Msgr. John Esseff Archives

A clean heart create for me, God – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on the indwelling of the divine life within us through our baptism. He asks every one to reflect on Psalm 51.

Psalm 51

For the leader. A psalm of David,2when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba.^a

I

3Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love;

in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.

4Thoroughly wash away my guilt;

and from my sin cleanse me.

5For I know my transgressions;

my sin is always before me.^b

6Against you, you alone have I sinned;

I have done what is evil in your eyes

So that you are just in your word,

and without reproach in your judgment.^c

7Behold, I was born in guilt,

in sin my mother conceived me.^*^d

8Behold, you desire true sincerity;

and secretly you teach me wisdom.

9Cleanse me with hyssop,^* that I may be pure;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.^e

10You will let me hear gladness and joy;

the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

II

11Turn away your face from my sins;

blot out all my iniquities.

12A clean heart create for me, God;

renew within me a steadfast spirit.^f

13Do not drive me from before your face,

nor take from me your holy spirit.^g

14Restore to me the gladness of your salvation;

uphold me with a willing spirit.

15I will teach the wicked your ways,

that sinners may return to you.

16Rescue me from violent bloodshed, God, my saving God,

and my tongue will sing joyfully of your justice.^h

17Lord, you will open my lips;

and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

18For you do not desire sacrifice^* or I would give it;

a burnt offering you would not accept.ⁱ

19My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;

a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.

III

20^*Treat Zion kindly according to your good will;

build up the walls of Jerusalem.^j

21Then you will desire the sacrifices of the just,

burnt offering and whole offerings;

then they will offer up young bulls on your altar.

Used with permission. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Let us journey together into Holy Week – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on the scriptures from the mass on the 5th Thursday of Lent and how we would like to lead everyone on a retreat into Holy Week.

Reading 1 GN 17:3-9

When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
“My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile;
I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:
“On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Used with permission. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Danger of Self-Reliance Especially Today – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on the scriptures from the mass on the 5th Wednesday of Lent and the danger of self-reliance, especially in today’s world.

Reading 1 DN 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

King Nebuchadnezzar said:
“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you will not serve my god,
or worship the golden statue that I set up?
Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
and all the other musical instruments;
otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
“There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you
in this matter.
If our God, whom we serve,
can save us from the white-hot furnace
and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god
or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
and had some of the strongest men in his army
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
“Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”
“Assuredly, O king,” they answered.
“But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God.”

Used with permission. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Look at God looking at us – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on the scriptures from the mass on the 5th Tuesday of Lent and how we are invited to look at God looking at us.

Responsorial Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21

R.   (2) O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
O LORD, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
in the day when I call, answer me speedily.
R.   O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R.   O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R.   O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

Used with permission. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Global Pandemic: Christ Conquers Sin and Death – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff addresses the global pandemic of the coronavirus and COVID-19. He reflects that there is something greater than death…sin. Now is the time to examine ourselves and recognize areas in our lives where sin has a grip on us. It is time to give it all to Christ and to be free.

Reading 2 ROM 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He was ordained on May 30, 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA. Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to St. Mother Teresa. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by St. Pope John Paul II. Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.

Uniting our suffering with Christ – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on how we can deepen our personal prayer by uniting our suffering, whatever it may be, with Christ on the Cross.

Psalm 130

1 A song of ascents.

I

Out of the depths^* I call to you, LORD;

2 Lord, hear my cry!

May your ears be attentive

to my cry for mercy.^a

3 If you, LORD, keep account of sins,

Lord, who can stand?^b

4 But with you is forgiveness

and so you are revered.^*

II

5 I wait for the LORD,

my soul waits

and I hope for his word.^c

6 My soul looks for the Lord

more than sentinels for daybreak.^d

More than sentinels for daybreak,

7l et Israel hope in the LORD,

For with the LORD is mercy,

with him is plenteous redemption,^e

8 And he will redeem Israel

from all its sins.^f

Used with permission. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship is the primary gift of prayer – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Drawing from the Sacred Scriptures, Msgr. Esseff begins his teachings on prayer. First, we must understand that relationship is the primary gift of prayer.

Msgr. Esseff answers a question about “storming heaven with prayer.”

2 Corinthians Chapter 5

17^k So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.

18^* And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation,

19namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.^l

20So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.^m

21^* For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,ⁿ so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

“Do you know the power of prayer?” – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Drawing from the Sacred Scriptures given to us from the Mass celebrated on the Thursday of the 4th week of Lent.

Msgr. Esseff asks “Do you know the power of your prayer?”

Responsorial Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23

(4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Our fathers made a calf in Horeb
and adored a molten image;
They exchanged their glory
for the image of a grass-eating bullock.
R.   Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,
terrible things at the Red Sea.
R.   Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Then he spoke of exterminating them,
but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath.
R.   Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Used with permission. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

“May it be done to me according to your word” – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Drawing from the Sacred Scriptures given to us from the Mass celebrated on the

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Msgr. Esseff reflects on Our Lady’s word spoken to the angel, “May it be done to me according to your word.”

Gospel LK 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

Used with permission. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Time To Examen Ourselves – Daily Spiritual Counsel Through This Time of Pandemic – Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

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Drawing from the Sacred Scriptures given to us from the Mass celebrated on the 4th Monday of Lent, Msgr. Esseff reminds us to take this time to examen ourselves

Responsorial Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

R.   (8) The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R.   The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R.   The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R.   The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.