DC2 St. Hilary of Poitiers – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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St. Hilary of Poitiers – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Born: 310 AD,
Died: May 2, 367 AD

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss St. Hillary of Poitier’s life, conversion, and role in combating Arianism. Despite being the “Hammer of the Aryans,” his gentleness and charity emphasized Christ-like love in defending the faith.

From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI General Audience 2007:

“To sum up the essentials of his doctrine, I would like to say that Hilary found the starting point for his theological reflection in baptismal faith. In De Trinitate, Hilary writes: Jesus “has commanded us to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (cf. Mt 28: 19), that is, in the confession of the Author, of the Only-Begotten One and of the Gift. The Author of all things is one alone, for one alone is God the Father, from whom all things proceed. And one alone is Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist (cf. I Cor 8: 6), and one alone is the Spirit (cf. Eph 4: 4), a gift in all…. In nothing can be found to be lacking so great a fullness, in which the immensity in the Eternal One, the revelation in the Image, joy in the Gift, converge in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit” (De Trinitate 2, 1). God the Father, being wholly love, is able to communicate his divinity to his Son in its fullness. I find particularly beautiful the following formula of St Hilary: “God knows not how to be anything other than love, he knows not how to be anyone other than the Father. Those who love are not envious and the one who is the Father is so in his totality. This name admits no compromise, as if God were father in some aspects and not in others” (ibid., 9, 61).

For this reason the Son is fully God without any gaps or diminishment. “The One who comes from the perfect is perfect because he has all, he has given all” (ibid., 2, 8). Humanity finds salvation in Christ alone, Son of God and Son of man. In assuming our human nature, he has united himself with every man, “he has become the flesh of us all” (Tractatus super Psalmos 54, 9); “he took on himself the nature of all flesh and through it became true life, he has in himself the root of every vine shoot” (ibid., 51, 16). For this very reason the way to Christ is open to all – because he has drawn all into his being as a man -, even if personal conversion is always required: “Through the relationship with his flesh, access to Christ is open to all, on condition that they divest themselves of their former self (cf. Eph 4: 22), nailing it to the Cross (cf. Col 2: 14); provided we give up our former way of life and convert in order to be buried with him in his baptism, in view of life (cf. Col1: 12; Rom 6: 4)” (ibid., 91, 9).

Fidelity to God is a gift of his grace. Therefore, St Hilary asks, at the end of his Treatise on the Trinity, to be able to remain ever faithful to the baptismal faith. It is a feature of this book: reflection is transformed into prayer and prayer returns to reflection. The whole book is a dialogue with God.
I would like to end today’s Catechesis with one of these prayers, which thus becomes our prayer:
“Obtain, O Lord”, St Hilary recites with inspiration, “that I may keep ever faithful to what I have professed in the symbol of my regeneration, when I was baptized in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. That I may worship you, our Father, and with you, your Son; that I may deserve your Holy Spirit, who proceeds from you through your Only Begotten Son… Amen” (De Trinitate 12, 57).”

For more visit Vatican.va

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

How can I deepen my personal relationship with God through prayer and scripture study?
In what ways do I demonstrate charity and Christ-like love in my interactions with others?
Reflect on a challenging situation and consider how St. Hillary’s approach of gentleness and diplomacy could be applied.
How can I contribute to promoting unity within the Church and combatting contemporary heresies or misconceptions?
In my faith journey, am I open to the transformative power of scripture, as St. Hillary was in his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew?
How can I balance being a fierce defender of the faith with embodying the virtues of gentleness and charity, following St. Hillary’s example?

For more on St. Hilary of Poitiers and his teachings:

Hilary of Poitiers
– On the Councils, or the Faith of the Easterns
– On the Trinity
– Homilies on the Psalms

For more from Dr. Matthew Bunson check out his Discerning Hearts page

Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and 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.

Chapter 24: The Sacred Heart – How to Pray with David Torkington – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Chapter 24 – The Sacred Heart

“In the New Testament, the heart is the source of the divine operations, which transform the Christian.” – John L. McKenzie

The devotion to the Sacred Heart proclaims a profound truth that is central to our faith. Jesus has risen and is alive now, bursting with love that pours out of his heart and into the hearts of all who would receive him.

You can find the book here.

This little book How to Pray – A Practical Guide to the Spiritual life by David Torkington, was published by Our Sunday Visitor. It was written for those prepared to restructure their daily lives to make time for the prayer where they can be transformed by the love that only God can give.

In the foreword to this new book from OSV, “How to Pray: A Practical Guide to the Spiritual Life,” Sister Wendy Beckett wrote,

“There are no hideaways here, no excuses, but no alarming demands, either. Instead, Torkington seeks only to show us the truth, that truth that sets us free and convinces us that the yoke of Jesus is easy and his burden light. All we need is to understand and to choose. This book offers us the help we need to understand, and then the choice is ours.”⁠

This is not your standard “prayer book” – it is not a compilation of Catholic prayers for you to just read. Rather, this is a series of 40 reflections on prayer intended to open you up to the transformation that is possible through prayer, through the love that God can give us through prayer.⁠

Endorsement

“From here to eternity! For those drawn to contemplative prayer, David Torkington offers compelling clarity and common sense. Gentle kindness guides his practical counsel, and he is careful to help us see the solid principles in which he roots his insights. An authentic and reliable guard against counterfeits, his wisdom points to the heights and grounded-ness of the Catholic mystical tradition at a time when it is most needed.”

Dr. Anthony Lilles, STD: Associate Professor and Academic Dean of St John’s Seminary in Camarillo, as well as the academic advisor for Juan Diego House of Priestly Formation for the diocese of Los Angeles. For over twenty years, he served the Church in Northern Colorado, where he joined and eventually served as dean of the founding faculty of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver.

Visit his website: www.davidtorkington.com.

The author of the popular Peter Calvay series, his books include Wisdom from the Western Isles, Wisdom from Franciscan Italy, Wisdom from the Christian Mystics, Prayer Made Simple (CTS), and How to Pray by Our Sunday Visitor. His books have been translated into 13 different languages.

SP24 – Episode 24 – Advent: Only 3 1/2 Weeks Spent Waiting for God – In Search of the Still Point with Dr. Regis Martin – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 24 – Advent: Only 3 1/2 Weeks Spent Waiting for God

Discerning Hearts is honored to host the reflections of Dr. Regis Martin. Filled with profound insights, wisdom, and joy, he is one of the most trustworthy guides one can have on the spiritual journey.

For years Regis Martin, STD, has been regaling audiences about the mysteries of God and Church, most especially his students at Franciscan University of Steubenville where he teaches theology. Author of half-dozen or more books, including The Suffering of Love (Ignatius, 2006), The Last Things (Ignatius Press, 2011), Still Point (Ave Maria, 2012), The Beggar’s Banquet (Emmaus Road, 2012), Witness to Wonder (Emmaus Road, 2017) his work frequently appears in Crises and The Catholic Thing.

ST-Luke Ep 6 – The Gospel of Luke – Chapter 2 Part 2 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 6 – The Gospel of Luke – Chapter 2 Part 2

Jesus is Born

The lecture this week begins with a look at Papal Infallibility and how it relates to Mary. Beginning with our first Pope, Peter, there has been an unbroken succession of apostolic authority. A dogma is declared infallible only when three criteria are met: the pronouncement must be made by the lawful successor of Peter; the subject matter must be in the area of faith and morals; the pope must speak ex cathedra, that is from the office and seat of Peter. Papal infallibility has been invoked for only two dogmas of the Church: the immaculate conception of Mary (Pius IX in 1854) and the bodily assumption of Mary (Pius XII in 1950).

Picking up where we left off last week, we return to Luke 1 and the story of the Annunciation to Mary. When the angel declares to Mary that she will conceive and bear a son, she wonders how this could be since she had no relations with a man. John Paull II explains her response by saying that Mary had the intention of forever being a virgin. The angel replies by saying that Mary will be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The Greek for overshadow is “episkiasei.” This word is used only one other time in the New Testament in Matthew 17, when at the Transfiguration the when Jesus and the apostles were Moses and Elijah were overshadowed by a cloud from which the voice of God could be heard. “Episkiasei” implies the divine true presence of God, and in the Old Testament, this word is only used in reference to the tent of the meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Tabernacle, where the true presence of God was kept. The Ark of the Covenant was powerful and could not be touched without dire consequences. Just as the old Ark of the Covenant could not be touched, neither could the new Ark of the Covenant, Mary. Mary was perpetually a virgin. Like the Ark of the Covenant, Mary housed the true presence of God in her Womb.

We then turn our attention to the visitation of Mary to her elderly cousin Elizabeth, who is miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist. Upon seeing Mary, Elizabeth “cries out” (anaphōneō in the Greek): “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Anaphōneō, “to cry out” with shouts of joy, is only used in the Old Testament when the Ark of the Covenant is present. Furthermore, only two women other than Mary in Scripture are called “blessed.” The book of Judges tells the story of Jael, who kills the enemy Canaanite General Sisera by driving a tent peg into his head. In celebration of the defeat of Israel’s enemy, Deborah the judge declares: “Most blessed of women be Jael!” (Judges 5:24). In the book of Judith, another enemy of Israel falls at the hand of a blessed woman. Judith cuts off the head of the Assyrian General Holofernes. Upon seeing the severed head of Holofernes, King Uzziah proclaims: “O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all women on earth!” (Judith 13:18). Both of these blessed women, Jael and Judith, help preserve the line of Messiah by crushing the head of the enemies of Israel. Likewise, the Blessed Virgin Mary bears the Messiah himself, Jesus, who crushes the head of Satan as predicted in Genesis 3:15.

There are striking similarities between the Old Ark of the Covenant and Mary, the new Ark of the Covenant. The Old Ark contained the stone tablets of the law (the word of God), manna (the bread of God), and Aaron’s rod (the authority of God’s High Priest). These contents prefigure Mary, the New Ark, whose womb contains Jesus, who IS the word of life, who IS the bread of life, who IS the authority of God on earth, the final High Priest of Israel. As mentioned, the contents of the ark are sacred and not to be touched. Recall how Uzzah was struck dead when he touched the side of the Ark to steady it (2 Sam 6) or when the Lord slew 70 men who looked into the Ark of the Covenant (1 Sam 6).

The lecture continues with the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. We remember from 2 Maccabees 2 that the true presence of God has been absent from the temple ever since Jeremiah sealed the Ark of the Covenant in a cave on the mountain of Moses. As Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus for the purification ceremony, the true presence of God has finally returned to the temple, an event long anticipated and recognized by Simeon and the prophetess Anna. The Holy Family returns to Nazareth for the “hidden” years of Jesus as he grows in strength and wisdom with the favor of God upon him. Luke 2 concludes with 12-year-old Jesus teaching in the temple: the true presence of God has returned to the temple yet again, “Why are you looking for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s House?” With the Eucharist present in every tabernacle of every Catholic Church, we have access to the true presence of God at all times. Copyright 2019 @ Seeking Truth

Sharon Doran serves as the teaching director of “Seeking Truth.” An experienced Bible Study teacher, Sharon has a passion for scripture that will motivate and challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word and apply His message to your everyday life.

For more in this series, visit the Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Discerning Hearts page.

“Seeking Truth” is an in-depth Catholic Bible Study commissioned by the Archdiocese of Omaha in response to John Paul II’s call to the New Evangelization as well as Pope Benedict XVI’s exhortation for all Catholics to study scripture. To learn more, go to www.seekingtruth.net

Chapter 23: The Rosary – How to Pray with David Torkington – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Chapter 23 – The Rosary

“The Rosary is a School of Silent Contemplation and has an intimate connection to the Word of God.” – Pope Benedict XVI

For centuries the Rosary has guided the faithful from the foothills of the spiritual life to the heights. This is how so many of our parents and grandparents were taught to pray.

You can find the book here.

In the foreword to this new book from OSV, “How to Pray: A Practical Guide to the Spiritual Life,” Sister Wendy Beckett wrote,

Endorsement

Visit his website: www.davidtorkington.com.

BWPM 2 – O God, Be Merciful – A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V. Podcast

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Episode 2 – O God, Be Merciful – A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

We continue our conversation with Fr. Gallagher discussing the encouragements given by Venerable Bruno Lanteri in regards to a biblical way of praying the Mass. In this episode, Fr. Gallagher reflects on the Penitential rite of the Mass.

Take a moment now to ponder the tax collector’s prayer (Luke 18:9–14). Consider his heart: his sincerity, his openness, his contrition, his desire to change, and his trust in God’s mercy. Pray for a heart like his. Then, with his same sentiments, slowly pray these words:

I confess to almighty God (the God whose infinite love and mercy we know)
and to you, my brothers and sisters (before whom also we accept our responsibility),
that I have greatly sinned (humble recognition, like the tax collector),
in my thoughts and in my words (how I have thought of others and how I have spoken),
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do (my actions and my omissions),
through my fault, through my fault (I accept my responsibility), through my most grievous fault (and accept it again with a humble heart);
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin (my heart lifts as I ponder her tender love),
all the Angels and Saints (my heart lifts further as I contemplate the multitude of angels and saints who love me),
and you, my brothers and sisters (I ask this, too, of those present here with me),
to pray for me to the Lord our God (with confidence, I ask for the prayers of all these). * * *

Now, with a heart like the tax collector’s, pray the following words. Pause briefly at each invocation. The biblical verse cited may assist this meditation. As you pray, feel the healing grace of the God who is “nothing but mercy and love” (Saint Thérèse): Lord, have mercy.

(“Lord, you are good and forgiving, most loving to all who call on you” [Ps. 86:5].)
Lord, have mercy. (“With the Lord is mercy, with him is plenteous redemption” [Ps 130:7].)
Christ, have mercy. (A prayer to Jesus from the heart: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean” [Matt. 8:2].)

Christ, have mercy. (Again, from the heart: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me” [Mark 10:47].)
Lord, have mercy. (“God, who is rich in mercy . . . brought us to life with Christ” [Eph. 2:4–5].
Our God is rich in mercy.) Lord, have mercy. (“Let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy” [Heb. 4:16].)

Pray these invocations in this way, with these sentiments, when you are at Mass.

Gallagher, Fr. Timothy; Gallagher, Fr Timothy . A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass: The Eucharistic Wisdom of Venerable Bruno Lanteri (pp. 34-35). EWTN Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in the A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass with Fr. Timothy Gallagher podcast series, visit here

You can find A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass here

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola.” For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio, which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org

For other Discerning Hearts Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcasts visit here

SP23 – Episode 23 – Happy Thanksgiving – In Search of the Still Point with Dr. Regis Martin – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 23 – Happy Thanksgiving

WM21 – Vatican II – Dei Verbum part 2 – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast

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Episode 21 Vatican II – Dei Verbum pt. 2 – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

In this episode with Archbishop Lucas, we continue our conversation on the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation

Dei verbum, the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 18 November 1965, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,344 to 6. The phrase “Dei verbum” is Latin for “Word of God” and is taken from the first line of the document, as is customary for titles of major Catholic documents.

An excerpt from Dei Verbum:

12. However, since God speaks in Sacred Scripture through men in human fashion, (6) the interpreter of Sacred Scripture, in order to see clearly what God wanted to communicate to us, should carefully investigate what meaning the sacred writers really intended, and what God wanted to manifest by means of their words.

To search out the intention of the sacred writers, attention should be given, among other things, to “literary forms.” For truth is set forth and expressed differently in texts which are variously historical, prophetic, poetic, or of other forms of discourse. The interpreter must investigate what meaning the sacred writer intended to express and actually expressed in particular circumstances by using contemporary literary forms in accordance with the situation of his own time and culture. (7) For the correct understanding of what the sacred author wanted to assert, due attention must be paid to the customary and characteristic styles of feeling, speaking and narrating which prevailed at the time of the sacred writer, and to the patterns men normally employed at that period in their everyday dealings with one another. (8)

But, since Holy Scripture must be read and interpreted in the sacred spirit in which it was written, (9) no less serious attention must be given to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture if the meaning of the sacred texts is to be correctly worked out. The living tradition of the whole Church must be taken into account along with the harmony which exists between elements of the faith. It is the task of exegetes to work according to these rules toward a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture, so that through preparatory study the judgment of the Church may mature. For all of what has been said about the way of interpreting Scripture is subject finally to the judgment of the Church, which carries out the divine commission and ministry of guarding and interpreting the word of God. (10)

For the documents of Vatican II visit here

For more episodes in this series visit the

Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast page

For more teachings and information about Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, visit: archomaha.org

ST-Luke Ep 5 – The Gospel of Luke – Chapter 2 Part 1 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 5 – The Gospel of Luke – Chapter 2 Part 1

Jesus is Born

For more in this series, visit the Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Discerning Hearts page.

BWPM 1 – Preparing Our Hearts for Mass – A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V. Podcast

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Episode 1 – Preparing Our Hearts for Mass – A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

We begin our conversation with Fr. Gallagher discussing the encouragements given by Venerable Bruno Lanteri to enter into a prayerful experience of participating at the mass by meditating on passages from Sacred Scripture and allowing them to dwell in our hearts.

When we pray in words or gestures, the Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms, it is the whole person who prays (CCC 2562). Yet, the Catechism continues, “in naming the source of prayer, Scripture sometimes speaks of the soul or the spirit, but most often of the heart (more than a thousand times). According to Scripture, it is the heart that prays” (2562). The emphasis is in the original.

A rich description of the heart follows:
“The heart is the dwelling-place where I am and where I live.”
“According to the Semitic or Biblical expression, the heart is the place ‘to which I withdraw.’ ”
“The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others.”
“Only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully.”
“The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives.”
“It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death.”
“It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation.”
“It is the place of covenant.” (CCC 2563)

How, then, can we pray the supreme prayer, the Mass, from the heart, from, with, and in this interior place to which we withdraw and in which we dwell, this hidden center of our being, this place of decision, of truth, of encounter, and of covenant?

Gallagher, Fr. Timothy; Gallagher, Fr Timothy. A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass: The Eucharistic Wisdom of Venerable Bruno Lanteri (pp. 24-25). EWTN Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.

We then explore how we prepare ourselves concretely before entering the church.

Venerable Bruno proposes an exercise of prayer. Could you pause for a moment to do this now as you read? Choose a saint whom you love and with whose life you are familiar. See this saint begin his or her day. Watch him or her arrange matters to make time for Mass. Leave home with this saint, accompany him or her to church, enter, and prepare for Mass with this saint. Ask him or her: What made you so desire Mass? What brought you to church? What did you seek? What did you find? Why did you go so often?

Ask for the same dispositions as you prepare for Mass.

O God, you are my God — it is you I seek!
For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts,
In a land parched, lifeless, and without water.
I look to you in the sanctuary to see your power and glory. (Ps 63:1–2)

A Mass prepared with this desire will be prayed with faith, love, and spiritual fruit.

Gallagher, Fr. Timothy; A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass: The Eucharistic Wisdom of Venerable Bruno Lanteri (pp. 30-31). EWTN Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in the A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass with Fr. Timothy Gallagher podcast series, visit here

You can find A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass here