Since my longing for martyrdom was powerful and unsettling, I turned to the epistles of St. Paul in the hope of finally finding an answer. By chance the 12th and 13th chapters of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians caught my attention, and in the first section I read that not everyone can be an apostle, prophet or teacher, that the Church is composed of a variety of members, and that the eye cannot be the hand. Even with such an answer revealed before me, I was not satisfied and did not find peace.
I persevered in the reading and did not let my mind wander until I found this encouraging theme: “Set your desires on the greater gifts. And I will show you the way which surpasses all others.” For the Apostle insists that the greater gifts are nothing at all without love and that this same love is surely the best path leading directly to God. At length I had found peace of mind.
When I had looked upon the mystical body of the Church, I recognised myself in none of the members which St. Paul described, and what is more, I desired to distinguish myself more favourably within the whole body. Love appeared to me to be the hinge for my vocation. Indeed I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members, but in this body the necessary and more noble member was not lacking; I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love. I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I saw and realised that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.
Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed: O Jesus, my love, at last I have found my calling: my call is love. Certainly I have found my place in the Church, and you gave me that very place, my God. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love, and thus I will be all things, as my desire finds its direction.
Day 7 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart with Msgr. John Esseff
Day 7: Service
St. Francis, you lived out the Gospel commandment to love your neighbor as yourself, serving the poor, the sick, and the marginalized with great humility and love. You saw in each person the image of Christ, especially in the suffering and the outcast. You remind us that charity is the heart of the Christian life and that in serving others, we serve Christ Himself, who said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me” (Matthew 25:40).
Let us pray:
St. Francis, servant of the poor and suffering, help me to see Christ in every person I meet, especially in those who are in need. Teach me to serve others with the same love and humility with which you served, knowing that in doing so, I am serving Our Lord. May I follow your example by living a life of charity, always seeking to bring the love of Christ to those who are most in need.
Day 6 – Strength from the Cross – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart
From the Diary of St. Faustina, 1558 – Faustina writes:
“In difficult moments I will fix my gaze upon the silent heart of Jesus, stretched upon the cross, and from the exploding flames of His merciful heart will flow down upon me power and strength to keep fighting.”
St. Faustina drew strength from the cross of Christ in her moments of trial, focusing on the silent heart of Jesus, who suffered for love of us. She saw that from His pierced heart flowed the flames of His mercy, giving her strength to endure her own struggles. When you face difficulties, do you turn to the cross as a source of strength, or do you try to carry your burdens alone? Reflect today on the power of Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus endured the cross so that you might have the strength to carry your own. In times of suffering, fix your gaze on Him and allow His mercy to flow into your heart.
Prayer & Petition:
Lord, You stretched out Your arms on the cross to embrace the world in mercy. When I am weary or burdened, help me to look at Your cross and remember that You carry my burdens with me. May I draw strength from Your Passion and trust that You are always with me, even in the darkest moments. St. Faustina, help me to gaze upon the cross of Christ and draw strength from His merciful heart in times of suffering. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, through the intercession of St. Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy, I ask for the grace to live more fully in Your mercy. Help me to trust in You completely, to offer mercy to others, and to live in the joy of Your love. May St. Faustina guide me in my journey toward holiness, and may her prayers obtain for me the graces I most need. Amen.
Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth 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. Luke 9:57-62
As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’
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:
As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’
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:
As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’
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.
Consolation and Desolation – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J.
Fr. Anthony Wieck and Kris McGregor discuss how St. Ignatius of Loyola’s rules for discernment help people navigate times of consolation and desolation. Fr. Anthony Wieck, SJ, explains the difference between spiritual desolation and ordinary life struggles such as fatigue, loss, or depression. Unlike the “dark night of the soul” described by St. John of the Cross, which is marked by a purifying joy, spiritual desolation involves feeling distant from God. Yet even in these dry seasons, one can serve God with courage, knowing His grace is still present. Much like a parent allows difficulty to guide a child toward maturity, God sometimes permits these experiences as a wake-up call and a path to deeper trust. Consolation, he notes, is actually more common in most lives than desolation, and even sorrowful experiences—such as grief—can be occasions of closeness with God when received with faith.
Fr. Wieck then unpacks three strategies Ignatius describes for recognizing and resisting the tactics of the evil spirit. First, temptation often nags like a voice that won’t let up; strength must be shown immediately to cut it off. Second, secrecy empowers sin, so bringing hidden struggles into the light through accountability or confession robs the enemy of power. Third, the enemy always probes for weak spots, so one must identify personal vulnerabilities and fortify them with discipline and prayer. He stresses the need for self-knowledge, awareness of wounds, and humor in facing temptation, reminding listeners that God’s mercy is far greater than any spiritual opposition. Ultimately, both joy and struggle can become occasions to grow in freedom and love of God.
Discerning Hearts Catholic Reflection Questions:
How can I distinguish between ordinary life struggles and true spiritual desolation in my own journey?
When I experience dryness in prayer, do I trust that God’s grace is still present and working within me?
In what ways do I sometimes love God’s gifts more than God Himself, and how might I invite purification of that love?
How do I respond when temptations persistently “nag” at me—do I stand firm with the strength of Christ?
Do I have someone in my life with whom I can share my spiritual struggles honestly, breaking secrecy’s power?
What weak points or wounds in my soul need strengthening through prayer, discipline, or accountability?
How might I use humor and trust in God’s power to resist discouragement when faced with temptation?
In times of consolation, do I remember to remain humble, giving glory to God rather than myself?
How do I allow moments of grief or suffering to draw me closer to Christ rather than pull me away?
Am I attentive to God’s “wake-up calls,” seeing them as opportunities to grow in freedom and love?
Fr. Anthony Wieck is a Jesuit priest of the Central & Southern province. Sixth of nine children, raised on a farm in Oregon, Fr. Anthony began religious life in 1994, spending his first five years of formation in Rome, Italy, studying at the Casa Balthasar and the Gregorian. The former was under the watchful patronage of Pope Benedict XVI (then-Card. Joseph Ratzinger). Fr. Anthony currently acts as retreat master at White House Jesuit Retreat in St. Louis, Missouri. He also offers spiritual direction at the St. Louis diocesan seminary for 25 future priests there.
Day 6 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart with Msgr. John Esseff
Day 6: Joy
St. Francis, your heart was filled with heavenly joy, even in the midst of trials and sufferings. You understood that true joy comes from a heart that is united with Christ and surrendered to God’s will. You rejoiced in the Lord always, knowing that even the Cross, when borne with love, leads to eternal joy. In a world that seeks fleeting happiness, your life reminds us that joy is found not in comfort or pleasure, but in living for Christ and embracing His Cross.
Let us pray:
Holy St. Francis, joyful servant of God, pray for me that I may know the joy of living for Christ. Help me to rejoice in all things, trusting that God’s will is always for my good. Teach me to embrace the crosses in my life with faith and love, knowing that they lead to the joy of eternal life with Christ. May my heart be filled with the joy that comes from loving and serving the Lord with all my strength.
St. Jerome – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson
Born: 347 AD, Štrigova, Croatia
Died: September 30, 420 AD, Bethlehem
Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor explore the life and contributions of St. Jerome, a Doctor of the Church best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin, creating the Vulgate. His fiery personality, shaped by his intellectual brilliance and sensitivity, often lead to conflict with others.
St. Jerome, born in 342 AD, had a profound love for scripture, classical literature, and the Christian faith, which led him to Rome and eventually the Holy Land. There, he dedicated himself to the study and translation of scripture, mastering Hebrew and other languages to create an authentic Latin version of the Bible.
His work in revising the Latin New Testament and his deep relationships with notable Roman women, such as Paula, who helped him establish monastic communities in Bethlehem. Despite his irritable temperament, Jerome’s love for Christ and scripture motivated his scholarship and pastoral care. His legacy lies in the reliability of the Vulgate, affirmed by the Council of Trent, and his profound message that ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ. Jerome’s life exemplifies the integration of scholarly pursuit and living out the Gospel. Christians must not only study the Word but live it.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How does St. Jerome’s dedication to studying and translating scripture challenge me to deepen my own engagement with the Word of God?
In what ways can I channel my personality and temperament, even if difficult, toward serving Christ and His Church?
How can St. Jerome’s transformation from worldly temptations to a life devoted to God inspire me to reform areas of my own life?
Am I willing to set aside personal achievements and knowledge, as Jerome did, to serve others in practical ways when charity demands it?
How can I apply Jerome’s teaching that to know scripture is to know Christ more fully in my daily spiritual practice?
What steps can I take to live out the truths I encounter in my study of scripture, ensuring that my actions reflect my faith?
“Jerome was born into a Christian family in about 347 A.D. in Stridon. He was given a good education and was even sent to Rome to fine-tune his studies. As a young man he was attracted by the worldly life (cf. Ep 22, 7), but his desire for and interest in the Christian religion prevailed.
He received Baptism in about 366 and opted for the ascetic life. He went to Aquileia and joined a group of fervent Christians that had formed around Bishop Valerian and which he described as almost “a choir of blesseds” (Chron. ad ann. 374). He then left for the East and lived as a hermit in the Desert of Chalcis, south of Aleppo (Ep 14, 10), devoting himself assiduously to study. He perfected his knowledge of Greek, began learning Hebrew (cf. Ep 125, 12), and transcribed codices and Patristic writings (cf. Ep 5, 2). Meditation, solitude and contact with the Word of God helped his Christian sensibility to mature. He bitterly regretted the indiscretions of his youth (cf. Ep. 22, 7) and was keenly aware of the contrast between the pagan mentality and the Christian life: a contrast made famous by the dramatic and lively “vision” – of which he has left us an account – in which it seemed to him that he was being scourged before God because he was “Ciceronian rather than Christian” (cf. Ep. 22, 30).
In 382 he moved to Rome: here, acquainted with his fame as an ascetic and his ability as a scholar, Pope Damasus engaged him as secretary and counsellor; the Pope encouraged him, for pastoral and cultural reasons, to embark on a new Latin translation of the Biblical texts. Several members of the Roman aristocracy, especially noblewomen such as Paula, Marcella, Asella, Lea and others, desirous of committing themselves to the way of Christian perfection and of deepening their knowledge of the Word of God, chose him as their spiritual guide and teacher in the methodical approach to the sacred texts. These noblewomen also learned Greek and Hebrew.
After the death of Pope Damasus, Jerome left Rome in 385 and went on pilgrimage, first to the Holy Land, a silent witness of Christ’s earthly life, and then to Egypt, the favourite country of numerous monks (cf. Contra Rufinum, 3, 22; Ep. 108, 6-14). In 386 he stopped in Bethlehem, where male and female monasteries were built through the generosity of the noblewoman, Paula, as well as a hospice for pilgrims bound for the Holy Land, “remembering Mary and Joseph who had found no room there” (Ep. 108, 14). He stayed in Bethlehem until he died, continuing to do a prodigious amount of work: he commented on the Word of God; he defended the faith, vigorously opposing various heresies; he urged the monks on to perfection; he taught classical and Christian culture to young students; he welcomed with a pastor’s heart pilgrims who were visiting the Holy Land. He died in his cell close to the Grotto of the Nativity on 30 September 419-420.
Jerome’s literary studies and vast erudition enabled him to revise and translate many biblical texts: an invaluable undertaking for the Latin Church and for Western culture. On the basis of the original Greek and Hebrew texts, and thanks to the comparison with previous versions, he revised the four Gospels in Latin, then the Psalter and a large part of the Old Testament. Taking into account the original Hebrew and Greek texts of the Septuagint, the classical Greek version of the Old Testament that dates back to pre-Christian times, as well as the earlier Latin versions, Jerome was able, with the assistance later of other collaborators, to produce a better translation: this constitutes the so-called “Vulgate”, the “official” text of the Latin Church which was recognized as such by the Council of Trent and which, after the recent revision, continues to be the “official” Latin text of the Church. It is interesting to point out the criteria which the great biblicist abided by in his work as a translator. He himself reveals them when he says that he respects even the order of the words of the Sacred Scriptures, for in them, he says, “the order of the words is also a mystery” (Ep. 57, 5), that is, a revelation. Furthermore, he reaffirms the need to refer to the original texts: “Should an argument on the New Testament arise between Latins because of interpretations of the manuscripts that fail to agree, let us turn to the original, that is, to the Greek text in which the New Testament was written. “Likewise, with regard to the Old Testament, if there are divergences between the Greek and Latin texts we should have recourse to the original Hebrew text; thus, we shall be able to find in the streams all that flows from the source” (Ep. 106, 2). Jerome also commented on many biblical texts. For him the commentaries had to offer multiple opinions “so that the shrewd reader, after reading the different explanations and hearing many opinions – to be accepted or rejected – may judge which is the most reliable, and, like an expert moneychanger, may reject the false coin” (Contra Rufinum 1, 16).
Jerome refuted with energy and liveliness the heretics who contested the tradition and faith of the Church. He also demonstrated the importance and validity of Christian literature, which had by then become a real culture that deserved to be compared with classical literature: he did so by composing his De Viris Illustribus, a work in which Jerome presents the biographies of more than a hundred Christian authors. Further, he wrote biographies of monks, comparing among other things their spiritual itineraries as well as monastic ideal. In addition, he translated various works by Greek authors. Lastly, in the important Epistulae, a masterpiece of Latin literature, Jerome emerges with the profile of a man of culture, an ascetic and a guide of souls.
What can we learn from St Jerome? It seems to me, this above all; to love the Word of God in Sacred Scripture. St Jerome said: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”. It is therefore important that every Christian live in contact and in personal dialogue with the Word of God given to us in Sacred Scripture. This dialogue with Scripture must always have two dimensions: on the one hand, it must be a truly personal dialogue because God speaks with each one of us through Sacred Scripture and it has a message for each one. We must not read Sacred Scripture as a word of the past but as the Word of God that is also addressed to us, and we must try to understand what it is that the Lord wants to tell us. However, to avoid falling into individualism, we must bear in mind that the Word of God has been given to us precisely in order to build communion and to join forces in the truth on our journey towards God. Thus, although it is always a personal Word, it is also a Word that builds community, that builds the Church. We must therefore read it in communion with the living Church. The privileged place for reading and listening to the Word of God is the liturgy, in which, celebrating the Word and making Christ’s Body present in the Sacrament, we actualize the Word in our lives and make it present among us. We must never forget that the Word of God transcends time. Human opinions come and go. What is very modern today will be very antiquated tomorrow. On the other hand, the Word of God is the Word of eternal life, it bears within it eternity and is valid for ever. By carrying the Word of God within us, we therefore carry within us eternity, eternal life.
I thus conclude with a word St Jerome once addressed to St Paulinus of Nola. In it the great exegete expressed this very reality, that is, in the Word of God we receive eternity, eternal life. St Jerome said: “Seek to learn on earth those truths which will remain ever valid in Heaven” (Ep. 53, 10).”
Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and a senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.
“When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens, I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.”
Saint Therese, flower of Carmel,
you said you would spend your heaven
doing good upon the earth.
Your trust in God was complete.
Listen to my prayer;
bring before God my special intention…
Pray for me that I may have something of your confidence
in the loving promises of our God.
Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me,
and one day see the Face of God who you so ardently loved.
Saint Therese,
you kept your word to love God
and to trust the world to that loving providence.
Pray for us that we may be faithful to our commitment to love.
May our lives, like yours,
be able to touch the world and bring it to peace.
Day 5 – Overcoming Discouragement and Anxiety – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart
From the Diary of St. Faustina, 1488 – Jesus speaks to Faustina:
“The greatest obstacles to holiness are discouragement and an exaggerated anxiety. These will deprive you of the ability to practice virtue. All temptations united together ought not disturb your interior peace, not even momentarily. Sensitiveness and discouragement are the fruits of self-love. Place your trust not in yourself but in God.”
Jesus warns us that discouragement and anxiety are the greatest obstacles to holiness. These feelings often arise from self-reliance or fear of failure, and they prevent us from trusting in God. When we focus on our weaknesses instead of God’s mercy, we lose the interior peace necessary for practicing virtue. Reflect on any areas where discouragement or anxiety may be keeping you from growing in holiness. Remember that God’s grace is sufficient, and He asks only that you trust in His love. Turn to Him with your worries, knowing that He can transform even your greatest weaknesses.
Prayer & Petition:
Lord, You know my heart and how easily I fall into discouragement when faced with challenges. Help me to trust in Your Divine Mercy and to remain at peace, even in the face of trials. May I grow in confidence that You are always at work in my life, even when I cannot see it. St. Faustina, intercede for me so that I may overcome discouragement and anxiety, trusting fully in God’s Divine Mercy. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, through the intercession of St. Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy, I ask for the grace to live more fully in Your mercy. Help me to trust in You completely, to offer mercy to others, and to live in the joy of Your love. May St. Faustina guide me in my journey toward holiness, and may her prayers obtain for me the graces I most need. Amen.
Tuesday of the Twenty-Sixth 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. Luke 9:51-56
As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.
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:
As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.
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:
As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.
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.
Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Tuesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast