding progress in the interior life. The dangers of spiritual pride—where one becomes self-absorbed in their own growth—and spiritual avarice, where the pursuit of consolations in prayer can become an obstacle to true surrender to God. We must be aware of the temptation to measure one’s spiritual progress through experiences rather than love and self-forgetfulness, and that true growth requires detachment and humility.
Spiritual lust can subtly emerge as a distraction, either through natural human tendencies or even demonic influence, especially when deepening one’s prayer life. We need perseverance in prayer, focusing not on emotional experiences but on the will’s desire for God. Genuine love for God is not based on feelings but on fidelity, trust, and self-abandonment, as exemplified by saints like St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Calcutta.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
Recognizing Spiritual Pride: How do you guard against the temptation to measure your spiritual progress based on feelings or personal achievements rather than love and self-forgetfulness?
Detaching from Spiritual Avarice: In what ways do you seek spiritual consolations in prayer, and how can you surrender more fully to God’s will regardless of emotional experiences?
Understanding the Role of Humility: How does self-forgetfulness help you grow in humility, and what practical steps can you take to focus more on God rather than yourself in your spiritual life?
Persevering Through Dryness in Prayer: When you experience dryness or lack of consolation in prayer, how can you respond with faith and perseverance rather than frustration or discouragement?
Discerning Spiritual Distractions: How do you recognize and resist subtle distractions or temptations, such as spiritual lust, that may arise as you deepen your life of prayer?
Embracing Hidden Acts of Love: What hidden acts of love and service can you offer without seeking recognition, trusting that God sees and values them?
Anchoring in Scripture: How can you incorporate the Gospels more intentionally in your prayer life to remain focused on God rather than seeking personal experiences?
Trusting in God’s Formation: How can you embrace the slow and often challenging process of spiritual purification, trusting that God is leading you to deeper union with Him?
An excerpt from St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation
“We can view this next chapter as an argument in defense of the rigors of purification proposed in the many previous instructions. It is a preparatory chapter for taking up a more concentrated examination of the prayer of contemplation in the subsequent chapters. The treatise of The Dark Night begins in book 1 with a vivid treatment of certain imperfections commonly seen in those still in the earlier stages of spiritual pursuit. Saint John of the Cross is referring here to people who have already committed themselves to a habit of spiritual exercises and daily prayer, usually in the structured context of religious life, yet among laity as well, but who typically do not understand yet the serious nature of giving themselves fully to God. They are untried in the rigors of dedicated virtue and have not faced yet the arduous interior struggles that must be withstood over some time before a depth of spiritual quality embraces the soul. There can be no tested endurance in a soul that has not had sufficient time to persevere through hard trials.
This demand is not just a need for seasoning and maturing in the experience of the spiritual life. The essential testing is much more fundamental. As an astute spiritual psychologist, Saint John of the Cross plunges underneath the surface of lives and identifies the motivation of souls in the early period of spiritual pursuit as often sullied and impure. Almost everyone in this early period of the spiritual life professes to be seeking only God, while at the same time the person shows signs of being excessively preoccupied with self in the spiritual pursuit. Saint John of the Cross comments explicitly: “Since their motivation in their spiritual works and exercises is the consolation and satisfaction they experience in them, and since they have not been conditioned by the arduous struggle of practicing virtue, they possess many faults and imperfections in the discharge of their spiritual activities” (DN 1.1.3). In this incisive section at the beginning of The Dark Night, he uses the schema of the seven capital vices to expose seven spiritual vices that generally afflict souls in the early period of a spiritual life. It proves to be an interesting commentary on the factor of underlying self-interest in the pursuit of spiritual life. This tendency to self-preoccupation demands a clear effort of interior mortification if we are to seek God with the selfless spirit that can lead eventually to contemplative graces in prayer.”
Haggerty, Donald. Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation (pp. 141-142). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.
Wednesday of the Third 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 4:1-20
Jesus began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water’s edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’
When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven.’
He said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. Then there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’
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 began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water’s edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’
When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven.’
He said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. Then there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’
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 began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water’s edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’
When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven.’
He said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. Then there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’
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.
Finding Balance – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde OSB
Using the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, Fr. Mauritius Wilde defines soberness not merely as abstinence but as living with balance and attentiveness to one’s true needs, avoiding unhealthy compensations such as overeating, excessive internet use, or addictive behaviors. We must discern the authentic responses to feelings like stress, loneliness, or powerlessness, rather than turning to substitutes that fail to address the root issues. Drawing on St. Augustine’s insight that “our hearts are restless until they rest in God,” he stresses that addressing one’s deepest spiritual and emotional needs with humility and reliance on God’s grace leads to true peace and freedom.
Conversion, or turning back to God, is a laborious process requiring persistent effort, humility, and trust in divine grace. Using St. Benedict’s teachings, he reflects on the need to shed the “layers” of compensations and bad habits that obscure our true selves.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
Identifying Compensations: Reflect on areas in your life where you rely on substitutes, such as distractions or addictions, instead of addressing your true needs.
Recognizing Restlessness: Consider moments when your heart feels restless and how this reflects a deeper longing for God.
Seeking Balance: Examine how you strive for balance in your physical, emotional, and spiritual life and whether your responses are appropriate.
Embracing Soberness: Evaluate how you practice the virtue of soberness by living attentively and avoiding excess or indulgence.
Responding to Needs with Grace: Ponder how you can bring your needs humbly before God and respond to them in a way aligned with His will.
Labor of Conversion: Acknowledge the work involved in spiritual growth and how you can patiently cooperate with God’s grace to shed unhealthy habits.
Listening to God’s Call: Reflect on how you listen to God’s voice in daily life and strive to align your actions with His loving guidance.
Trusting in God’s Providence: Contemplate how you trust in God to provide for your needs and how this trust can deepen your relationship with Him.
1. Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is the advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice.
2. The labor of obedience will bring you back to him from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience.
Matthew 7:7-10
“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Father Mauritius Wilde, OSB, Ph.D., did his philosophical, theological and doctoral studies in Europe. He is the author of several books and directs retreats regularly. He serves as Prior at Sant’Anselmo in Rome. For more information about the ministry of the Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory in Schuyler, NE
From a conference by Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest
(Collatio 6 super Credo in Deum)
The Cross exemplifies every virtue
Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.
It is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.
If you seek the example of love: “Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends.” Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.
If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the cross was great. In patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore his cross and despised the shame.
If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.
If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink.
Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because “they divided my garments among themselves.” Nor to honours, for he experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for “weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head.” Nor to anything delightful, for “in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
Tuesday of the Third 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 3:31-35
The mother and brothers of Jesus arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.’
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:
The mother and brothers of Jesus arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.’
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:
The mother and brothers of Jesus arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.’
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.
You can find the book here
Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
