Ep 5 – The 6th and 7th Shewing – All Shall Be Well w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Episode 5: The Sixth and Seventh Shewings — Divine Reward and the Mystery of Consolation

Summary:

In Episode 5, we explore Julian of Norwich’s Sixth and Seventh Shewings, where she is shown the eternal joy that awaits those who serve God in love, and the mysterious rhythm of spiritual consolation and desolation. Julian reveals that no act of agape love is forgotten, and even our hidden sacrifices are honored by the Lord with lasting joy. She also experiences the rise and fall of spiritual feelings, learning that God remains constant in both peace and pain. Her revelations echo truths later taught by St. Ignatius of Loyola: that spiritual desolation, while permitted, is never without purpose. Through it all, Julian teaches us to remain rooted in God’s unchanging love—trusting that His presence holds us through every joy and trial.

For other episodes in this series visit: All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 5:

From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters XIV-XV, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).

The Sixth Shewing — The Reward for Willing Service

“After this our good Lord said: I thank thee for thy travail, and especially for thy youth. And in this [Shewing] mine understanding was lifted up into Heaven where I saw our Lord as a lord in his own house, which hath called all his dearworthy servants and friends to a stately feast. Then I saw the Lord take no place in His own house, but I saw Him royally reign in His house, fulfilling it with joy and mirth, Himself endlessly to gladden and to solace His dearworthy friends, full homely and full courteously, with marvellous melody of endless love, in His own fair blessed Countenance. Which glorious Countenance of the Godhead fulfilleth the Heavens with joy and bliss.” (Ch. 14)

“God shewed three degrees of bliss that every soul shall have in Heaven that willingly hath served God in any degree in earth. The first is the worshipful thanks of our Lord God that he shall receive when he is delivered of pain. This thanking is so high and so worshipful that the soul thinketh it filleth him though there were no more. For methought that all the pain and travail that might be suffered by all living men might not deserve the worshipful thanks that one man shall have that willingly hath served God. The second is that all the blessed creatures that are in Heaven shall see that worshipful thanking, and He maketh his service known to all that are in Heaven… The third is, that as new and as gladdening as it is received in that time, right so shall it last without end.” (Ch. 14)

“And I saw that homely and sweetly was this shewed, and that the age of every man shall be [made] known in Heaven, and [he] shall be rewarded for his willing service and for his time. And specially the age of them that willingly and freely offer their youth unto God, passingly is rewarded and wonderfully is thanked.

For I saw that whene’er what time a man or woman is truly turned to God,—for one day’s service and for his endless will he shall have all these three degrees of bliss. And the more the loving soul seeth this courtesy of God, the liefer he is to serve him all the days of his life.” (Ch. 14)

The Seventh Shewing — The Trial of Consolation and Desolation

“AND after this He shewed a sovereign ghostly pleasance in my soul. I was fulfilled with the everlasting sureness, mightily sustained without any painful dread. This feeling was so glad and so ghostly that I was in all peace and in rest, that there was nothing in earth that should have grieved me.

This lasted but a while, and I was turned and left to myself in heaviness, and weariness of my life, and irksomeness of myself, that scarcely I could have patience to live. There was no comfort nor none ease to me but faith, hope, and charity; and these I had in truth, but little in feeling.” (Ch. 15)

“And anon after this our blessed Lord gave me again the comfort and the rest in soul, in satisfying and sureness so blissful and so mighty that no dread, no sorrow, no pain bodily that might be suffered should have distressed me. And then the pain shewed again to my feeling, and then the joy and the pleasing, and now that one, and now that other, divers times—I suppose about twenty times. And in the time of joy I might have said with Saint Paul: Nothing shall dispart me from the charity of Christ; and in the pain I might have said with Peter: Lord, save me: I perish!” (Ch. 15)

The Seventh Shewing — Consolation and Desolation in One Love

“This Vision was shewed me, according to mine understanding, [for] that it is speedful to some souls to feel on this wise: sometime to be in comfort, and sometime to fail and to be left to themselves. God willeth that we know that He keepeth us even alike secure in woe and in weal. And for profit of man’s soul, a man is sometime left to himself; although sin is not always the cause: for in this time I sinned not wherefore I should be left to myself—for it was so sudden. Also I deserved not to have this blessed feeling. But freely our Lord giveth when He will; and suffereth us [to be] in woe sometime. And both is one love.” (Ch. 15)

“For it is God’s will that we hold us in comfort with all our might: for bliss is lasting without end, and pain is passing and shall be brought to nought for them that shall be saved. And therefore it is not God’s will that we follow the feelings of pain in sorrow and mourning for them, but that we suddenly pass over, and hold us in endless enjoyment.” (Ch. 15)

Scripture Featured

(Translations used: Revised Standard Version [RSV] )

(Romans 8:35, RSV)

“Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ.”

(Matthew 14:30, RSV)

“..he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.””

Catechism of the Catholic Church

“In the battle of prayer, we must face in ourselves and around us erroneous notions of prayer. Some people view prayer as a simple psychological activity, others as an effort of concentration to reach a mental void. Still others reduce prayer to ritual words and postures. Many Christians unconsciously regard prayer as an occupation that is incompatible with all the other things they have to do: they ‘don’t have the time.’ Those who seek God by prayer are quickly discouraged because they do not know that prayer comes also from the Holy Spirit and not from themselves alone.” (CCC 2726)

“Spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ. This union is called ‘mystical’ because it participates in the mystery of Christ through the sacraments… God calls us all to this intimate union with Him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life are granted only to some” (CCC 2014).

“We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God… in every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere to the end” (CCC 1821).

“By His death, Christ liberates us from sin; by His Resurrection, He opens the way to new life” (CCC 654).

Reflection Questions for Prayer

Have I experienced spiritual consolation and desolation? How might I hold fast to Christ in both?
In what ways is God inviting me to offer my love—even in small, hidden ways?
When I feel discouraged or alone, can I still believe that God is holding me just as securely?

Closing Prayer (inspired by the Sixth and Seventh Shewings)

O Lord of unchanging love,
In joy and in sorrow, You are near.
You see the gifts we offer in secret—
And You remember them with delight.

When we are weary, hold us.
When we are restless, steady us.
When we are afraid, remind us that You are still with us.

Wrap us in Your homely loving,
Clothe us in the mercy that does not fade,
And teach us to trust that
Even now, in the shadows,
You are leading all things into joy.

Amen.

Ep 4 – The 4th and 5th Shewing – All Shall Be Well w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Episode 4: The Fourth and Fifth Shewings — Blood, Mercy, and the Triumph of Christ

Summary:
In this episode we enter the Fourth and Fifth Shewings, where Julian beholds the Precious Blood of Christ poured out in love, not horror, and is wrapped in His “homely loving”—an intimate mercy that does not recoil from sin but encloses it. She sees how Christ’s Passion overcomes the enemy, not by force but through unfathomable love, turning even the devil’s malice into the joy of the saved. With vivid tenderness and deep theological insight, Julian invites us to find refuge in the Blood of Christ, rejoice in His victory, and rest in the truth that all shall be well.

For other episodes in this series visit: All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 4:

From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters XII-XIII, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).

The Fourth Shewing – Christ’s Homely Loving and the Meaning of Sin

“For in that same time that I saw this bodily sight, our Lord shewed me a spiritual sight of His homely loving. I saw that He is to us everything that is good and comfortable to our help. He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all encloseth us, for tender love.” (Ch. XII)

The Precious and Plenteous Blood of Christ

“And after this I saw, beholding, the body plenteously bleeding in seeming of the Scourging, as thus:—The fair skin was broken full deep into the tender flesh with sharp smiting all about the sweet body. So plenteously the hot blood ran out that there was neither seen skin nor wound, but as it were all blood…” (Ch. XII)

“The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as verily as it is most precious, so verily it is most plenteous. Behold and see! The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood descended down into Hell and burst her bands and delivered all that were there which belonged to the Court of Heaven. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood overfloweth all Earth, and is ready to wash all creatures of sin, which be of goodwill, have been, and shall be. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood ascended up into Heaven to the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and there is in Him, bleeding and praying for us to the Father,—and is, and shall be as long as it needeth;—and ever shall be as long as it needeth. And evermore it floweth in all Heavens enjoying the salvation of all mankind.” (Ch. XII)

The Fifth Shewing – The Passion Overcomes the Fiend

“After this, ere God shewed any words, He suffered me for a convenient time to give heed unto Him and all that I had seen, and all intellect that was therein, as the simplicity of the soul might take it. Then He, without voice and opening of lips, formed in my soul these words: ‘Herewith is the Fiend overcome.’ These words said our Lord, meaning His blessed Passion as He shewed it afore.” (Ch. XIII)

“On this shewed our Lord that the Passion of Him is the overcoming of the Fiend. God shewed that the Fiend hath now the same malice that he had afore the Incarnation. And as sore he travaileth, and as continually he seeth that all souls of salvation escape him, worshipfully, by the virtue of Christ’s precious Passion. And that is his sorrow, and full evil is he ashamed: for all that God suffereth him to do turneth [for] us to joy and [for] him to shame and woe. And he hath as much sorrow when God giveth him leave to work, as when he worketh not: and that is for that he may never do as ill as he would: for his might is all taken into God’s hand.” (Ch. XIII)

But in God there may be no wrath, as to my sight: for our good Lord endlessly hath regard to His own worship and to the profit of all that shall be saved. With might and right He withstandeth the Reproved… Also I saw our Lord scorn his malice and set at nought his unmight; and He willeth that we do so. For this sight I laughed mightily, and that made them to laugh that were about me… I thought that I would that all mine even-Christians had seen as I saw, and then would they all laugh with me.” (Ch. XIII)

“But I saw not Christ laugh. For I understood that we may laugh in comforting of ourselves and joying in God for that the devil is overcome. And when I saw Him scorn his malice, it was by leading of mine understanding into our Lord: that is to say, it was an inward shewing of verity, without changing of look.”(Ch. XIII)

“I see three things: I see game, in that the Fiend is overcome; I see scorn, in that God scorneth him, and he shall be scorned; and I see earnest, in that he is overcome by the blissful Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ that was done in full earnest and with sober travail.” (Ch. XIII)

When I said, he is scorned,—I meant that God scorneth him, that is to say, because He seeth him now as he shall do without end. For in this [word] God shewed that the Fiend is condemned. And this meant I when I said: he shall be scorned: [he shall be scorned] at Doomsday, generally of all that shall be saved, to whose consolation he hath great ill-will.44 For then he shall see that all the woe and tribulation that he hath done to them shall be turned to increase of their joy, without end; and all the pain and tribulation that he would have brought them to shall endlessly go with him to hell.(Chap XIII)

Scripture Featured

(Translations used: Revised Standard Version [RSV] )

(Rom 13:14, RSV)

“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ”

(Psalms 91:4, RSV)

“He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge”

(1 Tim 2:4, RSV)

“[God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”

(Rom 5:20, RSV)

“Grace abounded all the more”

(Rom 8:28, RSV)

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him.”

(Rom 2:4, RSV)

“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church

“By his Passion and death on the Cross, Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion” (CCC 1505).

“The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross and applies its fruit.” (CCC 1366).

“God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end” (CCC 1037).

“The desire for God is written in the human heart… and God never ceases to draw man to Himself” (CCC 27).

“Nothing occurs that God cannot turn toward the good.”
(CCC 312)

“By his death he has conquered death, and so opened the possibility of salvation to all men.”

(CCC 634)

“The Last Judgment will reveal…the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation and understand the marvelous ways by which His Providence led everything towards its final end.” (CCC 1040)

Reflection Questions for Prayer

How do you experience Christ’s “homely loving” in the midst of your own struggles?
What does it mean for you to trust that the Precious Blood of Christ still flows for you?
Can you find joy in the truth that evil has already been overcome by the Passion of Christ?

Closing Prayer (inspired by the Fourth and Fifth Shewings)

Lord Jesus Christ,
You bled for love and suffered for our salvation.
You have overcome the darkness and crushed the enemy beneath Your feet.
Wrap us now in Your homely loving—
Draw near to our wounds with Your Precious Blood.
Fill our hearts with joy in Your triumph.
And help us never forget that in Your Passion, all things are made new.
Amen.

Pope Leo XIV and the Path Forward, Pt. 1 – In Conversation with Dcn. Omar Gutierrez – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Pope Leo XIV and the Path Forward, Pt. 1 – In Conversation with Deacon Omar Gutierrez

Kris McGregor and Deacon Omar Gutierrez discuss the significance of the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, reflecting on the profound impact of his surprising selection. They discuss the connection between this new pope and his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, known for his foundational contributions to Catholic social teaching and spiritual devotion, including the Saint Michael prayer. This connection is seen as a powerful symbol of continuity and hope, emphasizing the unifying power of the Holy Spirit during times of change.

They also touch on the cultural and spiritual roots of the new pope, including his upbringing in Chicago and deep ties to Peru, which many see as a bridge-building moment for the Americas, with hopeful anticipation for how Pope Leo XIV will engage with contemporary challenges, reflecting the Church’s enduring mission to speak truth to a fragmented world.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How can the surprising election of Pope Leo XIV inspire us to trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit in unexpected moments?
In what ways can the legacy of Pope Leo XIII’s social teachings influence how we live our faith today?
How might the deep cultural and spiritual connections of a leader shape their approach to serving the global Church?
What can we learn from the humility and spiritual roots of the Augustinian tradition that Pope Leo XIV embodies?
How does reflecting on moments of grace and hope, like this papal election, strengthen our faith during challenging times?
In what ways can we contribute to unity and communion within our own communities, as highlighted by the new pope’s early messages?
How does the example of Pope Leo XIV encourage us to engage with the world as a witness to Christ’s light and truth?
Why is it important to remember that each pope brings unique gifts and perspectives to the Church, guided by the same Holy Spirit?
How can we cultivate a deeper sense of trust in God’s providence, even when the future feels uncertain?
What role does spiritual memory and reflection play in sustaining our faith over time?

Deacon Omar Gutiérrez is the President and co-Founder of the Evangelium Institute as well as the Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

Ep 3 – The 2nd and 3rd Shewing – All Shall Be Well w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Episode Three: The 2nd and 3rd Shewing — Desire, Prayer, and Trust in God’s Hidden Work

Summary:
In Episode 3, we explore Julian’s Second and Third Shewings, where the vision of Christ’s suffering and the image of “God in a point” draw us into a profound understanding of love, trust, and divine providence. Julian teaches that even in the face of pain and mystery, God’s presence is near, sustaining all things. We reflect on the difference between seeking and beholding, the grace of perseverance in prayer, and the assurance that God is working all things toward His perfect end. Through rich imagery and deep theological insight, Julian invites us to see that nothing is by accident—and that love is always at the center.

For other episodes in this series visit: All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 3:

From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters X-XI, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).

The Blood from the Crown — A Vision of Love in Suffering

“AND after this I saw with bodily sight in the face of the crucifix that hung before me, on the which I gazed continually, a part of His Passion: despite, spitting and sullying, and buffetting, and many languoring pains, more than I can tell, and often changing of colour. And one time I saw half the face, beginning at the ear, over-gone with dry blood till it covered to the mid-face. And after that the other half [was] covered on the same wise, the whiles in this [first] part [it vanished] even as it came.” (Ch. X)

“It is God’s will that we seek Him, to the beholding of Him, for by that He shall shew us Himself of His special grace when He will. And how a soul shall have Him in its beholding, He shall teach Himself: and that is most worship to Him and profit to thyself, and [the soul thus] most receiveth of meekness and virtues with the grace and leading of the Holy Ghost. For a soul that only fasteneth it[self] on to God with very trust, either by seeking or in beholding, it is the most worship that it may do to Him, as to my sight.” (Ch. X)

“These are two workings that may be seen in this Vision: the one is seeking, the other is beholding. The seeking is common,—that every soul may have with His grace,—and ought to have that discretion and teaching of the Holy Church.” (Ch. X)

It is God’s will that we have three things in our seeking:
—The first is that we seek earnestly and diligently, without sloth, and, as it may be through His grace, without unreasonable heaviness and vain sorrow.
—The second is, that we abide Him steadfastly for His love, without murmuring and striving against Him, to our life’s end: for it shall last but awhile.
—The third is that we trust in Him mightily of full assured faith.

For it is His will that we know that He shall appear suddenly and blissfully to all that love Him.

For His working is privy, and He willeth to be perceived; and His appearing shall be swiftly sudden; and He willeth to be trusted. For He is full gracious and homely: Blessed may He be!” (Ch. X)

The Third Shewing — God in a Point

“And after this I saw God in a Point, that is to say, in mine understanding,—by which sight I saw that He is in all things.” (Ch. XI)

What Is Sin? What Is Providence?

“I beheld and considered, seeing and knowing in sight, with a soft dread, and thought: What is sin? For I saw truly that God doeth all-thing, be it never so little. And I saw truly that nothing is done by hap nor by adventure, but all things by the foreseeing wisdom of God: if it be hap or adventure in the sight of man, our blindness and our unforesight is the cause. For the things that are in the foreseeing wisdom of God from without beginning, (which rightfully and worshipfully and continually He leadeth to the best end,) as they come about fall to us suddenly, ourselves unwitting; and thus by our blindness and our unforesight we say: these be haps and adventures. But to our Lord God they be not so.” (Ch. XI)

The Rightfulness of God’s Works

“For in this time the working of creatures was not shewed, but [the working] of our Lord God in the creature: for He is in the Mid-point of all thing, and all He doeth. And I was certain He doeth no sin. And here I saw verily that sin is no deed: for in all this was not sin shewed. And I would no longer marvel in this, but beheld our Lord, what He would shew. And thus, as much as it might be for the time, the rightfulness of God’s working was shewed to the soul.” (Ch. XI)

The Sweet Deeming of God

“But in another time He gave a Shewing for the beholding of sin nakedly, as I shall tell: where He useth working of mercy and grace.
And this vision was shewed, to mine understanding, for that our Lord would have the soul turned truly unto the beholding of Him, and generally of all His works. For they are full good; and all His doings are easy and sweet, and to great ease bringing the soul that is turned from the beholding of the blind Deeming of man unto the fair sweet Deeming of our Lord God.

For a man beholdeth some deeds well done and some deeds evil, but our Lord beholdeth them not so: for as all that hath being in nature is of Godly making, so is all that is done, in property of God’s doing.
For it is easy to understand that the best deed is well done: and so well as the best deed is done—the highest—so well is the least deed done; and all thing in its property and in the order that our Lord hath ordained it to from without beginning. For there is no doer but He.” (Chap XI)

God’s Pleasure in His Work

“For He made all things in fulness of goodness, and therefore the blessed Trinity is ever full pleased in all His works.

And all this shewed He full blissfully, signifying thus: See! I am God: see! I am in all thing: see! I do all thing: see! I lift never mine hands off my works, nor ever shall, without end: see! I lead all thing to the end I ordained it to from without beginning, by the same Might, Wisdom and Love whereby I made it. How should any thing be amiss?

Thus mightily, wisely, and lovingly was the soul examined in this Vision. Then saw I soothly that me behoved, of need, to assent, with great reverence enjoying in God.” (Chap XI)

Scripture Featured

(Translations used: Revised Standard Version [RSV] )

(Luke 1:38, RSV)

“Let it be done unto me according to thy word”

Catechism of the Catholic Church

“By his Passion and death on the Cross, Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion” (CCC 1505).

“Faith is a personal act—the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals Himself” (CCC 166).

“Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus… It is a gift, a grace; it can be accepted only in humility and poverty” (CCC 2715).

“The desire for God is written in the human heart… and God never ceases to draw man to Himself” (CCC 27).

“God is in everything by His presence, power, and essence” (CCC 300).

The Church teaches that God can permit evil in His providence—not because He wills it directly, but because He respects our freedom and knows how to draw good from it (cf. CCC 311).

“God created everything for man… but man is created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to Him” (CCC 358).

Even when man disobeys, God remains faithful and draws good from sin (cf. CCC 410–412).

“Creation has its own goodness and proper perfection, but it did not spring forth complete from the hands of the Creator. The universe was created ‘in a state of journeying’ toward an ultimate perfection yet to be attained” (CCC 302).

Reflection Questions for Prayer

In what areas of my life do I struggle to see God’s loving providence at work?
How might I allow the truth that “God is in the Mid-point of all things” to reshape my response to anxiety or uncertainty?
Do I truly believe that God never lifts His hands from His works—even when I feel abandoned or confused? How might that belief change how I pray today?

Closing Prayer (inspired by the Second and Third Shewing)

Lord God,

You are the still point at the center of all that is.

Though we are small, You are near.

Though we do not understand, You remain steady.

You never lift Your hands from Your works, and You never lift Your gaze from us.

In the mystery of suffering and the silence of delay, You are still God.

Give us grace to trust You—not because we see, but because we know You love.

Lead all things, Lord, to the end You have ordained,

By the same Might, Wisdom, and Love by which You made them.

And let our hearts assent with reverent joy:

that all You do is well done, and You are with us still.

Amen.

Ep 2 – The First Shewing – All Shall Be Well w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Episode Two: The First Shewing — Love Poured Out and the Mystery of the Trinity

Summary:
In this second episode, we enter into Julian’s First Shewing—a profound vision of Christ’s Passion that opens us to the mystery of the Trinity, the role of Our Lady, and the enduring love of God that holds all creation in being. Set against the backdrop of a suffering world, Julian’s revelations center not on fear or judgment, but on the intimate mercy of a God who bleeds, who nurtures, and who encloses the soul in divine goodness. This episode explores the mystical and theological depths of Julian’s experience through Scripture, contemplative reflection, and Julian’s own words.

For other episodes in this series visit: All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 2:

From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters IV–VII, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).

The Blood from the Crown — A Vision of Love in Suffering

“And in this suddenly I saw the red blood trickle down from under the garland, hot and freshly and right plenteously, as it were in the time of His Passion when the garland of thorns was pressed on His blessed head. It was as though He had just been crowned, and it seemed to me that He was still bleeding now—as if it had never ceased, and would never cease—until all creation is healed by that love.” (Ch. IV)

The Trinity — Love Without Beginning or End

“And in the same Shewing suddenly the Trinity fulfilled my heart most of joy. And so I understood it shall be in heaven without end to all that shall come there. For the Trinity is God: God is the Trinity; the Trinity is our Maker and Keeper, the Trinity is our everlasting love and everlasting joy and bliss, by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ch. IV)

Our Lady — The Humility and Glory of Mary

“In this Shewing He brought our blessed Lady to my understanding. I saw her ghostly, in bodily likeness: a simple maid and a meek, young of age and little waxen above a child, in the stature that she was when she conceived. Also God shewed in part the wisdom and the truth of her soul: wherein I understood the reverent beholding in which she beheld her God and Maker, marvelling with great reverence that He would be born of her that was a simple creature of His making… She is more than all that God made beneath her in worthiness and grace; for above her is nothing that is made but the blessed Manhood of Christ.” (Ch. IV)

“And [it was] to learn us this, as to mine understanding, [that] our Lord God shewed our Lady Saint Mary in the same time: that is to say, the high Wisdom and Truth she had in beholding of her Maker so great, so holy, so mighty, and so good. This greatness and this nobleness of the beholding of God fulfilled her with reverent dread, and withal she saw herself so little and so low, so simple and so poor, in regard of her Lord God, that this reverent dread fulfilled her with meekness. And thus, by this ground [of meekness] she was fulfilled with grace and with all manner of virtues, and overpasseth all creatures.” (Ch. VII)

The Hazelnut and the Hiddenness of God

“Also in this He shewed me a little thing, the quantity of an hazel-nut, in the palm of my hand; and it was as round as a ball. I looked thereupon with eye of my understanding, and thought: What may this be? And it was answered generally thus: It is all that is made. I marvelled how it might last, for methought it might suddenly have fallen to naught for little[ness]. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasteth, and ever shall [last] for that God loveth it. And so All-thing hath the Being by the love of God.”
(Ch. V)

“In this Little Thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it, the second is that God loveth it, the third, that God keepeth it.”

“It needeth us to have knowing of the littleness of creatures and to hold as nought all-thing that is made, for to love and have God that is unmade. For this is the cause why we be not all in ease of heart and soul: that we seek here rest in those things that are so little, wherein is no rest, and know not our God that is All-mighty, All-wise, All-good. For He is the Very Rest.”
(Ch. V)

“God willeth to be known, and it pleaseth Him that we rest in Him; for all that is beneath Him sufficeth not us. And this is the cause why that no soul is rested till it is made nought as to all things that are made. When it is willingly made nought, for love, to have Him that is all, then is it able to receive spiritual rest.”
(Ch. V)

“God, of Thy Goodness, give me Thyself: for Thou art enough to me, and I may nothing ask that is less that may be full worship to Thee; and if I ask anything that is less, ever me wanteth,—but only in Thee I have all.”
(Ch. V)

The Goodness of God — The Soul’s Deepest Confidence

“For the Goodness of God is the highest prayer, and it cometh down to the lowest part of our need. It quickeneth our soul and bringeth it on life, and maketh it for to waxen in grace and virtue. It is nearest in nature; and readiest in grace: for it is the same grace that the soul seeketh, and ever shall seek till we know verily that He hath us all in Himself enclosed.”
(Ch. VI)

“We use for lack of understanding and knowing of Love, to take many means [whereby to beseech Him]… Then saw I truly that it is more worship to God, and more very delight, that we faithfully pray to Himself of His Goodness and cleave thereunto by His Grace, with true understanding, and steadfast by love, than if we took all the means that heart can think.”
(Ch. VI)

“We pray to God for His holy flesh and His precious blood, His holy Passion, His dearworthy death and wounds… and all the help we have of [His Mother] is of His Goodness… the dearworthy love and endless friendship that we have of them, it is of His Goodness.”
(Ch. VI)

“As the body is clad in the cloth, and the flesh in the skin, and the bones in the flesh, and the heart in the whole, so are we, soul and body, clad in the Goodness of God, and enclosed.”
(Ch. VI)

“For truly our Lover desireth that our soul cleave to Him with all its might, and that we be evermore cleaving to His Goodness. For of all things that heart may think, this pleaseth most God, and soonest speedeth the soul.”
(Ch. VI)

Scripture Featured

(Translations used: Revised Standard Version [RSV] )

(Colossians 1:17, RSV)

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, §2560

“”If you knew the gift of God!”⁷ The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God’s desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him.”

Reflection Questions for Prayer

How do I experience the goodness of God in my life right now?
Do I sometimes seek comfort in created things more than the Creator?
What does it mean to you to be “clothed in God’s goodness”? How might that awareness affect your prayer, your actions, and your hope

Closing Prayer (inspired by the First Shewing)

Lord God,
You are our Maker, our Keeper, and our everlasting Love.
In Your mercy, You show us that all things are made by You, kept by You, and loved by You.
Even the smallest, most fleeting thing lasts because You will it in love.

Help us to find our rest not in things that fade,
But in You, the One who is unmade, unchanging, and ever near.
Clothe us in Your goodness.
Teach us to let go of what cannot satisfy,
And to cling to You in quiet trust.

May we come before You simply and plainly,
Like children before a loving Father—like souls before a gracious Lord—
saying, “God, of Thy goodness, give me Thyself.”
For in You alone we have all.

Amen.

Ep 1 – Julian of Norwich and the Unshakable Love of God – All Shall Be Well w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Episode One: Julian of Norwich and the Unshakable Love of God

Summary:

Join Kris McGregor as she leads a journey through the work of Julian of Norwich—14th-century anchoress, mystic, and the first known woman to write a book in English—who offers a voice of hope, humility, and deep intimacy with God.

This episode introduces her life and thought through the lens of her famous Sixteen Shewings, especially her bold desire to receive “three wounds”: contrition, compassion, and longing for God. We examine her relevance in our own anxious times and why the Church has affirmed her as a trustworthy guide, citing her even in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (§313).

For other episodes in this series visit: All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Primary Source:

Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition)
You can access PDF edition here

Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 1:

Opening Quote (Ch. XXVII):

“But Jesus, that in this vision informed me of all that is needful to me, answered with these words and said: ‘Sin is behovely, but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.’”

On her three desires (Ch. III):

“And when I was thirty years old and a half, God sent me a bodily sickness in which I lay three days and three nights; and on the fourth night I thought to die. And then I desired to have all my pain and all my sickness for God’s glory, and to feel the Passion of Christ in my body as far as nature would suffer it. And I desired to receive three wounds in my life—that is to say: the wound of contrition, the wound of compassion, and the wound of longing with my will for God.”

On humility and “even-Christians” (Ch. IX):

“And thus I saw and understood that He is everything that is good and comforting to our help. He is our clothing who wraps and enfolds us for love, embraces us and shelters us, surrounds us for His love, and will never leave us. And for this, I am certain that there be many that never had shewing nor sight but of the common teaching of Holy Church, that love God better than I. For if I look singularly to myself, I am right nought. But in the general Body I am, I hope, in oneness of charity with all mine even-Christians.”

On God’s nearness and love (Ch. LVI):

“For our soul is so specially loved of Him that is highest, that it overpasseth the knowing of all creatures… And therefore we may with grace and His help stand in spiritual beholding, with everlasting marvel of this high, overpassing, inestimable Love that Almighty God hath to us of His Goodness. For He is nearer to us than our own soul.”

Pope Benedict XVI Quotes (General Audience, Dec. 1, 2010)

Source: Vatican.va

“She understood the central message for the spiritual life: God is love, and only when we open ourselves totally to this love and allow it to become the sole guide of our life, is everything transfigured, true peace and true joy found, and we are able to spread it.”

“Julian’s message, sustained by optimism and trust, is a powerful invitation to all those who, in our time, are gripped by anxiety and fear.”

“Julian is not only the great mystic who has visions of God’s love, but also the wise and loving counselor who, like the saints, knows the human heart well.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, §313

“We firmly believe that God is master of the world and of its history. But the ways of his providence are often unknown to us. Only at the end… will we fully know… the ways by which—even through the dramas of evil and sin—God has guided his creation… to its definitive Sabbath rest.”

Julian is quoted directly in this paragraph:

“Here I was taught by the grace of God that I should steadfastly hold me in the faith … and that, at the same time, I should take my stand on and earnestly believe in what our Lord showed in this time — that ‘all manner of thing shall be well.’”

Reflection Questions for Listeners:

What resonates with you about Julian’s desire to suffer with Christ?
Are you more familiar with fear or with trust? What does Julian’s calm confidence stir in your heart?
What does it mean to you that “God is love” is not an abstract idea, but a living, personal truth?

Closing Prayer (inspired by Julian’s trust in Divine Love):

Lord Jesus Christ, our endless bliss,
You revealed to Julian the mystery of love in the midst of sorrow.
Grant us the grace to desire You with longing,
To see You with the eyes of faith,
And to trust You even in our wounds.
Let us know, deep in our hearts,
That all shall be well—because You are with us.
Amen.

IP#344 Timothy Muldoon – The Discerning Parent on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Timothy Muldoon – The Discerning Parent on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

Kris McGregor speaks with theologian and author Timothy Muldoon about The Discerning Parent: An Ignatian Guide to Raising Your Teen, co-written with his wife, Sue. Ignatian spirituality offers a helpful framework for parenting teens—not by prescribing rigid methods, but by inviting parents into a deeper awareness of their own spiritual journey as they accompany their children. Rather than presenting a “how-to” manual, the book encourages a reflective, prayerful stance that allows for genuine listening to both God and the child. It highlights the importance of recognizing each teen’s unique development and being attentive to how God might be working in their life without oversteering or controlling their path.

The challenge many parents face in fearing their children might drift from the Church, and how that fear often reflects unresolved questions in the parent’s own spiritual life. He draws on the example of Saint Monica and the Ignatian principle of letting God deal directly with each soul. The book invites parents to shift from decision-making to discernment, cultivating what Muldoon calls the “acoustics of the heart”—a spiritual sensitivity that helps both parent and child recognize what aligns with God’s voice. Topics like moral development, body awareness, and complex issues like social media and sexuality are approached through reflection and conversation, not prescriptive answers.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How is God inviting me to grow spiritually through the experience of parenting my teen?
In what ways am I truly listening to my child’s heart rather than reacting out of fear or control?
Have I taken time to reflect on how my own relationship with God shapes how I parent?
Do I trust that God is actively at work in my child’s life, even when I cannot see it clearly?
How can I model discernment and prayerful reflection for my teen in daily life?
Am I fostering a space in our home where faith is lived, questioned, and deepened with honesty?
What fears do I need to surrender to God when I think about my child’s faith journey?
How am I encouraging moral reflection and conscience development in my teen?
When faced with difficult topics like sexuality or peer pressure, do I approach them with compassion, truth, and openness?
In what ways is God using my child to challenge or refine my own faith and values?

You can find the book here

From the book description:

“This thoughtful approach shows you how to talk with your children openly about freedom vs. limits, friendships, family time, sexuality, the use and abuse of technology, faith and Catholic practice, recognizing the needs of others, and getting through hard times together. You’ll discover when to be tough and when to be forgiving, when to control and when to give freedom, when to give feedback and when to wait. You will learn the importance of praying for your teens, and the important of praying together as a family.

Daily and weekly prayers, devotions, and meditations will guide you as the Muldoons show how this is a time of discernment for you as well as your teens–and create a way for you to move through these challenging years together. The Discerning Parent offers you an opportunity to pause and consider your life and your teen’s in the light of faith.”

About the Author

Timothy P. Muldoon is a philosopher, theologian, and author of many books in the areas of Christian theology and spirituality. His research interests in both Philosophy and Theology include the thought of Bernard Lonergan, SJ, particularly as his work sheds light on reversing cultural decline; and the history and practice of Christian spirituality, particularly in the Ignatian tradition. He held several administrative and teaching roles at Boston College since 2005, and joined the Philosophy Department in 2020. He has held visiting professorships at LaSalle University, the Catholic University of America, and Washington Theological Union, and has lectured widely in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Prior to coming to Boston College, he was the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Theology at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania. His current work involves the philosophy of community and the promotion of flourishing communities.

Day 47: Easter Sunday – “He Is Risen” – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 47: Easter Sunday – “He Is Risen”

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)
John 20:1–9
It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb.
She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we don’t know where they have put him.”

So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb.
They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in.
Simon Peter, who was following now came up, went right into the tomb,
saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head;
this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.

Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in;
he saw and he believed.
Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture,
that he must rise from the dead.

Reflection:
He is risen.
Not metaphorically. Not symbolically. But in the flesh, in glory, and in truth.

And so begins your real retreat: not the forty days you have walked, but the life you now must live.

And now, with trembling and hope, you behold it open.

The retreat has not ended. It has opened the door to Mystagogy.

Mystagogy is the sacred time after baptism or renewal, when we are invited to go deeper into the mysteries we have received. It is the unfolding of what has already been given, a divine tutoring of the soul by the Spirit. For the early Church, it was the season after Easter when the newly baptized were taught the hidden meanings of the sacraments they had just received. For us, it is every day after the Resurrection where we learn, by grace, how to live what we have received.

You are now living in Mystagogy.

You are invited to ponder the Eucharist with new eyes.
To read the Scriptures with burning hearts.
To carry the Cross not as burden, but as seal.

And above all, to pray. Not occasionally. Not only when it is quiet. But as a way of being.

St. Paul writes:

“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17

This is not a suggestion. It is a spiritual necessity. Because we are not merely people who have seen the Lord—we are people in whom the Lord desires to dwell.

And so we must become people who listen:
Who live in the heart of the mystery.
Who carry within them a discerning heart—a Mystagogical heart.

This is the mystery St. John Paul II spoke of when he wrote:

“We are not called to an abstract knowledge of Christ, but to a living, personal relationship with him: to contemplate his face, and learn to love as he loves.” (Novo Millennio Ineunte, §16)

You have been invited into this love.

And now, every day, you must return to the voice that called your name at the tomb. You must pray with Scripture, not to master it, but to let it master you—through Lectio Divina. You must daily turn your attention inward, examining your movements with God in the Daily Examen. You must seek silence. And in that silence, you will find Christ again and again.

This is not spiritual ambition. This is Christian maturity.
This is the baptized living as they are meant to live:
as souls risen with Christ.

Abba Macarius wrote:

“The soul that has risen with Christ does not forget the tomb.
She carries the marks of love and lives only to give Him away.” (Sayings of the Desert Fathers)

And so, beloved of God:
Do not go back to life as it was before.
Do not lose the silence. Do not forget the Word. Do not quiet the call.

You are still on pilgrimage. You are still being formed. You are still being called.

And each day—each moment of remembering Christ, turning toward Him, listening again—is conversion. Conversion is not a feeling. It is not a season.
It is a verb, an action word. It is the continual, daily, humble act of saying: “I choose You again.” “I turn toward You again.” “I will follow You—today.”

Let your life be a living witness of the Resurrection. Let your words be slow and your love be quick. Let your prayer be steady and your gaze be fixed.

And when the world forgets what you have seen,
when they ask why you are different,
when they accuse you of being strange or out of step, remember this:

You have come from the tomb. You have heard your name. You have seen the Lord.

Now go. Let your discerning heart burn with the light of Easter. And live as one who carries glory in your body.

Reflection Questions:

1. What has risen in me that must now be protected and nurtured?
2. How will I continue to live as one in Mystagogy—in daily formation and conversion?
3. What concrete practices will I carry forward: silence, Examen, Lectio Divina, Eucharist, community?

Final Prayer:

Jesus, You are risen. And You have called us by name.

You found us in ashes. You carried us through fire. You laid with us in silence. And now You send us in light.

Let us never go back to who we were before. Let us never forget the road we have walked. Let us live now as those who listen in the heart of the mystery.

Make our hearts discerning. Make our faith active. Make our prayer ceaseless. Make our lives radiant.

You are risen. You are here. And we are Yours.

Alleluia. 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.

Day 46: The Great Silence – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 46: The Great Silence

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)
Luke 23:55–56, 24:1
The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid.
Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
And on the Sabbath they rested, as the Law required.
But on the first day of the week, at the first sign of dawn, they went to the tomb…

Reflection:
Today is the silence that holds everything.
It is the still point at the center of all we have walked through.

Holy Saturday is not a space of absence.
It is a space of fullness.
A fullness too deep for sound.

The tomb is sealed.
The world is quiet.
The Church has no liturgy, no Eucharist, no words—
because today, Christ speaks from the depths.

He is hidden. Descending. Gathering the lost.
Breaking the gates of death, not in fire or thunder,
but with the silence of love that will not abandon those who wait in darkness.

And we, too, are called to descend.
Into our hearts.
Into our memory.
Into our love.

Today we remember everything.

We remember how He called us.
How He forgave us.
How He healed us, taught us, walked with us, wept with us.
We remember Gethsemane. The scourging. The weight of the Cross.
We remember the last breath—and the yes that poured out from the Cross to cover the whole world.

And we remember the forty-five days that brought us here.
Forgiveness. Justice. Trust. Interior poverty. Spiritual clarity.
We remember how we were invited to love when it hurt,
to surrender when it didn’t make sense,
to stay when we longed to flee.

And now, the invitation is simply this:
Remain. Rest. Love.

Because this silence is not empty.
It is the heart of prayer.
The prayer that does not need words.
The prayer that waits with Mary in darkness.
The prayer that allows what is broken to remain broken,
until God raises it.

This is the deep contemplative space that so few know how to enter.
But you—you have been led to it.

The Catechism tells us:

“In prayer, the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of our hearts and teaches us to see everything in the light of Christ.”
— CCC 2711

And on this day, the Spirit does that not through speech, but through silence.

St. John of the Cross writes:

“Silence is God’s first language. Everything else is a poor translation.”
— Sayings of Light and Love, 118

And Abba Isaac the Syrian says:

“The highest form of prayer is to stand silently, inwardly attentive, in love before God.”
— Ascetical Homilies, I.5

So that is what we do now.

We stand in love.
In memory.
In the in-between.
Where death has passed—but resurrection has not yet been seen.

This is the hour where you ask not for answers, but for presence.
Not for resolution, but for communion.

You are being invited into the prayer Jesus prayed in the tomb:
The silent offering of all.
The trust that God would raise what was placed in His hands.
The hope that love, hidden though it is, still holds the final word.

And so today, remember to love.

Let that be your prayer.
Let that be your offering.
Let that be what rests with Him in the tomb, waiting for dawn.

There is a line found scratched into the wall of a cellar in Cologne during the Holocaust—believed to have been written by a Jewish prisoner:

“I believe in the sun even when I don’t see it.
I believe in love even when I don’t feel it.
I believe in God even when He is silent.”

This is the posture of Holy Saturday:
Not loud. Not triumphant.
But reverent, watchful, and full of hope that does not depend on sight.

It is the silence of Mary’s heart—pondering all these things.
It is the stillness of the Church at the tomb—keeping vigil in faith.
It is the prayer of the soul that trusts in God’s promise,
even when everything remains hidden.

Because silence is not empty.
It is the stillness where heaven breathes and eternity begins to speak.
It is where God’s deepest work unfolds—beneath words, beyond vision,
in the furnace of the heart.

Reflection Questions:
1. What is Christ asking me to remember today—not just in my mind, but in my heart?
2. Have I learned how to pray in silence? Can I let love be my only word?
3. What must I place in the tomb with Christ tonight—trusting it will be raised?

Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
This is the silence I feared—
and yet now, it feels like home.

I bring to You every moment of this retreat.
Every quiet “yes,”
every small surrender,
every prayer prayed in secret.

You remember it all.
You hold it now—
even the parts I don’t understand.

I will not rush the silence.
I will not fill the stillness.

I will let love remain here.

Let my memory be prayer.
Let my silence be trust.
Let this quiet become union.
I will wait.
I will remember.
And I will love.

Amen.

Day 45: The Cross Stands While the World Turns – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 45: The Cross Stands While the World Turns

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)
John 19:25–30

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.
Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then to the disciple he said, “This is your mother.”
And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.

After this, Jesus knew that everything had now been completed, and to fulfill the scripture perfectly he said: “I am thirsty.”
A jar full of vinegar stood there, so putting a sponge soaked in vinegar on a hyssop stick, they held it up to his mouth.

After Jesus had taken the vinegar he said, “It is accomplished.”
And bowing his head he gave up his spirit.

Reflection:
Good Friday silences the world. It stops the liturgy. It draws us back to the place where everything was lost—and everything was given.

There is no Mass today. No consecration. The tabernacle stands open, the sanctuary bare. And yet this is the most sacred of days. Because today, the sacrifice is not repeated. It is remembered. Entered into. Offered.

We are not watching someone else’s pain. This is for you. This is for your healing. And this is where you are invited to respond—not with words, but with your life.

The Catechism says:

“By His passion and death on the Cross, Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to Him and unite us with His redemptive Passion.”
— CCC 1505

So what cross are you carrying?

It might be loud—grief, illness, loss. Or it might be hidden—loneliness, fear, the ache of unfulfilled hopes. Perhaps it’s the weight of another’s suffering, or a prayer that remains unanswered.

Christ is not asking you to deny your cross. He is asking you to bring it to His.

To lay it down beside His wounds. To say with Him, “Father, into Your hands…”

This is the mystery St. John Paul II spoke of when he wrote:

“Each man, in his suffering, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ.”
— Salvifici Doloris, §19

And Evagrius Ponticus echoed that when he wrote:

“Do not avoid grief. Run toward the Cross, for there Christ waits for you, not to condemn, but to raise you up.”
— Praktikos, §47 (adapted translation)

Mary stood at the Cross. She did not shield herself from the pain. She did not speak. She simply stayed. And in that silent offering, her motherhood was widened to include every soul. She is yours now.

John stayed too. He stayed when others fled. Not because he understood—but because he loved.

You may not understand. That’s okay.
You may not feel strong. That’s okay.
You may not have answers. You don’t need them.

Let your presence be your prayer.

Let your own cross—whatever it is—become part of the offering. That is not poetic imagery. It is a theological and mystical reality. In Christ, suffering is not wasted. It is transformed.

As Pope Benedict XVI once said:

“The Cross is love in its most radical form.”
— Way of the Cross at the Colosseum, Good Friday 2005

Let that love hold you now.

Reflection Questions:

1.What cross am I carrying right now?
2. Have I consciously offered it to Christ—not just to endure it, but to unite it with His?
3. Where in my life is Jesus inviting me to stop running and simply stay with Him?

Closing Prayer:
Jesus,
You entered into death so I would never be alone in mine.
You saw my sorrow and took it into Your own heart.
You embraced the Cross—and now invite me to do the same.

Today, I lay down my resistance.
I unite my cross with Yours—not with fear,
but with trust.
Not with resignation, but with hope.

Let my wounds be touched by Your wounds.
Let my suffering become a prayer.
Let my love remain at the foot of the Cross—
even in silence.
Amen.