forgiveness Archives

BKL#9 – True Happiness and Joy – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff

Show 9 ” Building a Kingdom of Love” – True Happiness and Joy

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:49 — 52.8MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the true meanings of happiness and joy. What does it really look like? How can we live a life of happiness and joy? Msgr. Esseff discusses the beatitudes and forgiveness and the keys to a proper understanding. What is true humility? How much the Father loves you!

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA. Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to Blessed Mother Teresa. 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 Bl. Pope 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.

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

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:00 — 67.3MB) | Embed

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”

“You’ll always have the gift and you’ll always have the cross.” – a reflection by Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:05 — 33.1MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff shares a poignant reflection on rejection, loss, suffering, and aloneness.

We experience various forms of suffering, but as it is said “success has a hundred mothers, failure is an orphan”. Why is the cross so important to those who are united with Him? Its in the cross that we experience His presence. He shares a very compelling story he was given permission to share, which concerns a Sister,

Mother Teresa, anger, forgiveness and love…it’s a heartbreaking tale…one where ultimately love prevails. ”You’ll always have the gift and you’ll always have the cross.” – Bl. Mother Teresa

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

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

The Freedom that flows from Forgiveness – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:07 — 47.8MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff discusses the freedom that comes from forgiveness.

It can be very difficult to for us to forgive, but not for God. How can we forgive those who have really hurt us…emotionally and physically. How is this forgiveness a matter of justice…we forgive for we have been forgiven. What is an unjust wound? How does this all connect to the Divine Mercy?

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

The Transformation of Resentments – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:12 — 53.5MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff discusses to be truly alive in joy and happiness we have to forgive. Forgiveness is always a choice and in that is

joy. We shouldn’t put conditions on our forgiveness…that can be a challenge for some, but it is necessary. We need to take the person where they are…we don’t love them because they have changed, but we love them where they are at. We can become slaves to our resentments. Resentments, hatred, bitterness, retaliations harden our hearts and destroy us. Allowing the love of Jesus to penetrate our hearts we are freed. We can not perfectly forgive, it is grace from the Father that allows to enter into that forgiveness.

The transformation of resentments is a key:

For ourselves

To name them, the painful moment or event
To look inside as to why and to what it touched so deeply within me
To allow yourself to feel fully the depth of impact of the pain
Talk to yourself about the experience and then begin to journal or share it with another
Choose what will bring peace, joy, relief and tranquility
To cling to continuation of pain brings anxiety, anger, turmoil and desolation

For another

Listen to the painful experience
Don’t talk to them out of their pain, don’t try to fix the situation for them
Offer them a choice to continue in the pain or begin to move out of the pain; to continue in the pain gives the power over to the one they resent and diminishes your own power

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

Happiness and Joy – What it really looks like – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:39 — 68.9MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the true meanings of happiness and joy. What does it really look like? How can we live a life of

happiness and joy? Msgr. Esseff discusses the beatitudes and forgiveness and the keys to a proper understanding.

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

On Sinfulness – Truth and Lies– talk 3 by Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:07 — 79.8MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff spoke at a recent conference which was held in PA. in November 2011. In the 3rd talk he speaks about sinfulness. Our mistaken notions and what we should know. What are the traps, what will free us. How confession can bring us into right order.

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