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BKL30 – The Transfiguration and the Glory of God – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff

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Msgr. Esseff offers insights on the Transfiguration of Jesus and it’s meaning for our lives today.

From the NAB Gospel LK 9:28B-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. Transfiguration_Titian

As they were about to part from him,
Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He was ordained on May 30th 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 Blessed Mother Teresa. 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 Bl. 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.

To obtain a copy of Msgr. Esseff’s book by visiting here

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building a Kingdom of Love”

IP#198 Msgr. Charles Murphy – Eucharistic Adoration on Inside the Pages

“Eucharistic Adoration: Holy Hour Meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ” is a marvelous book for enhancing your experience of one of the Church’s richest devotions. Msgr. Charles Murphy pours into this work over 50 years of priestly life and pastoral experience in spreading the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He ties together reflections on the seven last words of Jesus with the profiles of seven modern Christians known for their devotion to the Eucharist, including Simone Weil, Edith Stein, Dorothy Day, Blessed John XXIII, Blessed John Paul II, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. In this conversation, we also discuss his book “The Spirituality of Fasting”

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You can find the book here

Monsignor Charles M. Murphy is currently the director of the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Portland, Maine. He is the author of a number of scholarly articles and several books, including The Spirituality of Fasting, At Home on the Earth, Wallace Stevens: A Spiritual Poet in a Secular Age, and Belonging to God. Murphy is the former academic dean and rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome and served as part of the editorial group working in Italy under Cardinal Ratzinger on the third draft of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which became the fourth and final version.

Murphy currently serves as consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops committee on catechetics, reviewing materials for conformity with the Catechism. He served as chair of the editorial committee that produced the pastoral letter on environmental issues by the Bishops of the Boston Province and he served as a consultant to the USCCB for their statement on global warming. He has been the pastor of four parishes in Maine and has served his diocese in ecumenical and educational capacities. Murphy holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the Gregorian University, a master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in classics from the College of the Holy Cross.

IP#194 George Weigel – Evangelical Catholicism on Inside the Pages

At stunning moment in the recent history of the Catholic Church, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI as Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church effective February 28, we had the opportunity to George Weigel before his departure for Rome to be, once again, a witness to history. In “Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church” he writes of this particular moment in the life of the Catholic Church. Our conversation centers on the Papacy and its future. I cannot encourage listeners more highly to pick up a copy of this book; it is extraordinarily compelling and filled with hopeful certainty concerning the future course of this great “barque of Peter”. Don’t miss!!!

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Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
“This sparkling read puts all the old Church-labels—liberal vs. conservative, progressive vs. traditionalist, pre- vs. post-Vatican II—in the shredder. Now there is only one valid adjective for all of us: evangelical! Simply put, this means we take our baptismal promises with the utmost seriousness. Like the Samaritan woman, we’ve met a man—Jesus—who has changed our lives.”

Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia
“George Weigel has been the leading diarist of authentic Catholic renewal—its progress, detours, personalities, and hopes—for 30 years. In Evangelical Catholicism he turns his extraordinary skills to the needs of the Church in the coming decades, calling us back to the missionary vocation we received at baptism and offering us a road map to faithful, vigorous Church reform. Rich in its vision, engaging in style, on target in its counsel and invaluable for anyone trying to understand the Church and her challenges in the 21st Century, this book should not be missed.”

Mary Ann Glendon, author of The Forum and the Tower: How Scholars and Politicians have Imagined the World, from Plato to Eleanor Roosevelt
“This remarkable book offers nothing less than a map and compass for men and women determined to take up the challenge of living the Catholic faith in its fullness under 21st-century conditions. With its bold call for ‘deep reform’ in every single corner of the Church, Evangelical Catholicism is sure to provoke lively discussion. The book’s proposals for true renewal are presented with the clarity and verve that have made George Weigel a peerless advocate of the courage to be Catholic.”

IP#195 Fr. R. Scott Hurd – The Living Gospel: Daily Devotions for Lent 2013 on Insides the Page

Here it is…a marvelous Lenten devotional by Fr. R. Scott Hurd, entitled “The Living Gospel: Daily Devotions for Lent 2013“. In this handy booklet, published by Ave Maria Press, he offers day-to-day pastoral care to nurture each day of our Lenten journey. Fr. Hurd is a wonderful storyteller, as well as, a insightful leader of prayerful reflection. An excellent resource no matter the time it is.

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Fr. Hurd is also the author one of my favorite books, “Forgiveness: A Catholic Approach“. Check out our Inside the Pages discussion on that work as well.

You can find the book here

St. Scholastica, “to soar to heaven like a dove in flight” with Teresa Monaghen

Join us with Teresa Monaghen, of Pro Sanctity, as we discuss the life of St. Scholastica

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From Gregory the Great (c. 540-604), Dialogues, Book II (Life and Miracles of St. Benedict). Courtesy of the Saint Pachomius Library.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: Of a Miracle Wrought by his Sister, Scholastica.

GREGORY: Who is there, Peter, in this world, that is in greater favor with God than St. Paul? Three times he petitioned our Lordto be delivered from the thorn of the flesh, and yet he did not obtain his petition. Speaking of that, I must tell you how there was one thing which the venerable father Benedict would have liked to do, but he could not.

His sister, named Scholastica, was dedicated from her infancy to our Lord. Once a year she came to visit her brother. The man of God went to her not far from the gate of his monastery, at a place that belonged to the Abbey. It was there he would entertain her. Once upon a time she came to visit according to her custom, and her venerable brother with his monks went there to meet her.

They spent the whole day in the praises of God and spiritual talk, and when it was almost night, they dined together. As they were yet sitting at the table, talking of devout matters, it began to get dark. The holy Nun, his sister, entreated him to stay there all night that they might spend it in discoursing of the joys of heaven. By no persuasion, however, would he agree to that, saying that he might not by any means stay all night outside of his Abbey.

At that time, the sky was so clear that no cloud was to be seen. The Nun, hearing this denial of her brother, joined her hands together, laid them on the table, bowed her head on her hands, and prayed to almighty God.

Lifting her head from the table, there fell suddenly such a tempest of lightning and thundering, and such abundance of rain, that neither venerable Benedict, nor his monks that were with him, could put their heads out of doors. The holy Nun, having rested her head on her hands, poured forth such a flood of tears on the table, that she transformed the clear air to a watery sky.

After the end of her devotions, that storm of rain followed; her prayer and the rain so met together, that as she lifted up her head from the table, the thunder began. So it was that in one and the very same instant that she lifted up her head, she brought down the rain.

The man of God, seeing that he could not, in the midst of such thunder and lightning and great abundance of rain return to his Abbey, began to be heavy and to complain to his sister, saying: “God forgive you, what have you done?” She answered him, “I desired you to stay, and you would not hear me; I have desired it of our good Lord, and he has granted my petition. Therefore if you can now depart, in God’s name return to your monastery, and leave me here alone.”

Departure Delayed

But the good father, not being able to leave, tarried there against his will where before he would not have stayed willingly. By that means, they watched all night and with spiritual and heavenly talk mutually comforted one another.

Therefore, by this we see, as I said before, that he would have had one thing, but he could not effect it. For if we know the venerable man’s mind, there is no question but that he would have had the same fair weather to have continued as it was when he left his monastery. He found, however, that a miracle prevented his desire. A miracle that, by the power of almighty God, a woman’s prayers had wrought.

Is it not a thing to be marveled at, that a woman, who for a long time had not seen her brother, might do more in that instance than he could? She realized, according to the saying of St. John, “God is charity” [1 John 4:8]. Therefore, as is right, she who loved more, did more.

PETER: I confess that I am wonderfully pleased with that which you tell me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: How Benedict Saw the Soul of his Sister Ascend into Heavenly Glory.

GREGORY: The next day the venerable woman returned to her nunnery, and the man of God to his abbey. Three days later, standing in his cell, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he beheld the soul of his sister (which was departed from her body) ascend into heaven in the likeness of a dove.

Rejoicing much to see her great glory, with hymns and praise he gave thanks to almighty God, and imparted the news of her death to his monks. He sent them presently to bring her corpse to his Abbey, to have it buried in that grave which he had provided for himself. By this means it fell out that, as their souls were always one in God while they lived, so their bodies continued together after their death.

— Collect

Prayer: O God, to show us where innocence leads, you made the soul of your virgin Saint Scholastica soar to heaven like a dove in flight. Grant through her merits and her prayers that we may so live in innocence as to attain to joys everlasting. This we ask through our Lord.

IP#193 Paula Huston – Seasons of Mystery on Inside the Pages

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Paula Huston is one of the finest spiritual writers alive today. Her books speak to the human heart in such a beautiful, gentle way. She inspires us to climb higher the spiritual mountain, even when the times are treacherous and rocky. In “A Season of Mystery: 10 Spiritual Practices for Embracing a Happier Second Half of Life”, she encourages us to slow down, in order to nurture the relationship God is offering us today. For many of us, it may involve a paradigm shift, but one that is well worth the effort if we choose to enter into it. Paula breaks open each practice found in her book with moments from her own experience. She then gives us practical helps which can transform our everyday lives. Those practices include listening, delighting, lightening, settling, confronting, accepting, appreciating, befriending, generating, blessing. Filled with questions and reflections, this book is perfect for either individual or group study.

[powepress]

Your can find the book here

From the book description:

We live in a culture that tells us there are few things worse than aging, that we should avoid aging at all costs, and that we must shun death. And yet, no matter how much money we spend on health supplements, no matter how many gurus we consult, the fact remains unchanged: We will grow old.

A Season of Mystery is not intended to be a selection of self-improvement secrets; the goal of Huston’s work is to encourage people in the second half of life to become “ordinary mystics” who are no longer bound by the world’s false ideas on aging but instead be freed by God’s grace to embrace the riches that come only with growing older.

Check out more from Paula – IP#139 Paula Huston – Simplifying Your Soul on Inside the Pages

WOM#17 – Mystical Experiences and Consoling Prayer – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating episode 17 – Discerning Hearts

Episode 17 -The Way of Mystery: The Eucharist and Moral Living– Mystical experiences and consoling prayer. Prayer is earnestly desired, and prayer because something we delight in. Also the prayer that will spontaneously occur. Another type of experience is the aspect of the sacramental encounter.

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Deacon James Keating, PhD, the director of Theological Formation for the Institute for Priestly Formation, located at Creighton University, in Omaha, is making available to ”Discerning Hearts” and all who listen, his series of programs entitled “The Way of Mystery”.

The Vatican II documents remind us that the spiritual journey is not made in a vacuum, that God has chosen to save us, not individually, but as The People of God. The Eucharist must help Christians to make their choices by discerning out of Christ’s paschal mystery. For this process to take place, however, Christians must first understand how the Eucharist puts them in touch with Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, and what concrete implications being in touch with this mystery has for their daily lives.

For more information on the “Institute of Priestly Formation” and for oth er material available by Deacon Keating, just click here

Don’t forget to pickup a copy of “Communion with Christ” , it is on e of the best audio sets on prayer…ever!

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

IP#192 Mike Aquilina – Yours is the Church on Inside the Pages

He just gets better and better. Of course, I’m talking about Mike Aquilina and his joy and enthusiasm for the Catholic Church abounds in “Yours is the Church: How Catholicism Shapes Our World“. Mike is so good at getting to the nuggets contained in history and reminding us all of the significant contributions made by the Church which have changed our world for the better. Whether it is the moral leadership it has offered which has been the rudder steadying our course, or the beauty of the arts which fashion it’s sails, the barque of the Church sails the seas of time on a course to the New Jerusalem. Putting it all into a wonderful historic perspective, Mike Aquilina offers us a “must have” book that should be in every Catholic home and given to anyone joining this beautiful Church of ours. Thanks Mike!

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Your can find the book here

“Christianity has radically changed the world for the better. In a book that’s both thoughtful and entertaining . Mike Aquilina shows how the Gospel really has been the good news in the most practical ways possible. Even the atheist ought to thank…whoever he thanks….for the rise of Christianity.” — David Mills, executive editor of First Things

IP#191 Mary DeTurris Poust – Cravings on Inside the Pages

Mary DeTurris Poust has once again brought us a spiritual work that speaks to us in the ordinary things of life. In “Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God” she takes on the monumental struggle most of us have with self-image and diet. With humor and very practical suggestions, she helps us to see the blessings found in turning everything over to God and allowing Him to transform our love-hate relationship with food and the mirror. By doing so, we can deepen our relationship with God and see the gifts He has for us everyday. We also then can experience the greatest gift of all, His deep and abiding love for each of us as His beloved child. Before you start your next diet, or if you “wrestle” with your body image, this is the book for you! You won’t be disappointed.

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You can find the book here

“Whether you’re tired of being obsessed with your weight, are hungry for inner peace even more than you’re hungry for food, or are desiring the freedom that comes with self-acceptance,Cravings will leave you satisfied.”–Kate Wicker, Author of Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body

“Another excellent tool in Mother Church’s hand to help feed God’s children with what they crave most: truth, the food of saints!” —Rev. Leo Patalinghug, Author of Grace Before Meals

IP#190 John West – The Magician’s Twin on Inside the Pages

“The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis and the Case against Scientism” is fascinating. I love discussing anything surrounding the thought of C. S. Lewis, and this particular conversation with John West, brought great insight on Lewis’ thought about the dangers of “scientism”. This extensive book offers warnings by the beloved writer concerning the influence of unleashed science and its various fields and it’s potentially troubling effect on mankind. A wonderfully engaging read…don’t miss.

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You can find the book here

Here is the link to the site that is dedicated to the book: C.S. Lewis Web

From the book description:

Beloved for his Narnian tales and books of Christian apologetics, bestselling British writer C. S. Lewis also was a perceptive critic of the growing power of scientism, the misguided effort to apply science to areas outside its proper bounds. In this wide-ranging book of essays, contemporary writers probe Lewis’s prophetic warnings about the dehumanizing impact of scientism on ethics, politics, faith, reason, and science itself. Issues explored include Lewis’s views on bioethics, eugenics, evolution, intelligent design, and what he called “scientocracy.” Contributors include Michael Aeschliman, Victor Reppert, Jay Richards, and C. John Collins.