Conference 4 – Hope in Difficult Times: with Sts. Therese, Louis, and Zelie and Their Family with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.
In this fourth conference, Fr. Timothy Gallagher takes a look into a series of letters written by St. Zélie Martin, mother of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, highlighting the family’s profound trust in God amid suffering. Zélie writes about the devastating fire that destroyed her brother’s business and the severe illnesses afflicting her children, particularly Thérèse and Marie. Despite personal and familial hardships—including her own deteriorating health—Zélie constantly reorients her heart toward heaven, finding solace in the hope of eternal reunion. Fr. Gallagher reflects on her unwavering maternal love, especially as she navigates the painful separation from her baby Thérèse, who had bonded more closely with her wet nurse. These struggles are met with deep faith and surrender to divine providence.
Fr. Gallagher also recounts the intense trials faced in raising Léonie. Fr. Gallagher shares how Zélie and her sister Elise (a Visitation nun) tried repeatedly, and at great emotional cost, to find the right formation for Léonie. Elise eventually discovers that gentleness, rather than correction, brings forth a transformation in Léonie’s heart. And Zélie’s letters to her husband Louis reveal their deep marital love and unity.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How do I respond when my carefully laid plans suddenly fall apart—do I turn to God or fall into despair?
In times of suffering, do I raise my heart to heaven as Zélie did, or do I cling too tightly to earthly comforts?
What role does prayer to the saints and departed loved ones play in my daily spiritual life?
How do I view the cross in my life—do I see it as punishment or as a path to deeper union with Christ?
When someone I love struggles to grow or change, do I remain hopeful and persistent in prayer like Zélie?
Am I willing to express affection and spiritual encouragement to my spouse or family members in times of separation?
Do I seek to offer up my hardships, like Zélie offering Thérèse to God, or do I resist letting go?
In raising or mentoring children, do I rely more on correction or on encouragement and gentle guidance?
When I see weakness or limitations in myself or others, do I still believe God can bring about transformation?
Do I recognize my spiritual journey as a pilgrimage—do I walk each day with intentional prayer and longing for heaven?
Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 15 different podcasts series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts? Visit here to discover more!
Fr. Gallagher obtained his doctorate in 1983 from Gregorian University. He has taught (St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA; Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence, Boston, MA), assisted in formation work for twelve years, and served two terms as provincial in his own community. He has dedicated many years to an extensive ministry of retreats, spiritual direction, and teaching about the spiritual life. Fr. Gallagher is the author of six books (Crossroad) on the spiritual teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
St. Benedict, Listening, and Discernment – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles
Dr. Lilles introduces four key concepts from St. Benedict’s Rule that are essential for deep listening and obedience to God: the search for God (quaerere Deum), sacred reading (Lectio Divina), conversion of life (conversatio morum), and living with oneself (arbitrium suum). He explains that Lectio Divina is more than a technique; it is a way of life that transforms the heart and aligns it with God’s will. This transformation leads to a deeper conversion and the ability to live peacefully with oneself, free from the distractions of the world. The series encourages listeners to prepare through prayer and attentiveness, allowing the wisdom of the saints to deepen their spiritual journey and lead to meaningful changes in their lives.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How do the lives and teachings of saints deepen your understanding of prayer and spirituality?
In what ways can you seek a deeper, loving union with God in your daily life?
How can you better discern God’s voice amidst the various influences in your life?
How can the concepts of quaerere Deum, Lectio Divina, conversatio morum, and arbitrium suum guide your spiritual journey?
How can you incorporate Lectio Divina into your daily routine to transform your heart and align with God’s will?
What steps can you take to foster a deeper conversion and live peacefully with yourself, free from worldly distractions?
How can you prepare yourself through prayer and attentiveness to allow the wisdom of the saints to influence your spiritual growth?
Dr. Lilles offers 4 key points we should keep in mind as we move forward in this series
The Search for God
Listening to God – Lectio Divina
Conversion to God – Conversatio Morum
Living with oneself and letting God fashion one into His image
Let easy admission not be given to one who newly cometh to change his life; but, as the Apostle saith, “Try the spirits, whether they be of God” (1 Jn 4:1). If, therefore, the newcomer keepeth on knocking, and after four or five days it is seen that he patiently beareth the harsh treatment offered him and the difficulty of admission, and that he persevereth in his request, let admission be granted him, and let him live for a few days in the apartment of the guests.
But afterward let him live in the apartment of novices, and there let him meditate, eat, and sleep. Let a senior also be appointed for him, who is qualified to win souls, who will observe him with great care and see whether he really seeketh God, whether he is eager for the Work of God, obedience and humiliations. Let him be shown all the hard and rugged things through which we pass on to God.
If he promiseth to remain steadfast, let this Rule be read to him in order after the lapse of two months, and let it be said to him: Behold the law under which thou desirest to combat. If thou canst keep it, enter; if, however, thou canst not, depart freely. If he still persevereth, then let him be taken back to the aforesaid apartment of the novices, and let him be tried again in all patience. And after the lapse of six months let the Rule be read over to him, that he may know for what purpose he entereth. And if he still remaineth firm, let the same Rule be read to him again after four months. And if, after having weighed the matter with himself he promiseth to keep everything, and to do everything that is commanded him, then let him be received into the community, knowing that he is now placed under the law of the Rule, and that from that day forward it is no longer permitted to him to wrest his neck from under the yoke of the Rule, which after so long a deliberation he was at liberty either to refuse or to accept.
Let him who is received promise in the oratory, in the presence of all, before God and His saints, stability, the conversion of morals, and obedience, in order that, if he should ever do otherwise, he may know that he will be condemned by God “Whom he mocketh.” Let him make a written statement of his promise in the name of the saints whose relics are there, and of the Abbot there present. Let him write this document with his own hand; or at least, if he doth not know how to write, let another write it at his request, and let the novice make his mark, and with his own hand place it on the altar. When he hath placed it there, let the novice next begin the verse: “Uphold me, O Lord, according to Thy word and I shall live; and let me not be confounded in my expectations” (Ps 118[119]:116). Then let all the brotherhood repeat this verse three times, adding the Gloria Patri.
The let that novice brother cast himself down at the feet of all, that they may pray for him; and from that day let him be counted in the brotherhood. If he hath any property, let him first either dispose of it to the poor or bestow it on the monastery by a formal donation, reserving nothing for himself as indeed he should know that from that day onward he will no longer have power even over his own body.
Let him, therefore, be divested at once in the oratory of the garments with which he is clothed, and be vested in the garb of the monastery. But let the clothes of which he was divested by laid by in the wardrobe to be preserved, that, if on the devil’s suasion he should ever consent to leave the monastery (which God forbid) he be then stripped of his monastic habit and cast out. But let him not receive the document of his profession which the Abbot took from the altar, but let it be preserved in the monastery.
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 .
The Sacred Heart and Schools – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff
Msgr. John Esseff tells us of Jesus’ desire to be present in our homes and schools through the Sacred Heart devotion. Jesus wants to enter our daily environments, starting with our homes, just as he did with Zacchaeus and Peter.
Msgr. Esseff highlights the significance of enthroning the Sacred Heart in schools and that this practice can transform the school environment by bringing love, peace, and justice. He shares a touching story about a handicapped boy named Justin, whose devotion to the Sacred Heart inspired his school to include him in a special way during a football game, showcasing the transformative power of Jesus’ love.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How can we invite Jesus more fully into our homes and daily family life through the Sacred Heart devotion?
In what ways can the enthronement of the Sacred Heart transform the environment of a school?
How can principals and teachers foster a culture that honors and incorporates the values of the Sacred Heart?
What steps can be taken to address issues like bullying, division, and moral challenges in schools through the love and promises of the Sacred Heart?
How can our personal devotion to the Sacred Heart influence and inspire those around us, particularly in educational settings?
What practical actions can we take to demonstrate the love, peace, and justice of Jesus in our interactions with others?
How do stories of transformation, like Justin’s, encourage us to deepen our devotion and faith in the Sacred Heart?
How can we actively recognize and proclaim Jesus as the king of our schools and communities?
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 serves 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.
Day 13 – The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity- Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles
Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor reflect on Day 13 of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s “The Last Retreat.” Elizabeth draws from St. Paul’s vision of restoring all things in Christ, adopting it as a personal rule of life. St. Elizabeth, even in her physical suffering and in the face of external turmoil, turns inward to a deeper union with God. Rather than being consumed by hardship, she looks to Christ as the foundation of her identity and purpose. Her insight reveals that living “rooted in Christ” means detaching from self-centered desires and surrendering to the love and presence of God. This inner life, grounded in thanksgiving and faith, allows her to find meaning, direction, and even joy amidst pain.
Dr. Lilles elaborates on the practical implications of St. Elizabeth’s teaching, and how we must let go of ego and control, echoing the humility of Jesus who emptied himself in obedience to the Father. This can apply to family life and religious vocations. Authentic renewal only happens when one stops clinging to personal ambition and becomes open to God’s transforming work. Trust, especially in trials, becomes the gateway to a deeper life in God.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How can I make St. Paul’s call to “walk in Christ” a practical guide for my daily life?
In what areas am I still clinging to self-reliance instead of surrendering to God’s will?
What does it mean for me personally to be “rooted” in Jesus Christ?
How have I experienced God’s presence in moments of suffering or trial?
Am I allowing distractions or anxieties to keep me from being recollected in prayer?
What part of my ego or ambition is preventing deeper trust in God’s plan?
How can I foster a spirit of thanksgiving even in difficult circumstances?
Do I believe that God is building me up through the challenges I face?
How might letting go of control open my heart to the dreams of Christ for my family or vocation?
In what ways can I practice contemplative prayer to remain under the loving gaze of Christ?
32. “Instaurare omnia in Christo.” 194 Again it is St. Paul who instructs me, St. Paul who has just immersed himself in the great counsel of God195 and who tells me “that He has resolved in Himself to restore all things in Christ.” So that I may personally realize this divine plan, it is again St. Paul who comes to my aid and who will himself draw up a rule of life for me. “Walk in Jesus Christ,” he tells me, “be rooted in Him, built up in Him, strengthened in faith, growing more and more in Him through thanksgiving.” 196
33. To walk in Jesus Christ seems to me to mean to leave self, lose sight of self, give up self, in order to enter more deeply into Him with every passing moment, 197 so deeply that one is rooted there; and to every event, to every circumstance we can fling this beautiful challenge: “Who will separate me from the love of Jesus Christ?” 198 When the soul is established in Him at such depths that its roots are also deeply thrust in, then the divine sap streams into it199 and all this imperfect, commonplace, natural life is destroyed. Then, in the language of the Apostle, “that which is mortal is swallowed up by life.” 200 The soul thus “stripped” of self and “clothed” 201 in Jesus Christ has nothing more to fear from exterior encounters or from interior difficulties, for these things, far from being an obstacle, serve only “to root it more deeply in the love” 202 of its Master. Through everything, despite everything, the soul can “adore Him always because of Himself.” 203 For it is free, rid of self and everything else; it can sing with the psalmist: “Though an army encamp against me, I will not fear; though war be waged upon me I will trust in spite of everything; for Yahweh will hide me in the secrecy of His tent” 204 and this tent is nothing else but Himself. I think that is what St. Paul means when he says: “be rooted in Jesus Christ.”
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 .
Conference 3 – Hope in Difficult Times: with Sts. Therese, Louis, and Zelie and Their Family with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.
Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor explore the trials endured by the Martin family, especially through the personal letters of Zélie Martin during the years leading up to and during the Franco-Prussian War. Zélie’s heartbreaking experiences include the loss of multiple children, financial hardship, and the terror of war as German soldiers occupy their home. Through it all, her steadfast faith, maternal devotion, and courage are deeply apparent—especially when she seeks a wet nurse for baby Thérèse in a desperate effort to save her life. The emotional intensity of Zélie’s writings reveals not only the weight of her suffering but also the serenity and surrender she maintained in trusting God’s providence.
He also touches on the spiritual roots of Thérèse’s profound longing for maternal presence, as her early life was marked by repeated separations and grief. Thérèse’s deep inner world and spiritual sensitivity emerged from these early losses. The Martin family’s view of earthly life as a temporary exile, their hope for eternal reunion, and their readiness to suffer for one another and for God are key themes that emerge; painting a vivid portrait of a household marked by grace in suffering, grounded in prayer and shaped by sacrificial love.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How does Zélie Martin’s trust in God’s will during suffering challenge your own response to personal trials?
What can you learn from the Martin family’s view of life as a “brief exile” in shaping your hope for heaven?
In what ways do you turn to prayer, like Zélie did to St. Joseph, when you feel helpless or afraid?
How does the Martin family’s love and sacrifice for one another inspire you to deepen love within your own family?
What role does memory of the dead play in your spiritual life, especially in relation to the communion of saints?
How do you respond when God’s plans unfold differently from your expectations or desires?
What impact does Zélie’s perseverance in faith through grief and war have on your understanding of Christian hope?
How can you support others going through trials with the same compassion and practical help shown by Zélie and Louis?
What does Thérèse’s early loss of mother figures teach you about spiritual motherhood and God’s healing love?
How might the suffering of the Martin family during wartime lead you to pray for those enduring hardship today?
Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 15 different podcasts series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts? Visit here to discover more!
Fr. Gallagher obtained his doctorate in 1983 from Gregorian University. He has taught (St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA; Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence, Boston, MA), assisted in formation work for twelve years, and served two terms as provincial in his own community. He has dedicated many years to an extensive ministry of retreats, spiritual direction, and teaching about the spiritual life. Fr. Gallagher is the author of six books (Crossroad) on the spiritual teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Called to Mission: Discerning the Will of the Father – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff
In this reflection, Msgr. John Esseff reflects on Luke 10:1–20, where Jesus sends out the 72 disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He discusses the missionary nature of the Church and the call each baptized person has to evangelize through their vocation—whether in priesthood, marriage, education, healthcare, or religious life. Jesus’ instructions to the disciples—traveling light, offering peace, healing the sick, and casting out demons—are presented as foundational principles of missionary life shaped by poverty, humility, obedience, and peace.
Msgr. Esseff stresses the importance of the personal relationship with God the Father, saying that everything flows from discerning and obeying the Father’s will. He shares how figures like Mother Teresa and Fr. Flanagan were effective because they listened to God and followed His promptings, not simply doing good things, but doing what God was actually asking of them. The reflection ends with a call for each person to discover and live out their specific mission with simplicity and attentiveness, keeping in mind that true success is measured not by accomplishments, but by whether our names are written in heaven.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
How am I responding to Christ’s call to be a laborer in His harvest? Am I aware of the specific mission God has given me in my family, workplace, or community?
Do I live with spiritual poverty—total dependence on the Father’s will—or do I often rely on my own plans and resources?
Where in my life have I seen Christ’s peace flow when I followed God’s promptings rather than my own desires?
Am I open to discerning what God actually wants from me—or do I sometimes offer what I think is best, like roses when He is asking for a daisy?
What gifts of healing, teaching, or spiritual support might I be overlooking that Christ desires to work through me for others?
Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Scranton. He served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta and continues to offer spiritual direction and lead retreats for the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity worldwide. Msgr. Esseff also had a profound encounter with St. Padre Pio, who became his spiritual father. He has served in various parts of the world through the Pontifical Missions, a Catholic organization founded by St. John Paul II to share the Good News, especially with the poor. . Msgr. Esseff continues to lead retreats and provide spiritual direction to bishops, priests, seminarians, sisters, and other religious leaders around the world.
All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor
Episode 7: The Ninth and Tenth Shewings — The Joy of the Redeemer and the Open Side of Christ
Summary:
In Episode 7 we journey with Julian of Norwich into the mystery of Christ’s joy in His Passion. Rather than sorrow alone, Julian sees the Redeemer rejoicing in His self-offering, delighting to give Himself for the salvation of souls. She is shown the threefold joy of the Trinity, where the Father is pleased, the Son is crowned, and the Holy Spirit is satisfied. Then Julian is led through the wound in Christ’s side into the depths of His Heart—a resting place “large enough for all mankind.” Drawing on Scripture, the Catechism, and the mystical tradition of the Church, this episode opens the mystery of divine charity that transforms suffering into eternal joy, and invites the soul into the inexhaustible mercy of the pierced Heart of Jesus.
Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 7:
From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters XXXII-XXIV, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).
The Joy of the Redeemer and the Gift of the Father
“THEN said our good Lord Jesus Christ: Art thou well pleased that I suffered for thee? I said: Yea, good Lord, I thank Thee; Yea, good Lord, blessed mayst Thou be. Then said Jesus, our kind Lord: If thou art pleased, I am pleased: it is a joy, a bliss, an endless satisfying to me that ever suffered I Passion for thee; and if I might suffer more, I would suffer more.” (Ch. 22)
“In this feeling my understanding was lifted up into Heaven, and there I saw three heavens: of which sight I marvelled greatly. And though I see three heavens—and all in the blessed manhood of Christ—none is more, none is less, none is higher, none is lower, but [they are] even-like in bliss.” (Ch. 22)
“For the First Heaven, Christ shewed me His Father; in no bodily likeness, but in His property and in His working. That is to say, I saw in Christ that the Father is.” (Ch. 22)
“The working of the Father is this, that He giveth meed to His Son Jesus Christ. This gift and this meed is so blissful to Jesus that His Father might have given Him no meed that might have pleased Him better.” (Ch. 22)
“Wherefore we be not only His by His buying, but also by the courteous gift of His Father we be His bliss, we be His meed, we be His worship, we be His crown.” (Ch. 22)
“And in these words: If that I might suffer more, I would suffer more,—I saw in truth that as often as He might die, so often He would, and love should never let Him have rest till He had done it.” (Ch. 22)
“For though the sweet manhood of Christ might suffer but once, the goodness in Him may never cease of proffer: every day He is ready to the same, if it might be.” (Ch. 22)
“This deed, and this work about our salvation, was ordained as well as God might ordain it. And here I saw a Full Bliss in Christ: for His bliss should not have been full, if it might any better have been done.” (Ch. 22)
The Harmony of Wills in the Son and the Father
“And in these three words: It is a Joy, and a Bliss, and an endless satisfying to Me,—were shewed three heavens, as thus: for the joy, I understood the pleasure of the Father; and for the bliss, the worship of the Son; and for the endless satisfying, the Holy Ghost.” (Ch. 23)
“And these three are one bliss: and one meed: and one endless fulfilling: and throughout all, I saw bliss in the end: in which bliss He is grounded, and rooted; and He is our very Meed.” (Ch. 23)
“For I saw truly that our substance is in God, and also I saw that in our sensuality God is: for in the self-same point that our Soul is made sensual, in the self-same point is the City of God ordained to Him from without beginning; into which seat He cometh, and never shall remove it.” (Ch. 23)
“And all this bliss I saw in the bodily sight, in the showing of the Passion of Christ.”(Ch. 23)
“Lo, how I loved thee” — The Wounded Side and the Heart of Divine Mercy
“THEN with a glad cheer our Lord looked unto His Side and beheld, rejoicing. With His sweet looking He led forth the understanding of His creature by the same wound into His Side within. And then he shewed a fair, delectable place, and large enough for all mankind that shall be saved to rest in peace and in love.” (Ch. 24)
“And therewith He brought to mind His dearworthy blood and precious water which he let pour all out for love. And with the sweet beholding He shewed His blessed heart even cloven in two.” (Ch. 24)
“And with this sweet enjoying, He shewed unto mine understanding, in part, the blessed Godhead… the endless Love that was without beginning, and is, and shall be ever.” (Ch. 24)
“And with this our good Lord said full blissfully: Lo, how that I loved thee, as if He had said: My darling, behold and see thy Lord, thy God that is thy Maker and thine endless joy… and for my love rejoice [thou] with me.” (Ch. 24)
“Behold and see that I loved thee so much ere I died for thee that I would die for thee; and now I have died for thee and suffered willingly that which I may. And now is all my bitter pain and all my hard travail turned to endless joy and bliss to me and to thee.” (Ch. 24)
“How should it now be that thou shouldst anything pray that pleaseth me but that I should full gladly grant it thee? For my pleasing is thy holiness and thine endless joy and bliss with me.” (Ch. 24)
Scripture Featured
(Translations used: Revised Standard Version [RSV] )
(Ephesians 1:9-10, RSV)
For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth”
(Matthew John 19:34, RSV)
“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day.”
(Hebrews 12:2, RSV)
“…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”
(John 19:34, RSV)
“But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water”
(Isaiah 53:3–4, RSV)
“He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows,and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
(Galatians 2:20, RSV)
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
(John 15:11, RSV)
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church
“The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the ‘one mediator between God and men.’ But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, ‘the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery’ is offered to all men.” (CCC 618)
“Jesus revealed that God is ‘Father’ in an unheard-of sense: he is Father not only in being Creator; he is eternally Father by his relationship to his only Son.” (CCC 240)
“By his obedience unto death, Jesus accomplished the substitution of the suffering Servant… He makes himself an offering for sin… and shall make many to be accounted righteous.” (CCC 615)
“The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice… “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner… this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.” (CCC 1367)
“The Word became flesh to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature.’” (CCC 460)
“Christ enables us to live in him all that he himself lived, and he lives it in us.” (CCC 521)
“For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the ‘wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.'”172 As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam’s side, so the Church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross.” (CCC 766)
“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life. (CCC 1)
Pope Benedict XVI:
“She understood the core message of God’s love at a time when, even in theology, some currents emphasized God’s justice and harsh judgment more than his mercy.”
(Benedict XVI,General Audience,Julian of Norwich, November 3, 2010, Vatican.va)
St. Catherine of Siena:
“Sweet Jesus, I contemplate your open side as a hidden cellar filled with wine. I enter into it and see the secret of your heart.”(Letter T328/G148, to Fr. Bartolomeo Dominici)
“Do you want to be safe? Then hide yourself within this side. His open side is full of delight and sweetness. It is an open storehouse that souls will never want to leave.”(Letter T127/G59, to a religious)
Reflection Questions for Prayer
How does Christ’s joy in His Passion challenge my understanding of suffering and sacrifice?
In what ways do I see myself as part of Christ’s joy, His crown, and His reward?
Can I trust that God’s plan for my salvation is perfect—even when I cannot see or feel its fullness?
How might Christ be inviting me to enter more deeply into the “delectable place” of His open side—into the refuge of His Sacred Heart?
Closing Prayer (inspired by the Ninth and Tenth Shewing)
Lord Jesus Christ, In Your Passion You rejoiced, For love made Your suffering an offering of endless bliss. You looked upon us not as burdens, but as Your joy, The gift given You by the Father, the crown upon Your head. You opened Your side and revealed the resting place prepared for every soul. In Your cloven Heart, we find refuge, peace, and perfect love. Draw us into the depths of Your mercy. Teach us to gaze upon Your Passion not with fear but with confidence. May we become for You what You have desired: Your joy, Your reward, Your eternal delight. And may Your love, once poured out on the Cross, Continue to draw all souls into Your wounded Heart, Where joy never ends.
Conference 2 – Hope in Difficult Times: with Sts. Therese, Louis, and Zelie and Their Family with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.
Fr. Timothy Gallagher continues a reflection on the life and letters of Zélie Martin, mother of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and her deeply personal letters to her brother during the years when she was raising her growing family amid intense physical, emotional, and spiritual trials. Fr. Gallagher narrates Zélie’s account of caring for her elderly, dying father-in-law while managing her lace business and family, enduring migraine headaches, and responding to the illnesses and deaths of her infant sons. Her expressions of maternal love, grief, and faith illustrate how suffering and joy coexisted in her vocation. Her happiness was most often found in the presence and well-being of her children, and her love for them gave her strength even in sorrow.
Through her words, we witness a heart formed by trust in God’s will, even while enduring anguish, such as the loss of two sons to illness and the death of her own father. Fr. Gallagher draws parallels between Zélie and Thérèse, particularly in their tendency to quietly bear suffering without burdening others. He notes the strength of their spiritual lives, anchored in prayer and a quiet surrender to divine providence. The episode closes with reflections on how Zélie’s ordinary home life and deep familial love became the context for sanctity, reminding us that holiness is accessible in the everyday trials of family life.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How do I respond to suffering and stress in my daily life—do I bring it to God in prayer as Zélie did?
What role does joy in my family relationships play in my spiritual life?
When I experience loss, do I trust in God’s will as deeply as Zélie expressed in her grief?
In what ways do I avoid burdening others with my pain, and is it rooted in love or fear?
Do I see my ordinary duties—work, family care, illness—as a path to holiness?
How do I handle financial or health anxiety—through faith or self-reliance?
Am I willing to accept God’s will even when it contradicts my hopes?
How do I express love to those who may be difficult or different, as Zélie did with Leonia?
Do I find consolation in the Communion of Saints when faced with the deaths of loved ones?
What lessons can I draw from Zélie’s example of perseverance in faith amid overwhelming sorrow?
Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 15 different podcasts series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts? Visit here to discover more!
Fr. Gallagher obtained his doctorate in 1983 from Gregorian University. He has taught (St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA; Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence, Boston, MA), assisted in formation work for twelve years, and served two terms as provincial in his own community. He has dedicated many years to an extensive ministry of retreats, spiritual direction, and teaching about the spiritual life. Fr. Gallagher is the author of six books (Crossroad) on the spiritual teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
St. Cyril of Alexandria – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson
Born: 378 AD, Alexandria, Egypt
Died: June 27, 444 AD, Alexandria, Egypt
Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss St. Cyril of Alexandria, also known as the Doctor of the Incarnation. Cyril’s significant role in combating Christological heresies, particularly Nestorianism, which denied the unity of Christ’s divine and human natures. Cyril was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883, reflecting the church’s recognition of his importance in theological clarity, especially regarding the role of Mary as Theotokos, or God-bearer. St. Cyril’s life and work are explored in detail, highlighting his early education, the influence of his uncle Theophilus, and his fiery personality, which led to various controversies in Alexandria. The city itself was a cosmopolitan hub, rich in culture and conflict, where he had to navigate political and religious tensions.
A significant milestone in his life was the Council of Ephesus in 431, where he defended the title of Theotokos for Mary, countering Nestorianism. This council affirmed that Mary was indeed the mother of God, and also the unity of Christ’s divinity and humanity.
St. Cyril’s efforts to restore unity within the church and his contributions to theological writings, include commentaries on the Bible and defenses of the Trinity. The late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI praised him as a staunch witness of Jesus Christ and highlighted his role in establishing Christ’s unity as both divine and human.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How did St. Cyril of Alexandria’s defense against Nestorianism shape the Church’s understanding of Christ’s divine and human natures?
Why is the title “Theotokos” (God-bearer) for Mary so crucial to the Church’s Christological teachings?
What were the key outcomes of the Council of Ephesus in 431, and how did they strengthen the Church’s doctrine on the Incarnation?
How did St. Cyril’s leadership and actions in the cosmopolitan city of Alexandria demonstrate the challenges and responsibilities of a Church leader?
What can we learn from St. Cyril’s fiery personality and his eventual softening about the path to sainthood and effective leadership?
In what ways did St. Cyril work towards restoring unity within the Church, and why is this an essential aspect of his legacy?
How did St. Cyril’s early education and the influence of his uncle Theophilus prepare him for his role as a defender of the faith?
How does St. Cyril’s unwavering commitment to defending the truth serve as a model for contemporary Christians facing challenges to their faith?
Which of St. Cyril’s theological writings stand out, and what impact have they had on the development of Christian doctrine?
What insights does Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s reflection on St. Cyril provide about the eternal and historical presence of Jesus Christ in our lives?
“Cyril’s writings – truly numerous and already widely disseminated in various Latin and Eastern translations in his own lifetime, attested to by their instant success – are of the utmost importance for the history of Christianity. His commentaries on many of the New and Old Testament Books are important, including those on the entire Pentateuch, Isaiah, the Psalms and the Gospels of John and Luke. Also important are his many doctrinal works, in which the defence of the Trinitarian faith against the Arian and Nestorian theses recurs. The basis of Cyril’s teaching is the ecclesiastical tradition and in particular, as I mentioned, the writings of Athanasius, his great Predecessor in the See of Alexandria. Among Cyril’s other writings, the books Against Julian deserve mention. They were the last great response to the anti-Christian controversies, probably dictated by the Bishop of Alexandria in the last years of his life to respond to the work Against the Galileans, composed many years earlier in 363 by the Emperor known as the “Apostate” for having abandoned the Christianity in which he was raised.
The Christian faith is first and foremost the encounter with Jesus, “a Person, which gives life a new horizon” (Deus Caritas Est, n. 1). St Cyril of Alexandria was an unflagging, staunch witness of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, emphasizing above all his unity, as he repeats in 433 in his first letter (PG 77, 228-237) to Bishop Succensus: “Only one is the Son, only one the Lord Jesus Christ, both before the Incarnation and after the Incarnation. Indeed, the Logos born of God the Father was not one Son and the one born of the Blessed Virgin another; but we believe that the very One who was born before the ages was also born according to the flesh and of a woman”. Over and above its doctrinal meaning, this assertion shows that faith in Jesus the Logos born of the Father is firmly rooted in history because, as St Cyril affirms, this same Jesus came in time with his birth from Mary, the Theotò-kos, and in accordance with his promise will always be with us. And this is important: God is eternal, he is born of a woman, and he stays with us every day. In this trust we live, in this trust we find the way for our life.”
Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and a senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.
The Gifts of the Sacred Heart – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff
Msgr. John Esseff discusses the concept of enthronement and consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The initiation of this devotion is God’s work, not ours. God calls individuals and families by name to belong to Him, initiating a relationship and union through prayer and consecration. This act of consecration involves giving back to God all that He has given us, including our very being, desires, and actions. Consecration is a powerful gift and a reciprocal promise: as we consecrate ourselves to God, He promises to bestow peace upon our families and homes.
Msgr. Esseff also recounts personal and observed experiences where the enthronement of the Sacred Heart brought inner peace, even amidst external turmoil and conflict; and shares examples from various contexts, including religious life, marriage, and even a prison, to illustrate the transformative power of enthronement. While conflicts and disagreements may still arise, the promise of peace and fulfillment in one’s state of life remains steadfast through devotion to the Sacred Heart.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
Reflect on how you have sensed God’s call in your life and how you have responded to it.
What areas of your life do you need to consecrate more fully to God?
How have you experienced God’s peace during times of conflict or turmoil?
In what ways do you see God’s grace supporting you in your current vocation?
How can you improve communication with your loved ones to foster peace and understanding?
Do you trust in God’s promises, and how can you strengthen that trust?
How can the examples of the transformative power of enthronement inspire you to invite the Sacred Heart into your life?
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 serves 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.
St. Cyril of Alexandria – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson