Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts Archives

Day 1 St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena – Mp3 audio and Text

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Dr. Anthony Lilles STD - Beginning to Pray 3

Day One – For the grace to enter into great silence

In this nine days of prayer with Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, we will offer her oblation to the Trinity, “O My God whom I adore. “ Elizabeth wrote this prayer to help souls seek a spiritually mature relationship with God. This journey to spiritual maturity progresses by way of silence, an interior silence. This is not an empty silence or an alienated one. It is a silence that is vigilant for the new work that the Holy Trinity is waiting to do in us. On this first day of this Novena, let us begin by recalling Saint Elizabeth’s mission – a mission completely oriented to the powerful silence in which the soul encounters the fullness of God. She writes, shortly before her death:

I suppose that in heaven my mission will be to attract souls
Helping them go out of themselves
To cleave to God by an entirely simple and loving movement
And to keep them inside this great silence
That will allow God to imprint Himself in them
And transform them into Himself. L 335

That this mission might be realized in us, and that we might enter into great silence, and through Saint Elizabeth’s intercession, remain there, let us pray:

O My God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely so as to be established in you as still and as peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing be able to disturb my peace, nor make me depart from you, o my Unchanging One, but may each moment carry me further into the depths of your Mystery. Pacify my soul, make it your heaven, your beloved abode, your resting place. May I never leave you there alone, but may I be entirely present, my faith completely ready, wholly adoring, fully surrendered to your creative action.

O my beloved Christ, crucified by love, I would like to be a bride for your heart. I would like to cover you with glory, I would like to love you… unto death. I feel my powerlessness, however, and I ask you to clothe me with yourself, to identify my soul with all the movements of your soul, to defeat me, to overwhelm me, to substitute yourself for me, that my life might be but the radiation of your Life. Come into me as Adorer, as Healer, as Savior. O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life listening to you, I want to be completely docile, ready to learn everything from you. Then, through all nights, all voids, all weakness, I want to fixate on you always and to remain under your great light. O My beloved Star, fascinate me so that I would not be able to forsake your shining light.

O Consuming Flame, Spirit of love, come over me until my soul is rendered into an incarnation of the Word; may I be for Him another humanity in which he renews His whole Mystery.

And you, O Father, bend over your little creature, cover her with your shadow, and see in her only the Beloved in whom You are well-pleased.
O my Three, my All, my Beatitude, Infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I loose myself, I surrender myself as prey. Bury yourself in me in order that I might bury myself in you, while waiting to contemplate in your light the immeasurable depths of your grandeur.

Amen

The Novena to St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is authored by Dr. Anthony Lilles S.T.D.

For the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

FG#13 The Way of Trust and Love episode 2 – Fountains of Grace with Donna Garrett

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Join host Donna Garrett, with Fr. James Perez, LC, as they discuss the spiritual classic “The Way of Trust and Love: A Retreat Guided By St. Therese of Lisieux” by Fr. Jacques Philippe.

Discussed in this episode, among other topics, from “The Way of Trust and Love”

The fact that we can’t save ourselves is something we acknowledge in words, but in fact we find it very hard to accept. We’d all like to be saved by our own efforts, to be strong and robust, to boast about our successes, to shine in other people’s eyes, even on the spiritual level. Worldly people want to be highly regarded because they have luxurious cars, expensive watches, designer clothes, professional prestige, and go around with beautiful people. As good Christians, we may want to stand out for our virtues, charisms, experience, and sound judgment. Then we consider that we are on the right path. But in fact we’re in danger of ending up with exactly the same mindset as the worldly people described above. Very often, without realizing it, we have a worldly outlook on the spiritual life: self-fulfillment, self-affirmation, expansion of ego, etc. And spiritual pride, we must be aware, is sometimes more destructive than social, worldly pride.

Fr. James Perez, LC, joins Donna for this series

We cannot be saved by what we do; we can only be saved by grace, when God’s freely given love comes, takes hold of us, and transforms us, sometimes gently and progressively, but sometimes in a spectacular way. In general, the transformation is fairly slow and progressive, without our always being able to notice the action of grace.

Philippe, Jacques (2012-06-07). The Way of Trust and Love – A Retreat Guided by St. Therese of Lisieux (Kindle Locations 445-454). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.

For other episodes in the this series click here “Fountains of Grace w/Donna Garrett“

You can find “The Way of Trust and Love” here

BTP-WP5 Chap 19 The Living Water & Nature of Mystical Prayer – The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila – Beginning to Pray w/Dr. Anthony Lilles

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Dr. Lilles discusses the “Living Water” as described by St. Teresa of Avila “The Way of Perfection.” We also discuss the nature of mystical prayer.

CHAPTER 19 –
Begins to treat of prayer. Addresses souls who cannot reason with the understanding.

Saint Teresa Painting Convento de Santa Teresa Avila Castile Spain.

For the audio recordings of St. Teresa’s “The Way of Perfection” you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics audio page

For other episodes in the series visit
The Discerning Hearts “The Way of Perfection with Dr. Anthony Lilles”s

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.

To Our Fathers and Their Posterity Forever – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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The pulse of life within my wrist / A fallen snow, a rising mist / There is no higher praise than this / And my soul wells up / O my soul wells up / Yes my soul wells up with hallelujahs.

Oh praise Him all His mighty works / There is no language where you can’t be heard / Your song goes out to all the earth / Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! / O hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

Songwriters: CHRIS RICE, CHRISTOPHER M. RICE © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

Song in the Bible

Song of Creation

Job 38:6-7, The angels sang at the creation of the cosmos.
Psalm 19:1-4, All creation sings praise simply by being what it was made to be.
Zephaniah 3:17, God Himself sings and dances (“rejoices”) over His people in a new, spiritual creation.
- (NAB-A) The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you,
- (NJB) Yahweh your God is there with you, the warrior-Saviour. He will rejoice over you with happy song, he will renew you by his love, he will dance with shouts of joy for you,
- (RSV-CE) The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing
- “Rejoice” is translated from a Hebrew word, a primitive root; properly to spin around (under the influence of any violent emotion), that is, usually rejoice… : – be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice.
- The Hebrew word means to “spin around under violent emotion,” or basically to dance. So Zep 3:17 is more accurately translated as, “Yahweh your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His Love, He will dance over you with singing.”
- “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” (Luke 1:47).

Song of the Soul

Luke 1:46-55, Mary’s Magnificat
Psalms – a psalm is a song
Song of Songs, the song of all songs, the song of the soul and God
Song 8:10, “Then I became in his eyes as one who found peace.” Peace means consummation in this context, and it is found in His song of fire-love for you (8:6, 10).

EPISODE RESOURCES

I Wrestled with God and Won article on Jacob’s confrontation with God at the Jabbok river

Discussion of the significance of Esau selling his birthright is located in chapter three of Unleashed.

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 63, Israel is the priestly people of God, “called by the name of the LORD”, and “the first to hear the word of God”, the people of “elder brethren” in the faith of Abraham.

CCC 877, In fact, from the beginning of his ministry, the Lord Jesus instituted the Twelve as “the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy.”

LOVE the Word(TM) is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice. This week’s LOVE the Word(TM) exercise is based on an Thomistic* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Receive the Word)

“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Ps 19:1-4).

Observe (Connect the passage to recent events.)

Study carefully these verses of praise, themselves a song, like the Magnificat.

Who and what is this psalm about?
Where and when does this song take place?
Why and how is praise occurring?

Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)

Who, what, where, when, why and how, do you want to thank and praise God for right now?

Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)

Lord, you are my beloved, and I am yours…there is no higher praise than this…hallelujah…

*LOVE the Word(TM) exercises, vary weekly according to the four personalities, or “prayer forms,” explored in Prayer and Temperament, by Chester Michael and Marie Norrisey: Ignatian, Augustinian, Franciscan, and Thomistic.

St. Teresa of Avila – From the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI

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ST. TERESA OF AVILA

WEDNESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 2011 Paul VI Audience Hall

Benedict XVI, Pope. Holy Men and Women Of the Middle Ages and Beyond (p. 185). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.

This audio recording is taken from writings of Pope Benedict XVI found in “Holy Men and Women of the Middle Ages and Beyond” published by Ignatius Press. For the text of this recording and for an incredible selection of other lives reflected upon by Pope Benedict XVI, following the link provided to obtain the book. We thank Ignatius Press for granting Discerning Hearts permission to produce this audio recording.

IP#100 Fr. Andrew Apostoli – Fatima For Today on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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Fr. Andrew Apostoli does a tremendous job covering all the varied aspects of the events of Fatima and the call of Our Lady of Fatima. He conveys the “immaculate” heart of the message, as well as tackling the “controversies” that have plagued the events over the years. Because of the prophetic nature of her messages, Our Lady of Fatima has been the subject of much controversy and speculation. In this book, Father Andrew Apostoli carefully analyzes the events that took place in Fatima and clears up lingering questions and doubts about their meaning. He also challenges the reader to hear anew the call of Our Lady to prayer and sacrifice, for the world is ever in need of generous hearts willing to make reparation for those in danger of losing their way to God.

Check out the book here

“As was so dramatically obvious during the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Fatima in May, 2010, Our Lady’s apparitions in 1917 remain powerfully compelling for us today. There she was an evangelist, calling us to prayer, conversion of heart, and penance, pointing to Jesus and repeating her words at Cana, ‘Do whatever He tells you.’ This book brings it all home.”
-Most Reverend Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York
“For us, Fatima is a sign of the presence of faith, of the fact that it is precisely from the little ones that faith gains new strength, one which is not limited to the little ones but has a message for the entire world and touches history here and now, and sheds light on this history . . . Even now there is tribulation, in every conceivable form, and power threatens to trample down faith. Even now, then, there is a need for the answer about which the Mother of God spoke to the children at Fatima.”
-Pope Benedict XVI

The 100th Year Anniversary of “The Day the Sun Danced” at Fatima – a reflection and teaching by Msgr. Esseff

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on the 100th year of last appearance of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal…the day the sun danced!

For a free Mp3 audio of all 4 mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary visit here

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA. Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to St. Mother Teresa. 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 St. Pope 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.

Israel, His Servant – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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“[T]he Church of Christ discovers her ‘bond’ with Judaism by ‘searching into her own mystery.’ The Jewish religion is not ‘extrinsic’ to us, but in a certain way is ‘intrinsic’ to our own religion. With Judaism, therefore, we have a relationship which we do not have with any other religion. You are our dearly beloved brothers and, in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers. (Pope John Paul II at the Great Synagogue of Rome, April 13, 1986).

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

The Three Israels

Israel #1 – Jacob

Genesis 32:22-32, The angel of the Lord changes Jacob’s name to Israel
Genesis 25-33, Jacob’s story, personification of the nation

Israel #2 – The Jewish Nation

Genesis 49, the twelve tribes of Israel
history of the nation
Matthew 24, the “end of the world” as they knew it at the destruction of the Jewish temple (the center and symbol of Jewish life) in 70 AD
Romans 11, restoration at the end

Israel #3 – The People of God

John 8: , Abraham’s children
Romans 2:28, 29, For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Revelation 19:8, 21:9-10, the Church, the “New Israel” and “New Jerusalem”
every author of every book of Scripture, except Luke, was Jewish

EPISODE RESOURCES

I Wrestled with God and Won article on Jacob’s confrontation with God at the Jabbok river

Discussion of the significance of Esau selling his birthright is located in chapter three of Unleashed.

CCC 877, In fact, from the beginning of his ministry, the Lord Jesus instituted the Twelve as “the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy.”

LOVE the Word(TM) is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice. This week’s LOVE the Word(TM) exercise is based on a Franciscan* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Receive the Word)

“Jesus said to her…’We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews’” (Joh 4:22).

Observe (Connect the passage to recent events.)

Find a local synagogue and attend a Sabbath (Shabbat) service, or watch this video. Observe the similarities and differences between what constitutes Sabbath practice for the Jewish people, and what your Sunday liturgy, worship and practice look like. Imagine Jesus observing Sabbath like this!

Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)

Remembering that Mary and Joseph, Jesus, and the apostles were all Jewish, pray for the Jewish people, your “elder brothers” in faith. Offer your thoughts and feelings to God.

Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)

Lord Jesus, let Your prayer of unity for Christians become a reality, in Your way. We pray and long for the day when we are one as You and the Father are one. Help us know when and how to cooperate in that unity. Amen
.

BTP-WP4 A broad overview of first 18 chapters – The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila – Beginning to Pray w/Dr. Anthony Lilles

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Dr. Lilles reviews teachings on poverty, humility, and, in particular, friendship, which are all found in a broad overview of the first 18 chapters of “The Way of Perfection.” We also discuss the value of the virtues and the importance of the “good example” in St. Teresa’s writings. All of this will be essential to her foundational teachings on contemplative prayer.

For the audio recordings of St. Teresa’s “The Way of Perfection” you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics audio page

For other episodes in the series visit
The Discerning Hearts “The Way of Perfection with Dr. Anthony Lilles”s

FG#12 The Way of Trust and Love episode 1 – Fountains of Grace with Donna Garrett

FG#12 – The Way of Trust and Love Ep 1 – Fountains of Grace: Reflections on contemporary spiritual classics with Donna Garrett

Join host Donna Garrett, with Fr. James Perez, LC, as they discuss the spiritual classic “The Way of Trust and Love: A Retreat Guided By St. Therese of Lisieux” by Fr. Jacques Philippe.

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Discussed in this episode, among other topics, from “The Way of Trust and Love” page 9

This is what Thérèse said:

Fr. James Perez, LC, joins Donna for this series

You know, Mother, that I have always desired to be a saint, but alas, I have always realized, when I compared myself to the saints, that there is between them and me the same difference as exists between a mountain whose summit is lost in the skies, and the obscure grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of getting discouraged, I said to myself: “God could not inspire us with desires that were unrealizable, so despite my littleness I can aspire to holiness. It is impossible for me to grow up, I must put up with myself as I am , with all my imperfections; but I want to find how to get to Heaven by a little way that is quite straight, quite short: a completely new little way. We are in an age of inventions; now one doesn’t have to make the effort to climb up a stairway in rich people’s houses, because an elevator does the work much better. I too would like to find an elevator to lift me up to Jesus, for I am too little to climb up the steep stairway of perfection.” Then I looked in the holy books for some sign of the elevator that I desired, and I read these words that had come forth from the mouth of Eternal Wisdom: “Whoever is VERY LITTLE let him come to me” [Proverbs 9: 4]. So I came, guessing that I had found what I sought. Wishing to know, O my God, what you would do for a little child who answered your call, I continued my search and this is what I found: “As a mother caresses her baby, so I will comfort you; I will carry you at my breast and rock you in my lap” [Isaiah 66: 13, 12]. Ah! never had such tender, melodious words come to rejoice my soul; the elevator that would lift me up to Heaven is your arms, O Jesus! To reach perfection, I do not need to grow up. On the contrary, I need to stay little, to become more and more little. O my God, you have surpassed my expectations, and I wish to sing of your mercies.For other episodes in the this series click here “Fountains of Grace w/Donna Garrett“

You can find “The Way of Trust and Love” here

The Novena to St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is authored by Dr. Anthony Lilles S.T.D.

For the audio recordings of St. Teresa’s “The Way of Perfection” you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics audio page

For other episodes in the series visit The Discerning Hearts “The Way of Perfection with Dr. Anthony Lilles”s

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

EPISODE RESOURCES

LOVE the Word(TM) is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice. This week’s LOVE the Word(TM) exercise is based on an Thomistic* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

EPISODE RESOURCES

LOVE the Word(TM) is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice. This week’s LOVE the Word(TM) exercise is based on a Franciscan* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

For other episodes in the series visit
The Discerning Hearts “The Way of Perfection with Dr. Anthony Lilles”s