Seek—Cry out to God to save you. Realize what it means to say that God is your Savior. Frequently call to mind all that you need to be saved from and have recourse to God who alone can save you.
Knock—Meditate on Romans 13:12–14.
Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Paul uses the image of armor that we wear, either of darkness or light. Much of what he terms the deeds of darkness are acts that typically happen at nightfall or in the secret of one’s heart—they are acts that take place when we hide them from God and others. Reflect on how putting on armor of light and bringing all of your cares before God will change the way you see them.
Transform Your Life—Believe and trust in Jesus at all times. Do not allow the enemy to have a foothold into your life. Make “Hosanna, save us, Lord” the prayer that is constantly on your lips.
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.
A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Day 40: “The Road of the Cross, The Way of Love”
Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)
Mark 11:1–10
When they were approaching Jerusalem, in sight of Bethphage and Bethany, close by the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go off to the village facing you, and as soon as you enter it you will find a tethered colt that no one has yet ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘The Master needs it and will send it back here directly.'”
They went off and found a colt tethered near a door in the open street. As they untied it, some men standing there said, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They gave the answer Jesus had told them, and the men let them go. Then they took the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on its back, and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, others greenery they had cut in the fields. And those who went in front and those who followed were all shouting, “Hosanna! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heavens!”
Reflection:
We have arrived. This is the threshold of Holy Week—the most sacred time of the Church year. It is a culmination not just of the liturgical journey but of the inner pilgrimage we’ve taken through Lent. Prayer, fasting, repentance, surrender—none of it was for its own sake. It has all pointed toward this week, where Love reveals its fullness on the Cross.
Palm Sunday is a paradox. The people cry out with joy, welcoming Jesus with palm branches and hosannas. Yet we know the story turns quickly. The same voices that bless Him will call for His crucifixion. This tension is not just historical—it is personal. It reminds us that in our own hearts, we too swing between praise and resistance. Between surrender and fear. Between trust and control.
And yet, Christ enters anyway. He rides not on a war horse but on a donkey, a symbol of humility. He does not come to conquer by force, but to save through self-giving love.
This week we walk with Him—through the Upper Room, into Gethsemane, before the Sanhedrin, up the hill of Golgotha, and finally to the silence of the tomb. But we do not walk alone. We walk as a Church. We walk as people who have prayed, repented, struggled, and hoped. We walk with hearts that have been softened through the desert, ready now to enter the Passion.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote:
“The Cross is the school of love. It is there we learn to love, not in word or feeling only, but in the laying down of self.”
This is what Lent has prepared us for. To gaze upon the Cross not as a symbol of defeat, but of the deepest victory. To allow it to speak to our wounds, our questions, and our hopes. To find ourselves there—not as spectators, but as those Christ carried with Him.
The Desert Father Abba Theodore said:
“If you are not yet able to carry your cross, weep before the Lord. He will lift it with you.”
This is not a week to rush through. It is a week to dwell in. To let the Scriptures penetrate. To let silence stretch. To revisit the Sacraments. To stay close to the Blessed Mother, who walked every step with her Son. To let Jesus show us how far Love will go.
We do not end at the Cross—but we must go through it. Resurrection is coming, but it is only understood in the light of the Passion. If you’ve struggled this Lent, if you feel like you haven’t done enough—take heart. This is the hour of grace. Begin again now. Be with Him now.
As the Church sings: Christ became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him.(cf. Philippians 2:8–9)
Reflection Questions:
How has your heart changed through this Lenten journey?
What part of Jesus’ Passion are you being invited to enter more deeply this week?
How can you live this Holy Week with greater intentionality—prayer, silence, reconciliation, service?
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as You entered Jerusalem, You knew what awaited You—and still You came. You embraced the Cross to bring me life. Open my heart to walk with You this Holy Week. Let every step draw me closer to Your heart. Give me the grace to stay near to You in suffering, in silence, and in love. May the Cross become my home, and the Resurrection my hope. Amen.
This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.
Palm Sunday – 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 of Luke 19:28-40
Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany,
at the mount that is called Olivet,
he sent two disciples,
saying, ‘Go into the village opposite,
where on entering you will find a colt tied,
on which no one has ever yet sat;
untie it and bring it here.
If any one asks you,
“Why are you untying it?”
you shall say this,
“The Lord has need of it.”’
So those who were sent
went away and found it as he had told them.
And as they were untying the colt,
its owners said to them,
‘Why are you untying the colt?’
And they said,
‘The Lord has need of it.’
And they brought it to Jesus,
and throwing their garments on the colt
they set Jesus upon it.
And as he rode along,
they spread their garments on the road.
As he was drawing near,
at the descent of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of the disciples
began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice
for all the mighty works that they had seen,
saying,
‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’
And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him,
‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’
He answered,
‘I tell you, if these were silent,
the very stones would cry out.’
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 went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany,
at the mount that is called Olivet,
he sent two disciples,
saying, ‘Go into the village opposite,
where on entering you will find a colt tied,
on which no one has ever yet sat;
untie it and bring it here.
If any one asks you,
“Why are you untying it?”
you shall say this,
“The Lord has need of it.”’
So those who were sent
went away and found it as he had told them.
And as they were untying the colt,
its owners said to them,
‘Why are you untying the colt?’
And they said,
‘The Lord has need of it.’
And they brought it to Jesus,
and throwing their garments on the colt
they set Jesus upon it.
And as he rode along,
they spread their garments on the road.
As he was drawing near,
at the descent of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of the disciples
began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice
for all the mighty works that they had seen,
saying,
‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’
And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him,
‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’
He answered,
‘I tell you, if these were silent,
the very stones would cry out.’
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 went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany,
at the mount that is called Olivet,
he sent two disciples,
saying, ‘Go into the village opposite,
where on entering you will find a colt tied,
on which no one has ever yet sat;
untie it and bring it here.
If any one asks you,
“Why are you untying it?”
you shall say this,
“The Lord has need of it.”’
So those who were sent
went away and found it as he had told them.
And as they were untying the colt,
its owners said to them,
‘Why are you untying the colt?’
And they said,
‘The Lord has need of it.’
And they brought it to Jesus,
and throwing their garments on the colt
they set Jesus upon it.
And as he rode along,
they spread their garments on the road.
As he was drawing near,
at the descent of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of the disciples
began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice
for all the mighty works that they had seen,
saying,
‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’
And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him,
‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’
He answered,
‘I tell you, if these were silent,
the very stones would cry out.’
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.
Seek——Focus on the crucified Christ as you meet him throughout the day. Stand up for your brother or sister, always appealing to the brother or sister who might seek to harm him or her.
Knock—Meditate on Micah 2:12–13.
I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. He who opens the breach will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the LORD at their head.
Micah prophesies that the Lord will lead his sheep out of their captivity. In the violent journey of Christ out of the walled city of Jerusalem, we see a literal fulfillment of this prophecy. Are you one of the followers of Jesus on his way of the cross?
Transform Your Life—Realize that you are a child of God, reborn in Baptism when you shared in the death and resurrection
of Jesus. Live out your Baptism, dying to yourself whenever you find yourself tempted to be a child of something other than
the one true God.
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.
A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Day 39: Hope in the Midst of Opposition
Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)
John 11:45–56
Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. “Here is this man working all these signs,” they said, “and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the Holy Place and our nation.”
One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, “You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”
He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation—and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God. From that day they were determined to kill him.
So Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but left the district for a town called Ephraim, in the country bordering on the desert, and stayed there with his disciples.
The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, “What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?”
Reflection:
Today’s Gospel sits in the shadow of the raising of Lazarus. That incredible sign of life was not welcomed by all. For some, it was a moment of conversion; for others, it was a threat. The decision is made: Jesus must be stopped. We now move closer to the Passion.
This passage confronts us with a truth we often feel: Jesus did not run from this reality. Instead, He stayed rooted in His mission, moving forward with trust in the Father.
It is here that we must remember: our call is not to success or approval, but to faithfulness. And faithfulness will at times mean walking through suffering, uncertainty, or even loneliness. But we are never alone. The Father is at work, even in hiddenness.
St. John Cassian, drawing from the wisdom of the desert, wrote:
“The endurance of trials for the sake of virtue produces the strongest hope.”
(Conferences, X.6)
Hope is born not in ease, but in the fire of perseverance. It grows in those moments when we choose to stay with Christ, even when the way is unclear or difficult. Hope is remembering that God indeed keeps His promises—and that He is bigger than our circumstances. Lent brings us to this place of decision: Will we stay close to Jesus even when the way becomes narrow? Will we trust the slow, quiet work of God even when the cost feels high?
Sometimes the opposition we face is not from others, but within ourselves: doubt, fear, or spiritual fatigue. These too are places where grace can meet us, where prayer becomes our anchor. If you feel weary, spend time today in quiet before the Lord. Ask for the grace of endurance, and the gift of hope.
The “Jesus, You Take Over” prayer—also known as the Surrender Prayer—by Servant of God Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo, found on Discerning Hearts, is a powerful reminder to release our anxieties and concerns in trust to Jesus. We are not asked to carry the weight of the world, but to entrust it to the One who already bears it for us.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church, offers us a word of clarity and perspective:
“The world’s thy ship and not thy home.”
(Letter 102 to Céline)
Her simple but profound reminder re-centers us when the seas grow rough. Lent is not a time to prove our strength, but to rest more deeply in the strength of Christ, who leads us to the safe harbor of the Father.
Reflection Questions:
What challenges or opposition do you face as you follow Christ?
Are there places of hidden fear or resistance that you can bring to the Lord today?
How can you ask for the grace to be faithful, even when it is costly?
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as You faced rejection, You remained faithful. Help us to walk in that same trust. When we are afraid, strengthen our hearts. When we are tired, renew our hope. Teach us to remain close to You, even in the face of opposition, and to always remember that Your love has already conquered all.
Amen.
This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.
5th Saturday of Lent – 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 of John 11:45-56
Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. ‘Here is this man working all these signs’ they said ‘and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the Holy Place and our nation.’ One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, ‘You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.’ He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God. From that day they were determined to kill him. So Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but left the district for a town called Ephraim, in the country bordering on the desert, and stayed there with his disciples.
The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, ‘What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?’
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:
Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. ‘Here is this man working all these signs’ they said ‘and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the Holy Place and our nation.’ One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, ‘You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.’ He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God. From that day they were determined to kill him. So Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but left the district for a town called Ephraim, in the country bordering on the desert, and stayed there with his disciples.
The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, ‘What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?’
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:
Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. ‘Here is this man working all these signs’ they said ‘and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the Holy Place and our nation.’ One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, ‘You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.’ He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God. From that day they were determined to kill him. So Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but left the district for a town called Ephraim, in the country bordering on the desert, and stayed there with his disciples.
The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, ‘What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?’
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.
Dr. Robert D. Enright – Forgiving as Unity with Christ on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Dr. Robert Enright speaks with Kris McGregor about his book Forgiving as Unity with Christ: A Journey for Healing, Resentment, and Relationships. He shares how an epiphany in 1985 redirected his academic career toward the study of forgiveness, which had previously been neglected in psychological research. Forgiveness, as a moral virtue, can transform the heart by healing the effects of injustice such as anger, resentment, and mistrust. Drawing from Aristotle and Aquinas, forgiveness does not excuse wrongdoing, demand forgetfulness, require reconciliation, or negate the pursuit of justice. Rather, it involves offering goodness to one who has acted unfairly, allowing a person to reclaim peace and dignity while also maintaining boundaries and seeking fairness where needed.
Dr. Enright outlines forgiveness as a deliberate, grace-filled path that must often be walked slowly, with self-awareness and even journaling. He discusses its spiritual dimensions, particularly its unity with Christ’s suffering and love on the cross, which brings healing not only to the individual but potentially to the offender and their relationship. He touches on the need for forgiveness education, especially within Catholic contexts, to help children and adults alike cope with life’s inevitable wounds. Dr. Enright also speaks on self-forgiveness, highlighting its importance in embracing one’s worth before God, especially through confession and sincere restitution. His research in diverse settings—from survivors of incest to prison inmates—demonstrates the transformative power of forgiveness on emotional, relational, and even physical well-being.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
How does unhealed resentment affect your relationship with God and others?
In what areas of your life might God be inviting you to forgive, even if the other person hasn’t repented?
How can uniting your suffering with Christ on the cross transform your experience of injustice?
Are there ways you’ve misunderstood forgiveness—as excusing, forgetting, or reconciling—that need to be corrected?
How might your pursuit of justice be more Christ-like if it flows from a forgiving heart?
Who in your life do you need to forgive not just for their sake, but for your own healing and freedom?
How do you see the Sacrament of Reconciliation supporting both seeking and offering forgiveness?
What role does prayer and grace play in your ability to forgive someone who deeply wounded you?
How can cultivating forgiveness in your family or community reflect the mercy of Christ more fully?
In what ways have you struggled with self-forgiveness, and how can God’s mercy reshape your self-understanding?
From the book’s description:
Dr. Robert D. Enright, founder of the International Forgiveness Institute, invites you to travel with him down the road from alienation to forgiveness to possible reconciliation. His cathartic exercises will enliven your relationship with Jesus and provide a healing balm that will deepen your empathy and dispose you to forgiving others.
Similar to The Imitation of Christ, this work is divided into three books comprising short chapters with brief points to consider. The first book lays out forgiveness in general and includes biblical stories of forgiveness; the second approaches forgiveness from the Catholic perspective, including loving others through our intimate connection with Christ and seeking forgiveness ourselves; the third discusses skeptical views of forgiveness as well as self-forgiveness, forgiveness within communities, and what legacy you will leave behind.
These powerful exercises will help you understand what forgiveness actually is and why it is beneficial, including scientific studies of those who were suffering physically, psychologically, or emotionally and experienced healing.
You will learn answers to soul-searching questions and discover:
How to embrace your littleness with the humility of a beloved child of God
The Process Model of Forgiveness to aid you in becoming “forgivingly fit”
Seven forgiveness lessons in the Old Testament story of Joseph and his brothers
The three Rs that help complete the triangle of forgiveness and rebuild trust
Seven aspects of “forgiveness as redemptive suffering”
The importance of forgiveness in God’s design for our peace and joy
As you contemplate God’s love for you in these extraordinary pages, you will grow deeper in your faith through journaling prompts and transformative meditations, including penetrating questions to guide you on your path to freedom. The book has been given an imprimatur by Bishop Donald Hying of the Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Enright is a member of the Catholic Church. He is a licensed psychologist and the founder of the International Forgiveness Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating knowledge about forgiveness and community renewal through forgiveness. In 2020, he was awarded the Aristotelian Professorship in Forgiveness Science in the Department of Educational Psychology at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the first to publish a scientific study on the topic of person-to-person forgiving (1989). He is a popular speaker on forgiveness, and his work has appeared in such outlets as Time magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune and on ABC’s 20/20. His International Forgiveness Institute organized the Jerusalem Conference on Forgiveness for the Renewal of Individuals, Families, and Communities at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, 2017; the Rome Conference on Forgiveness at the University of Santa Croce, 2018; and the International Educational Conference on Agape Love and Forgiveness in Madison, Wisconsin, 2022. For his innovative research on forgiveness, he received in 2022 what the American Psychological Association calls “psychology’s highest awards:” the APF Gold Medal Award for Impact in Psychology..
The Cross of Christ Restores. . .The Dignity of Work
Steps to Take as You Follow Christ
Ask—Am I doing what God wants me to do?
Seek—To pray, to put God first in all things, in every aspect of your life. Ask God to bless your home and your work, making all that you do fruitful.
Knock—Meditate on Genesis 2:2–3.
And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done. (. . . )So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.
How do you rest from your work? How do you sanctify the Sabbath in your life? Do you trust enough in God’s providence to take a day off? Spend some time reflecting on Jesus’ Sabbath rest on Holy Saturday and what it could mean for you.
Transform Your Life—Allow the cross of Christ to restore the dignity of your work. This may not involve leaving behind your job, even if you took that job for the wrong reasons. God can transform anything into good. So what matters is what your motivation is in your work: are you building up the kingdom of God or are you trying to build your own kingdom?
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.
A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Day 38: In the Father’s Hands
Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)
John 10:31–42
The Jews fetched stones to stone Him, so Jesus said to them, “I have done many good works for you to see, works from My Father; for which of these are you stoning Me?” The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for doing a good work, but for blasphemy: You are only a man and You claim to be God.”
Jesus answered: “Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods? So the Law uses the word ‘gods’ of those to whom the word of God was addressed, and scripture cannot be rejected. Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because He says, ‘I am the Son of God.’ If I am not doing My Father’s work, there is no need to believe Me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in Me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for sure that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.”
They tried to arrest Him then, but He eluded them. He went back again to the far side of the Jordan, to the district where John had once been baptizing, and He stayed there. Many people who came to Him said, “John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true,” and many of them believed in Him.
Reflection:
As we near the end of Lent, the tension in the Gospel rises. Jesus is no longer met with curiosity but with hostility. His words are not misunderstood—they are rejected. Still, He does not retreat in fear. He rests in the truth of who He is and remains faithful to the will of the Father.
This moment invites us to consider the cost of fidelity. When we strive to follow Christ in a world that may not understand or accept us, we too may experience opposition, confusion, or silence. But these are not signs of failure. Often, they are moments of deep purification—invitations to trust more completely in the Father, just as Jesus does.
What sustained Jesus was not popularity or ease. It was union. “The Father is in Me and I am in the Father.” This is the heart of our journey, too. Lent is not about performance. It is about deeper intimacy with the God who has consecrated and sent us into the world with a mission of love. And sometimes, faithfulness means walking forward even when we do not see the fruit.
But that doesn’t make the road easy. Many of us wrestle with fears or pressure—from relationships, from work, or from the weight of our own expectations. In those moments, we need companions. The Church encourages us to seek wise counsel: a spiritual friend, a confessor, a priest or religious who can help us remember who we are and who we belong to. We are not alone.
The Desert Father Evagrius Ponticus wrote:
“When the mind is stripped, and empty of thoughts, then it can enter into the depths where Christ dwells.” (Chapters on Prayer, 67)
It is in stillness that we begin to recognize the voice of the Father and rest in His care. Let us not fear the places of quiet where we feel unseen or unrecognized. It may be there that Christ draws us into His own hidden life of love.
St. Teresa of Calcutta, who knew well the silence of God, reminds us:
“God has not called me to be successful. He has called me to be faithful.”
Today, let us walk with Jesus in trust. Even when misunderstood or rejected, we are in the Father’s hands. That is where our peace lies.
Reflection Questions:
Are there places in your life where you are experiencing resistance or misunderstanding in your faith journey?
How can you deepen your trust in the Father, even when His presence feels hidden?
Who might you turn to for support and wise counsel in your spiritual walk?
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You were not afraid to speak truth, even when it brought rejection. You stayed faithful because You knew the love of the Father. Teach me to trust in that same love. Help me not to be discouraged by the misunderstandings or struggles I face. Let me rest in Your presence and draw strength from the knowledge that I am never alone.
Amen.
This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.
5th Friday of Lent – 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 of John 10:31-42
The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered:
‘Is it not written in your Law:
I said, you are gods?
So the Law uses the word gods
of those to whom the word of God was addressed,
and scripture cannot be rejected.
Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world,
“You are blaspheming,”
because he says, “I am the son of God.”
If I am not doing my Father’s work,
there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it,
then even if you refuse to believe in me,
at least believe in the work I do;
then you will know for sure
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in 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:
The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered:
‘Is it not written in your Law:
I said, you are gods?
So the Law uses the word gods
of those to whom the word of God was addressed,
and scripture cannot be rejected.
Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world,
“You are blaspheming,”
because he says, “I am the son of God.”
If I am not doing my Father’s work,
there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it,
then even if you refuse to believe in me,
at least believe in the work I do;
then you will know for sure
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in 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:
The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered:
‘Is it not written in your Law:
I said, you are gods?
So the Law uses the word gods
of those to whom the word of God was addressed,
and scripture cannot be rejected.
Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world,
“You are blaspheming,”
because he says, “I am the son of God.”
If I am not doing my Father’s work,
there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it,
then even if you refuse to believe in me,
at least believe in the work I do;
then you will know for sure
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in 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.
Steps to Take as You Follow Christ
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Palm Sunday – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Steps to Take as You Follow Christ
5th Saturday of Lent – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
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5th Friday of Lent – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast