Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts Archives

St. Benedict Novena – Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Holy Rule Novena to St. Benedict – Day 7

In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict you have said:

We believe that God is present everywhere and that the eyes of the Lord behold the good and the bad in every place (cf Prov 15:3). Let us firmly believe this, especially when we take part in the Work of God. Let us, therefore, always be mindful of what the Prophet says, “Serve the Lord with fear” (Ps 2:11). And again, “Sing wisely” (Ps 46[47]:8). And, “I will sing praise to Thee in the sight of the angels” (Ps 137[138]:1). Therefore, let us consider how it becomes us to behave in the sight of God and His angels, and let us so stand to sing, that our mind may be in harmony with our voice. (Holy Rule 19)

Glorious Saint Benedict,
sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God’s grace!
Behold me humbly kneeling at your feet.
I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God.

To you I have recourse in the dangers that daily surround me.
Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor.
Inspire me to imitate you in all things.
May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His kingdom.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life.
Your heart was always full of love, compassion and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way.
You never dismissed without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to you.
I therefore invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore.

{mention your petition}

Help me, great Saint Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven.

Amen.

O Holy Father, St. Benedict, pray for us.

Day 6 – Mercy – Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena

Day 6 – Mercy

«Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.» Luke 6:36

Meditation

Sts. Louis and Zélie, aware of their own weakness, let the mercy of God transform them, and they tried to live it and pass it on in their everyday lives. Céline relates: « In her old age, Marie, our oldest sister, still remembered with regret, and even with tears, the sighs of our Mother in noticing the damage Marie had done to her lace, damage which our Mother herself repaired, at the price of late nights and fatigue, without addressing any reproach to her daughter. »

« Following the example of my Father, Mother also practiced kindness in judging others, never allowing herself to speak ill of her neighbor, even being delicate and scrupulous in this regard, and reproaching herself, sometimes with great humility, for the little interjections spurred by her vivaciousness. »

On this topic, Zélie said: « I had the weakness of making fun of Madame Y; I’ll regret it forever. I don’t know why I don’t like her. She’s never been anything but helpful and nice to me. … Thus I want to change completely for the good. I’ve already started because for some time I’ve been taking every opportunity to speak well of this woman. »

Resolution

Today, I will try not to speak ill of others, and I will ask the Lord for the grace to forgive those who have harmed me.

Prayer

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory be to

Saints Louis and Zélie,
you who in your life as a couple and as parents
have given witness of an exemplary Christian life,
in putting God in the first place
through the exercise of the duties of your state in life
and the practice of the virtues of the gospel,
we turn to you.
Help us to have unshakable confidence in God
and to surrender ourselves to His Will,
as you did in the joys
but also in the trials, the sorrows, and the sufferings
with which your life was marked.
Help us to love God with all our heart,
to persevere in our daily difficulties,
and to dwell in the joy and hope
that will give us a living faith in Christ.
Intercede for us
so that we may obtain the graces we need
today and all the days of our life. Amen.

Saints Louis and Zélie, pray for us.

Imprimatur +Jacques Habert, Bishop of Séez, 26 May 2016

For the complete Sts. Louis & Zélie Martin Novena visit here

text ©Shrine of Sts. Louis and Zélie in Alençon

Please visit their website at https://louisetzelie.com/en/pray/novena-to-saints-louis-and-zelie/

For more on the life of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin visit:

A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin; Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher

and The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Day 2 – Discerning Hearts podcast

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Most Holy Mary, Our Mother, in your great love for us
you gave us the Holy Scapular of Mount Carmel,
having heard the prayers
of your chosen son Saint Simon Stock.
Help us now to wear it faithfully and with devotion.
May it be a sign to us of our desire to grow in holiness.

(State your request here…)

Recite the following prayers…

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
pray for us.

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – 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 Matthew 9:32-37

A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.
And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

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:

A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.
And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

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:

A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.
And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

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.

HIDT3- Conference 3 – Hope in Difficult Times with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Conference 3 – Hope in Difficult Times: with Sts. Therese, Louis, and Zelie and Their Family with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor explore the trials endured by the Martin family, especially through the personal letters of Zélie Martin during the years leading up to and during the Franco-Prussian War. Zélie’s heartbreaking experiences include the loss of multiple children, financial hardship, and the terror of war as German soldiers occupy their home. Through it all, her steadfast faith, maternal devotion, and courage are deeply apparent—especially when she seeks a wet nurse for baby Thérèse in a desperate effort to save her life. The emotional intensity of Zélie’s writings reveals not only the weight of her suffering but also the serenity and surrender she maintained in trusting God’s providence.

He also touches on the spiritual roots of Thérèse’s profound longing for maternal presence, as her early life was marked by repeated separations and grief. Thérèse’s deep inner world and spiritual sensitivity emerged from these early losses. The Martin family’s view of earthly life as a temporary exile, their hope for eternal reunion, and their readiness to suffer for one another and for God are key themes that emerge; painting a vivid portrait of a household marked by grace in suffering, grounded in prayer and shaped by sacrificial love.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How does Zélie Martin’s trust in God’s will during suffering challenge your own response to personal trials?
What can you learn from the Martin family’s view of life as a “brief exile” in shaping your hope for heaven?
In what ways do you turn to prayer, like Zélie did to St. Joseph, when you feel helpless or afraid?
How does the Martin family’s love and sacrifice for one another inspire you to deepen love within your own family?
What role does memory of the dead play in your spiritual life, especially in relation to the communion of saints?
How do you respond when God’s plans unfold differently from your expectations or desires?
What impact does Zélie’s perseverance in faith through grief and war have on your understanding of Christian hope?
How can you support others going through trials with the same compassion and practical help shown by Zélie and Louis?
What does Thérèse’s early loss of mother figures teach you about spiritual motherhood and God’s healing love?
How might the suffering of the Martin family during wartime lead you to pray for those enduring hardship today?

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 15 different podcasts series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts? Visit here to discover more!

Fr. Gallagher obtained his doctorate in 1983 from Gregorian University. He has taught (St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA; Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence, Boston, MA), assisted in formation work for twelve years, and served two terms as provincial in his own community. He has dedicated many years to an extensive ministry of retreats, spiritual direction, and teaching about the spiritual life. Fr. Gallagher is the author of six books (Crossroad) on the spiritual teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

St. Benedict Novena – Day 6 – Discerning Hearts podcast

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Holy Rule Novena – Day 6

In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict you have said:

The twelfth degree of humility is, when a monk is not only humble of heart, but always let it appear also in his whole exterior to all that see him; … and always saying to himself in his heart what the publican in the Gospel said, with his eyes fixed on the ground: “Lord, I am a sinner and not worthy to lift up mine eyes to heaven” (Lk 18:13)…

Having, therefore, ascended all these degrees of humility, the monk will presently arrive at that love of God, which being perfect, cast out fear (1 Jn 4:18). In virtue of this love all things which at first he observed not without fear, he will now begin to keep without any effort, and as it were, naturally by force of habit, no longer from the fear of hell, but from the love of Christ, from the very habit of good and the pleasure in virtue. May the Lord be pleased to manifest all this by His Holy Spirit in His laborer now cleansed from vice and sin. (Holy Rule 7)

Glorious Saint Benedict,
sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God’s grace!
Behold me humbly kneeling at your feet.
I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God.

To you, I have recourse in the dangers that daily surround me.
Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor.
Inspire me to imitate you in all things.
May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His kingdom.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries, and afflictions of life.
Your heart was always full of love, compassion and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way.
You never dismissed without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to you.
I, therefore, invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore.

{mention your petition}

Help me, great Saint Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven.

Amen.

O Holy Father, St. Benedict, pray for us.

Day 5 – Charity – Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena

Day 5 – Charity

«I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.» John 13:34

Meditation

The Martins were conscious of their duties to their neighbor, and the simplicity of their life made them attentive to the needs of others. Céline said, « If frugality prevailed in our home, then lavishness ruled when it came to helping the poor. We went to meet them, we searched them out, we urged them to come home with us, where their needs were satisfied: they were given food and clothes and encouraged to do what is right. I can still see my mother bustling around a poor old man. I was seven years old back then, but I remember it as if it were yesterday. We were walking in the countryside when, on the road, we met an old man who appeared destitute. Mother sent Thérèse to give him some alms. He seemed so grateful that she entered into conversation with him. Then my mother told him to follow us, and we returned home. She prepared a good dinner for him; he was starving, and she gave him clothes and a pair of shoes… And she invited him to come back to us whenever he needed anything. »

If one of her workers fell ill, St. Zélie would visit her on Sunday, happy to provide her with anything she needed. She treated her maid the same way: « It happened that she spent three weeks, night and day, at the bedside of Louis, who had a very severe attack of articular rheumatism, and whom she did not wish to send to the hospital. »

And when St. Louis, for his part, « knows that, in the neighborhood, there are ill people whose conversion is urgent, we witness his eagerness in visiting them, and in asking the whole family to pray that the sick person might decide to receive the Last Rites. … [His wife] does her best to help him in this apostolate. »

Resolution

Today, I will do something good for somebody—by a smile, a telephone call, a visit, or by giving alms…

Prayer

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory be to

Saints Louis and Zélie, pray for us.

Imprimatur +Jacques Habert, Bishop of Séez, 26 May 2016

For the complete Sts. Louis & Zélie Martin Novena visit here

text ©Shrine of Sts. Louis and Zélie in Alençon

Please visit their website at https://louisetzelie.com/en/pray/novena-to-saints-louis-and-zelie/

For more on the life of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin visit:

A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin; Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher

and The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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O Beautiful Flower of Carmel,
most fruitful vine,
splendor of heaven,
holy and singular,
who brought forth the Son of God,
still ever remaining a pure virgin,
assist us in our necessity!
O Star of the Sea,
help and protect us!
Show us that you are our Mother!

(State your request here…)

Recite the following prayers…

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
pray for us.

Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – 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 Matthew 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.
When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.

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:

While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.
When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.

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:

While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.
When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.

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.

Called to Mission: Discerning the Will of the Father – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Called to Mission: Discerning the Will of the Father – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

In this reflection, Msgr. John Esseff reflects on Luke 10:1–20, where Jesus sends out the 72 disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He discusses the missionary nature of the Church and the call each baptized person has to evangelize through their vocation—whether in priesthood, marriage, education, healthcare, or religious life. Jesus’ instructions to the disciples—traveling light, offering peace, healing the sick, and casting out demons—are presented as foundational principles of missionary life shaped by poverty, humility, obedience, and peace.

Msgr. Esseff stresses the importance of the personal relationship with God the Father, saying that everything flows from discerning and obeying the Father’s will. He shares how figures like Mother Teresa and Fr. Flanagan were effective because they listened to God and followed His promptings, not simply doing good things, but doing what God was actually asking of them. The reflection ends with a call for each person to discover and live out their specific mission with simplicity and attentiveness, keeping in mind that true success is measured not by accomplishments, but by whether our names are written in heaven.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

How am I responding to Christ’s call to be a laborer in His harvest?
Am I aware of the specific mission God has given me in my family, workplace, or community?
Do I live with spiritual poverty—total dependence on the Father’s will—or do I often rely on my own plans and resources?
Where in my life have I seen Christ’s peace flow when I followed God’s promptings rather than my own desires?
Am I open to discerning what God actually wants from me—or do I sometimes offer what I think is best, like roses when He is asking for a daisy?
What gifts of healing, teaching, or spiritual support might I be overlooking that Christ desires to work through me for others?

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Scranton. He served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta and continues to offer spiritual direction and lead retreats for the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity worldwide. Msgr. Esseff also had a profound encounter with St. Padre Pio, who became his spiritual father. He has served in various parts of the world through the Pontifical Missions, a Catholic organization founded by St. John Paul II to share the Good News, especially with the poor. . Msgr. Esseff continues to lead retreats and provide spiritual direction to bishops, priests, seminarians, sisters, and other religious leaders around the world.