VEC1 – Judas – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 1 – Judas – “Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians“

Mike Aquilina and Kris McGregor reflect on Judas Iscariot and how his story reveals both the mystery of sin and the depth of divine mercy. Aquilina discusses how Judas, once chosen and loved by Christ, distorted his God-given gifts through betrayal. Rather than seeing Judas as a simple caricature of evil, we should take a more reflective approach—considering what Jesus might have seen in Judas and recognizing that his fall mirrors the ways all people can misuse their calling. They touch on Judas’ possible motives—greed, disappointment, or confusion—and his tragic despair that led to suicide. Despite this, the early Church maintained hope for God’s mercy, recalling stories such as St. John Vianney’s counsel that even in one’s final moments, God’s grace can reach a soul.

Anger toward those who have hurt us can imprison the heart and how offering such people to God—especially in the Mass—can bring deep spiritual peace. Mike Aquilina also examines the Gospel of Judas, a second-century Gnostic text that recasts Judas as a hero, which was rejected by the Church for lacking authentic human and divine truth.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How does seeing Judas as someone once loved and chosen by Christ change the way you view those who have betrayed you?
In what ways might you, like Judas, misuse the gifts or responsibilities God has entrusted to you?
How do you respond when you feel disillusioned with God’s plans not aligning with your own?
What does Judas’ despair teach you about the importance of trusting in God’s mercy, even after grave sin?
How can you bring those who have hurt you to the altar in prayer, as an offering for healing and reconciliation?
When have you struggled to forgive, and what spiritual practices help you release anger or resentment?
How does reflecting on the mystery of Judas’ repentance deepen your understanding of divine mercy?
What does the Church’s refusal to declare anyone definitively in hell reveal about God’s justice and love?
How can you imitate Jesus’ response to betrayal in your own relationships and community life?
In what ways can the story of Judas move you to greater humility, compassion, and hope in your spiritual journey?

An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church

“What happened to Judas? Was it simple greed that snapped him? That seems unlikely. Thirty pieces of silver was a good bit of money, but Judas was doing all right with his embezzling racket. The Gospels don’t tell us his motivation most likely because their writers just didn’t know. It was a mystery to them as it is to us. And a lot of the Christian legends that later grew up about Judas seem like popular attempts to psychoanalyze him.

Judas was also present for the Last Supper, having a miserable time as Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray him: “The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24).

John tells us that the disciple whom Jesus loved—John himself—asked Jesus who the betrayer would be. “It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it,” Jesus responded, and then dipped the morsel and handed it to Judas. Yet the others still didn’t understand what Jesus meant when he said to Judas, “What you are going to do, do quickly” (John 13:26–27). Was he sending Judas out to buy more food? Or to make a donation to the poor from the money box?

“So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out,” John says, adding the significant detail “and it was night.” Judas walked out of the Last Supper and into the very symbolic darkness (John 13:30).

But he knew where to look for Jesus when he came with the police. Judas and the rest of the disciples had often been with Jesus in that pleasant park across the Kidron Valley, the garden of Gethsemane (see John 18:2; Mark 14:32). That was where Judas led the soldiers to arrest Jesus.”

Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians (Kindle Locations 190-203). Emmaus Road Publishing. Kindle Edition.

You can find the book on which this series is based here.

**For more episodes in the Villians of the Early Church podcast visit here – Villains of the Early Church – Discerning Hearts Podcast**

Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.^[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries (2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio.

Mike Aquilina’s website is found at fathersofthechurch.com

WOM11 – The Liturgy of the Eucharist, pt. 3 – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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The Liturgy of the Eucharist, Part 3 – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating

Deacon James Keating reflects on the deep meaning of the Our Father and the moments that follow it in the Eucharistic liturgy. Christ not only left His Body and Blood as an enduring gift but also gave His Church the perfect words with which to approach the Father. The Our Father reveals the intimacy between the Son and the Father, inviting the faithful to share in that divine relationship. Heaven is this very communion of love among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a reality that the Mass allows us to enter even now. When we pray “Thy will be done,” we participate in Christ’s obedience and goodness, asking to be drawn into the Father’s will. The prayer for “daily bread” points both to the Eucharist and to our need for divine nourishment that sustains virtue and forgiveness. Before receiving this bread, we are called to forgive others, renounce attachment to sin, and trust God for deliverance from evil. The Our Father thus becomes the very language of reconciliation—the way heaven meets earth through Christ.

The Sign of Peace and the Lamb of God are moments that prepare the heart for communion. Peace means more than the absence of conflict—it is communion itself, the fruit of reconciliation through Christ. The repeated invocation “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” brings awareness of our dependence on divine mercy and the innocent power of Christ’s sacrifice. The priest’s private prayers before communion highlight fidelity to truth, interior healing, and the grace that restores what sin has fractured. We should not treat the Eucharist as a personal right or mere symbol. Receiving Christ’s true Body and Blood requires faith, repentance, and integrity of conscience; to receive unworthily is to lie before God. The Eucharist is the mystery of divine love offered to the reconciled—a gift we could never deserve, yet one that heals and integrates us into the very life of the Trinity.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How does praying the Our Father during Mass draw you into the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father?
In what ways do you experience the Eucharist as the meeting place of heaven and earth?
What does “Thy will be done” mean for your daily moral choices and spiritual surrender?
How can receiving your “daily bread” inspire greater trust in God’s goodness and providence?
Before receiving Communion, whom might you still need to forgive or seek forgiveness from?
How does the Sign of Peace call you to see others through God’s merciful eyes rather than their faults?
When you hear “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,” how aware are you of your need for mercy?
What does the priest’s silent prayer before Communion teach you about humility and fidelity to truth?
How has receiving the Eucharist brought healing or integration to areas of disunity in your life?
Do you approach Holy Communion as an undeserved gift of love rather than a personal entitlement?

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

DWG1 – Guided by Grace – The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Guided by Grace – “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss how Christians can approach daily and major life decisions through the lens of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s teaching on discernment. Every choice—from small tasks to major vocational decisions—can be made in union with God when one seeks to act in harmony with His will. Discernment involves preparation through prayer, reflection, and the cultivation of spiritual freedom. Drawing from the Spiritual Exercises, he notes that a person must first clear away disordered attachments and form a heart that is ready to respond freely to God’s direction, much like Mary’s “Be it done unto me.”

Fr. Gallagher illustrates key principles with examples. Using a story involving a man named Kenneth to show us the choice between honesty and dishonesty shows that when a decision involves moral good versus evil, the right path is clear. Barbara’s pregnancy crisis highlights how Church teaching provides clarity in morally complex issues. Ruth’s dilemma about leading parish music while caring for her children reveals that God’s will often lies in fidelity to one’s vocation. Finally, Anthony’s struggle between family time and work illustrates how to handle ordinary choices through prayer, weighing circumstances, and learning from experience.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

How can I invite God into even the smallest daily decisions I make?
In what ways do I prepare my heart through prayer and the sacraments to better discern God’s will?
What attachments or desires might be keeping me from freely following what God asks of me?
How do I ensure my moral choices align with the teachings of the Church?
When faced with two good options, how can I discern which one best supports my vocation and responsibilities?
What helps me recognize God’s peace after I make a decision?
How can I grow in the disposition of Mary, saying “Be it done unto me according to your word”?
How do I learn from past decisions to recognize God’s guidance more clearly in the future?
When am I most tempted to rely on my own reasoning instead of seeking the Lord’s direction?
How can I cultivate a daily habit of asking God, “What do You want me to do in this moment?”

From The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions:

“Three Times in which a Sound and Good Choice May Be Made

The first time is when God Our Lord so moves and attracts the will that, without doubting or being able to doubt, the devout soul follows what is shown to it, as St. Paul and St. Matthew did in following Christ our Lord.

The second time is when sufficient clarity and understanding is received through experience of consolations and desolations, and through experience of discernment of different spirits.

The third time is one of tranquility, when one considers first for what purpose man is born, that is, to praise God our Lord and save his soul, and, desiring this, chooses as a means to this end some life or state within the bounds of the Church, so that he may be helped in the service of his Lord and the salvation of his soul. I said a tranquil time, that is, when the soul is not agitated by different spirits, and uses its natural powers freely and tranquilly.

If the choice is not made in the first or second time, two ways of making it in this third time are given below.”

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 the other episodes in this series check out Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

WOM10 – The Liturgy of the Eucharist, pt. 2 – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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The Liturgy of the Eucharist, Part 2 – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating

Deacon James Keating teaches us that the Mass is not the priest’s personal performance but the living action of Christ. Every sacramental act is Christ working through the priest, and the faithful are called to recognize this mystery rather than focus on personalities or efficiency. Silent participation during the Eucharistic Prayer allows worshipers to surrender their lives to Christ’s saving work, joining His sacrifice in love and trust.

The Eucharist is not a nostalgic memory but the continual presence of divine love. By entering into silence and recollection, the faithful receive the grace that enables true charity—loving others with Christ’s own power rather than mere friendliness—thus forming authentic Christian community.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How can I better recognize that the Mass is Christ’s action rather than the priest’s performance?
Do I enter Mass with a heart ready to be silent and surrendered to the mystery of Christ’s presence?
In what ways have I treated the liturgy as something to “get through” rather than a moment to linger with Christ?
How does my participation in the Eucharist shape my willingness to love and forgive others?
When I feel distant from God, can I trust that He loves me “more than ever” and seeks me out?
How might I prepare interiorly before Mass so that I can receive the grace being offered more deeply?
Do I allow Christ’s self-giving love in the Eucharist to transform my daily relationships and moral choices?
What distractions or attitudes keep me from fully entering into the silence and mystery of the Eucharistic prayer?
How does understanding the Eucharist as a living presence—not mere remembrance—change my devotion?
In what concrete ways can I let the Eucharist empower me to will the good of those who have hurt me?

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

The Prayer of St. John Paul II – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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The Prayer of St. John Paul II – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles

Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor reflect on the spiritual legacy of St. John Paul II. St. John Paul II’s profound theology of love, which he articulated during a 1976 retreat, tells us that love is the essence of creation and theology. Dr. Lilles recounts a personal encounter with John Paul II, noting his remarkable ability to connect deeply with individuals, even in a crowd. The pope’s openness and vulnerability, which manifested in his global travels and personal interactions, demonstrated his commitment to love and encounter.

His mysticism was not just theoretical but rooted in lived experience, shaping his understanding of the cosmos as centered on divine love.

St. John Paul II’s example for modern times offers hope and encouragement amidst struggles. His life serves as a reminder that God’s mercy is greater than any evil, and his continued intercession from heaven inspires believers to persevere in faith and love.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How do I see the structure of love manifesting in my relationship with God and others?
In what ways can I make myself more open and vulnerable in my relationships to better reflect Christ’s love?
How can I incorporate more intentional moments of prayer in my daily routine, following the example of St. John Paul II?
What are the sources of discouragement in my life, and how can I cultivate greater confidence in God’s love and mercy to overcome them?
How can I deepen my relationship with the saints, especially St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII, to guide and inspire my spiritual journey?
How am I called to actively share God’s love with others, ensuring that it is not only felt but expressed in my life?
How can I embody the same vulnerability that St. John Paul II showed, particularly in my encounters with those in need of hope and love?

For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles

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 .

HSE13 – Contemplation to Attain the Love of God, pt. 2 – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J. – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Contemplation to Attain the Love of God, Part 2 – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J.

Fr. Anthony Wieck continues his reflection on St. Ignatius’ “Contemplation to Attain the Love of God.” He explains that this prayer is not a study in technique but a grace-filled invitation to let God act within us. The four movements of contemplation are: recognizing God’s sustaining presence in all creation; marveling at His ongoing labor in nature and human life; perceiving that every good gift descends from above; and responding by returning all things to God in gratitude. He highlights how St. Ignatius invites the soul to sit before these realities—to let the heart be filled with wonder, joy, and awareness of divine love that holds all things in being.

Using the daily Examen prayer is a practical way to live this awareness. By reviewing moments of grace each day, the soul begins to see God’s nearness in ordinary experiences and grows in grateful receptivity. This recognition transforms the heart, allowing love received to overflow naturally toward others. Such interior renewal naturally leads to mission, as one becomes a “living cell” within the Body of Christ.

Discerning Hearts Catholic Reflection Questions:

How do I recognize God’s sustaining presence in the ordinary details of my daily life?
In what ways can I allow myself to be filled with awe at God’s ongoing work in creation?
What prevents me from receiving God’s love fully and freely in prayer?
How can I grow in daily gratitude through the practice of the Examen?
Where have I seen God’s love flowing through others—or through me—to bless someone recently?
How do I experience being a “living cell” in the Body of Christ, connected to others in love and service?
What gifts or graces has God entrusted to me that I am called to return in loving response?
How might I pray the Anima Christi more intentionally as a way of drawing closer to Christ’s heart?
In moments of prayer, how do I let myself simply rest and bask in the presence of the Father?
How does receiving God’s love compel me to share that same love with the world around me?

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.

St. Teresa of Avila, Part 2 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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St. Teresa of Avila, Part 2 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Born: March 28, 1515, Gotarrendura, Spain
Died: October 4, 1582, Alba de Tormes, Spain
Nationality: Spanish

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor continue their look into the life, spirituality, and teachings of St. Teresa of Avila; her profound insights on prayer and the Christian journey towards holiness, and her view of prayer as an “exercise of love,” wherein true prayer entails a deep, loving relationship with God. St. Teresa, often misunderstood as simply mystical, rooted her spirituality in the Church and its sacraments. She sought not only personal sanctity but also communal guidance, sharing her wisdom with family, laypeople, and her Carmelite sisters.

St. Teresa’s progression from the “four waters” in her early work, The Life, to the “interior castle” in her later years reflects an evolving understanding of the spiritual life. This journey, as she outlines, requires humility, persistence, and a deep commitment to the sacraments. Teresa’s experiences, particularly her “interior castle” model, demonstrate that as one grows in prayer, there’s a structured journey with different stages of spiritual development, each needing discipline and grace.

For more on St. Teresa of Avila and her teachings, visit her Discerning Hearts page

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How can you approach prayer as an exercise of love and deepen your relationship with God in your daily life?
Reflect on the Trinitarian nature of God’s love; how does this inspire you to share love with others?
In what ways do the sacraments of the Church support your spiritual journey and deepen your prayer life?
How can you cultivate humility as you strive to grow closer to God, avoiding pride in your prayer life?
What steps can you take to begin or deepen your practice of prayer using St. Teresa’s guidance?
As you reflect on Teresa’s stages of spiritual growth, where do you feel you are in your journey, and how can you continue to grow?
How can you surrender your desires to align more closely with God’s will for you?
What insights from Teresa’s “Interior Castle” can help you recognize and appreciate the stages of your own spiritual life?
How do you protect yourself from spiritual pride, especially when experiencing deeper moments in prayer?
How can you use the strength you gain from prayer to serve others, as Teresa encourages?

From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI

From the General Audience on St. Teresa of Avila

“It is far from easy to sum up in a few words Teresa’s profound and articulate spirituality. I would like to mention a few essential points. In the first place St Teresa proposes the evangelical virtues as the basis of all Christian and human life and in particular, detachment from possessions, that is, evangelical poverty, and this concerns all of us; love for one another as an essential element of community and social life; humility as love for the truth; determination as a fruit of Christian daring; theological hope, which she describes as the thirst for living water. Then we should not forget the human virtues: affability, truthfulness, modesty, courtesy, cheerfulness, culture.

Secondly, St Teresa proposes a profound harmony with the great biblical figures and eager listening to the word of God. She feels above all closely in tune with the Bride in the Song of Songs and with the Apostle Paul, as well as with Christ in the Passion and with Jesus in the Eucharist. The Saint then stresses how essential prayer is. Praying, she says, “means being on terms of friendship with God frequently conversing in secret with him who, we know, loves us” (Vida 8, 5). St Teresa’s idea coincides with Thomas Aquinas’ definition of theological charity as “amicitia quaedam hominis ad Deum”, a type of human friendship with God, who offered humanity his friendship first; it is from God that the initiative comes (cf. Summa Theologiae II-II, 23, 1).

Prayer is life and develops gradually, in pace with the growth of Christian life: it begins with vocal prayer, passes through interiorization by means of meditation and recollection, until it attains the union of love with Christ and with the Holy Trinity. Obviously, in the development of prayer climbing to the highest steps does not mean abandoning the previous type of prayer. Rather, it is a gradual deepening of the relationship with God that envelops the whole of life.

Rather than a pedagogy Teresa’s is a true “mystagogy” of prayer: she teaches those who read her works how to pray by praying with them. Indeed, she often interrupts her account or exposition with a prayerful outburst.

Another subject dear to the Saint is the centrality of Christ’s humanity. For Teresa, in fact, Christian life is the personal relationship with Jesus that culminates in union with him through grace, love and imitation. Hence the importance she attaches to meditation on the Passion and on the Eucharist as the presence of Christ in the Church for the life of every believer, and as the heart of the Liturgy. St Teresa lives out unconditional love for the Church: she shows a lively “sensus Ecclesiae”, in the face of the episodes of division and conflict in the Church of her time.

She reformed the Carmelite Order with the intention of serving and defending the “Holy Roman Catholic Church”, and was willing to give her life for the Church (cf. Vida, 33,5).

A final essential aspect of Teresian doctrine which I would like to emphasize is perfection, as the aspiration of the whole of Christian life and as its ultimate goal. The Saint has a very clear idea of the “fullness” of Christ, relived by the Christian. At the end of the route through The Interior Castle, in the last “room”, Teresa describes this fullness, achieved in the indwelling of the Trinity, in union with Christ through the mystery of his humanity.”

For more visit Vatican.va

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

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.

St. Teresa of Avila, Part 1 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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St. Teresa of Avila, Part 1– The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Born: March 28, 1515, Gotarrendura, Spain
Died: October 4, 1582, Alba de Tormes, Spain
Nationality: Spanish

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss the life and legacy of St. Teresa of Ávila, a Spanish Carmelite nun and one of the first female Doctors of the Church. St. Teresa was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970, recognizing her profound teachings on prayer and the mystical life. Her autobiography reveals her early influences, like her father’s piety and her desire to become a martyr, as well as her struggles with pride and materialism. Despite these challenges, she entered the Carmelite convent and later reformed the Carmelite order, emphasizing a return to simplicity, prayer, and devotion.

Her encounter with the Inquisition was due to her family’s Jewish heritage and how, like many saints of her time, she submitted to Church authority, deepening her commitment rather than rebelling. St. Teresa’s relationship with other saints, including St. John of the Cross, was instrumental in establishing the Discalced Carmelites, a reformed branch of the Carmelites devoted to austerity and contemplative prayer. Her death in 1582 marked the culmination of a life dedicated to mystical union with Christ, evident in her final words expressing her readiness to meet her Lord.

For more on St. Teresa of Avila and her teachings, visit her Discerning Hearts page

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How does St. Teresa’s teaching that holiness and deep prayer are accessible to everyone challenge your view of your own spiritual life?
In what ways could reflecting on your own life’s journey, including your struggles and triumphs, bring you closer to God?
How might you open yourself to a deeper understanding of mystical prayer and contemplation, as modeled by St. Teresa?
What does Teresa’s respect for the Church’s authority, even amid the Inquisition, teach you about obedience and trust in your own faith?
Where do you see a need for personal or communal reform in your life, and how can you bring about positive change with humility and dedication?
How can you foster a prayer life that allows you to experience God’s presence more deeply, as Teresa did through her devotions?
In what areas of your life might you be called to abandon personal pride and embrace a deeper, self-giving humility?
How can you draw inspiration from Teresa’s writings to enrich your own journey toward spiritual growth and understanding?

From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI

From the General Audience on St. Teresa of Avila

”St. Teresa, whose name was Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, was born in Avila, Spain, in 1515. In her autobiography she mentions some details of her childhood: she was born into a large family, her “father and mother, who were devout and feared God”, into a large family. She had three sisters and nine brothers.

While she was still a child and not yet nine years old she had the opportunity to read the lives of several Martyrs which inspired in her such a longing for martyrdom that she briefly ran away from home in order to die a Martyr’s death and to go to Heaven (cf. Vida, [Life], 1, 4); “I want to see God”, the little girl told her parents.

A few years later Teresa was to speak of her childhood reading and to state that she had discovered in it the way of truth which she sums up in two fundamental principles.

On the one hand was the fact that “all things of this world will pass away” while on the other God alone is “for ever, ever, ever”, a topic that recurs in her best known poem: “Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices”. She was about 12 years old when her mother died and she implored the Virgin Most Holy to be her mother (cf. Vida, I, 7).

If in her adolescence the reading of profane books had led to the distractions of a worldly life, her experience as a pupil of the Augustinian nuns of Santa María de las Gracias de Avila and her reading of spiritual books, especially the classics of Franciscan spirituality, introduced her to recollection and prayer.

When she was 20 she entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation, also in Avila. In her religious life she took the name “Teresa of Jesus”. Three years later she fell seriously ill, so ill that she remained in a coma for four days, looking as if she were dead (cf. Vida, 5, 9).

In the fight against her own illnesses too the Saint saw the combat against weaknesses and the resistance to God’s call: “I wished to live”, she wrote, “but I saw clearly that I was not living, but rather wrestling with the shadow of death; there was no one to give me life, and I was not able to take it. He who could have given it to me had good reasons for not coming to my aid, seeing that he had brought me back to himself so many times, and I as often had left him” (Vida, 7, 8).

In 1543 she lost the closeness of her relatives; her father died and all her siblings, one after another, emigrated to America. In Lent 1554, when she was 39 years old, Teresa reached the climax of her struggle against her own weaknesses. The fortuitous discovery of the statue of “a Christ most grievously wounded”, left a deep mark on her life (cf. Vida, 9).

The Saint, who in that period felt deeply in tune with the St Augustine of the Confessions, thus describes the decisive day of her mystical experience: “and… a feeling of the presence of God would come over me unexpectedly, so that I could in no wise doubt either that he was within me, or that I was wholly absorbed in him” (Vida, 10, 1).

Parallel to her inner development, the Saint began in practice to realize her ideal of the reform of the Carmelite Order: in 1562 she founded the first reformed Carmel in Avila, with the support of the city’s Bishop, Don Alvaro de Mendoza, and shortly afterwards also received the approval of John Baptist Rossi, the Order’s Superior General.

In the years that followed, she continued her foundations of new Carmelite convents, 17 in all. Her meeting with St John of the Cross was fundamental. With him, in 1568, she set up the first convent of Discalced Carmelites in Duruelo, not far from Avila.

In 1580 she obtained from Rome the authorization for her reformed Carmels as a separate, autonomous Province. This was the starting point for the Discalced Carmelite Order.

Indeed, Teresa’s earthly life ended while she was in the middle of her founding activities. She died on the night of 15 October 1582 in Alba de Tormes, after setting up the Carmelite Convent in Burgos, while on her way back to Avila. Her last humble words were: “After all I die as a child of the Church”, and “O my Lord and my Spouse, the hour that I have longed for has come. It is time to meet one another”.

Teresa spent her entire life for the whole Church although she spent it in Spain. She was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1614 and canonized by Gregory XV in 1622. The Servant of God Paul VI proclaimed her a “Doctor of the Church” in 1970.

Teresa of Jesus had no academic education but always set great store by the teachings of theologians, men of letters and spiritual teachers. As a writer, she always adhered to what she had lived personally through or had seen in the experience of others (cf. Prologue to The Way of Perfection), in other words basing herself on her own first-hand knowledge.

Teresa had the opportunity to build up relations of spiritual friendship with many Saints and with St John of the Cross in particular. At the same time she nourished herself by reading the Fathers of the Church, St Jerome, St Gregory the Great and St Augustine.

Among her most important works we should mention first of all her autobiography, El libro de la vida (the book of life), which she called Libro de las misericordias del Señor [book of the Lord’s mercies].”

For more visit Vatican.va

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

HSE12 – Contemplation to Attain the Love of God, pt. 1 – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J. – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Contemplation to Attain the Love of God, Part 1 – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J.

Fr. Anthony Wieck, SJ, reflects with Kris McGregor on how St. Ignatius’ spirituality finds its deepest meaning through a Marian lens. St. Ignatius, often seen as a soldier and organizer, was in fact a man profoundly moved by God’s love to the point of tears. His spiritual path teaches a Marian “magnanimity” — a large-hearted openness that allows God to act within the soul. Rather than relying on human initiative, St. Ignatius shows that authentic transformation begins “from above,” through divine inspiration received in prayer. This inner receptivity is what grounds discernment of spirits and anchors the Ignatian call to serve God with one’s entire being.

Fr. Wieck then explores the “Contemplation to Attain Love,” the final exercise in Ignatius’ retreat. This prayer leads the soul to recognize creation, redemption, and every grace as expressions of divine generosity, stirring wonder and gratitude. True love, he says, manifests in deeds and self-gift — modeled perfectly by Mary and exemplified by saints like Maximilian Kolbe. Through this contemplation, one learns that surrender is the highest form of freedom: offering memory, understanding, and will back to God for purification and renewal. The fruit of the Exercises is a life centered on Christ’s heart, detached from self-will, and fully oriented toward God’s glory — a path open to all the faithful, not just Jesuits, as a gift for the entire Church.

Discerning Hearts Catholic Reflection Questions:

How do I allow God to work within me rather than trying to control or direct my own spiritual growth?
In what ways can I imitate Mary’s openness and receptivity to God’s will in my daily life?
When have I experienced the kind of tears or deep emotion that come from encountering God’s love?
Do I tend to act from my own plans and desires, or do I wait for divine inspiration before taking action?
How can I cultivate the humility to let God take the initiative in my vocation or ministry?
What concrete ways has God shown His love for me through creation, redemption, and personal gifts?
How might gratitude deepen my ability to recognize God’s love at work in my life?
What does it mean for me personally to “surrender” my memory, understanding, and will to God?
How can I become more of a self-gift to others, as Mary and the saints were?
Where in my life am I being invited to detach from false securities and place Christ at the center?

Gratitude – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Gratitude – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

Msgr. John Esseff reflects on the healing of the ten lepers in Luke 17, highlighting the one Samaritan who returned to thank Jesus. Through this story and the example of Naaman from 2 Kings, he teaches that gratitude opens the soul to a deeper healing—faith in God and salvation itself. Physical cures are signs pointing toward the greater miracle: redemption from sin and eternal death through Christ. He invites us to examine how often we take God’s gifts for granted—life, faith, loved ones—and cultivate a heart that constantly thanks God for both ordinary blessings and the gift of eternal life.

Msgr. Esseff and Kris McGregor also discuss the anxiety and moral confusion of modern times. He interprets this unrest as a revelation of spiritual sickness that had long been hidden. By bringing darkness to light, God gives humanity the chance to turn back through faith and prayer. He encourages listeners not to despair but to give thanks even amid turmoil, for awareness of sin and evil allows conversion.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How do I show genuine gratitude to God for the countless blessings in my daily life?
In what ways have I taken my faith and salvation for granted?
Like the Samaritan leper, when have I returned to Jesus with thanksgiving after receiving His mercy?
What “leprosy” of sin in my life needs Christ’s healing touch today?
How does awareness of my own weakness lead me to deeper faith and trust in God?
Do I thank God for spiritual healings as readily as I do for physical or material ones?
How can I cultivate a daily habit of gratitude in prayer and relationships?
What gifts or moments have I failed to recognize as signs of God’s love?
How does the current darkness or confusion in the world invite me to renewed faith and hope in Christ?
What specific things can I thank God for right now as a response to His saving love?

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He was ordained on May 30th 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 Blessed 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 Bl. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor. 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.