On Retreat with Msgr. John Esseff Day 2 Talk 1 on “PRAYER” – Discerning Hearts

In January 2012, Msgr. Esseff conducted a weekend retreat for the Deacons and Deacon-Candidates and their wives of the Diocese of Fargo.

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The subject is PRAYER. From Luke Chap 11 v 1-13, Msgr. Esseff discusses how little we know how to pray and how to receive. He reflects on the Blessed Virgin Mary’s teaching to St. Catherine Laboure about prayer. Then he offers the proper movement of prayer:

1. “Be there with Him and for Him”
2. “You have to want Him” Intensify the desire of relationship with God.
3. “Listen to Him”

A – Acknowledge (What’s going on in your heart)
R – Relay that to God
(Tell God – Father, Son and the Holy Spirit
and the Blessed Virgin Mary – about that experience)
R – Receive (What is God going to tell me about what I told Him)
R – Respond

4. “Let Him” (Surrender to God)

What happens when we encounter the Holy Eucharist
What happens when we encounter the Living Word of God

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

On Retreat with Msgr. John Esseff Day 2 Talk 2 on “GRACE and the Life of Jesus We Receive in Baptism” – Discerning Hearts

In January 2012, Msgr. Esseff conducted a weekend retreat for the Deacons and Deacon-Candidates and their wives of the Diocese of Fargo.

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The subject is GRACE and the life of Jesus we receive in Baptism. From Ephesians Chap 4 v 7 -16, Msgr. Esseff discusses what he calls “that most magnificent passage” which transforms us. What made the transformation occur? What is Original Sin? He reflects on the fall of our first parents and the broken relationship with God, and God’s gift of the Son. The importance of the Blessed Virgin Mary…the first person to receive the revelation of the Trinity. The tremendous moment of PENTECOST. What is Sanctifying Grace? What does it mean to have Jesus within us and what are we called to do? How can we forgive, especially the deepest wounds? Being like Jesus, we depend completely on the Father. The lie of the “I can do anything” attitude. The beauty of Galatians 2:20. Ask God to help you discover your true self in Him.

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

On Retreat with Msgr. John Esseff Day 2 Talk 3 on “On Sinfulness and the Sacrament of Reconciliation” – Discerning Hearts

In January 2012, Msgr. Esseff conducted a weekend retreat for the Deacons and Deacon-Candidates and their wives of the Diocese of Fargo.

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The subject is SINFULNESS and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The crucifixion and death of Jesus and what Jesus “sees” from the Cross. We will not grow in the Divine life given to us in Baptism if we do not become fully aware of our sinfulness in direct relation to our blessedness. The Devil is aware of Christ in us; he hates the beauty of that union. The Enemy’s purpose is to destroy that relationship. Why would we sin and endanger our union with Christ? Sin is not just breaking a commandment, it is the destruction of the Divine life in us. Sin is a mystery; it is a darkness. Our souls are a battleground…between the forces of light and the forces of darkness, the forces of love and the forces of hatred…a complete head on crash in every soul.

Msgr. Esseff then instructs on the importance of enlisting the aid of the Holy Spirit to truly prepare us for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It’s only through the aid of the Holy Spirit can God reveal to us what truly separates us from the Father. He reveals to us our “core wound”…the tendency in our behavior that causes us to sin. Often we only pay attention to the symptoms of the wound, we need the Holy Spirit to show us the cause. The deeper we go into our sinfulness the deeper the experience of the Divine Mercy.

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

On Retreat with Msgr. John Esseff Day 3 Talk 4 on “The Wounds of Unforgiveness” – Discerning Hearts

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on Matthew chap 18 v 21-35. He shares the stories of a woman named Immaculee from Rwanda and young girl named Maria from Lebanon and the damage done by the hatred which is manifested in the world. We have a capacity for communion…24 hours every day, 7 days a week. How does that look in the relationship found in marriage? From childhood, there are deep wounds we carry from our parents…from siblings…or from others. What can cause those wounds? The bitterness and resentment that we carry…the damage it does to us. What is the remedy? The joy of forgiveness…and forgetting. Msgr. Esseff shares a poignant story of a man named John, and how he came to forgive what many would find “unforgivable”.

This is the prayer mentioned by Msgr. Esseff in the talk...click here

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website….”Building A Kingdom of Love”

Exorcism and Deliverance – What is the difference? – Discerning Hearts

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Part 1: Msgr. Esseff describes the difference between Exorcism and Deliverance:

The role of the Bishop and the priest. The power we have by virtue of our baptism. What is possession? What is a curse? The rite of Exorcism and the need for inner healing of the individual. The ministry of Deliverance and how it differs from the need for Exorcism. Addictions that effect the person and how . Priests and gifted individuals work in harmony to free the person from the evil spirit. The wounds that contribute to the affliction experienced by the individual. The need to distinguish between spiritual pain and psychological pain, and the need for the Sacrament of Reconciliation….”one good confession is worth 100 exorcisms.” The role of the laity today in deliverance ministry.

Download (right click & choose “Save Link As”)

In part 2, after the intial recording, Msgr. Esseff answers various questions posed on various topics:

The priesthood and the role of spiritual healing. Do we give the devil too much credit? The role of Mary. The power of the Cross. How do slip back into oppression or sin? How can we prevent that? The power of prayer in temptation.

visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building A Kingdom of Love”

A Prayer to Take Authority – a prayer and teaching from Msgr. Esseff – Discerning Hearts

A Prayer to Take Authority

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Msgr. Esseff teaches about the need for healing, protection and deliverance. Msgr. Esseff discusses the importance of the “Our Father”. He then leads the following prayer:

In the name of Jesus, I take authority and I bind all the powers and forces in the air, in the ground, in the water, in the underground, in the netherworld, in nature and in fire. You are the Lord over the entire universe and I give you the glory for your creation. In your name, I bind all demonic forces that have come against us and our families and I seal all of us in the protection of your precious blood that was shed for us on the cross.

Mary Our Mother, we seek your protection and intercession, with the Sacred heart of Jesus, for us and our families and surround us with your mantle of love to discourage the enemy.

St. Michael and our Guardian Angels, come and defend us and our families in battle against all the evil ones that roam the earth.

In the name of Jesus, I bind and command all the powers and forces of evil to depart right now away from us, our families, our homes, and our lands and I cast you at the foot of the cross to remain there forever. And I thank you Lord Jesus for you are a faithful and compassionate God, Amen.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed be the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death. Amen.

visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building A Kingdom of Love”

BTP-LR1 The “Last Retreat” Day 1 St. Elizabeth of the Trinity- Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles

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Beginning to Pray: “The Last Retreat – Day 1 “Nescivi. I no longer knew anything.”

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

1. “Nescivi.” 1 “I no longer knew anything.” This is what the “bride of the Canticles ” sings after having been brought into the “inner cellar.” 2 It seems to me that this must also be the refrain of a praise of glory on this first day of retreat in which the Master makes her penetrate the depths of the bottomless abyss so that He may teach her to fulfill the work which will be hers for eternity and which she must already perform in time, which is eternity begun and still in progress. 3 “Nescivi”! I no longer know anything, I do not want to know anything except “to

know Him, to share in His sufferings, to become like Him in His death.” 4 “Those whom God has foreknown He has also predestined to become confirmed to the image of His divine Son,” 5 the One crucified by love. When I am wholly identified with this divine Exemplar, 6 when I have wholly passed into Him and He into me, then I will fulfill my eternal vocation: the one for which God has “chosen me in Him ” 7 “in principio,” the one I will continue “in aeternum” when, immersed in the bosom of my Trinity, I will be the unceasing praise of His glory, Laudem gloriae ejus.

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

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 offer heartfelt thanks to
Miriam Gutierrez for providing for us “the voice” of Blessed Elizabeth for this series

Anthony Lilles, S.T.D. is an associate professor and the academic dean of Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo as well as the academic advisor for Juan Diego House of Priestly Formation for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. For over twenty years he served the Church in Northern Colorado where he joined and eventually served as dean of the founding faculty of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. Through the years, clergy, seminarians, religious and lay faithful have benefitted from his lectures and retreat conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church and the writings of Blessed Elisabeth of the Trinity. After graduating from Franciscan University of Steubenville, he completed licentiate and doctoral studies in spiritual theology at the Angelicum in Rome. In 2012, he published Hidden Mountain, Secret Garden: a theological contemplation of prayer by Discerning Hearts. Married with two young adult children pursuing their careers and a teenager still at home, he has settled in family in Oxnard, California. For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles

The Prinicipal and Foundation of Prayer and Discernment: a teaching from Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts

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I had the opportunity to speak with Msgr. Esseff, who is conducting a spiritual retreat for the Sisters of the

Missionaries of Charity in Sydney, Australia. He shares with us the teachings from the first day, which is on the principal and foundation of prayer as taught by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Msgr. Esseff begins by reflecting on the Awe of God and the difference between “being” and “becoming”. He shares a special memory of an experience that helped him to understand this which occurred when he was a young boy on his grandfather’s farm. Many years later, he would learn this was a basic teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas on the nature of God and creation. God is being and creation (including man) is becoming.

With that foundation, Msgr. Esseff proceeds to teach us that all of our are becoming therefore because mankind has a soul and has the capacity for reflection, we have the power to glorify God. That is the first call we have, to glorify God. To often we focus on our selves and what serves our needs. St. Ignatius would say, that instead when faced with a decision or direction, each human being is called to discern, to ask whether if this is what God wants or is this is what I want. The key is to take ask the Father “What do you want us to do?” This is discernment at its basic level.

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

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

A Time of Spiritual Warfare – Recognizing the Enemy with Msgr. John Esseff

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Msgr. Esseff refers repeatedly in this podcast to “The Manual for Spiritual Warfare” by Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D. which he HIGHLY RECOMMENDS!

Reading 1 1 jn 2:18-21

Children, it is the last hour;
and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming,
so now many antichrists have appeared.
Thus we know this is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;
if they had been, they would have remained with us.
Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.
But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One,
and you all have knowledge.
I write to you not because you do not know the truth
but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth

Manual for Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D.

Gospel jn 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.

And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.

John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.

“BE NOT AFRAID” – Msgr. John Esseff on the role of fear in suffering…and the remedy…faith

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Msgr. Esseff discusses the crippling effects of fear and it’s remedy. Fear, in a very real way, is the opposite of faith.

There’s an adage in spirituality that says that if we can name the demon we can tame it. Jesus wants us not to be afraid. He may challenge us in some ways, so that we can name it and bring it out of the darkness into peace. The Light dispels the fear! Fear fuels sin. Ultimately, it’s a fear of not being loved and losing

relationship in some way. Luke 15 ( the parable of the Prodigal Son) shows us how much the Father loves us…no matter what! He’s waiting with open arms to relieve the pain and suffering. Look at the One who wants to pick you up! Some suffer in silence, especially when falsely accused…stand with Jesus at the first station of the cross. Do not take your eyes off the face of Jesus…we are meant for eternal life. Learn from the examples of the saints… BELIEVE.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff”s website: “Building A Kingdom of Love”

Part 1: Msgr. Esseff describes the difference between Exorcism and Deliverance:

In part 2, after the intial recording, Msgr. Esseff answers various questions posed on various topics:

A Prayer to Take Authority

Mary Our Mother, we seek your protection and intercession, with the Sacred heart of Jesus, for us and our families and surround us with your mantle of love to discourage the enemy.

St. Michael and our Guardian Angels, come and defend us and our families in battle against all the evil ones that roam the earth.

In the name of Jesus, I bind and command all the powers and forces of evil to depart right now away from us, our families, our homes, and our lands and I cast you at the foot of the cross to remain there forever. And I thank you Lord Jesus for you are a faithful and compassionate God, Amen.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed be the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Beginning to Pray: “The Last Retreat – Day 1 “Nescivi. I no longer knew anything.”

Reading 1 1 jn 2:18-21

Gospel jn 1:1-18

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed be the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death. Amen.