“You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”– Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff

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Join Msgr. Esseff as he reflects on the gospel for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary time.

Gospel Mk 8:27-35

Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.”

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II. 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.

PS-5 Daily Spiritual Reading – A Personal Plan for Holiness – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Episode 5 – Daily Spiritual Reading

Join Teresa Monaghen, of Pro Sanctity, as she offers a “Personal Plan for Holiness”. Listen along with these short, but beautiful meditations which encourage us to continue on our journey as “saints in the making”!

Pro Sanctity Mission Statement

The Pro Sanctity Movement is a Catholic organization dedicated to promoting the universal call to holiness by seeking to address the needs of the mind with theology, the heart with spirituality, and the hands with ministry.

It is open to all, especially to those who wish to deepen their commitment to God and to share the message of holiness with others.

Learn more about Pro Sanctity at www.prosanctity.org

Also, you may wish to visit the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center in Fullerton, CA. Learn more at Pro Sanctity Movement West

PS-4 Eucharistic Amazement – A Personal Plan for Holiness – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Episode 4 – Eucharistic Amazement

Pro Sanctity Mission Statement

It is open to all, especially to those who wish to deepen their commitment to God and to share the message of holiness with others.

Learn more about Pro Sanctity at www.prosanctity.org

Also, you may wish to visit the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center in Fullerton, CA. Learn more at Pro Sanctity Movement West

PS-3 The Maximum – A Personal Plan for Holiness – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Episode 3 – The Maximum

Pro Sanctity Mission Statement

It is open to all, especially to those who wish to deepen their commitment to God and to share the message of holiness with others.

Learn more about Pro Sanctity at www.prosanctity.org

Also, you may wish to visit the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center in Fullerton, CA. Learn more at Pro Sanctity Movement West

PS-2 The Art of Prayer – A Personal Plan for Holiness – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Episode 2 – The Art of Prayer

Pro Sanctity Mission Statement

It is open to all, especially to those who wish to deepen their commitment to God and to share the message of holiness with others.

Learn more about Pro Sanctity at www.prosanctity.org

Also, you may wish to visit the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center in Fullerton, CA. Learn more at Pro Sanctity Movement West

PS-1 What is Holiness? – A Personal Plan for Holiness – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Episode 1 – What is Holiness?

Pro Sanctity Mission Statement

It is open to all, especially to those who wish to deepen their commitment to God and to share the message of holiness with others.

Learn more about Pro Sanctity at www.prosanctity.org

Also, you may wish to visit the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center in Fullerton, CA. Learn more at Pro Sanctity Movement West

What it means to “put on Christ” – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff Discerning Hearts podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians Chapter 4 v. 20 -24:

22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. – RCVCE

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 as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by St. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians, and other religious leaders around the world.

“How He Cares For His Flock”– Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on how Jesus cares for His flock today. Who fulfills the role of the “shepherd” today in the diocese, in the parish, in the homes?

Gospel Mk 6:30-34

The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor. Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians, and other religious leaders around the world.

The Identity of the Christian – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on the Christian identity. Before the world was made, He chose us. Who are we? What does that mean for our lives and the life of the world?

Reading 2 Eph 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love, he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.
In him, we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven, and on earth.In him, we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.
In him, you also, who have heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
which is the first installment of our inheritance
toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.”

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor. Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians, and other religious leaders.

CWC8 – The Wellsprings of Prayer – Communion with Christ with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 8 – Communion with Christ – Practical Prayer – The “wellsprings” where Christ awaits us. Responding at the moment when the subtle interior movements of the Holy Spirit calls to us. The Word of God becomes a place of encounter. The danger of Scripture becoming all academic. People are converted when the Word approaches them as living. The liturgy is also a place of encounter. The heart is an “altar” in the liturgy.

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

Deacon Keating is also the author of:

You can find the book here.

From the book description:

The book addresses their mutual dedication to remain with Christ in prayer even in the service of parishioners. Once prayer finds a place in the heart, compassion grows for those who look for God “like sheep without a shepherd.” Through interior prayerfulness, clerical unity in ministry can be better ensured Remain in Me is for priests and deacons to use as prayer, on retreat, or during the holy seasons of Lent and Advent.