cathollc spirituality Archives

LFT-10 Interior Healing – Listening For Truth w/ Deacon James Keating- Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Episode 10-Listening For Truth– Practical ways of living a life of virtue prayer…one way to listen to friends and even enemies to hear the truth God may be wanting to reveal to us. The wounds that surface in the healing process. The interior healing that can occur and who should help with that process.

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a Professor of Spiritual Theology at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO. He previously served as the Director of Theological Formation at the Institute for Priestly Formation, located at Creighton University in Omaha, NE.

Listening for Truth leads men and women in a search for a fuller experience of God that begins in prayer, grows in the rediscovery of our spiritual being, and grounds itself in the truth of Jesus Christ. A presentation of the Christian life as an engagement of the whole person — body, mind, and soul — in the challenge of daily living.

LFT-9 The Supernatural Virtues – Listening For Truth w/ Deacon James Keating- Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Episode 9-Listening For Truth– The supernatural virtues provide for us the gifts to walk and respond to moral truths. We need to practice the virtues to receive the wisdom of God and to be more deliberate in the love of the good. The theological, contemplative language is foreign to many, unlike the political language in which the culture swims, and that can affect how we respond to moral questions. What can we do to listen and respond to Truth?

LFT-8 The Indwelling Presence of God – Listening For Truth w/ Deacon James Keating- Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Episode 8-Listening For Truth– When we come upon the Truth, we rest in it. Our journey is over. The Lord wants us to rest in Him. We rest when we receive the truth about what is good for us and what is ethical. Within us is the mind that can discern truth and receives it and then has that truth confirmed by the indwelling presence of God. It’s in the still small voice that will confirm; we have to learn how to go inward to hear it. To properly form a conscience, we have to 1. Know who we are, 2. Find where we learn about moral truth: 3. Discern who we go to with our questions. The fullness of Truth is taught in the Church.

“What is the garment you wear?” – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Gospel MT 22:1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

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 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

LFT-7 Resurrection and the Sacraments – Listening For Truth w/ Deacon James Keating- Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Episode 7-Listening For Truth– We are resurrection people who live out of the power of the Resurrection. Theological virtues, faith, hope, and love, are given to us in the fullest sense through the sacraments and how we receive and open our hearts to that gift. Moving our affection from sin to truth. How do we prepare ourselves to receive moral truth?

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a Professor of Spiritual Theology at Kenrick Glennon Seminary, in St. Louis, MO. He previously served as the Director of Theological Formation at the Institute for Priestly Formation located at Creighton University in Omaha, NE.

LFT-6 The Challenge of Moral Conversion – Listening For Truth w/ Deacon James Keating- Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Episode 6-Listening For Truth– The difficult stage in moral conversion, not only leaving the sin behind, but also leaving the community of people who desire to hold on to that sin. It might mean separating from family members, friends, etc, but the hope is that that may possibly follow if we hang in there in that witness of Truth. Also, life doesn’t stop in our suffering. Many will come who are attracted to the change. How we love those in need will indicate growth even in the crucifixion. The negative…we reject something, the positive…we embrace something.

The Need for Spiritual Direction – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff

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Msgr. Esseff reflects on why we need spiritual direction on the spiritual journey. What are the qualities of a good spiritual director?

Gospel MT 21:28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
“What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
He said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterward changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?”
They answered, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

HR#27 “To contemplate the Holy Eucharist ” – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

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Episode 27- The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B.,
Ph.D.

“To contemplate the Holy Eucharist”

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

PROLOGUE

Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions of thy loving Father, that by the toil of obedience thou mayest return to Him from whom by the sloth of disobedience thou hast gone away.

To thee, therefore, my speech is now directed, who, giving up thine own will, takest up the strong and most excellent arms of obedience, to do battle for Christ the Lord, the true King.

In the first place, beg of Him by most earnest prayer, that He perfect whatever good thou dost begin, in order that He who hath been pleased to count us in the number of His children, need never be grieved at our evil deeds. For we ought at all times so to serve Him with the good things which He hath given us, that He may not, like an angry father, disinherit his children, nor, like a dread lord, enraged at our evil deeds, hand us over to everlasting punishment as most wicked servants, who would not follow Him to glory.

Father Mauritius Wilde, OSB, Ph.D., did his philosophical, theological, and doctoral studies in Europe. He is the author of several books and directs retreats regularly. He serves as Prior at Sant’Anselmo in Rome.

For more, be sure to visit The Holy Rule of St. Benedict Rule with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B. Podcast Discerning Hearts page

LFT-5 The Reality of our Conscience – Listening For Truth w/ Deacon James Keating- Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Episode 5 -Listening For Truth– The Reality of Our Conscience. What it is and what it isn’t. The importance of proper formation…through the sacramental life, the Catechism of the Church and Sacred Scripture. “Follow the Truth” is the beginning of the conversation, not “follow your conscience” in order to make the sacred decision. Not to be passive but teachable is the goal. The Marian deposition is the the model for moral formation. Conscience is the judgement of the mind as it listens to the voice of Christ through the lives of the saints, the sacraments, the Catechism and Scripture in prayer.

“What was the wage earned? Heaven!” – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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“What was the wage earned? Heaven!”

Reading 2 PHIL 1:20C-24, 27A

Brothers and sisters:
Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.
If I go on living in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me.
And I do not know which I shall choose.
I am caught between the two.
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better.
Yet that I remain in the flesh
is more necessary for your benefit.

Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Gospel MT 20:1-16A

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

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 as 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 St. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.