In this episode, Dr. Lilles discusses the Seventh Mansions Chapter 4 of the “Interior Castle” which covers:
Concludes by describing what appears to be Our Lord’s aim in granting the soul such great favours and says how necessary it is for Martha and Mary to walk in each other’s company. This chapter is very profitable. You must not take it, sisters, that the effects which I have described as occurring in these souls are invariably present all the time; it is for this reason that, whenever I have remembered to do so, I have referred to them as being present “habitually”.
Sometimes Our Lord leaves such souls to their own nature, and when that happens, all the poisonous things in the environs and mansions of this castle seem to come together to avenge themselves on them for the time during which they have not been able to have them in their power. It is true that this lasts only for a short time — for a single day, or a little longer, at the most — and in the course of the ensuing turmoil, which as a rule is the result of some chance happening, it becomes clear what the soul is gaining from the good Companion Who is with it. For the Lord gives it great determination, so that it will on no account turn aside from His service and from its own good resolutions.
On the contrary, these resolutions seem to increase, and so the soul will not make the slightest move which may deflect it from its resolve. This, as I say, happens rarely, but Our Lord’s will is for the soul not to forget what it is — for one reason, so that it may always be humble; for another, so that it may the better realize what it owes to His Majesty and what a great favour it is receiving, and may praise Him.
St. Theresa of Avila. The Interior Castle or The Mansions (Kindle Locations 3169-3182). Kindle Edition.
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.
Sunday of the Third Week of Easter – 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, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel According to St. Luke 24:13-35
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
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:
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
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:
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
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.
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 Paternal Love of the Father – Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology
Discerning Hearts presents a series of conversations between Dr. Margaret Turek and Evan Collins about her book, “Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology.”
“Our discussion until now has stressed that sin is committed by one who is “more than” a mere creature.38 Nevertheless, sin is the work of human freedom alone, and thus it should be dealt with by human freedom. Indeed, as we observed in our reading of the Old Testament, sin cannot be merely walked away from; it must be borne away, effaced, eliminated. Sin is borne away by being transformed or converted into its opposite. If sin is to be transformed into its opposite, then that which is the opposite of sin—filial love—must take up and bear sin away. But filial love can bear sin only insofar as filial love is willing to bear the effects of sin, primarily separation from the Father (in a word: God-forsakenness). And given the enormity of sin, its complete and definitive transformation calls for a filial love infinite in efficacy,39 capable of plumbing the Trinitarian proportions of sin. And there’s the rub: although the work of atonement must involve human freedom, human freedom alone cannot turn around the repercussions of rejecting the extension of the divine Father-Son relationship to and in human persons. Alone it cannot convert sin’s effects into material for the expression of a filial love infinite in quality that perfectly images—and thus perfectly glorifies—the Father’s passion of love in the face of sin. This can be accomplished only by the divine Son, who, taking up human freedom in his Incarnation, makes it the place in which a return of love—precisely in the form of an infinite filial love-suffering—can be made to God the Father.40 Atonement for the sin of the world, simply put, is the assertion of incarnate sonship against sin. Sonship takes sin upon itself—without ceasing to be itself—in order to transform sin into the suffering form of filial love, thereby annihilating it.”Turek, Margaret. Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology (pp. 85-86). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.
From the book’s description:
“This book presents the chief insights concerning the mystery of atonement in the works of four theological guides: John Paul II, Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Norbert Hoffmann.
The author argues for the central importance and perennial value of a theology of atonement, even as she explains the modern aversion to it. The book’s central aim is to deepen our understanding of the biblical claim that God shows himself to be love precisely by sending his Son as atonement. “In this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins” (1 Jn 4:10).
The book develops a compelling vision of atonement as a process that originates from and is engendered by God’s own power to love. This vision not only takes account of the gravity of sin and its consequences but also provides a clear illumination of the wholly gratuitous, radically forgiving, passionate and powerful nature of God’s redeeming love for mankind. Distinct from the majority of theological accounts of atonement, which focus almost exclusively on the role of Christ, this book highlights the role of God the Father in the atoning mission of the Son.”
What Has God Elected to Us? – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J.
Fr. Anthony Wieck and Kris McGregor continue this series centered around the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This episode focuses on Week Two of the Spiritual Exercises.
An excerpt from the conversation:
“And so, this is an invitation for you and me to detach from the common things that we cling to and we listen to this call of certain people, who are inspired to want to live exactly what Christ lived. That’s what the religious life is, really. You’re living the actual poverty. You’re living the same kind of life he lived. We need to be inspired by that. That should be something that we find very attractive. Most of us will not be called to the religious life, but we need to understand and appreciate what a gift it would be to be called.”
“He chooses us for whatever path, married life, religious life, whatever vowed life He’s calling us to. But it’s all according to His greater servicing praise. So we’re listening. It’s always a listening response. It’s not I’m finding in myself some natural generosity. It’s not ‘I propose and then God disposes’. I propose what I’d like to do with my life and see if God is going to sign off on that. No, it’s a received gift to imitate the Lord in my particular state and way of life. But we do this in front of, he says, in front of the presence of God with His glorious mother, all the saints of the heavenly court. Saint Ignatius loved to ponder himself before the heavenly court.
So, I think this call is objectively considered for Ignatius. It’s listened to, it’s made by the retreat end, but we’re not yet at a time of choice. The retreat end is not yet. This is the beginning of the second week. Towards the end, we’ll start making a personal choice, but we really need to consider what a gift it would be to be called to the same way and state of life bearing, even living of actual poverty without a bank account, those kind of things. But we do want to bear all injuries with Jesus too.”
Fr. Anthony Wieck is a Jesuit priest of the Central & Southern province. Sixth of nine children, raised on a farm in Oregon, Fr. Anthony began religious life in 1994, spending his first five years of formation in Rome, Italy, studying at the Casa Balthasar and the Gregorian. The former was under the watchful patronage of Pope Benedict XVI (then-Card. Joseph Ratzinger). Fr. Anthony currently acts as retreat master at White House Jesuit Retreat in St. Louis, Missouri. He also offers spiritual direction at the St. Louis diocesan seminary for 25 future priests there.
How music almost killed—and saved—the Catholic Church. Fr. Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian Dudro discuss Joseph Ratzinger’s account of the development of liturgical singing in “The Spirit of the Liturgy”.
In honor of its fortieth anniversary (1978–2018), Ignatius Press presents a special Commemorative Edition of one of the most important works written by Joseph Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy.
This edition includes the earlier classic work with the same title by Servant of God Romano Guardini, a book that helped Ratzinger to “rediscover the liturgy in all its beauty, hidden wealth and time-transcending grandeur, to see it as the animating center of the Church, the very center of Christian life.”
Considered by Ratzinger devotees as one of his greatest works, this profound and beautifully written treatment of the liturgy will help readers to deepen their understanding of the”great prayer of the Church”. The cardinal discusses fundamental misunderstandings of the Second Vatican Council’s intentions for liturgical renewal, especially about the priest’s orientation of prayer to the Father, the placement of the tabernacle in churches, and the posture of kneeling.
Other important topics are the essence of worship, the Jewish roots of Christian prayer, the relationship of the liturgy to time and space, sacred art and music, and the active participation of the faithful in the Mass.
Episode 42 – Experiencing the Joy of Divine Mercy – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas
Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss Easter as a season for joy within our lives and within the church, focusing on the joy found in the devotion to the Divine Mercy.
Ignatian Prayer – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J.
Fr. Anthony Wieck and Kris McGregor continue this series centered around the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This episode takes a look at the Spiritual Exercises through methods of Ignatian prayer.
An excerpt from the conversation:
“So it’s actually not even my prayer that I’m entering into. It’s actually God inspiring this. And so as I sit in the chapel, as I sit in my place of prayer, I first calm down and remind myself that God is the one leading me here.
I recall my first spiritual director was a Dominican back in California, and I was complaining to him, “Father, I really don’t know how to pray very well. I’m really not good at this. I really want to be better at this.” And he said, “Stop, Anthony.” He said, “Do you realize that even your desire for prayer is already God working within you?” And I said, “No.” I’d never thought of that. So I need to acknowledge that God has even brought me here that he wants to enter. He’s the initiator of this dialogue.
I need to have the Copernican Revolution, huh? Where my focus is on what God is doing. God’s brought me here. God’s sustaining me in existence right now. So I’m acknowledging what he’s doing and that there isn’t other here with a capital O. And so, I’m entering into this dialogue. Before I enter into the desire, and let’s see, what are the steps of my prayer that I’m going to do today? My prayer? Oh no. It’s an acknowledgement that I’m in the presence of an other who’s drawn me here. I have been drawn here, and I’m grateful for that. I’m grateful for my faith life, which has been complete gift.”
Fr. Anthony Wieck is a Jesuit priest of the Central & Southern province. Sixth of nine children, raised on a farm in Oregon, Fr. Anthony began religious life in 1994, spending his first five years of formation in Rome, Italy, studying at the Casa Balthasar and the Gregorian. The former was under the watchful patronage of Pope Benedict XVI (then-Card. Joseph Ratzinger). Fr. Anthony currently acts as retreat master at White House Jesuit Retreat in St. Louis, Missouri. He also offers spiritual direction at the St. Louis diocesan seminary for 25 future priests there.
Pope Benedict on MUSIC, both ancient and new. Fr. Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian guide us through part 3, chapter 2, of Joseph Ratzinger’s classic “The Spirit of the Liturgy.”
In honor of its fortieth anniversary (1978–2018), Ignatius Press presents a special Commemorative Edition of one of the most important works written by Joseph Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy.
This edition includes the earlier classic work with the same title by Servant of God Romano Guardini, a book that helped Ratzinger to “rediscover the liturgy in all its beauty, hidden wealth and time-transcending grandeur, to see it as the animating center of the Church, the very center of Christian life.”
Considered by Ratzinger devotees as one of his greatest works, this profound and beautifully written treatment of the liturgy will help readers to deepen their understanding of the”great prayer of the Church”. The cardinal discusses fundamental misunderstandings of the Second Vatican Council’s intentions for liturgical renewal, especially about the priest’s orientation of prayer to the Father, the placement of the tabernacle in churches, and the posture of kneeling.
Other important topics are the essence of worship, the Jewish roots of Christian prayer, the relationship of the liturgy to time and space, sacred art and music, and the active participation of the faithful in the Mass.
Almsgiving and Atonement – Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology
Discerning Hearts presents a series of conversations between Dr. Margaret Turek and Evan Collins about her book, “Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology.”
“In this chapter, we focused our attention on the Old Testament and traced the gradually emerging pattern of a process of atonement that is patrogenetic: it originates from and is engendered by God’s own power to love. God exercises his power against sin in such a way that human freedom is not merely bypassed by a one-sided forgiveness. God’s power is a forgiving power, but it takes full effect in his chosen beloved only by engendering a response of repentant love that willingly bears sin’s consequences. The sinner turns back to God with filial love (regenerated by God; in this respect God is near), such that now he endures the effects of sin (principally distance from God) in filial love-suffering, and by bearing this sin-wrought distance, he turns sin around: away from a refusal of filiation to an occasion of asserting it. Atonement is a work of sonship that “cleanses” from sin by transforming sin into its opposite: nearness to God in the filial love-suffering of distance from God. Hence God’s generative (fore-giving) love brings about a union between himself and his beloved that takes the form of a shared willingness in love to suffer through and transform the separation wrought by sin, thereby enabling his beloved to fulfill his vocation as the image of God’s glory in this “fallen” world.As we arrive at the threshold to the New Testament, the main lines of our sketch point toward a convergence in the atoning mission of God’s Son incarnate. Yet this point of convergence cannot be foreseen by reason alone. “It remains an ‘utterly strange work’ (Is 28:21), an ‘offence’ (Is 8:14), ‘something unheard-of’ (Is 52:15).”155 All the same, the constellation of features presented here may indicate a hidden “theo-logic” that can cast a penetrating light on the transition from the Old Testament to the New. We will continue our attempt at uncovering this “theo-logic” in our next chapter on the Cross as atonement, and in the process illuminate the Cross event in view of its closeness to and distance from the old covenant history of eliminating sin.”
Turek, Margaret. Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology (pp. 74-75). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.
From the book’s description:
“This book presents the chief insights concerning the mystery of atonement in the works of four theological guides: John Paul II, Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Norbert Hoffmann.
The author argues for the central importance and perennial value of a theology of atonement, even as she explains the modern aversion to it. The book’s central aim is to deepen our understanding of the biblical claim that God shows himself to be love precisely by sending his Son as atonement. “In this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins” (1 Jn 4:10).
The book develops a compelling vision of atonement as a process that originates from and is engendered by God’s own power to love. This vision not only takes account of the gravity of sin and its consequences but also provides a clear illumination of the wholly gratuitous, radically forgiving, passionate and powerful nature of God’s redeeming love for mankind. Distinct from the majority of theological accounts of atonement, which focus almost exclusively on the role of Christ, this book highlights the role of God the Father in the atoning mission of the Son.”
Conclusion – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.
Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 19-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life. This episode concludes the series with reflections from St. Therese of Lisieux.
“The day was August 8, 1897, the month before her death. Thérèse lay on her sickbed. Her sister Pauline was with her in the room. As she lay there, Thérèse pondered her life. In particular, she remembered the Christmas night eleven years earlier when she received what she had called “the grace of my complete conversion.” On that “night of light,” God’s grace and an act of courage liberated her from the nervousness and sensitivity that had oppressed her for years. Thérèse thought, too, of Judith in the Old Testament and of the courage with which she had acted. Thérèse began to speak.
Many, she told her sister, feel that they lack such courage. Then she said, “God never refuses that first grace that gives one the courage to act; afterwards, the heart is strengthened, and one advances from victory to victory.” That is the message of this book. A path to liberation from discouragement, confusion, and pain in the spiritual life exists.
God has not called us to captivity but to freedom. Clarity regarding the struggle is possible, and remedies are available. Begin. Take the first step. Take it now. And take it knowing that “God never refuses that first grace that gives one the courage to act; afterwards, the heart is strengthened, and one advances from victory to victory.” May that grace and that courage bless our spiritual lives.”
Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 144). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.
From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.
All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.
With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.
In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”
Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!
For other audio recordings of various spiritual classics you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics page
Sunday of the Third Week of Easter – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
