Discerning Hearts - Catholic Podcasts

St. Gregory of Nazianzus – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson Born: 329 AD Died: January 1, 390 AD Dr. Matthew Bunson reflects on the life and mission of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, portraying him as a man marked by a lifelong tension between a desire for solitude and a call to serve publicly as priest and bishop. Drawn to prayer, contemplation, and ascetic discipline, St. Gregory repeatedly accepted responsibilities he did not seek, including ordination and episcopal leadership, out of obedience and love for the Church. Formed by a superb education in rhetoric and philosophy in Caesarea, Alexandria, and Athens—where he developed a deep friendship with Basil—he lived during a period when the Arian controversy threatened the heart of Christian teaching. His personal sacrifices, strained friendships, and repeated withdrawals from public life reveal a figure who carried the cross of leadership while longing for silence and communion with God. St. Gregory if often referred to as “the Theologian” because his reflections on the Trinity arose from prayer, holiness, and lived fidelity rather than abstract speculation. His writings and orations clarified the Church’s language about the Son and the Holy Spirit, defending the Nicene faith and helping articulate terms such as procession and consubstantiality during a time of confusion and political pressure. His ministry in Constantinople, beginning from the small Church of the Anastasis, helped restore orthodox teaching through preaching rather than force. Dr. Bunson highlights how St. Gregory’s vision of Christ’s full divinity and full humanity grounds salvation, unity within the Church, devotion to Mary as Mother of God, and the call to transformation in Christ, offering enduring guidance for confronting doctrinal error in every age. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions: How do I respond interiorly when God’s call leads me away from the life or plans I would naturally choose for myself? Where do I experience tension between prayerful solitude and active service, and how might God be working through that struggle? In what ways does St. Gregory’s obedience challenge my own resistance to responsibilities I did not seek? How deeply is my understanding of the Trinity rooted in prayer rather than only intellectual knowledge? What modern “Arian-like” misunderstandings of Christ do I encounter, and how do they affect my faith? How does the full humanity of Jesus Christ shape my view of suffering, obedience, and redemption? What role does precise language about the faith play in strengthening my spiritual life and worship? How can my home, parish, or community become a small “Anastasis,” a place where authentic faith is renewed? For more on St. Gregory of Nazianzus and his teachings: Gregory Nazianzen – Orations – Letters   For more from Dr. Matthew Bunson check out his Discerning Hearts page Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and 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 post St. Gregory of Nazianzus – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

St. Basil the Great – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson Born: 330 AD, Kayseri, Turkey Died: January 1, 379 AD, Kayseri, Turkey Siblings: Gregory of Nyssa, Macrina the Younger, Theosebia Dr. Matthew Bunson presents St. Basil the Great as a towering figure of the early Church whose influence shaped doctrine, worship, and Christian life. Living in the fourth century, St. Basil helped clarify the Church’s teaching during the Arian controversy by articulating the eternal divinity of Christ and the full personhood of the Holy Spirit. His theological work, especially On the Holy Spirit, offered clear language drawn from Scripture and liturgical practice, such as the baptismal formula, to explain the unity and distinction within the Trinity. Through vivid images like the rainbow, St. Basil provided ways for ordinary Christians and catechumens to grasp profound mysteries that remain central to Christian faith today. Beyond doctrine, St. Basil’s pastoral leadership revealed a deep commitment to human dignity and charity. As bishop of Caesarea, he organized extensive care for the poor, founded hospitals and shelters known collectively as the Basiliad, and used his own inheritance to relieve suffering during famine. He also shaped Eastern monasticism through practical and spiritual rules centered on community, prayer, humility, and shared responsibility, influencing later figures such as Benedict of Nursia. Rooted in a remarkably holy family that included saints and bishops, St. Basil stands as both a theologian and a shepherd whose life united prayer, service, and intellectual clarity into a single witness. St. Basil the Great Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions: How does St. Basil’s teaching on the Holy Trinity deepen my understanding of who Christ and the Holy Spirit are in my daily prayer and worship? In what ways do I rely on the Church’s language and tradition to grow in clarity about difficult truths of the faith? How does St. Basil’s care for the poor challenge my own use of time, resources, and comfort? Where am I being called to recognize and uphold the dignity of the human person in concrete ways? How can St. Basil’s integration of prayer, theology, and service reshape my priorities as a Catholic today? What can I learn from St. Basil’s patience and charity toward those who struggled to accept full Church teaching? How does St. Basil’s vision of community life invite me to live my faith more intentionally within family, parish, or religious community? In what ways does the example of St. Basil’s holy family encourage me to foster faith within my own domestic church? For more from Dr. Matthew Bunson check out his Discerning Hearts page Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and 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 post St. Basil the Great – The Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

 “On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Nine Ladies Dancing …” symbolizing the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Prayer: Holy Spirit abide in me, let my life be abundant with Your fruit that I may bring peace and love to a hurting world. I pray that during this season of excess that the greatest of all will be the harvest of Your fruits in my life, for without an abundant harvest of Your fruits, I have nothing to give. Amen.    Text gratefully found at Via Rosa Rosaries, Devotional Chaplets, Rosary Beads, and Catholic Gifts entitled A Christian meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas Copyright © 2005-2006  The post The Ninth Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

 Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart 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. John 1:19-28 This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’ Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising. 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: This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’ Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising. 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: This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’ Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising. 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 Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart Day Eight Receiving the Light That Is Given Scripture “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 Reflection Epiphany shows us that God does not hide Himself. He gives light freely. Christ is made known in the world, not cautiously or selectively, but generously. Yet Epiphany also reveals something sobering. The same light that draws some hearts leaves others unchanged. God gives Himself fully, but He does not force the response. Throughout the Epiphany accounts, Christ is present, visible, and active. Some rejoice. Some worship. Others are disturbed, hesitant, or resistant. The difference does not lie in how God reveals Himself, but in how the light is received. This is not a failure of revelation. It is the mystery of freedom. God makes Himself known, and the heart must decide whether to receive what has been given. Today, Epiphany invites us to recognize that Christ continues to give light through His presence in the Church, in His Word, in the sacraments, in creation, and in the events of the world. The question is not whether God has acted, but whether we are willing to receive the light He gives. Grace Intention Today I ask for the grace to receive the light Christ gives me. Prayer O Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Light given to the world by the Father’s love. Remove whatever closes my heart to what You reveal. Send forth Your Holy Spirit into my heart, that I may receive Your light with humility and faith. May I not resist Your presence, but welcome the grace You give for the salvation You desire to accomplish. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. © 2026 Discerning Hearts ®. All rights reserved. This reflection may not be reproduced or distributed without permission, except for personal prayer and noncommercial use with attribution. The post Day 8 – Receiving the Light That Is Given – An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

 “On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Eight Maids a Milking …” who were the least of the servants in a home. They symbolize Christ’s love for the least of us, and His faithfulness to those who don’t deserve it. The eight maids stand for the Beatitudes or blessings listed in Matthew. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for standing by us when we least deserve it…we remember today that blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake….let us open our lives to Your blessings! Amen.   Text gratefully found at Via Rosa Rosaries, Devotional Chaplets, Rosary Beads, and Catholic Gifts entitled A Christian meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas Copyright © 2005-2006  The post The Eighth Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart Day Seven When the Light Confronts the World Scripture “Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”Matthew 2:3 Reflection Epiphany reveals Christ as Light for the world. Yet the Gospel shows that this Light does not bring peace to every place it enters. When news of the Child reaches Jerusalem, the city is disturbed. Herod hears that a king has been born. Herod seeks the Child, but his seeking is driven by fear and the desire to retain power, not by faith or reverence. The same revelation that leads the Magi to worship provokes resistance and violence from those who feel threatened. This reaction is not accidental. Epiphany reveals that the coming of Christ does not confirm existing power or secure the arrangements of the world. His presence exposes what is built on fear, control, and false peace. The Light does not create opposition, but it reveals it. Jerusalem’s unrest also carries a warning. Proximity to the promises does not guarantee welcome. Knowledge of Scripture alone does not ensure recognition. Epiphany shows that when Christ is made known, the world must decide whether to receive Him or resist Him. This mystery remains present today. Christ continues to be revealed in the world, and His truth continues to disturb what rests on fear or self-preservation. Where His light shines, false security is challenged, and the desire to control is unmasked. Epiphany reminds us that faithfulness to Christ may place us at odds with the world’s desire for comfort without truth. The Light still shines. The response it draws still matters. Grace Intention Today I ask for the grace to remain faithful to Christ when His truth confronts the world. Prayer O Lord Jesus Christ,Light revealed for the salvation of the world,You entered history not to claim power,but to accomplish the will of the Father. When Your presence exposes false peaceand unsettles the world,keep me faithful to You. Send forth Your Holy Spirit into my heart,that I may not turn away from Your Light,but stand firm in the truth You reveal. May my life give glory to the Fatherthrough fidelity to You. Through the same Christ our Lord.Amen. © 2026 Discerning Hearts ®. All rights reserved. This reflection may not be reproduced or distributed without permission, except for personal prayer and noncommercial use with attribution. The post Day 7 – When the Light Confronts the World – An Epiphany Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

 Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart 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. Luke 2:16-21 The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception. 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: The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception. 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: The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception. 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 Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God – A Christmas Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross Conquers Evil – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating Deacon James Keating reflects on the cross as the sign of radical self-giving love that both attracts and frightens the human heart. The cross reveals humanity’s fear of surrender, rooted in the risk of love and the pain that often accompanies it. Jesus freely enters this place of fear and suffering, not to remove the human condition, but to dwell fully within it. By undergoing betrayal, abandonment, emotional anguish, physical pain, and death itself, Christ makes clear that no form of suffering is foreign to God. His suffering flows directly from love, showing that divine compassion is not distant or theoretical, but personally present in the darkest experiences of human life. Prayer and communion emerge as the way the cross reshapes identity. Prayer forms a person to remain connected—to God, to others, and to love itself—when evil or suffering threatens isolation. Rather than allowing pain to fracture relationships or identity, the cross becomes the place where love enters suffering and transforms it from within. Keating describes suffering as rooted in the brokenness of the human condition, yet continually met by healing, reconciliation, and hope through Christ’s presence. Trusting God amid darkness, especially by surrendering one’s spirit as Christ did, allows suffering to become a passage toward deeper intimacy and resurrection rather than a final defeat. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions How does the cross reveal my own fear of surrendering fully in love, and where do I resist that surrender in my daily life? In what ways have I experienced Christ being present with me in moments of suffering rather than removing the suffering itself? How does prayer shape my identity as someone who remains in relationship with God and others when pain or evil threatens isolation? Where am I tempted to keep my faith superficial instead of allowing God to enter the deeper, hidden parts of my heart? How do I respond when suffering exposes my sense of loneliness, weakness, or unlovability? In what concrete ways can I meet suffering with love rather than withdrawing, escalating anger, or despair? How might trusting God in darkness open a path toward deeper intimacy and hope beyond my current circumstances? 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 HH1 – The Cross Conquers Evil – The Heart of Hope with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

 “On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Seven Swans A Swimming …” representing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion or the seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, penance, Eucharist, marriage, anointing of the sick, and holy orders. This is a day of new beginning, seven is the number of finality and we finish the old year and begin anew this day. Prayer: Lord, examine our hearts today, let us come to You as anew, pure as the snow of the season. Show us our conscience, help us take Your words to heart, and make a new beginning. Lord, let this season of birth be a new birth in me. Amen  Text gratefully found at Via Rosa Rosaries, Devotional Chaplets, Rosary Beads, and Catholic Gifts entitled A Christian meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas Copyright © 2005-2006  The post The Seventh Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.