Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Sunday of the 1st Week of Advent – An Advent Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart


Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:03 — 5.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

Sunday of the 1st Week of Advent – An Advent Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart

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 of St. Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.

‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’

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:

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.

‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’

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:

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.

‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’

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 Feast of St. Andrew – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:52 — 6.9MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

The Feast of St. Andrew – 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. Matthew 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

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:

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

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:

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

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.

SJC2 – Caverns of Longing within the Soul – St. John of the Cross with Fr. Donald Haggerty – Discerning Hearts Podcast


Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:35 — 24.5MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

Caverns of Longing within the Soul – St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation with Fr. Donald Haggerty

Fr. Donald Haggerty and Kris McGregor discuss how St. John of the Cross’ writings arose in response to requests for guidance and making his teachings accessible not only to Carmelites but to all who seek a deeper union with God. St. John’s works, including his aphorisms and treatises, provide a roadmap for spiritual growth, focusing on self-denial, the theological virtues, and contemplative prayer.

St. John’s insights on faith, hope, and charity transcend academic theology, revealing how these virtues open “caverns” within the soul for God’s indwelling presence. This process leads to a transformation where one’s love for God becomes the central axis of their life. There is a universal nature to St. John’s spirituality, which addresses modern challenges of distraction and misplaced desires.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. St. John’s Universal Call to Holiness
    How can you apply St. John of the Cross’s teachings on the universal call to holiness in your own daily life and prayer?
  2. Theological Virtues and Union with God
    In what ways can you nurture faith, hope, and charity to deepen your union with God?
  3. Caverns of Longing in the Soul
    What steps can you take to empty yourself of attachments that hinder God’s presence in your life?
  4. God’s Initiative in Prayer
    How can you become more receptive to God’s action and presence in your prayer life instead of relying solely on your own efforts?
  5. Love and Detachment
    How does loving God as your primary relationship transform your other affections and priorities?
  6. Scriptural Reflection
    How do the Last Supper discourses in the Gospel of John inspire you to trust in Jesus’ promise of indwelling love and presence?
  7. Poetry and Mysticism
    How might reading St. John’s poetry or aphorisms inspire you to explore the mystery of God’s love more deeply?
  8. Spiritual Direction and Guidance
    What role does spiritual direction or the writings of the saints play in helping you navigate challenges in your spiritual journey?
  9. Courage in Faith
    What aspects of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea’s faith journey resonate with your own struggles to trust God in new ways?
  10. Contemplative Prayer for Modern Life
    How can you create space in your life for contemplative prayer amid the distractions and demands of the modern world?

“We encounter the importance of seeking a contentment with nothing other than God in many places in Saint John of the Cross’ writings. Shortly after introducing the image of the faculties as “deep caverns of feeling” in The Living Flame of Love, for instance, he affirms that a primary impediment to contemplation occurs when attachments cling to us and are repeatedly sought instead of our seeking God himself. These attachments are always contrary to accepting a contentment with having nothing: “Any little thing that adheres to them in this life is sufficient to so burden and bewitch them that they do not perceive the harm or note the lack of their immense goods, or know their own capacity” (LF 3.18). The words are a strong admonition. It takes very little to upset and block the proper dynamism of a holy pursuit of God in or out of the life of prayer. We can end up living unaware of the harm inflicted by very common tendencies that, in effect, keep us from being content with having nothing, that is, nothing but God. We have a capacity for greatness, for being filled with the love of God in our prayer. Yet we may live our hours of prayer like restless marauders in a search for prizes or enjoyments worth very little, seeking for delights that satisfy us only in negligible and fleeting ways. Without an awakening by which God becomes a passionate pursuit engaging our life’s entire intensity, our soul can descend easily to a dull caricature of its actual potency. As Saint John of the Cross writes:
It is an amazing thing that the least of these goods is enough so to encumber these faculties, capable of infinite goods, that they cannot receive these infinite goods until they are completely empty, as we shall see. Yet when these caverns are empty and pure, the thirst, hunger, and yearning of the spiritual feeling is intolerable. Since these caverns have deep stomachs, they suffer profoundly; for the food they lack, which as I say is God, is also profound. (LF 3.18)”

Haggerty, Donald. Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation (pp. 48-49). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in this series visit Fr. Haggerty’s Discerning Hearts page here

You find the book on which this series is based here.

SBN5 – Hell – Salvation Begins Now: Last Things First with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:54 — 17.9MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

Episode 5: Hell – Salvation Begins Now: Last Things First

Deacon James Keating discusses the theology of hell, emphasizing it as a reality shaped by human freedom. Hell is the consequence of dying in a state of unrepented mortal sin, where individuals knowingly and freely reject God’s love. This eternal separation from God is marked by isolation and the inability to reciprocate divine love, resulting in profound suffering. Despite cultural and theological trends that have diminished focus on hell, the Church’s teaching remains clear: mortal sin leads to eternal separation unless repented before death.

Dcn. Keating highlights the urgency of evangelization and intercession, urging Christians to pray, fast, and offer Masses for loved ones, especially those who have passed away. While sobering, he offers hope, reminding us that Christ provides all the grace necessary for salvation. By embracing purification and aligning with God’s will, individuals can live in eternal communion with Him. Hell need not be feared if one turns to Christ, whose infinite love and mercy are always extended.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Understanding Hell as a Choice
    How do I perceive my own freedom and responsibility in choosing to accept or reject God’s love in my daily life?
  2. The Reality of Mortal Sin
    Do I take time to examine my conscience and recognize grave sins that could separate me from God’s grace?
  3. The Finality of Death
    How does the understanding that death solidifies my eternal relationship with God influence my choices and priorities?
  4. Evangelizing Loved Ones
    Am I actively praying, fasting, and seeking opportunities to bring my family and friends closer to Christ?
  5. The Role of Mass in Intercession
    Do I regularly offer Mass intentions for the souls of my loved ones, both living and deceased?
  6. Hope in Christ’s Redemption
    How can I more deeply embrace and trust in the saving grace and mercy of Christ to overcome sin in my life?

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1057 “Hell’s principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO. 

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

SISL15 – Inconsistency – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:04 — 15.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

Inconsistency – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher continues the story of John and how prayer can reveal inconsistencies in life, such as unresolved relationships or temptations, and how addressing these struggles leads to spiritual growth. Fr. Gallagher highlights the importance of honest self-reflection in prayer, even during periods of dryness or desolation, and encourages seeking guidance from trusted spiritual directors. Through John’s journey, the podcast demonstrates how aligning actions with faith, maintaining consistency in prayer, and trusting in God’s grace foster healing and deeper intimacy with God.

Struggles like temptation or desolation are common in the spiritual life but must not be kept secret. We can use the examples of saints like St. Teresa of Ávila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who overcame similar challenges through prayer and spiritual direction. By vulnerably sharing burdens with wise companions and taking concrete steps to address spiritual misalignments, individuals can restore peace and joy in their relationship with God.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Prayer and Self-Awareness: How does your prayer life help you recognize areas of inconsistency or struggle in your relationship with God and others?
  2. Seeking Spiritual Guidance: Do you have a trusted spiritual director or confidant to whom you can turn for support and accountability in your spiritual journey?
  3. Perseverance in Dryness: How can you remain faithful in prayer during times of spiritual dryness or desolation, trusting that God is still at work?
  4. Aligning Life and Faith: Are there actions or habits in your life that conflict with your spiritual commitments, and what steps can you take to resolve them?
  5. Temptation and Grace: When faced with temptation, how do you invite God’s grace and guidance into your struggles to choose a path of holiness?
  6. Transparency and Freedom: What fears or barriers might prevent you from openly sharing your burdens with God or a spiritual guide, and how can you overcome them?
  7. Growth Through Struggles: How might God be using your spiritual challenges as opportunities for deeper intimacy and growth in faith?

An excerpt from the chapter, “Inconsistency”:

“Inconsistencies between our prayer and our lives will cause dryness in prayer: a refusal to forgive, firmly guarded anger, all-encompassing pursuit of material goals, self-centeredness, harmful relationships, and so forth. As these areas of our lives are brought to Christ and healed, dryness in prayer lifts.

Of the time before her profound conversion, Saint Teresa of Avila writes, “I began to return to prayer without, however, removing the occasions of sin. . . . My life was very hard, because in prayer I understood my faults more clearly.”When that conversion occurred, the dryness passed, and her prayer blossomed in a way that continues to bless the Church. The dryness caused by inconsistency between prayer and life is, at root, a loving call from God to healing and to new life.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 105-106). 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!

Christ, the True King of this World – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:02 — 18.0MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

Christ, the True King of this World – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

Msgr. John Esseff reflects on the kingship of Jesus Christ through heartfelt anecdotes and theological insights, and recounts a powerful encounter with a couple, Tom and Mary, whose lives were marked by profound challenges.

Mary, a devout Christian, resisted pressure to abort her child despite medical advice, trusting God’s will. Her faith was rewarded with the birth of a healthy son, now a firefighter. Later, the couple adopted a daughter, Kelsey, who endured a turbulent upbringing but ultimately found redemption through love, discipline, and faith. These stories illustrate the transformative power of God’s love and how recognizing Christ’s kingship brings healing and purpose amid trials.

Christ’s kingship is rooted in love, truth, and surrender to God’s will, as exemplified in Tom’s journey. Initially resistant to faith, Tom experienced a dramatic conversion, realizing God’s sovereignty during a moment of desperation. Through the challenges of parenting a wayward child, he grew in humility and reliance on God, recognizing his role as an instrument of divine love.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Faith in God’s Will Amid Trials
    How does Mary’s unwavering trust in God’s plan challenge you to rely on His will, especially in moments of uncertainty?
  2. Surrendering Control to Christ
    In what areas of your life do you struggle to let go of control and allow Christ to guide your decisions?
  3. The Power of Parental Love
    How can Tom and Mary’s example of unconditional love for their children inspire your own approach to nurturing and guiding others?
  4. Recognizing Christ’s Kingship
    What does it mean for you personally to acknowledge Jesus as the King of your heart and daily life?
  5. Learning from Conversion Stories
    How does Tom’s journey of transformation encourage you to reflect on God’s patience and transformative love in your own life?
  6. Living the Our Father Prayer
    In what ways can you deepen your commitment to the phrase “Thy kingdom come” through acts of love and surrender?
  7. Embracing God’s Timing
    How can you cultivate patience and trust in God’s perfect timing when facing injustices or unanswered prayers?
  8. Daily Renewal in Faith
    What steps can you take each day to extend Christ’s kingship over your thoughts, actions, and choices?

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta.    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 Pope St. 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.  

 

Solemnity of Christ the King – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:26 — 5.9MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

Solemnity of Christ the King – 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. John 18:33-37

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked. Jesus replied, ‘Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done?’ Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.’ ‘So you are a king then?’ said Pilate. ‘It is you who say it’ answered Jesus. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.’

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:

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked. Jesus replied, ‘Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done?’ Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.’ ‘So you are a king then?’ said Pilate. ‘It is you who say it’ answered Jesus. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.’

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:

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked. Jesus replied, ‘Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done?’ Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.’ ‘So you are a king then?’ said Pilate. ‘It is you who say it’ answered Jesus. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.’

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.

TM6 – Holiness Through Sacrifice – St. Therese and Marie: The Story of Two Cousins with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:28 — 18.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More


BA6 - "Refuse to Accept Discouragement" - Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 6 – Holiness Through Sacrifice – St. Thérèse and Marie: The Story of Two Cousins with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s spiritual guidance and her role in her cousin Marie’s journey to Carmel. Marie’s long-awaited entrance into religious life in 1895 was marked by emotional struggles and familial sacrifices, but Thérèse’s compassionate yet firm support helped her embrace detachment and trust in God.

Through moments like humorously diffusing a tense exchange with Marie or encouraging her to surrender attachments, Thérèse exemplified her deep understanding of human nature and her ability to lead others closer to Christ. On Marie’s entrance day, Thérèse wrote her a heartfelt poem, Canticle of a Soul Having Found the Place of Its Rest, capturing Marie’s spiritual “homecoming” and longing for heaven, and adorned Marie’s room with flowers and a copy of her poem Living on Love to provide comfort and inspiration

For more episodes in this series visit here:

St. Thérèse And Marie: The Story Of Two Cousins With Fr. Timothy Gallagher And Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Understanding Detachment Through Love
    How can you cultivate a spirit of detachment while deepening your love and service for others?
  2. Sacrifice as a Path to Holiness
    What areas of your life might God be inviting you to surrender for the sake of spiritual growth and the good of others?
  3. The Role of Spiritual Companionship
    How can you support others in their spiritual journey while remaining attentive to your own need for grace and balance?
  4. Longing for Heaven in Daily Life
    How does reflecting on heaven influence your choices and attitudes in your daily responsibilities and relationships?
  5. Balancing Emotion and Trust in God
    In what ways can you entrust your emotional struggles and attachments to God, as Thérèse encouraged Marie to do?
  6. The Power of Small Gestures in Holiness
    How can small, intentional acts of love bring comfort and reflect Christ to those around you?

About this Series

Fr. Timothy Gallagher reflects upon the enduring legacy of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, exploring how her life and spirituality, deeply influenced by her family and how it offers profound insights into everyday holiness. He examines the role of family and spiritual friendships in nurturing faith, the importance of compassionate care for others, and how Thérèse’s example can inspire listeners to seek sanctity in their daily lives. He also brings forth more details of the spiritual bond between the Martin and Guérin families, offering a model for fostering deeper connections within one’s own family and community.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.  Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life:  The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit  his  website:   frtimothygallagher.org

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SJC1 – The Hiding Place of the Beloved – St. John of the Cross with Fr. Donald Haggerty – Discerning Hearts Podcast


Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:28 — 22.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

The Hiding Place of the Beloved – St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation with Fr. Donald Haggerty

In this introductory episode, Father Donald Haggerty and Kris McGregor discuss the spiritual depth and teachings of St. John of the Cross and his role as a “Master of Contemplation.” St. John of the Cross is portrayed as a mystic and poet whose writings lead believers to a deeper union with God.

St. John’s insights, such as those in his poetry and writings like the Spiritual Canticle, were often birthed from profound suffering, including his imprisonment. This hiddenness of God—where He seems absent but is present in a concealed way—forms a central theme. The longing for God in prayer, even in silence and dryness, is a means of growing in spiritual depth, aligning with John’s teaching that God uses such longing to draw souls closer to Him.

His teachings on love and detachment resonate in the lives of saints like St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Calcutta, who lived out his call to love in small, selfless acts. Contemplative prayer isn’t a technique but a relational journey toward God, requiring a stripping away of distractions and desires. St. John’s suffering in prison also became a crucible for spiritual beauty, producing poetry that communicates profound truths about God’s presence and longing for the soul.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. The Hiddenness of God in Prayer: How have you experienced God’s presence as both hidden and mysteriously near in your prayer life?
  2. Longing for Union with God: In what ways can you embrace the longing for God as a central part of your spiritual journey?
  3. Learning from Suffering: How can the trials in your life, like St. John of the Cross’s imprisonment, become opportunities for spiritual growth and deeper intimacy with God?
  4. The Call to Contemplative Prayer: How can you move beyond methods and activities in prayer to focus on cultivating a quiet, loving presence with God?
  5. Living Love in Small Acts: How can you demonstrate love for God and others in small, selfless ways in your daily life, inspired by saints like St. Thérèse and Mother Teresa?
  6. Detachment and Freedom: What desires or distractions might you need to surrender to grow in deeper union with God?
  7. Finding God in the Ordinary: How can you better recognize and serve Christ in the hidden and ordinary moments of your day?
  8. Reflecting on St. John’s Writings: How can the poetry and teachings of St. John of the Cross inspire a new depth in your spiritual life?

Here is the excerpt from the Spiritual Canticle by St. John of the Cross that Fr. Haggerty references in the podcast:

SONG OF THE SOUL AND THE BRIDEGROOM

I
THE BRIDE

Where have You hidden Yourself,
And abandoned me in my groaning, O my Beloved? You have fled like the hart,
Having wounded me.
I ran after You, crying; but You were gone.

II

O shepherds, you who go
Through the sheepcots up the hill, If you shall see Him
Whom I love the most,
Tell Him I languish, suffer, and die.

St. John of the Cross

III

In search of my Love
I will go over mountains and strands;
I will gather no flowers,
I will fear no wild beasts;
And pass by the mighty and the frontiers.

IV

O groves and thickets
Planted by the hand of the Beloved; O verdant meads
Enameled with flowers,
Tell me, has He passed by you?

Where have you hidden,
Beloved, and left me moaning?
You fled like the stag
after wounding me;

I went out calling you, but you were gone. This initial stanza of “The Spiritual Canticle” unlocks the bolt of a door, allowing us a first glimpse at the soul of Saint John of the Cross and his intense love for God. In these opening lines of a lengthy poem, we hear the agonized voice of a lover tormented by her solitude, in a terrible suffering after the departure of her Beloved. The piercing lament of the bride, wounded in the depth of her soul, is an image of the lover of God who seeks for his return after earlier enjoying his close presence. The mood of loneliness in the poem will shift over the course of its forty stanzas to a recognition of the Beloved’s presence even in his concealment. But for now, as the poem commences, the pain is strong and irremediable. Many of the stanzas of this exquisite poem, full of lush natural images, were composed by Saint John of the Cross without pen or paper, the stanzas kept in his memory, while he was locked in a windowless, six-by-ten-foot converted closet, with only a thin slit of light high up in a wall. That room served as a makeshift prison cell in the Calced Carmelite Friars’ monastery in Toledo, Spain, for nine months of his life, from December 1577 until August 1578. Only in the very last period of the nine months did he receive pen and paper from a sympathetic friar serving as his jailer and write down verses. He later recounted to Carmelite nuns that another important poem, “The Dark Night”, was completed before he left that prison cell.

Haggerty, Donald. Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation (pp. 18-19). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in this series visit Fr. Haggerty’s Discerning Hearts page here

You find the book on which this series is based here.

SBN4 – Heaven – Salvation Begins Now: Last Things First with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:21 — 28.8MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

Episode 4: Heaven – Salvation Begins Now: Last Things First

Deacon James Keating explores the nature of heaven as a relationship with Christ rather than a physical place. Heaven begins now, insofar as we are “in Christ.” This communion, nurtured through prayer, sacraments, and repentance, is the essence of heaven. Sin disrupts this union, leading to unhappiness, but God works continuously through His grace, the Holy Spirit, and the sacraments to heal and restore us. Evangelization, therefore, is not about institutional growth but sharing God’s urgent desire for all to enter this eternal communion.

Each person will experience God’s particular love in a unique and fulfilling way, retaining their identity in the resurrection. Mystical experiences, accessible through deeper participation in the sacraments and prayer, provide a foretaste of heaven and shift our desires toward eternal values over earthly ones.

Trust in Jesus’ promises and attachment to Him through the Eucharist prepare us for the fulfillment of all desires in the eternal communion of love between God and His people. Heaven is not just a future hope but a present reality we are called to live now.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. What Is Heaven to You? Reflect on how you understand heaven as a relationship with Christ rather than a physical place.
  2. Are You Living Heaven Now? Consider whether your current prayer and sacramental life reflect the call to begin living in communion with Christ today.
  3. How Does Sin Affect Your Happiness? Examine how venial and mortal sins may disrupt your union with God and your pursuit of authentic happiness.
  4. Do You Trust in God’s Promises? Reflect on your trust in Jesus’ promise of eternal life and how it inspires hope in your daily actions.
  5. Are You Growing in Mysticism? Contemplate whether you are deepening your prayer life and sacramental participation to experience God more intimately.
  6. How Do You Proclaim Heaven to Others? Evaluate how your life and actions evangelize the urgency of living in Christ to those around you.
  7. Do You Recognize God’s Particular Love for You? Meditate on the personal and unique way God loves you, even now, as a foretaste of heaven.
  8. What Earthly Attachments Do You Need to Relinquish? Identify areas of your life where earthly values may overshadow your desire for eternal communion with God.
  9. How Do You Prepare for Heaven? Reflect on how your choices, virtues, and faith practices align with your journey toward full union with Christ.
  10. What Does “Heaven Begins Now” Mean to You? Contemplate the ways you can live heaven today by embracing God’s love and sharing it with others.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1024 “This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity—this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed—is called “heaven.” Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.”

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO. 

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page