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St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 1

Day 1

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St. Francis de Sales Novena Day 1 audio podcast text

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

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 7

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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:

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 6 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena Day 6

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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. The old man said, “Shoot another,” and he did so. Then the old man said, “Shoot yet again,” and the hunter replied “If I bend my bow so much I will break it.” Then the old man said to him, “It is the same with the work of God. If we stretch the brethren beyond measure they will soon break. Sometimes it is necessary to come down to meet their needs.” When he heard these words the hunter was pierced by compunction and, greatly edified by the old man, he went away. As for the brethren, they went home strengthened.

Dear God,

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:

St. Hilary of Poitiers – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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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 St. Hillary of Poitier’s life, conversion, and role in combating Arianism. Despite being the “Hammer of the Aryans,” his gentleness and charity emphasized Christ-like love in defending the faith.

From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI General Audience 2007:

“To sum up the essentials of his doctrine, I would like to say that Hilary found the starting point for his theological reflection in baptismal faith. In De Trinitate, Hilary writes: Jesus “has commanded us to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (cf. Mt 28: 19), that is, in the confession of the Author, of the Only-Begotten One and of the Gift. The Author of all things is one alone, for one alone is God the Father, from whom all things proceed. And one alone is Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist (cf. I Cor 8: 6), and one alone is the Spirit (cf. Eph 4: 4), a gift in all…. In nothing can be found to be lacking so great a fullness, in which the immensity in the Eternal One, the revelation in the Image, joy in the Gift, converge in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit” (De Trinitate 2, 1). God the Father, being wholly love, is able to communicate his divinity to his Son in its fullness. I find particularly beautiful the following formula of St Hilary: “God knows not how to be anything other than love, he knows not how to be anyone other than the Father. Those who love are not envious and the one who is the Father is so in his totality. This name admits no compromise, as if God were father in some aspects and not in others” (ibid., 9, 61).

For this reason the Son is fully God without any gaps or diminishment. “The One who comes from the perfect is perfect because he has all, he has given all” (ibid., 2, 8). Humanity finds salvation in Christ alone, Son of God and Son of man. In assuming our human nature, he has united himself with every man, “he has become the flesh of us all” (Tractatus super Psalmos 54, 9); “he took on himself the nature of all flesh and through it became true life, he has in himself the root of every vine shoot” (ibid., 51, 16). For this very reason the way to Christ is open to all – because he has drawn all into his being as a man -, even if personal conversion is always required: “Through the relationship with his flesh, access to Christ is open to all, on condition that they divest themselves of their former self (cf. Eph 4: 22), nailing it to the Cross (cf. Col 2: 14); provided we give up our former way of life and convert in order to be buried with him in his baptism, in view of life (cf. Col1: 12; Rom 6: 4)” (ibid., 91, 9).

Fidelity to God is a gift of his grace. Therefore, St Hilary asks, at the end of his Treatise on the Trinity, to be able to remain ever faithful to the baptismal faith. It is a feature of this book: reflection is transformed into prayer and prayer returns to reflection. The whole book is a dialogue with God.
I would like to end today’s Catechesis with one of these prayers, which thus becomes our prayer:
“Obtain, O Lord”, St Hilary recites with inspiration, “that I may keep ever faithful to what I have professed in the symbol of my regeneration, when I was baptized in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. That I may worship you, our Father, and with you, your Son; that I may deserve your Holy Spirit, who proceeds from you through your Only Begotten Son… Amen” (De Trinitate 12, 57).”

For more visit Vatican.va

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

How can I deepen my personal relationship with God through prayer and scripture study?
In what ways do I demonstrate charity and Christ-like love in my interactions with others?
Reflect on a challenging situation and consider how St. Hillary’s approach of gentleness and diplomacy could be applied.
How can I contribute to promoting unity within the Church and combatting contemporary heresies or misconceptions?
In my faith journey, am I open to the transformative power of scripture, as St. Hillary was in his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew?
How can I balance being a fierce defender of the faith with embodying the virtues of gentleness and charity, following St. Hillary’s example?

For more on St. Hilary of Poitiers and his teachings:

Hilary of Poitiers
– On the Councils, or the Faith of the Easterns
– On the Trinity
– Homilies on the Psalms

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.

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 5 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 5

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Day 5

From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:

Some brothers came to find Abba Anthony to tell him about the visions they were having, and to find out from him if they were true or if they came from the demons. They had a donkey which died on the way. When they reached the place where the old man was, he said to them before they could ask him anything, “How was it that the little donkey died on the way here?” They said, “How do you know about that, Father?” And he told them, “the demons showed me what happened.” So they said, “That was what we came to question you about, for fear we were being deceived, for we have visions which often turn out to be true.” Thus the old man convinced them, by the example of the donkey, that their visions came from the demons.

Dear God,

Amen

St. Anthony of the Desert, pray for us.

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:

LSB1 – The Reception of the First Grace – The Life of St. Benedict – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict w/ Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

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The Reception of the First Grace – The Life of St. Benedict – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

The podcast takes a closer look at St. Benedict, a fascinating historical figure, through the lens of his Rule. Father Mauritius emphasizes St. Benedict’s timeless wisdom, exploring how the Rule serves as a spiritual guide even in today’s world. The discussion touches upon St. Benedict’s biography, written by Pope Gregory, offering unique insights into the saint’s life and miracles.

The conversation unfolds with an exploration of St. Benedict’s early life, born to distinguished parents in Nor, Italy. The narrative highlights his journey to Rome for education, where he experienced a profound shift in perspective, leading him to turn away from worldly pleasures and embrace religious life. Father Mauritius underscores the courage and wisdom displayed by St. Benedict in defying his father’s expectations and choosing a different path, guided by a higher calling.

Much of the conversation reflects on the grace of detachment in St. Benedict’s life. The narrative unfolds how St. Benedict’s detachment from his father was not a rejection but a freeing process, aligning with the broader spiritual principles discussed in the Rule. Father Mauritius draws parallels between St. Benedict’s journey and the challenges individuals face in detaching from earthly expectations, fostering a deeper connection with God.

The podcast also addresses the role of prayer and experience in St. Benedict’s discernment process. Father Mauritius emphasizes the importance of integrating personal experiences with a prayerful perspective, mirroring St. Benedict’s own journey of discovery and transformation.

Overall, the episode provides a rich exploration of St. Benedict’s life and teachings, offering valuable insights into applying his spiritual principles in contemporary contexts. The engaging dialogue between Kris McGregor and Father Mauritius Wilde OSB makes for a thought-provoking and enlightening listening experience for anyone interested in spiritual growth and the enduring relevance of St. Benedict’s Rule.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

1. St. Benedict’s Detachment: Explore the parallels between St. Benedict’s journey of detachment and your own spiritual path.
2. Fatherly Influences: Reflect on the impact of earthly fathers on life choices, considering expectations, conflicts, and navigated detours.
3. Prayer and Detachment: Examine how prayer has played a role in discerning God’s will and detaching from worldly expectations.
4. Integration of Prayer and Experience: Delve into the relationship between prayer and personal experiences in making major life decisions.
5. Detachment and True Freedom: Reflect on detachment not as a breaking away but as a journey toward genuine freedom in various aspects of life.
6. Reflecting on Emotions: Consider elements that made St. Benedict thankful, angry, or sad regarding his father, and apply this reflection to your own experiences.
7. Detachment and Absent Fathers: For those who lacked a strong relationship with earthly fathers, explore how St. Benedict’s detachment might inspire a deeper connection with the heavenly Father.
8. Healing Wounds from Absence: Reflect on the impact of absent or deceased fathers, and consider how prayer and spiritual reflection can aid in healing.
9. Applying Spiritual Law: Contemplate the spiritual law mentioned by Father Mauritius, understanding its application in daily life.
10. Sharing Reflections: Consider sharing your reflections with a friend or mentor, fostering a deeper understanding of St. Benedict’s teachings in your faith journey.

From the Life of Our Most Holy Father St. Benedict by St. Gregory the Great:

INTRODUCTION.
THERE was a man of venerable life, Benedict by name and grace, who from the time of his very childhood carried the heart of an old man. His demeanour indeed surpassing his age, he gave himself no disport or pleasure, but living here upon earth he despised the world with all the glory thereof, at such time as he might have most freely enjoyed it. He was born in the province of Nursia of honourable parentage and sent to Rome to study the liberal sciences. But when he saw there many through the uneven paths of vice run headlong
to their own ruin, he drew back his foot, but new-set in the world, lest, in the search of human knowledge, he might also fall into the same dangerous precipice. Contemning therefore learning and studies and abandoning his father’s house and goods, he desired only to please God in a virtuous life. Therefore he departed skilfully ignorant and wisely unlearned.

Father Mauritius Wilde, OSB, Ph.D., did his philosophical, theological and doctoral studies in Europe. He is the author of several books and directs retreats regularly. He serves as Prior at Sant’Anselmo in Rome. For more information about the ministry of the Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory in Schuyler, NE

Episode 19, Part 2 – The Drama of Atheist Humanism – Fr. Joseph Fessio S.J., Vivian Dudro, and Joseph Pearce – FBC Podcast

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Part Two: Is a “Christian humanism” possible? De Lubac says yes—but only if God comes first. Fr. Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian Dudro continue to read Henri de Lubac’s analysis of the great Fyodor Dostoyevsky in “The Drama of Atheist Humanism.”

You can find the book here

De Lubac traces the origin of 19th century attempts to construct a humanism apart from God, the sources of contemporary atheism which purports to have “moved beyond God.” The three persons he focuses on are Feuerbach, who greatly influenced Marx; Nietzsche, who represents nihilism; and Comte, who is the father of all forms of positivism.

He then shows that the only one who really responded to this ideology was Dostoevsky, a kind of prophet who criticizes in his novels this attempt to have a society without God. Despite their historical and scholarly appearance, de Lubac’s work clearly refers to the present.

As he investigates the sources of modern atheism, particularly in its claim to have definitely moved beyond the idea of God, he is thinking of an ideology prevalent today in East and West which regards the Christian faith as a completely outdated.

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 4 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 4

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Day 4

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.”

Abba Anthony said, “I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, ‘What can get through from such snares?” Then I heard a voice saying to me, “Humility.’

Dear God,

Amen

St. Anthony of the Desert, pray for us.

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:

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 3 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

St. Anthony of the Desert Novena – Day 3

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Day 3

From the Sayings of St. Anthony of the Desert:

“When the demons see Christians, specially the monks, working joyfully and growing in the spirit, first they fight them with temptation, and by placing obstacles to hinder their growth, trying to inject evil thoughts in their minds; but there is no reason for fear from their temptations because their offenses fail instantly by prayer and fasting, especially if you have had armed yourself with faith and the sign of the cross.”

Dear God,

Amen

St. Anthony of the Desert, pray for us.

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:

BTP-LOT11 – St. Teresa’s Transformative Moment – The Life of St. Teresa of Avila – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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St. Teresa’s Transformative Moment – The Life of St. Teresa of Avila – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles

Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor explore Chapter 9 of St. Teresa of Avila’s autobiography in part one of a two-part episode, starting with her transformative encounter with a statue of the wounded Christ. This pivotal moment leads to deep conversion as Teresa, tired of a dual life, experiences tears of compunction, realizing Christ’s sacrificial love.

Dr. Lilles highlights the method of prayer Teresa adopts, particularly the importance of using one’s imagination to picture Christ during prayer and using that as a connection to the remembrance of Christ and the transformative power of returning to moments of grace through prayer.

For more episodes in this series: The Life of St. Teresa of Avila; with Dr. Anthony Lilles

For an audio version of the book “The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus” by St. Teresa of Avila

For other audio recordings of various spiritual classics, you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics page.

Discerning Hearts reflection questions for this episode:

How do external objects of devotion, like statues, aid your prayer life?
In what ways can spiritual exhaustion manifest in your own journey, hindering genuine peace in prayer?
Reflect on a moment when you felt spiritually vulnerable and encountered God’s love.
Consider Teresa’s commitment not to backslide. How can you maintain spiritual progress amidst life’s challenges?
Explore the role of tears in contrition and conversion. How has compunction (the gift of tears) played a part in your spiritual growth?
Reflect on your prayer methods. How does your imagination contribute to your encounters with Christ?
In what ways can you incorporate the remembrance of Christ into your daily prayer life for transformative effects?

An excerpt from Chapter 9, discussed in this episode:

“My soul was now grown weary; and the miserable habits it had contracted would not suffer it to rest, though it was desirous of doing so. It came to pass one day, when I went into the oratory, that I saw a picture which they had put by there, and which had been procured for a certain feast observed in the house. It was a representation of Christ most grievously wounded; and so devotional, that the very sight of it, when I saw it, moved me—so well did it show forth that which He suffered for us. So keenly did I feel the evil return I had made for those wounds, that I thought my heart was breaking. I threw myself on the ground beside it, my tears flowing plenteously, and implored Him to strengthen me once for all, so that I might never offend Him any more.

I had a very great devotion to the glorious Magdalene, and very frequently used to think of her conversion—especially when I went to Communion. As I knew for certain that our Lord was then within me, I used to place myself at His feet, thinking that my tears would not be despised. I did not know what I was saying; only He did great things for me, in that He was pleased I should shed those tears, seeing that I so soon forgot that impression. I used to recommend myself to that glorious Saint, that she might obtain my pardon.

But this last time, before that picture of which I am speaking, I seem to have made greater progress; for I was now very distrustful of myself, placing all my confidence in God. It seems to me that I said to Him then that I would not rise up till He granted my petition. I do certainly believe that this was of great service to me, because I have grown better ever since.”

Anthony Lilles, S.T.D. is an associate professor and the academic dean of Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo as well as the academic advisor for Juan Diego House of Priestly Formation for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. For over twenty years he served the Church in Northern Colorado where he joined and eventually served as dean of the founding faculty of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. Through the years, clergy, seminarians, religious and lay faithful have benefited from his lectures and retreat conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church and the writings of St. Elisabeth of the Trinity.