Discerning Hearts - Catholic Podcasts

St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 2 Day 2 State openly that you desire to be devout. I do not say that you should assert that you are devout but that you desire to be devout. Do not be ashamed to practice the ordinary, necessary actions that bring us to the love of God. Acknowledge frankly that you are trying to meditate, that you would rather die than commit a mortal sin, that you are resolved to frequent the sacraments and to follow your director’s advice. This candid confession of our desire to serve God and to consecrate ourselves entirely to His love is most acceptable to His Divine Majesty. (INT. V, Ch. 18; O. III, p. 365) O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. St. Francis de Sales, pray for us. For the complete 9 day St. Francis de Sales Novena visit here The post St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 2 – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time  – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord. Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over” Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart… From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’ What word made this passage come alive for you? What did you sense the Lord saying to you? Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you: When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’ What did your heart feel as you listened? What did you sense the Lord saying to you? Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word: When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’ What touched your heart in this time of prayer? What did your heart feel as you prayed? What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord? Our Father, who art in heaven,   hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,  and forgive us our trespasses,  as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from evil. May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.   The post Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Gary Michuta – The Gospel Truth on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Kris McGregor speaks with Gary Michuta about his book The Gospel Truth: How We Can Know What Christ Taught, which examines how the teachings of Jesus were accurately preserved and transmitted. Michuta frames the Gospels like a careful investigation, looking not only at the written texts but also at the living Jewish community that received, memorized, and handed on Jesus’ words. He explains how first-century Jewish culture relied on structured memory techniques—such as rhythm, repetition, dialogue, and setting—to ensure faithful transmission long before widespread literacy. These features, often mistaken as stylistic quirks, reveal an intentional design that allowed disciples to recall and proclaim Jesus’ teaching with remarkable reliability. The book addresses common objections, including differences between Gospel accounts, translation concerns, and claims of later embellishment. Variations between the Gospels resemble authentic eyewitness testimony rather than collusion, while narrative details—locations, audiences, and historical markers—invite verification by original hearers. Radical teachings, such as Jesus’ divine claims and the Bread of Life discourse, demanded careful preservation because of their shocking nature. They also discuss the role of Sacred Tradition and the Church in safeguarding not only the text but its meaning, warning against modern paraphrases or private revelations detached from the consistent teaching handed down across Christian history. You can find the book here. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions How does understanding the Jewish cultural and educational context of the first century shape the way I read and hear the Gospels today? In what ways does viewing the Gospels as living testimony within a community change my confidence in their historical reliability? How do the memory techniques described in this episode challenge modern assumptions about oral tradition and accuracy? What do the differences among the four Gospel accounts reveal about truth, witness, and human perspective? How does the idea of the Gospels “inviting verification” affect my trust in what they record about Jesus? Why is it significant that radical teachings, such as the Bread of Life discourse, were preserved even when they caused followers to walk away? How does Sacred Tradition help me understand Scripture beyond the text alone? What risks arise when Scripture is paraphrased or reinterpreted apart from the Church’s continuous teaching? How does hearing the Gospel proclaimed within the Church connect me to the earliest Christian communities? In what ways am I called not only to study the Gospels but to allow them to shape my life and faith today? From the book description: “Hundreds of books have been written to vindicate the Gospels by noting that they were written closer to the events they record than any other ancient history. But how do we know that they accurately recorded what Jesus said and did? How do we know they didn’t fabricate their contents? That Jesus really did work the miracles reported in the Gospels? Most important of all, how do we know what is the authentic interpretation of his words and deeds? Christian apologists have largely neglected to answer these significant questions because they have focused instead on vindicating the Gospels apart from the community that wrote them. The Gospel Truth fills in this gap by demonstrating that a concerted and sophisticated effort was made to ensure that what Jesus taught and did was accurately retained, recorded, verified, and passed on to future believers. It also shows how we can know whether our copies of Scripture reflect the original, whether the books in our Bible really belong there, and ways to know how to correctly understand them.” About the Author: Gary Michuta is the author of Revolt against Reality: Fighting the Enemies of Sanity and Truth from the Serpent to the State, Hostile Witnesses: How the Enemies of the Church Prove Christianity, The Case for the Deuterocanon: Arguments and Evidence, Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger, and several other apologetic works. Gary is an instructor of apologetics for Home School Connections and is the host of “Hands On Apologetics” on Virgin Most Powerful Radio. The post IP#489 Gary Michuta – The Gospel Truth on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 8 Day 8 From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert: A brother renounced the world and gave his goods to the poor, but he kept back a little for his personal expenses. He went to see Abba Anthony. When he told him this, the old man said to him, “If you want to be a monk, go into the village, buy some meat, cover your naked body with it and come here like that.” The brother did so, and the dogs and birds tore at his flesh. When he came back the old man asked him whether he had followed his advice. He showed him his wounded body, and Abba Anthony said, “Those who renounce the world but want to keep something for themselves are torn in this way by the demons who make war on them.”     Dear God, St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen St. Anthony of the Desert, pray for us. For the entire 9-Day St. Anthony of the Desert Novena Mp3 audio and Text Page The sayings  of St. Anthony us, as translated by the late Sr Benedicta Ward SLG , are taken from her  The Sayings of the Desert Fathers The post St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 8 – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 1 Day 1 There is no clock, no matter how good it may be, that doesn’t need resetting and rewinding twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. In addition, at least once a year it must be taken apart to remove the dirt clogging it, straighten out bent parts and repair those worn out. In like manner, every morning and evening a person who really takes care of his heart must rewind it for God’s service by means of certain practices of piety. At least once a year he must take it apart and examine every piece in detail; that is, every affection and passion, in order to repair whatever defects there may be. (INT. Part 5, Ch. 1; O. III, p. 340)   O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection. Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart. Grant that all people, especially (names of those whom you wish to include) may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love. Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth. Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion, to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by your prayers and example, help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God. Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer. (mention your particular need). O God, for the salvation of all, you desired that St. Francis de Sales— preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder— should befriend many long the road to salvation. Mercifully grant that we, infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity, guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. St. Francis de Sales, pray for us. For the complete 9-Day St. Francis de Sales Novena – Mp3 audio and text visit here The post St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time  – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord. Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over” Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart… From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 1:40-45 A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him. What word made this passage come alive for you? What did you sense the Lord saying to you? Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you: A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him. What did your heart feel as you listened? What did you sense the Lord saying to you? A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him. What did your heart feel as you prayed? What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord? Our Father, who art in heaven,   hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,  and forgive us our trespasses,  as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from evil. May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.   The post Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 12 – Nestorius – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina Mike Aquilina discusses Nestorius as a tragic and almost darkly comic figure whose early success as a learned monk did not prepare him for leadership in Constantinople. His rigid personality, discomfort with women, and obsession with linguistic precision shaped his rejection of the title Theotokos (“Mother of God”) for Mary. What he considered logical correction instead unsettled ordinary Christian practice, clashed with long-standing prayer and devotion, and provoked resistance from both the people and influential figures in the imperial court. His attempts to curb women’s visibility in church life further alienated the city and deepened opposition from other bishops, who began to recognize that his teaching raised serious concerns about the identity of Christ himself. The conflict culminated in the Council of Ephesus, where the issue of Mary’s title revealed a deeper question about whether Jesus is fully God. St. Cyril of Alexandria successfully argued that denying Mary as Mother of God undermined Christ’s divinity, and the council affirmed the traditional language rooted in centuries of worship. The decision was celebrated publicly with hymns and processions, while Nestorius was deposed, exiled, and eventually formed a separate community beyond the empire. Such crises unfold over long periods and flawed individuals can still prompt doctrinal clarity. Holiness, perseverance, and lived witness remain the most powerful responses to error and division in every age. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions How do Nestorius’s personality traits and formation as a monk reveal the importance of humility and self-awareness in leadership within the Church? What does the controversy over the title Mother of God teach about the connection between devotion, doctrine, and daily prayer? How can resistance from ordinary Christians help safeguard the faith handed down through generations? In what ways does Marian teaching shape a deeper understanding of who Jesus is? How does the Council of Ephesus show the Church discerning truth through conflict rather than avoiding it? What lessons can be drawn from how pride and rigidity can distort good intentions? How does the public celebration of the council’s decision reflect the unity between worship and belief? What does this episode suggest about enduring long periods of confusion or trial within the Church? How does the call to holiness in everyday life serve as a response to error and division? In what ways can personal example either strengthen or weaken the Church’s witness in the world today? An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church “We’ve been having an argument with these other people, the monks explained. We say that Mary is rightly called Mother of God—in Greek, Theotokos. But these other people say it’s not right to call her anything but Mother of the Man—Anthropotokos. Which of us is right? Nestorius was delighted with the opportunity to show off his erudition. His answer probably struck him as very clever and evenhanded. In a way, he said, you’re both right. Each of those names can be used for Mary in a loose and imprecise way. But technically the proper term would be Mother of the Christ—Christotokos. If you want to be accurate, you’ll avoid calling her anything else.3 Thus, Constantinople was first introduced to that little word “technically”—in Greek, akribos—which the world would soon learn was one of Nestorius’ very favorite terms when he was arguing with people. It revealed a lot about the way he thought. The problem with most people, Nestorius seemed to believe, was that they didn’t choose their terms carefully enough. When you’re talking about important issues of theology, you need to be very precise in your language. The problem with Nestorius, thought practically everybody else in Constantinople, was that he had just said Mary wasn’t Mother of God. The people of the city instantly latched onto that little word “technically” as representing everything they hated about Nestorius. “If Mary is not technically the Mother of God,” they said, “then her Son is not technically God.”4 Mary had always been called Mother of God, as long as anybody could remember. The city—the whole Empire—was devoted to the Blessed Virgin. What was wrong with this new archbishop? “He seemed afraid of the word Theotokos,” Socrates recalled, “as if it were some frightful ghost.”5 In the opinion of Socrates and many others, the problem wasn’t loose language on the part of the great majority of Christians. The problem was that Nestorius didn’t know what he was talking about. “The baseless fear he showed on this subject merely demonstrated how very ignorant he was. He was naturally a fluent speaker, so people thought he must be well educated. But actually he was disgracefully illiterate.” Socrates thought that Nestorius not only didn’t know what the great Christian writers before him had written on these subjects, but also didn’t care. He was smarter than they were. He could work things out for himself.6 Well, if Nestorius didn’t know what the great Christians of earlier generations had taught, it was about time somebody told him. Enter the Bishop of Alexandria.” Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians. Emmaus Road Publishing. Kindle Edition. You can find the book on which this series is based here. For more episodes in the Villians of the Early Church podcast visit here – Villains of the Early Church – Discerning Hearts Podcast Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries (2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio. Mike Aquilina’s website is found at fathersofthechurch.com The post VEC12 – Nestorius – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 7 Day 7 From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert: The brothers praised a monk before Abba Anthony. When the monk came to see him, Anthony wanted to know how he would bear insults, and seeing that he could not bear them at all, he said to him, “You are like a village magnificently decorated on the outside, but destroyed from within by robbers.” A brother said to Abba Anthony, “Pray for me.” The old man said to him, “I will have no mercy on you, nor will God have any, if you yourself do not make an effort and if you do not pray to God.”   Dear God, St Anthony of the Desert accepted your call to renounce the world and to love you above all things. He faithfully served you in the solitude of the desert by fasting, prayer, humility and good works. In the Sign of the Cross, he triumphed over the devil. Through his intercession, may we learn to love you better; with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. St Anthony, great and powerful saint, intercede for us also for this special request (mention your request). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen St. Anthony of the Desert, pray for us. For the entire 9-Day St. Anthony of the Desert Novena Mp3 audio and Text Page The sayings  of St. Anthony us, as translated by the late Sr Benedicta Ward SLG , are taken from her  The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The post St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time  – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord. Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over” Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart… From the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 1:29-39 On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils. What word made this passage come alive for you? What did you sense the Lord saying to you? Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you: On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils. What did your heart feel as you listened? What did you sense the Lord saying to you? On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils. What did your heart feel as you prayed? What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord? Our Father, who art in heaven,   hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,  and forgive us our trespasses,  as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from evil. May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.   The post Wednesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

What is Redemptive Suffering – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating Deacon James Keating explains redemptive suffering as the practice of freely offering one’s physical, emotional, or spiritual pain in love for the good of another, uniting that suffering to Christ’s own prayer on the cross. Rather than becoming trapped in self-pity or displaced anger, suffering can be transformed into intercessory prayer through a faith-filled imagination that connects real pain, real love for others, and God’s will for human flourishing. In this way, suffering is no longer isolated or absurd but becomes meaningful participation in Christ’s saving work, not because the cross is lacking, but because Christ draws his whole body into it through freely given love. The conversation then turns to emotional suffering, which Keating describes as especially common and often misunderstood in contemporary culture. While affirming the proper place of psychotherapy and medication, he presents prayer and spiritual direction as paths of deep honesty before God, where fears, anger, grief, and temptation are brought into divine intimacy rather than hidden. Drawing on saints such as Thérèse of Lisieux and figures like Mother Teresa, he shows how small, daily acts of self-offering prepare the soul for greater trials and guard against bitterness. The path forward is not dramatic heroics but beginning “the little way,” surrendering pain to God step by step, trusting that resurrection follows surrender, and allowing Christ to carry the soul where it cannot go on its own. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions How can I intentionally unite my physical, emotional, or spiritual pain with Christ as a prayer for the good of another person? In what ways do I tend to turn inward when I suffer, and how might God be inviting me to redirect that pain into love? How can practicing small acts of self-offering in daily annoyances prepare my heart for greater trials in the future? What emotions or wounds do I hesitate to bring honestly into prayer, and what might change if I shared them openly with Christ? How does my understanding of the cross shape the way I respond to suffering rather than trying to avoid or escape it? When pain makes God feel distant or absent, how can I continue choosing trust and surrender in faith? How might my experience of suffering become a path of purification that leads me toward deeper holiness and love? 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 The post HH3 – What is Redemptive Suffering – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.