St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 4 Day 4 Self-love dies only when our body dies, so we must, while we live in this land of exile, continue to counterattack its assaults on our senses and its underhanded tactics. It is enough if we firmly withstand, giving no willful or deliberate consent … When we feel within ourselves the first movements of self-…

Do people see Christ in you? In this podcast episode, Monsignor John Esseff reflects on the significance of the Epiphany, a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. He begins by reflecting on the beauty of the stars and their symbolism as a guide. Monsignor explains that the Epiphany commemorates the mani…

Dr. Peter Kreeft – Probes on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Kris McGregor discusses with Dr. Peter Kreeft about his book Probes: Deep Sea Diving into St. John’s Gospel. Inviting readers to actively engage with scripture as a dialogue with God, it blends study and prayer in a manner akin to Lectio Divina. Dr. Kreeft describes it as a deep-sea d…

O Emmanuel O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour: Come and save us, O Lord our God Sharon Doran serves as the teaching director of “Seeking Truth.” An experienced Bible Study teacher, Sharon has a passion for scripture that will motivate and challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word and apply His mes…

The Gift of Holiness – Advent Retreat Reflection by Deacon James Keating Ph.D. Deacon James Keating reflects on the spiritual journey of focusing on “the one thing necessary,” inspired by the story of the Magi in Matthew 2, and the human tendency to be attracted to many distractions and how the saints exemplify unwavering commitment to God despite …

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 car…

The Will’s Capacity for Love – St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation with Fr. Donald Haggerty Fr. Haggerty and Kris McGregor discuss materialism and the struggle for happiness in a consumer-driven world, highlighting the Gospel teaching that true fulfillment comes from losing oneself in love for God. Fr. Haggerty reflects on the nature of …

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 9 Day 9 From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert: Abbe Pambo asked Abba Anthony, “What ought I to do?” and the old man said to him, “Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not worry about the past, but control your tongue and your stomach.” “Our life and our death is with our neighbor. If we gain our …

St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 3 Day 3 I desire very little, and what I do desire I desire very little; I have hardly any desires, but if I were to begin my life all over again I would want to have none at all … Ask for nothing, refuse nothing; we must simply abandon ourselves into the hands of Providence, without nourishing any other desire but…

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 c…

Winding Down With God – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde OSB Fr. Mauritius Wilde discusses the wisdom of St. Benedict’s Rule, particularly its guidance on preparing for restful sleep. Sobriety and intentionality are key themes as Fr. Wilde highlights the importance of evening practices like silence, appropriate reading, and pr…

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, c…

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 …

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 …

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, e…

St. Hilary of Poitiers – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson Born: 310 AD, Died: May 2, 367 AD Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss the life and legacy of St. Hilary of Poitiers, a Doctor of the Church proclaimed in 1851. Born in 4th-century Gaul to a pagan family, Hilary was well-educated and uniquely v…

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,…

Tuesday 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, …

Power of Imaginative Prayer – Meditation and Contemplation with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Fr. Timothy Gallagher explores the distinctions and interplay between meditation and contemplation in the Ignatian tradition, with Fr. Timothy Gallagher providing insights into how these methods deepen engagement with Scripture. Meditation involves reflecting on t…

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena Day 6 Day 6 From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert: A hunter in the desert saw Abba Anthony enjoying himself with the brethren and he was shocked. Wanting to show him that it was necessary sometimes to meet the needs of the brethren, the old man said to him, “Put an arrow in your bow and shoot it.” So, he did…