Caryll Houselander - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Caryll Houselander (1901–1954) was a Catholic laywoman, mystic, and writer whose profound spiritual insights continue to inspire readers worldwide. Born in Bath, England, she converted to Catholicism as a child and developed a deeply contemplative faith rooted in empathy, humility, and a vivid awareness of Christ’s presence in everyday life.

Houselander’s writings, including The Reed of God and The Passion of the Infant Christ, reflect her unique ability to connect the mysteries of faith with the challenges of ordinary living. Known for her poetic prose and love for the sacraments, she emphasized the importance of seeing Christ in others and living a life transformed by His love. Her legacy endures as a voice of compassion and hope, calling readers to embrace the beauty of God’s presence in the world.

Here are a few of Caryll Houselander’s books:

Day 1: Christ’s Dependence and Our Advent – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 1: Christ’s Dependence and Our Advent

“By his own will Christ was dependent on Mary during Advent: he was absolutely helpless; he could go nowhere but where she chose to take him; he could not speak; her breathing was his breath; his heart beat in the beating of her heart…. In the seasons of our Advent – waking, working, eating, sleeping, being – each breath is a breathing of Christ into the world.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander reflects on the profound mystery of Christ’s dependence on Mary during Advent. By His own will, the all-powerful God chose to be utterly vulnerable and reliant on her. This self-giving humility exemplifies divine love and invites us to ponder how our own lives, in their simplest moments, might echo this mystery. Houselander suggests that in our daily activities, our “seasons of Advent,” each breath we take is an opportunity to bring Christ’s presence into the world.

Personal Reflection: Today, consider each task, each interaction, as a moment where you can breathe Christ into your surroundings. How might you, like Mary, be a vessel for His presence in the seemingly ordinary aspects of your life?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, Marie Anne Mayeski (1991). “A Rocking-Horse Catholic: A Caryll Houselander Reader”, p.73, Rowman & Littlefield

For more reflections, visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 2: The Gift of Christ in Each Other – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 2: The Gift of Christ in Each Other

“I saw that it is the will of Christ’s love to be put into the hands of sinners, to trust Himself to men, that He may be their gift to one another that they may comfort Him in each other, give Him to each other. In this sense the ordinary life itself becomes sacramental, and every action of anyone at all has an eternal meaning.”

Commentary: Houselander reflects on Christ’s profound willingness to entrust Himself to us, even in our brokenness. This divine humility allows us to share Christ’s love with one another, transforming our daily actions into a form of grace. By seeing each interaction as an opportunity to give and receive Christ, our ordinary lives take on a sacramental quality, where every act holds eternal significance. For Catholics, this resonates with the call to see God in every person, making each encounter a moment of communion with Christ. This perspective deepens our understanding of what it means to live a sacramental life, where our love for others becomes an expression of our love for Him.

Personal Reflection: Today, think about how you can see Christ in the people you meet, especially those you may struggle with. How can you be a gift to them, offering Christ’s love through your actions? Let each interaction become an act of faith, bringing His presence into the world.

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, A Rocking Horse Catholic by Caryll Houselander (2013) Paperback

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 3: The Word of Love in Our Humanity – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 3: The Word of Love in Our Humanity

“Christ used the flesh and blood of Mary for his life on earth, the Word of love was uttered in her heartbeat. Christ used his own body to utter his love on earth; his perfectly real body, with bone and sinew and blood and tears; Christ uses our bodies to express his love on earth, our humanity. A Christian life is a sacramental life, it is not a life lived only in the mind, only by the soul… Our humanity is the substance of the sacramental life of Christ in us, like the wheat for the host, like the grape for the chalice.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander reflects on the profound mystery of the Incarnation, where Christ took flesh and blood through Mary, using His human body to reveal divine love in every heartbeat and gesture. This embodiment did not end with His earthly life; rather, He continues to express His love through us. Houselander emphasizes that a true Christian life is sacramental, where both body and soul participate. Just as wheat and grapes become the Eucharist, our humanity becomes the “substance” through which Christ shares His love with the world. Every aspect of our lives, however small or simple, becomes an opportunity to participate in His love.

Personal Reflection: Reflect on the ways you can embody Christ’s love in your actions, words, and relationships. How can you live each moment as a sacrament, allowing your humanity to become a vessel for His presence and love?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, A Rocking Horse Catholic by Caryll Houselander (2013) Paperback

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 4: Bringing Christ to the Everyday – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 4: Bringing Christ to the Everyday

“Sometimes it may seem to us that there is no purpose in our lives, that going day after day for years to this office or that school or factory is nothing else but waste and weariness. But it may be that God has sent us there because but for us, Christ would not be there. If our being there means that Christ is there, that alone makes it worthwhile.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander speaks to those moments of monotony and purposelessness we all encounter, especially in routine or seemingly mundane work. She reminds us that even in the most ordinary tasks and places, there is a profound purpose when we recognize that Christ is present through us. Our mere presence in these spaces allows Christ to be there too, transforming what seems wearisome into an act of divine purpose. This perspective can reframe our understanding of vocation, showing that any role or task has sacred value when approached with awareness of Christ’s presence.

Personal Reflection: Reflect on a daily task or responsibility that feels tedious or insignificant. How might viewing it as a way of bringing Christ’s presence to that place change your perspective?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, A Rocking Horse Catholic by Caryll Houselander (2013) Paperback

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 5: Seeing God’s Love in the Ordinary – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 5: Seeing God’s Love in the Ordinary

“Every ordinary thing in your life is a word of God’s love: your home, your work, the clothes you wear, the air you breathe, the food you eat…. the flowers under your feet are the courtesy of God’s heart flung down on You! All these things say one thing only: “See how I love you.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander encourages us to see every element of daily life as a tangible expression of God’s love. From the air we breathe to the food we eat and even the flowers on our path, these simple things are “words” spoken by God to remind us of His love and care. By viewing ordinary life through this lens, we begin to recognize the divine presence in all things, each moment filled with grace and meaning. For Houselander, these small blessings are like “courtesies” from God, each whispering, “See how I love you.”

Personal Reflection: Take a moment today to notice the ordinary blessings around you. How does recognizing these simple gifts as signs of God’s love change your outlook on daily life?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, Thomas Hoffman (2000). “A Child in Winter: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany with Caryll Houselander”, p.38, Rowman & Littlefield

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 6: A Home for Christ Within – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 6: A Home for Christ Within

“Christ asks for a home in your soul, where he can be at rest with you, where he can talk easily to you, where you and he, alone together, can laugh and be silent and be delighted with one another.“

Commentary: Houselander’s vision of Christ seeking a “home” in our souls is a beautiful and intimate portrayal of His desire for closeness with us. This isn’t a distant or formal relationship; instead, she describes a place where Christ can rest, talk, laugh, and simply be with us. This invitation to create a “home” for Christ within our hearts is about nurturing a familiar, joyful, and personal connection with Him. Through this image, Houselander encourages us to make space in our lives where we can freely enjoy His presence.

Personal Reflection: Reflect on your inner life. How can you make it a welcoming place where Christ feels truly at home? Consider setting aside a moment today to simply “be” with Him, enjoying His presence without any formal prayers or requests.

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, Thomas Hoffman (2000). “A Child in Winter: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany with Caryll Houselander”, Rowman & Littlefield

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham
Image used with permission
To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons

Day 7: Embracing God’s Vision for Us – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 7: Embracing God’s Vision for Us

“I often think that the ideal of our perfection that we set up, and often go through torture to achieve, may not be God’s idea of how He wants us to be at all. That may be something quite different that we never would have thought of, and what seems like a failure to us may really be something bringing us closer to His will for us.”

Commentary: Houselander reflects on the difference between our personal ideals of perfection and God’s unique vision for each of us. Often, we set rigid standards for ourselves, struggling to meet them, and feeling discouraged when we fall short. Yet, Houselander reminds us that what seems like “failure” in our eyes may actually be a step toward God’s true purpose for us. She encourages us to trust that God’s idea of who we should become might differ from our own, leading us to let go of self-imposed expectations and embrace His guidance.

Personal Reflection:Reflect on an area in your life where you feel you haven’t measured up to your own expectations. How might this be part of God’s greater plan for you? Consider releasing any self-criticism and asking God to show you His vision for your growth.

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander (2005). “Caryll Houselander: Essential Writings”

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Day 8: Transformed by Divine Love – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 8: Transformed by Divine Love

“When God enters into our passions, joys, desires, sorrows, into our relationship with one another, our nature undergoes a transubstantiation. The Paraclete Who rests in the human heart changes the substance of our humanness to Christ, we are charged with the power of Christ’s love. Love is God in us.

This power of love is the beginning of the world’s healing, of human happiness. The world is made up of weak as well as strong people, of dull as well as intelligent people, of blind people as well as those who have vision, of naturally superficial as well as intense people. If all these and the millions more are to be as one, are to find happiness that is good and is a hallowing of God’s Name, they must do it in the only way they can: through the interchange in daily life of the love of Christ.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander beautifully describes how, when God enters our lives, our very nature is changed—transformed into a reflection of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit within us. This “transubstantiation” of our humanness to Christ means that our love, patience, and kindness become channels for God’s love in the world. For Catholics, this resonates deeply with the sacramental understanding of grace, where God’s love works through us in everyday life to unite, heal, and uplift the world. Houselander challenges us to see that regardless of our personal strengths or weaknesses, we each contribute to the world’s healing through our daily expressions of Christ’s love.

Personal Reflection: Reflect on how you might allow Christ’s love to flow more freely through your actions today. How can you offer His love in even the smallest interactions, seeing them as opportunities to heal and unite? Let your love be a visible sign of God’s presence in the world.

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God, Sheed & Ward, 1944

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Day 9: The Silent Growth of Divine Love – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Day 9: The Silent Growth of Divine Love

“Advent is the season of the secret, the secret of the growth of Christ, of divine love growing in silence…For nine months, Christ grew in his mother’s body. By his own will, she formed him from herself, from the simplicity of her daily life.”

Commentary: Caryll Houselander reflects on Advent as a time of hidden development, where Christ’s presence grows quietly within us, much like His growth in Mary’s womb. This period emphasizes the importance of nurturing divine love in the simplicity of daily life, allowing it to flourish unseen until it manifests fully. Houselander encourages us to embrace this season of subtle transformation, trusting that, even in silence and simplicity, profound spiritual growth is taking place.

Personal Reflection: Reflect on the unseen ways Christ may be working in your life. How can you cultivate faith in His hidden presence, letting this trust transform each part of your day into a quiet prayer of expectation?

Houselander quote from: Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God, Sheed & Ward, 1944

Here are a few of Caryll Houselander’s books:

For more reflections, visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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For more reflections, visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

For more reflections visit:
Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts