Discernment of Spirits 1 Archives

IP#170 Dan Burke – Navigating the Interior Life on Inside the Pages

It was with the greatest delight that I had the opportunity to meet Dan Burke at the recent Catholic Marketing Trade Show, held in Dallas, TX. Dan is the incredibly gifted founder of “Catholic Spiritual Direction“, a fantastic website, where I have received a great deal of insight and inspiration. To read his work on the site is a wonderful thing, but to talk with Dan and hear him share the beauty of our Catholic Spiritual Tradition is pure gift. He really gets it! More than just the “how-to’s”, Dan understands the “why” of prayer and discernment and he communicates it beautifully. He appreciates what our hearts ache for; he shares with us that it begins and ends with an encounter with Jesus…the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Dan Burke launched out on the “digital sea” long before many others in order to bring to those who were seeking the richness of authentic Catholic Spiritual Direction …and for that blessing we have much to thank him for.

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And here’s great news…Dan has a new book coming from Emmaus Road Publishing
(get your orders in now!)

You can find Dan’s book here

Calling All Catholics Into A Deeper Union …

“Most of us have questions about spiritual direction. What is it? Is it for me? What if I can’t find a spiritual director? These questions and more are well answered in Dan Burke’s book. The Lord is clearly calling all Catholics into a deeper union with him. This book, in a style which is both inspiring and practical, provides some of the Church’s most important wisdom about how to respond to this call.”

Ralph Martin

ROHC-sp6 “Interior Silence” with Deacon James Keating Resting on the Heart of Christ special – Discerning Hearts

Special 6 – Interior Silence

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Interior Silence, in particular in the liturgy, is reflected upon by Deacon Keating. He leads a meditation during a prayer service with priests, on the letter “Spiritual Formation in the Seminaries” which calls for spiritual silence to be at the core of seminary formation. Priests are called to be teachers of prayer and directors of spirituality. Why silence is so vitally important and what are the blocks to prevent it…the cynicism that reacts to the ideal. The role of discernment and diminishing interference. If priests have trouble with this, imagine the challenge for the laity.

Deacon Keating is the Director of Theological Formation for the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University.

Click here for more Deacon James Keating

The Sixth Meditation – Introduction to the Devout Life: Chapter 14 by St. Francis de Sales audio mp3 edition – Discerning Hearts

Introduction to the Devout Life
By
St. Francis de Sales

read by Omar F. A. Guiterrez

Chapter 14 – The Sixth Mediation :

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Download (right click & choose “Save Link As”)

For the pdf containing the complete text and footnotes click here

Other audio meditations from the Introduction of the Devout Life

On Judgment.

Preparation.
1. PLACE yourself in the Presence of God.
2. Intreat Him to inspire you.

Considerations.
1. When the time comes which God has appointed for the end of this world, and after many terrible signs and warnings, which will overwhelm men with fear,—the whole earth will be destroyed, and nothing then left.
2. Afterwards, all men, save those already risen, shall rise from the dead, and at the voice of the Archangel appear in the valley of Jehoshaphat. But alas, with what divers aspects! for some will be glorious and shining, others horrible and ghastly.
3. Consider the majesty with which the Sovereign Judge will appear surrounded by all His Saints and Angels; His Cross, the Sign of Grace to the good and of terror to the evil, shining brighter than the sun.
4. This Sovereign Judge will with His awful word, instantly fulfilled, separate the evil and the good, setting the one on His Right Hand, the other on His Left—an eternal separation, for they will never meet again.
5. This separation made, the books of conscience will be opened, and all men will behold the malice of the wicked, and how they have contemned God; as also the penitence of the good, and the results of the grace they received. Nothing will be hid. O my God, what confusion to the one, what rejoicing to the other! Consider the final sentence of the wicked. “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Dwell upon these awful words. “Go,” He says—for ever discarding these wretched sinners, banishing them for ever from His Presence. He calls them “cursed:” O my soul, what a curse: a curse involving all other maledictions, all possible evil, an irrevocable curse, including all time and eternity; condemning them to everlasting fire. Think what that eternity of suffering implies.
6. Then consider the sentence of the good. “Come,” the Judge says—O blessed loving word with which God draws us to Himself and receives us in His Bosom. “Blessed of My Father”—O blessing above all blessings! “inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.” O my God, and that Kingdom will know no end!

Affections and Resolutions.
1. Tremble, my soul, at the thought. O God, who will be my stay in that hour when the pillars of the earth are shaken?
2. Abhor your sins, which alone can cause you to be lost when that fearful day comes. Surely I will judge myself now, that I be not judged;—I will examine my conscience, accuse, condemn, punish myself, that the Judge may not condemn me then. I will confess my faults, and follow the counsels given me.
Conclusion.
Thank God for having given you means of safety in that terrible Day, and time for repentance.
Offer Him your heart, and ask for grace to use it well.

OUR FATHER, etc.
Gather a bouquet of myrrh.

Calling All Catholics Into A Deeper Union …

Special 6 – Interior Silence

Introduction to the Devout Life By St. Francis de Sales

On Judgment.

Introduction to the Devout Life
By
St. Francis de Sales