Day 5: Faithful Messenger – A Heart for the Church and Her Shepherds – St. Bridget of Sweden Novena
Quote from the Revelations
“Cry out as with a trumpet. My Spouse is wounded. Her face is disfigured. Her voice is faint. Call My people to return to Me with humility and love.”
—Revelations, Book IV, Chapter 89
Reflection
Bridget lived during one of the most painful chapters in Church history. The papacy had been moved to Avignon, and Rome was suffering—spiritually neglected, politically unstable, and stripped of the leadership it once knew. Bridget remained in the city, caring for the sick, feeding the poor, and pouring out her life in prayer.
As she prayed, she began to receive revelations that pierced her heart. She saw the Bride of Christ disfigured by scandal, weakened by division, and longing for renewal. These were not cold denunciations, but cries of love. Her writings to popes and rulers carried a mother’s plea: return to holiness, restore the Church, bring the successor of Peter home to Rome.
Her words were bold, shaped by long hours of silence before the Blessed Sacrament and the constant offering of prayer for the needs of the Church. Bridget believed that true reform began not in anger or accusation, but in intercession—lifting the wounds of the Church into the heart of Christ and trusting in His mercy.
Prayer for Intercession
St. Bridget, you remained faithful when the Church was torn and scattered.
Teach us to pray with perseverance and hope.
Help us to love the Church not from a distance, but with hearts willing to suffer and serve.
With confidence in your prayers, we now place before the Lord the intention we bring to this novena.
May your voice strengthen ours in calling for healing and unity.
Amen.
Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel According to Matthew 12:1-8
Jesus took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them. The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath.’ But he said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God and how they ate the loaves of offering which neither he nor his followers were allowed to eat, but which were for the priests alone? Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath day the Temple priests break the sabbath without being blamed for it? Now here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple. And if you had understood the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’
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 took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them. The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath.’ But he said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God and how they ate the loaves of offering which neither he nor his followers were allowed to eat, but which were for the priests alone? Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath day the Temple priests break the sabbath without being blamed for it? Now here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple. And if you had understood the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’
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 took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them. The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath.’ But he said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God and how they ate the loaves of offering which neither he nor his followers were allowed to eat, but which were for the priests alone? Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath day the Temple priests break the sabbath without being blamed for it? Now here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple. And if you had understood the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’
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.
Day 14 – Part 1 – The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity- Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles
In this episode of Beginning to Pray, Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor reflect on Day 14 of The Last Retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. As Elizabeth nears the close of her earthly life, she draws deeply from the writings of St. Paul to express her complete surrender to Christ and her longing to be united with Him in everything.
Her words are filled with Scripture—not simply quoted, but absorbed into her heart and prayer. She speaks of letting go of all else in order to press forward toward Christ, who has taken hold of her completely. Dr. Lilles offers insight into how her prayer is not shaped by emotion or technique, but by a steady and trusting love—a love that remains even in suffering.
Listeners are invited to consider how Elizabeth’s trust in God’s eternal plan—set in place before the foundation of the world—can shape our own response to trials, loss, or uncertainty. Her surrender is not passive, but strong and deliberate, rooted in the desire to do the Father’s will in all things. This conversation opens a path toward interior transformation, where even the most painful moments can become occasions of grace and deeper communion with Christ.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
In your current season of life, what attachments or distractions may be keeping you from a deeper intimacy with Christ?
How have you tried to earn God’s favor, and what would it look like to rest more fully in His free gift of grace?
When your prayer feels uneventful or dry, how can you remain committed to simply being present to God?
Think about a recent difficulty you faced: how might Christ be inviting you to let His life guide your response?
How does remembering that God’s plan for you began before creation change the way you view today’s challenges?
In practical terms, what daily habit could help you say a more ready “yes” to God’s will?
Where do you notice self‑doubt creeping in, and how can turning to Christ’s strength reshape that inner dialogue?
Who in your life could benefit from your intercessory prayer this week, and how will you make space to pray intentionally for that person?
How might reflecting on Scripture from memory—following Elizabeth’s example—reshape the atmosphere of your day?
Looking ahead, what concrete step can you take to be sure that love, rather than fear, motivates your decisions?
36. “It seems to me that all is loss since I have known the excelling knowledge of my Lord, Jesus Christ. For love of Him I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish that I may gain Christ, so as to be found in Him, not with my own justice but with the justice that comes from God through faith. What I want is to know Him, to share in His sufferings, to become like Him in His death. I pursue my course, striving to attain to what Christ has destined me for by taking hold of me; my whole concern is to forget what is behind and to strain forward constantly to what is ahead; I run straight to the goal . . . , to the prize of the heavenly vocation to which God has called me in Christ Jesus.” 212 The Apostle has often revealed the greatness of this vocation: “God,” he says, “has chosen us in Him before the creation of the world that we might be holy and immaculate in His presence in love. . . . We have been predestined by the decree of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we may be the praise of His glory.” 213
37. But how do we respond to the dignity of this vocation? This is the secret: “Mihi vivere Christus est! . . . Vivo enim, jam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus. . . .” 214 We must be transformed into Jesus Christ; again it is St. Paul who teaches me this: “Those whom God has foreknown, He has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” 215 It is important then that I study this divine Model so as to identify myself so closely with Him that I may unceasingly reveal Him to the eyes of the Father. First of all, what did He say when He came into the world? “Here I am, O God, I come to do your will.” 216 I think that this prayer should be like the bride’s heartbeat: 217 “Here we are, O Father, we come to do your will!
Anthony Lilles, S.T.D., has served the Church and assisted in the formation of clergy and seminarians since 1994. Before coming to St. Patrick’s, he served at seminaries and houses of formation in the Archdiocese of Denver and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The son of a California farmer, married with young adult children, holds a B.A. in theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville with both the ecclesiastical licentiate and doctorate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the Angelicum). An expert in the writings of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and the Carmelite Doctors of the Church, he co-founded the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and the High Calling Program for priestly vocations. He also founded the John Paul II Center for Contemplative Culture, which hosts symposiums, retreats, and conferences. In addition to his publications, he blogs at www.beginningtopray.com .
Day 4: Called to Rome — A Pilgrim with a Prophetic Voice – St. Bridget of Sweden Novena
Quote from the Revelations
“Go forth, therefore, and speak boldly. I shall be in thy mouth and in the hearts of those who hear thee.”
—Revelations, Book IV, Chapter 136
Reflection
Bridget’s years at Alvastra prepared her for something unexpected. In her early fifties, she received a divine call to leave Sweden and travel to Rome—then a city caught in political chaos, spiritual confusion, and deep need. It was the era of the Avignon papacy, with the pope residing in France, and the city of Peter’s martyrdom sat wounded and neglected.
When she arrived, Bridget did not seek comfort or favor. She set up a small house near what is now the Piazza Farnese. There she cared for the sick and poor—essentially establishing a hospital with the help of her companions. Many came to her not only for food or shelter, but also for spiritual comfort. She would often make her way to the nearby church of San Lorenzo in Panisperna, where St. Lawrence was martyred, to pray and to gather alms for the poor in his name.
Her revelations during these years included letters and messages to popes, kings, and clergy—calling for reform, repentance, and renewal of the Body of Christ. Bridget’s prophetic voice was rooted not in judgment, but in deep sorrow and prayerful love for the Church. She longed for unity and holiness, and she offered her life for that intention.
Prayer for Intercession
St. Bridget, you brought mercy where there was suffering, and truth where there was confusion.
Help us to love the Church with fidelity and hope.
Teach us to offer ourselves in service, even when the world misunderstands.
With confidence in your prayers, we now place before the Lord the intention we bring to this novena.
May we follow your example of courage, prayer, and care for the most vulnerable.
Amen.
Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel According to Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’
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.
All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor
Episode 8: The Eleventh and Twelfth Shewings — The Joy of Christ (His Blessed Mother) and the Gaze of Heaven
Summary:
In this episode, Julian of Norwich is drawn into the radiant joy of Christ—the joy He takes in His Blessed Mother, and the glory revealed in His glorified Face. In the Eleventh Shewing, Christ lovingly invites Julian to “see her”—to behold the Virgin Mary as He does, with delight and reverence. Through Julian’s vision, we glimpse the profound place of Mary in Christ’s heart and in the life of every Christian. In the Twelfth Shewing, Julian is lifted to contemplate the joy of Heaven: the Beatific Vision, where the saints behold the Face of Christ and are fully seen, fully known, and fully loved. Drawing from Julian’s text, Scripture, the Catechism, and the wisdom of the saints, this episode opens the mystery of divine joy that begins in Christ’s Passion and culminates in eternal glory.
From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters XXV-XXVI, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).
You can access PDF edition here
Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 8:
“Wilt thou see her?” — The Shewing of Mary
“AND with this same cheer of mirth and joy our good Lord looked down on the right side and brought to my mind where our Lady stood in the time of His Passion; and said: Wilt thou see her?” (Ch. 25)
“And for the high, marvellous, singular love that He hath to this sweet Maiden, His blessed Mother, our Lady Saint Mary, He shewed her highly rejoicing… as if He said: Wilt thou see how I love her, that thou mightest joy with me in the love that I have in her and she in me?” (Ch. 25)
“For after Himself she is the most blissful sight. But hereof am I not learned to long to see her bodily presence while I am here, but the virtues of her blessed soul: her truth, her wisdom, her charity; whereby I may learn to know myself and reverently dread my God.” (Ch. 25)
“And Jesus in that word shewed me ghostly sight of her: right as I had seen her afore little and simple, so He shewed her then high and noble and glorious, and pleasing to Him above all creatures.” (Ch. 25)
The Three Shewings of Mary
“AND after this the Lord shewed Himself more glorified, as to my sight, than I saw Him before wherein I was learned to my understanding that it shall be thus in Heaven without end to all that shall come there. For the change of His blessed Countenance shall be the joy of the blessed without end that see Him.” (Ch. 26)
“This blessed Countenance of the Godhead fulfilleth the joy of the saints in Heaven; which blessed Countenance of the Lord is open to be seen, and shall be seen evermore of the blessed, which for His homely loving behold Him gladly; evermore enjoying Him, that is, God, their Maker and their Keeper, their Lover and their Bliss.” (Ch. 26)
Quotes from the Saints and other resources
“Lift up thine heart and behold thy Lord with eyes of love, for He hangeth there for thee… His arms stretched wide to embrace thee, His side open to receive thee, His blood flowing to cleanse thee.”
(Middle English Devotional Prose, ed. Veronica O’Mara, 1994)
“The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” (Munificentissimus Deus, §44, Pope Pius XII, 1950)
“If you ever feel distressed during your day — call upon our Lady — just say this simple prayer: ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.’ I must admit — this prayer has never failed me.” (St. Teresa of Calcutta – Come Be My Light, 2007, p. 197)
“She was made a book in which the Word was written, by the power of the eternal Father, and the wisdom of the Son, and the mercy of the Holy Spirit.” (St. Catherine of Siena – Dialogue, Ch. 116; trans. Suzanne Noffke, O.P., 1980)
“From the moment I first conceived Him in my womb, I never ceased carrying Him in my heart. When I gave birth to Him, I felt as though half my heart had left me. And when He suffered the Passion, His pain became my pain, because His heart was my heart. And when He died, it felt to me as though my own heart were dying.” (St. Bridget of Sweden – Revelations, Book 1, Ch. 10; trans. Denis Searby, Oxford University Press, 2006)
Catechism of the Catholic Church
CCC 964: “Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood… joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother’s heart.”
CCC 1028:“Because of his transcendent holiness, God cannot be seen as he is unless he himself opens up his mystery to man’s immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. This contemplation of God in his heavenly glory is called ‘the beatific vision’
Scripture Featured
(Translations used: Revised Standard Version [RSV] )
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
“You show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11, RSV)
Reflection Questions for Listeners:
How does Julian’s vision of Christ’s joy in Mary deepen your understanding of devotion to the Blessed Virgin?
In what ways might you be called to imitate Mary’s virtues—truth, wisdom, and charity—in your daily life?
What do you imagine it will be like to see the Face of Christ in glory? How does that hope affect the way you live now?
Do you believe that God gazes on you with personal, homely love—even now? What keeps you from receiving that gaze more deeply?
Closing Prayer (inspired by Julian’s trust in Divine Love):
Lord Jesus Christ,
You revealed to Julian the joy You take in Your Blessed Mother,
And the joy You desire to share with us in the vision of Your glorified Face.
Draw us into that joy, even here and now,
That we might learn to love as You love,
To see as You see,
And to rejoice in what delights Your Sacred Heart.
Mary, Mother of Jesus, be a mother to us now.
Teach us to receive Christ’s love as you did—
Humbly, faithfully, and with open hearts.
Lord, prepare us for the day when Your Countenance shall be our everlasting joy.
Until then, help us to live in Your gaze—
As beloved children, seen and known,
Kept and cherished,
Now and forever.
Amen.
Day 3 – The Turning Point — Loss, Solitude, and Surrender – St. Bridget of Sweden Novena
Quote from the Revelations
“It is I who have taken from thee what was thine, that I might give thee what is Mine.”
—Revelations, Book I, Chapter 3
Reflection
The death of Ulf was a profound turning point in Bridget’s life. After years of shared love and labor, she was now a widow, left with grief, responsibility, and a stirring call from God. Her children were grown or nearly grown, and she withdrew for a time to the monastery at Alvastra, where she deepened her life of prayer and silence.
In the rhythm of monastic life, Bridget began to listen more attentively to the voice she had always known. There, she received the first of many mystical revelations—words and images that would become the foundation of her spiritual mission. But this surrender did not come all at once. It unfolded through grief, letting go, and learning to listen in stillness.
In times of loss and uncertainty, Bridget teaches us not to rush to fill the silence, but to allow space for God’s voice. He often speaks most clearly when we are emptied of everything else. Her solitude became a sacred threshold, where she could entrust her sorrow and receive the beginnings of a new calling.
Prayer for Intercession
St. Bridget, in your sorrow you turned to the Lord with a heart open to His voice.
Help us in our own moments of transition and loss.
Teach us to surrender what we cannot hold and to trust that God is doing something new.
With confidence in your prayers, we now place before the Lord the intention we bring to this novena.
May our hearts find peace in God’s timing and purpose, as yours did at Alvastra.
Amen.
Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew 11:25-27
Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal 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:
Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal 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:
Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal 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.
Anthony DeStefano – The Miracle Book on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
In this episode of Inside the Pages, Anthony DeStefano discusses his latest work The Miracle Book: A Simple Guide to Asking for the Impossible with host Kris McGregor. His book approaches the subject of miracles through a lens of theological clarity and practical spirituality.
The difference between extraordinary, supernatural events and more common, grace-filled answers to prayer is that they may appear natural but are divinely orchestrated. The tension between trusting God’s providence and making specific petitions, shows that such paradoxes deepen rather than diminish true faith. Drawing from Scripture, Church tradition, and personal stories, including the illness and death of his father, Anthony offers us a framework for understanding how God’s responses—though often unexpected—are always rooted in love and order.
A central theme is the call to interior conversion when seeking miracles: aligning spoken prayers with the deeper needs of the soul, practicing trust in divine timing, and accepting that God often answers in ways beyond human comprehension. We must persist in hopeful prayer and utilize concrete spiritual practices that foster receptivity to God’s intervention—not magical thinking, but humble cooperation with divine grace.
What is the difference between asking God for what you want and asking for what your soul truly needs?
How do you understand the distinction between miraculous interventions and natural but providential outcomes in your life?
In what ways might you be unintentionally limiting God by expecting Him to act according to your specific solutions?
How can you practice both persistent prayer and decisive trust in God’s will without falling into discouragement?
Are there any “unanswered prayers” in your past that, in hindsight, reveal a deeper grace or purpose?
What role does personal conversion play in preparing your heart to receive a miracle?
How do you see God’s providence working through the ordinary events of your life?
Do you find it difficult to surrender your desires to God’s will, and why might that be?
How can embracing the paradoxes of faith help you grow in spiritual maturity?
Who in your life can you invite to pray with you in times of need, and how might communal intercession strengthen your faith?
From the book’s description:
At some point everyone needs a miracle.
It might involve your health, your finances, your family, or feelings of anxiety or hopelessness. But there comes a time when all of us experience the need for supernatural help, whether we have faith or not.
Numerous books have been written on miracles, but few explain in clear, practical, theologically sound language how to ask for one.
So many people in the world are suffering but don’t know how to receive help. Some beg and plead with God. Some negotiate, promising that they will change their ways if only He will grant them this one request. But then, if their request is not answered in the way they desire, they lose faith or get angry or sink into despair.
There is a better way.
There is a method of praying for a miracle that guarantees the best possible chance of getting a yes from God — or at least alleviation of our stress and satisfaction for our souls.
Bestselling author Anthony DeStefano explains this powerful new approach and, in the process, relates exactly how to overcome your fears and to experience “the peace that transcends all understanding.”
Through his conversational style, compelling real-life stories, and wisdom, DeStefano explains:
How your prayers can help obtain miracles for yourself and others
Ways in which friends and loved ones can help you obtain your miracle
How to open your heart to receive “courage infusions” to persevere in trials and overcome fear
Ways in which the providential power of paradox can help you obtain the miracle you need
How to put all God’s “conditions” for granting a miracle in one powerful prayer
If you need a miracle right now, this is the book for you. Included inside these covers is the Miracle Prayer, inspirational verses on miracles and hope, and a list of key intercessors for various needs.
About the Author
Anthony DeStefano is the best-selling author of thirty Christian books for adults and children, including: “A Travel Guide to Heaven”, “Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To”, “Little Star”, and “The Donkey No One Could Ride.” Anthony has been the host of two television series, “A Travel Guide to Life,” and “A Travel Guide to Heaven,” both broadcast on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), as well as several children’s programs.
He has received many awards and honors from religious communities throughout the world. In 2002, he was given an honorary Doctorate from the Joint Academic Commission of the National Clergy Council and the Methodist Episcopal Church for “the advancement of Christian beliefs in modern culture.” The commission is made up of outstanding Evangelical, Orthodox and Protestant theologians and educators. Anthony is a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the oldest Order in the Catholic Church. He is an avid pilot, and lives with his wife, Jordan, in New Jersey.
From the Journey of the Mind to God by St Bonaventure
Mystical wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit
Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant, and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn his full attention to this throne of mercy, and should gaze at him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and joy, marked by gratitude, and open to praise and jubilation. Then such a man will make with Christ a pasch, that is, a passing-over. Through the branches of the cross he will pass over the Red Sea, leaving Egypt and entering the desert. There he will taste the hidden manna, and rest with Christ in the sepulchre, as if he were dead to things outside. He will experience, as much as is possible for one who is still living, what was promised to the thief who hung beside Christ: Today you will be with me in paradise.
For this passover to be perfect, we must suspend all the operations of the mind and we must transform the peak of our affections, directing them to God alone. This is a sacred mystical experience. It cannot be comprehended by anyone unless he surrenders himself to it; nor can he surrender himself to it unless he longs for it; nor can he long for it unless the Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent into the world, should come and inflame his innermost soul. Hence the Apostle says that this mystical wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
If you ask how such things can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the will, not in the understanding; in the sighs of prayer, not in research; seek the bridegroom not the teacher; God and not man; darkness not daylight; and look not to the light but rather to the raging fire that carries the soul to God with intense fervour and glowing love. The fire is God, and the furnace is in Jerusalem, fired by Christ in the ardour of his loving passion. Only he understood this who said: My soul chose hanging and my bones death. Anyone who cherishes this kind of death can see God, for it is certainly true that: No man can look upon me and live.
Let us die, then, and enter into the darkness, silencing our anxieties, our passions and all the fantasies of our imagination. Let us pass over with the crucified Christ from this world to the Father, so that, when the Father has shown himself to us, we can say with Philip: It is enough. We may hear with Paul: My grace is sufficient for you; and we can rejoice with David, saying: My flesh and my heart fail me, but God is the strength of my heart and my heritage for ever. Blessed be the Lord for ever, and let all the people say: Amen. Amen!
Let us pray.
Almighty God and Father,
enlighten our minds with the splendour of St. Bonaventure teaching,
and help us to imitate his ardent love of you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
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Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
