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SJC12 – Dawning Light of the Gift of Contemplation – St. John of the Cross with Fr. Donald Haggerty – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Dawning Light of the Gift of Contemplation – St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation with Fr. Donald Haggerty

Fr. Donald Haggerty discusses St. John of the Cross’s teachings on the early stages of contemplative prayer, focusing on the transition from meditative prayer to the reception of contemplative graces. Many souls struggle during this period, feeling frustration and dryness when their usual methods of prayer no longer yield the same consolation. This period, described in St. John’s writings, can become a spiritual crossroads where misunderstanding can hinder growth, potentially leading to stagnation. It’s necessary to have proper guidance to help souls recognize and cooperate with God’s deeper work, even in the absence of consolations.

He also contrasts this experience with St. Ignatius of Loyola’s teaching on desolation, noting that St. John of the Cross is addressing a different kind of interior struggle—one not marked by a loss of faith or desire for God, but rather a shift in how grace operates in the soul. Many well-intentioned individuals, including religious and laypeople, mistakenly try to force previous methods of prayer, not realizing that God is calling them to a new way of relating to Him.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

The Transition from Meditative to Contemplative Prayer: How have you experienced moments in prayer where familiar methods no longer bring the same sense of connection or consolation, and how did you respond?
Spiritual Crossroads and Interior Growth: When faced with dryness or difficulty in prayer, do you persist in previous methods, or do you seek to understand how God may be inviting you to deeper trust?
The Role of Spiritual Direction: If access to a trained spiritual director is limited, how can you seek guidance through the wisdom of the saints, particularly St. John of the Cross, in navigating deeper prayer?
Discerning Desolation and Contemplative Grace: In times of spiritual dryness, how do you distinguish between the desolation that calls for perseverance and the invitation to surrender to a new mode of prayer?
Trusting God’s Hidden Work in the Soul: How can you cultivate a greater trust in God’s work in your prayer life, even when it feels unclear or different from past experiences?

An excerpt from St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation

“We are ready now to take up the teaching of Saint John of the Cross on contemplation. However, it can be beneficial to ease a bit into the subject, which is what Saint John of the Cross does in his writings. On a few occasions, for instance, he mentions a primary motive for him in taking up his pen. A matter of critical importance for him—“extremely necessary to so many souls” (AMC Prologue 3)—is the harm done to souls who do not recognize the initial symptoms of contemplative graces and do not adjust their approach to prayer accordingly. The failure to advance into contemplation when the grace is being offered is, for him, a great misfortune. A lack of understanding is the obvious reason and an excuse of sorts; nonetheless, this ignorance is consequential and requires remedy.

The loss is inestimable, not just to particular souls, but to the vast fruitfulness that a contemplative soul can bear for the sake of others. Saint John of the Cross wastes no time in bringing up the issue. The first pages of the Prologue to The Ascent of Mount Carmel express his lament. When he refers to the “dark night” in the following passage, he is referring to the initial experience of purification that occurs as the grace of contemplation commences. What should not be missed in this passage is also the opening phrase. The initial graces of contemplative prayer do not presume the rarity of a saintly life, but a life sincerely engaged in a wholehearted pursuit of virtue.”

Haggerty, Donald. Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation (p. 158). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in this series visit Fr. Haggerty’s Discerning Hearts page here

You find the book on which this series is based here.

Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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Wednesday of the Fifth 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 7:14-23

Jesus called the people to him and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’

When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, ‘It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

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 called the people to him and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’

When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, ‘It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

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 called the people to him and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’

When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, ‘It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

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.

BTP-LR2 – Day 2 – The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity- Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Day 2 – The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity- Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles

Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor explore St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s retreat writings, particularly her reflections on interior silence and self-possession in Christ. St. Elizabeth describes how true peace comes from gathering one’s interior faculties through silence and surrendering them to God. She highlights the significance of the phrase Nihi, meaning “I no longer know anything but Him,” illustrating the soul’s complete focus on God despite external turmoil or inner struggles. Drawing from Carmelite spirituality, holy recollection fosters this unity with God, allowing the soul to become a vessel for divine grace and harmony.

The transformative power of suffering and trials gives us a chance to use them as opportunities for deeper union with God rather than obstacles to peace. Dr. Lilles connects Elizabeth’s teachings to the experiences of Mary Magdalene and the contemplative example of Mary of Bethany, emphasizing the need to choose “the one thing necessary”—a heart undistracted by worldly concerns. He also recounts Elizabeth’s personal battle with suffering in her final days, showing how her unwavering focus on Christ enabled her to endure spiritual and physical affliction with profound trust. This episode offers a compelling call to embrace silence, recollection, and surrender as pathways to deeper intimacy with God.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

The Call to Interior Silence: How can you cultivate a habit of holy recollection in your daily life to remain more present to God?
Self-Possession in Christ: In what ways do distractions, emotions, or external pressures pull you away from maintaining a prayerful awareness of Christ?
The Meaning of Nihi: What does it mean for you personally to surrender everything to God and say, “I no longer know anything but Him”?
Suffering as an Opportunity for Grace: How can trials and hardships in your life be seen as invitations to deeper union with Christ rather than obstacles to peace?
Learning from Mary Magdalene: What aspects of Mary Magdalene’s transformation and devotion inspire you to grow in your own relationship with Christ?
The Role of Holy Recollection in Spiritual Growth: How can you incorporate moments of silent prayer and reflection into your daily routine to foster greater intimacy with God?
Trusting in God’s Hidden Presence: When God feels distant or silent, how can you strengthen your faith and remain steadfast in trust?
The Soul as a Throne of the Holy Trinity: What steps can you take to align your thoughts, emotions, and desires more fully with God’s will so that your soul becomes a dwelling place for His presence?

From “Last Retreat Day 2” found in The Complete Works vol 1:

5. It is the same for the soul that has entered into the “fortress of holy recollection”: the eye of its soul, opened in the light of faith, discovers its God present, living within it; in turn it remains so present to Him, in beautiful simplicity, that He guards it with a jealous care. Then disturbances from without and tempests from within may arise; its self-esteem may be wounded: “Nescivi”! God may hide Himself, withdraw His sensible grace: “Nescivi .” Or, as St. Paul writes: “For love of Him I have forfeited everything.” Then the Master is free, free to flow into the soul, to give Himself “according to His measure.” And the soul thus simplified, unified, becomes the throne of the Unchanging One, since “unity is the throne of the Holy Trinity.”

This the text we are using to discuss “Heaven in Faith” you can find it here and order from the Carmelite Sisters

We would like to thank Miriam Gutierrez for providing “the voice” of St. Elizabeth for this series

For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles

Anthony Lilles, S.T.D., has served the Church and assisted in the formation of clergy and seminarians since 1994. Before coming to St. Patrick’s, he served at seminaries and houses of formation in the Archdiocese of Denver and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The son of a California farmer, married with young adult children, holds a B.A. in theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville with both the ecclesiastical licentiate and doctorate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the Angelicum). An expert in the writings of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and the Carmelite Doctors of the Church, he co-founded the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and the High Calling Program for priestly vocations. He also founded the John Paul II Center for Contemplative Culture, which hosts symposiums, retreats, and conferences. In addition to his publications, he blogs at www.beginningtopray.com .

St. Bernadette, A Holy Life – In Conversation with Patricia McEachern – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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St. Bernadette, A Holy Life – In Conversation with Patricia McEachern

Patricia McEachern, an associate professor of French at Drew University in Missouri, discusses her book “A Holy Life: The Writings of St. Bernadette of Lourdes” with Bruce and Kris McGregor. Patricia shares her fascination with St. Bernadette and her journey from being introduced to St. Bernadette through a movie to translating her letters and spiritual notebook. She shares personal experiences, including her visit to Lourdes, which ultimately led to her conversion to Catholicism.

“St. Bernadette, A Holy Life” shows readers St. Bernadette’s remarkable character beyond her portrayal in films, highlighting her humility, courage, and devotion to her vocation. Patricia also sheds light on Bernadette’s suffering, her family relationships, and her unwavering faith, revealing a deeper understanding of St. Bernadette’s life beyond the famous apparitions and her enduring impact as a role model for holiness.

You can find the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

Bernadette’s Humanity: How does Patricia McEachern’s discussion of St. Bernadette’s life reveal her humanity beyond her portrayal in films and popular culture?
Bernadette’s Devotion: What aspects of St. Bernadette’s devotion to her vocation and faith stand out to you?
Bernadette’s Suffering: In what ways did St. Bernadette endure suffering, both physically and emotionally, and how did she find meaning in it?
Bernadette’s Spiritual Growth: How did St. Bernadette’s spiritual journey evolve throughout her life, especially beyond the famous apparitions at Lourdes?
Bernadette’s Impact: Reflect on the impact of St. Bernadette’s life and writings as discussed by Patricia McEachern, particularly in terms of her role as a model for holiness.
Personal Conversion: Patricia mentions her own conversion to Catholicism after visiting Lourdes. How do personal experiences, like hers, shape our understanding and connection to saints like St. Bernadette?
Spiritual Lessons: Consider the spiritual lessons and insights gained from Bernadette’s writings, as highlighted by Patricia. How might these lessons apply to your own spiritual journey?

From the book’s description:

“While the story of the apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes in 1858 are well known, relatively few people are familiar with the saint’s own spiritual insights and profound holiness. For the first time in English, this book presents a wide selection of St. Bernadette’s thoughts, advice, sayings, and prayers through the touching words of her spiritual diary, notes, and letters to friends and family.
After receiving the visions of Our Lady at the grotto in Lourdes, Bernadette eventually became a religious sister as a member of the Sisters of Charity. She lived a life of simplicity, charity, suffering and deep holiness, dying at the age of 35. When she was canonized a saint, her body was found to be incorrupt.

In these beautiful writings of St. Bernadette, we learn the secrets of her holiness and happiness. Though she suffered greatly throughout her life, the heroic response of this humble, self-effacing nun transformed excruciating suffering into spiritual fruitfulness. Her letters and writings serve as a model for others passing through their own trials. Her writings reveal and intimate and profound love for God and neighbor. Anyone pursuing a deeper spiritual life will appreciate knowing Bernadette as she truly was, and the inspiring spiritual works of wisdom she offers to us all.”

“The Apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes” – St. Bernadette Soubirous from the Office of Readings – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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From a letter from Saint Bernadette Soubirous, virgin

(Ep. ad Gondrand a 1861: cf. A. Ravier, Les escrits de sainte Bernadette, Paris, 1961, pp. 53-59)

The apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes

I had gone down one day with two other girls to the bank of the river Gave when suddenly I heard a kind of rustling sound. I turned my head toward the field by the side of the river but the trees seemed quite still and the noise was evidently not from them. Then I looked up and caught sight of the cave where I saw a lady wearing a lovely white dress with a bright belt. On top of each of her feet was a pale yellow rose, the same color as her rosary beads.

At this I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was seeing things, and I put my hands into the fold of my dress where my rosary was. I wanted to make the sign of the cross but for the life of me I couldn’t manage it and my hand just fell down. Then the lady made the sign of the cross herself and at the second attempt I managed to do the same, though my hands were trembling. Then I began to say the rosary while the lady let her beads slip through her fingers, without moving her lips. When I stopped saying the Hail Mary, she immediately vanished.

I asked my two companions if they had noticed anything, but they said no. Of course they wanted to know what I was doing and I told them that I had seen a lady wearing a nice white dress, though I didn’t know who she was. I told them not to say anything about it, and they said I was silly to have anything to do with it. I said they were wrong and I came back next Sunday, feeling myself drawn to the place….

The third time I went the lady spoke to me and asked me to come every day for fifteen days. I said I would and then she said that she wanted me to tell the priests to build a chapel there. She also told me to drink from the stream. I went to the Gave, the only stream I could see. Then she made me realise she was not speaking of the Gave and she indicated a little trickle of water close by. When I got to it I could only find a few drops, mostly mud. I cupped my hands to catch some liquid without success and then I started to scrape the ground. I managed to find a few drops of water but only at the fourth attempt was there a sufficient amount for any kind of drink. The lady then vanished and I went back home.

I went back each day for two weeks and each time, except one Monday and one Friday, the lady appeared and told me to look for a stream and wash in it and to see that the priests build a chapel there. I must also pray, she said, for the conversion of sinners. I asked her many times what she meant by that, but she only smiled. Finally with outstretched arms and eyes looking up to heaven she told me she was the Immaculate Conception.

During the two weeks she told me three secrets but I was not to speak about them to anyone and so far I have not.

COLLECT
Grant us, O merciful God, protection in our weakness,
that we, who keep the Memorial of the Immaculate Mother of God,
may, with the help of her intercession,
rise up from our iniquities.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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Tuesday of the Fifth 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 7:1-13

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,
while their hearts are far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless,
the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ And he said to them, ‘How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, “If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.” In this way you make God’s word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.’

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 Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,
while their hearts are far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless,
the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ And he said to them, ‘How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, “If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.” In this way you make God’s word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.’

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 Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,
while their hearts are far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless,
the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ And he said to them, ‘How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, “If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.” In this way you make God’s word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.’

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.

MC6 – Using Colloquy in Prayer – Meditation and Contemplation with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Using Colloquy in Prayer – Meditation and Contemplation with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher discusses the significance of the colloquy in Ignatian prayer, describing it as the culminating moment when meditation or contemplation transitions into direct, heartfelt conversation with God. Using examples such as the Beatitudes and the storm at sea, he illustrates how scripture reflection leads naturally into personal dialogue with the Lord. This moment of prayer arises spontaneously when the heart, filled with the Word, begins to speak back to God in trust and petition. St. Ignatius encourages resting in this heart-to-heart communication for as long as the soul desires, making it the deepest part of the prayer experience.

Fr. Gallagher also offers a structured example of praying with scripture through the passage of Bartimaeus in Mark 10. He outlines how one might enter into the scene, imagine the setting, and allow the words and actions of Jesus to stir personal prayer. The process includes reading the passage, asking for a specific grace, and then moving into contemplation, where the heart responds to God’s presence.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Recognizing God’s Plan: Reflect on how God’s unique design for your life shapes your purpose and daily decisions.
Overcoming Feelings of Unworthiness: Consider how Peter and Isaiah’s encounters with God challenge you to trust in His call despite your weaknesses.
Living Marriage as a Vocation: Examine how your marriage or relationships reflect the self-giving love and commitment God calls you to.
Finding Holiness in Suffering: Contemplate how trials in your life can become a path to greater faith and deeper union with Christ.
Understanding the Depth of Vows: Reflect on the lifelong commitment of marriage or religious vows and how they shape your journey to holiness.
Trusting in God’s Timing: Consider how surrendering control to God’s plan can bring peace and clarity in uncertain situations.
Embracing Self-Sacrificial Love: Meditate on how you are called to give of yourself more fully in your relationships and daily life.
Seeing Christ in Family Life: Ponder how Christ is present in your family’s struggles and joys, guiding you toward holiness.
Responding to God’s Invitation: Examine how you can take concrete steps to follow God’s call more faithfully in your current state of life.
Becoming a Witness of Faith: Consider how your actions and choices reflect Christ’s love and serve as a testimony to others.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola.” For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio, which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 15 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – Day 9 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – Day 9

O glorious Mother of God, to you we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly for the grace of a happy death. O Mother of our Divine Lord, as we conclude this novena for the special favor we seek at this time.

(make your request)

We feel animated with confidence that your prayers in our behalf will be graciously heard. O Mother of My Lord, through the love you bear to Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation. Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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Monday of the Fifth 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 6:53-56

Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

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:

Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

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:

Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

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.

How Do You Respond to the Father? – Building a Kingdom Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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How Do You Respond to the Father? – Building a Kingdom Love with Msgr. John Esseff

Msgr. John Esseff discusses God’s personal call for each individual and how every person is created with a divine purpose. He reflects on biblical examples, such as Isaiah and Peter, to illustrate how encountering God leads to transformation and mission. A vocation is not limited to religious life but is ultimately a call to holiness, whether in marriage, priesthood, or other states of life.

Using a personal testimony from host Kris McGregor, he explores the challenges and graces of marriage, describing it as a sacramental path to holiness that involves suffering, self-gift, and deep trust in God’s providence. McGregor shares her journey of marriage, parenting, and faith; showing us how God works through difficulties to sanctify spouses, forming them in selfless love. Msgr. Esseff encourages those of us struggling in marriage or discerning their vocation to surrender fully to God’s plan, trusting that even in hardship, He brings resurrection and renewal.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

God’s Unique Plan for You: Reflect on how God has designed you with a specific purpose and how you can be more attentive to His calling in your daily life.
Responding to God’s Call: Consider how Peter and Isaiah reacted to God’s presence and how their examples challenge you to trust and follow God despite personal unworthiness.
Marriage as a Path to Holiness: Think about how marriage, as a vocation, calls spouses to self-giving love and how your own relationships reflect the sacrificial nature of Christ’s love.
Embracing Suffering in Faith: Meditate on how trials and suffering, like those shared in Kris McGregor’s testimony, can be transformative opportunities for spiritual growth and deeper trust in God.
The Power of a Sacramental Vow: Examine the meaning of the vows in marriage or religious life and how you can live them with greater fidelity, recognizing them as a lifelong commitment before God.
Trusting in God’s Providence: Reflect on moments in your life where plans have fallen apart and how you have either resisted or embraced God’s greater design through faith and surrender.
The Call to Self-Giving Love: Consider how Christ’s love is made manifest in your life and whether you are truly giving of yourself in the way God calls you to love others.
Resurrection Through Suffering: Ponder how moments of suffering and loss have led to unexpected blessings or deeper faith, revealing God’s presence even in hardship.
Discerning Your Next Step: Ask yourself what God is calling you to at this moment and how you can respond with greater courage, generosity, and openness to His will.
Witnessing to Christ in Daily Life: Think about how your life—whether in marriage, singlehood, or religious vocation—can serve as a testimony to the love, suffering, and resurrection of Christ.

Reading 2 Col 3:12-21

Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He was ordained on May 30, 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA. Msgr. Esseff served 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 St. Pope 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.

Dawning Light of the Gift of Contemplation – St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation with Fr. Donald Haggerty

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

An excerpt from St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation

For more episodes in this series visit Fr. Haggerty’s Discerning Hearts page here

You find the book on which this series is based here.

Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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 2 – The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity- Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

From “Last Retreat Day 2” found in The Complete Works vol 1:

St. Bernadette, A Holy Life – In Conversation with Patricia McEachern

You can find the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

From the book’s description:

From a letter from Saint Bernadette Soubirous, virgin

The apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes

Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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.

Using Colloquy in Prayer – Meditation and Contemplation with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 15 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts? Visit here to discover more!

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – Day 9

Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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.

How Do You Respond to the Father? – Building a Kingdom Love with Msgr. John Esseff

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Reading 2 Col 3:12-21

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 15 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!