Discerning Hearts - Catholic Podcasts

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Part Three: Listening Through Trials, Weakness, and Silence DAY 17 – Suffering “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2 Corinthians 1.5 RSV Suffering is one of the most difficult interior places for a listening heart. It can come through physical pain, emotional wounds, grief, loss, or the heavy silence that settles during spiritual darkness. Suffering makes prayer feel harder. It can shake confidence and tempt the soul to ask whether God has withdrawn. Yet Advent reveals something tender and astonishing. Christ enters human suffering not from the outside, but from within. He takes on our poverty, our fragility, and our sorrow so that nothing we endure is ever faced alone. Suffering becomes a place of encounter because it reveals where we need God most. Suffering is not a sign of God’s distance. It is often the place where His presence begins to deepen. When the heart suffers, distraction falls away. The cry of the soul becomes more honest. The heart reaches toward God with a sincerity that only pain can uncover. Grace often moves quietly here, hidden beneath the weight of the cross. The discerning heart does not deny suffering. It brings it before Christ. When suffering is surrendered to Him, even imperfectly, it becomes a channel where His love begins to work from the inside. Journey with the Saints – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton “The accidents of life separate us from our dearest friends; but let us not despond. God is like a looking-glass in which souls see each other. The more we are united to him by love, the nearer we are to those who belong to him.” St. Elizabeth Anne Bayley Seton, Collected Writings, Vol. 3B, p. 42 Today invites you to bring your suffering honestly before Christ. Not the idea of suffering, but the real places that ache. The places that feel heavy or unresolved. The places where you long for healing, clarity, or comfort. Christ meets you there. Your suffering is not unseen. He holds what feels overwhelming and gathers every tear into His heart. When suffering is offered to Him, it begins to change from within. It becomes a place of communion rather than isolation. Ask yourself: What suffering weighs on me today. How is Christ inviting me to let Him enter this place. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to notice the places where you feel uncertain or unclear. Confusion can make us want to rush, fix, or force an answer. Yet spiritual wisdom teaches the opposite. Confusion invites us to slow down and let God lead. Listening becomes deeper in confusion. It is here that the heart learns to be patient. It is here that the soul learns to trust without seeing. Confusion teaches humility, because it shows us that only God can direct our steps. Ask yourself: Where do I feel confused today. What would it look like to let Christ hold this confusion instead of trying to solve it alone. A Simple Practice for Today Choose one real suffering you are carrying and name it before Christ. Say, “Jesus, be with me here.” Return to this phrase throughout the day whenever the ache rises in your heart. Prayer Lord Jesus, enter the suffering I carry. Hold what is heavy and heal what is wounded. Help me to feel Your nearness in every sorrow. Teach me to trust that no pain is wasted when it is placed in Your hands. Let my suffering become a place where Your love deepens within me. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 17 2 Corinthians 1.5 RSV Elizabeth Bayley Seton, Collected Writings, Vol. 3B, p. 42 © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 17 – Suffering – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on...

Two Modes of Discernment – “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Fr. Timothy Gallagher continues his teaching on St. Ignatius of Loyola’s three modes of discernment, focusing here on the first and second modes. The first mode is a clarity beyond doubting, in which a person receives an unmistakable certainty about God’s will that cannot be shaken. This is illustrated through vocation stories. Such clarity may arise suddenly or gradually, but remains stable over time. It’s important in confirming this kind of clarity with a wise spiritual guide, especially when the decision involves major life commitments, so that discernment is not carried out in isolation. When such unmistakable clarity does not occur, St. Ignatius proposes a second mode of discernment, which unfolds through attention to spiritual consolation and spiritual desolation. Father Gallagher explains consolation as interior movements of joy, peace, love of God, and renewed faith, hope, and charity, often accompanied by a sense of God’s closeness. Desolation, by contrast, involves heaviness, confusion, discouragement, and a pull away from spiritual life. Over time, by noticing consistent patterns—how consolation draws the heart toward one option and desolation pushes against it—a person can gain sufficient clarity about God’s direction. Father Gallagher illustrates this with St. Ignatius’s own discernment about poverty in the Jesuits, showing how repeated experiences of consolation consistently pointed him toward one choice, forming the basis of a sound decision. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions: 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 The post DWG8 – Two Modes of Discernment – The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Part Three: Listening Through Trials, Weakness, and Silence DAY 16 – Weakness “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12.9 RSV Weakness is one of the most vulnerable places in the spiritual life. It is where we feel limited, fragile, unable to do what we desire, or unable to rise in the ways we once could. Weakness is uncomfortable. It exposes how much we need God. Yet Advent teaches us that Christ comes precisely into those places where we feel small. Weakness is not a defect in the life of prayer. It is an invitation. It draws the heart away from self reliance and into deeper trust. When we feel weak, we slow down. We become more honest. We recognize the truth that we cannot save ourselves. Weakness reveals our poverty and opens us to receive the grace that only God can give. In weakness, listening becomes sharper. We lean more into God’s voice because we cannot lean on ourselves. Weakness becomes a space of surrender, a quiet recognition that only God can carry what feels beyond us. Advent reminds us that Christ was born into weakness so that none of our frailty would be foreign to Him. Journey with the Saints – St. Thérèse of Lisieux “It is weakness that gives us confidence, for the strong have no need of being supported.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Manuscript C St. Thérèse saw weakness not as something to shame, but as the very place where God’s mercy rests most gently. Her Little Way teaches that weakness becomes strength when it is offered to Christ. The weaker she felt, the more she entrusted herself to Him. The less she could rely on herself, the more room there was for God to act. For St. Thérèse, weakness was not an obstacle to holiness. It was the path to it. She learned that God does not wait for us to be strong. He meets us in our littleness and fills what we lack with His love. Weakness becomes grace when we place it entirely in His hands. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to look gently at your own weakness. Not with frustration or shame, but with honesty. Weakness can reveal where God is trying to reach you. It can show you the exact places where His grace desires to enter. Do not hide your weakness from Christ. Bring it into the light. Weakness teaches surrender. It teaches patience. It teaches dependence on a God who holds you with tenderness. The listening heart learns to remain open in weakness because Christ is near in every fragile place. Ask yourself: Where do I feel weak today. How is Christ asking me to trust Him in the place where I feel least capable. A Simple Practice for Today Choose one area of weakness and offer it simply to God. Say, “Lord, this is where I need You most.” Later in the day, repeat slowly, “Your power is made perfect here.” Let this truth rest gently within you. Prayer Lord Jesus, meet me in my weakness. Fill my limitations with Your strength. Teach me to rely on Your grace rather than my own abilities. Help me trust that You are working in every fragile place of my heart. Let my weakness become a resting place for Your power. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 16 2 Corinthians 12.9 RSV St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Manuscript C © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 16 – Weakness – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Part Three: Listening Through Trials, Weakness, and Silence DAY 15 – Confusion “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.” Proverbs 3.5 RSV Interior confusion is one of the most painful trials in the spiritual life. It is the moment when the heart cannot see clearly, when intentions feel tangled, when choices seem uncertain, and when prayer does not offer the clarity we desire. Advent teaches us that confusion is not a sign of God’s absence. It is often the place where He is quietly working. Confusion humbles the soul. It reminds us that we cannot navigate life by our own light. It teaches us to rely on God rather than our own understanding. When the heart enters confusion, the Lord invites us to slow down, listen more deeply, and trust that He is guiding even when our thoughts feel clouded. The discerning heart learns that confusion is not failure. It is a spiritual moment that invites surrender, trust, and patience. In confusion, God draws the heart away from self-reliance and toward dependence on Him. This interior dimness often becomes the doorway to a clearer, deeper faith. Advent reveals that Christ is near even when we cannot see the way forward. Journey with the Saints – St. John Henry Newman “I do not ask to see the distant scene. One step enough for me.” St. John Henry Newman, Hymn “Lead, Kindly Light,” stanza 1 St. John Henry Newman understood the experience of confusion deeply. His journey was marked by moments when everything familiar seemed uncertain. Rather than resisting this darkness, he allowed it to become the place where trust was strengthened. Newman teaches that God often leads the soul one step at a time, without revealing the whole path. For Newman, confusion was not something to escape. It was something to walk through with Christ. He believed that when our understanding fails, God is inviting us to rely on His wisdom rather than our own. The heart grows in faith when it chooses trust in the midst of uncertainty. Newman’s life reminds us that spiritual confusion can become a holy place. It is often there that God clears away our illusions, teaches simplicity, and forms a deeper fidelity. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to notice the places where you feel uncertain or unclear. Confusion can make us want to rush, fix, or force an answer. Yet spiritual wisdom teaches the opposite. Confusion invites us to slow down and let God lead. Listening becomes deeper in confusion. It is here that the heart learns to be patient. It is here that the soul learns to trust without seeing. Confusion teaches humility, because it shows us that only God can direct our steps. Ask yourself: Where do I feel confused today. What would it look like to let Christ hold this confusion instead of trying to solve it alone. A Simple Practice for Today Take a moment to place your confusion before God. Simply say, “Lord, I give You what I cannot understand.” Later in the day, pause again and repeat, “One step is enough if You are with me.” Let these prayers become acts of trust. Prayer Lord Jesus, meet me in my confusion. Calm the thoughts that swirl within me and steady my heart in Your presence. Teach me to trust You when I cannot see the way forward. Guide my steps gently and help me to rest in the truth that You are with me. One step at a time is enough, because You are my light. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 15 Proverbs 3.5 RSV St. John Henry Newman, Hymn “Lead, Kindly Light,” stanza 1 © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 15 – Confusion – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The 3rd Sunday of Advent – The Joy of Christ’s Coming – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff In this Third Sunday of Advent reflection, Msgr. John Esseff proclaims the joy of Christ’s coming and the deep mystery of Jesus dwelling within those who are baptized. Drawing from the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel of Matthew, he reflects on the signs that reveal the Messiah: the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the dead are raised, and the poor receive the good news. Msgr. Esseff focuses on Jesus’ response to John the Baptist’s question from prison and the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promises. He explains that John the Baptist stands as the greatest born of women, yet those united to Christ through baptism share a deeper intimacy with him. This union is not symbolic. It is real, lived daily through baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist. He speaks about light and darkness in human lives, noting that many are born into families marked by suffering, addiction, or division. Yet Christ’s light already lives within them. Rather than seeing only wounds or spiritual struggle, Msgr. Esseff urges listeners to recognize the presence of Jesus at work within their own life stories. A central invitation of the episode is to pray through the Stations of the Cross during Advent, not as a Lenten exercise but as a way of recognizing Christ’s life unfolding within personal experiences. False accusation, betrayal, forgiveness, abandonment, suffering, and perseverance become places of union with Jesus. Each fall is not the end but a return to grace through Christ who lives within the soul. The episode closes with a call to patience, trust, and joy. Christ is coming, not only in history or at Christmas, but ever more deeply into the lives of those who allow him to live and act through them. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions Where in my life do I see signs of Christ’s light already at work, even amid struggle or pain? How does recognizing Jesus living within me change the way I view my past experiences? Which Station of the Cross most reflects something I am carrying right now? Where am I being invited to return to grace after a fall? How can I live Advent with greater patience and joy as I await Christ’s coming? Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. 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 Pope St. 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. The post The 3rd Sunday of Advent – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 14 – Dryness “O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh faints for thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is.” Psalm 63.1 RSV Dryness is one of the most common and most misunderstood experiences in the spiritual life. It is the season when prayer feels flat, when God seems distant, and when the heart feels unable to respond with its usual warmth. Advent does not hide this reality. It teaches us to listen through it. Dryness is not abandonment. It is not punishment. Dryness is often the moment when God invites us to love Him with purity rather than feeling. When the heart no longer leans on emotion, it learns to lean on faith. When prayer no longer feels easy, we discover whether we truly desire God or only the comfort His presence brings. Dryness has a purpose. It strengthens fidelity. It clarifies intention. It deepens trust. It teaches the soul to stay with Christ even when the path feels dark or barren. In these moments, the discerning heart remains steady, not because it feels God, but because it chooses Him. God often speaks quietly within dryness. His voice becomes gentle and small. To listen in dryness is to stay at His side even when the way is not clear. Journey with the Saints – St. Teresa of Calcutta “I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.” From her private letters, Come Be My Light St. Teresa of Calcutta endured decades of interior dryness while continuing to radiate charity. Her letters reveal a profound experience of feeling the absence of God while living a life completely anchored in Him. She continued to pray, to serve, and to choose love even when she felt no consolation at all. For St. Teresa, dryness became a participation in the thirst of Christ. She believed that remaining faithful in dryness was itself an offering of love. Her fidelity in prayer did not flow from emotion. It flowed from trust. She teaches us that in dryness, God invites the soul to cleave to Him in a deeper and more selfless way. St. Teresa’s witness shows that holiness does not depend on how we feel. It depends on how we love, especially when the heart feels nothing in return. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to acknowledge the times when prayer feels empty or when God seems far away. Dryness reveals how easily the heart relies on feelings rather than faith. Yet dryness is often the place where the deepest spiritual growth happens, because it calls the soul to choose God for His sake alone. You do not need to fix dryness. You only need to remain in it with Christ. He is with you even when you feel nothing. He is closer than you know. Dryness becomes holy when it is offered in love and when it teaches the heart to persevere gently and faithfully. Ask yourself: How is Christ inviting me to remain with Him in dryness today. What small act of fidelity can I offer even when I feel nothing. A Simple Practice for Today Spend one quiet minute saying, “Lord, I choose You.” Let this be your offering in dryness. Later in the day, repeat the same prayer slowly, without pushing for feeling or clarity. Let it be a simple act of fidelity. Prayer Lord Jesus, be with me in dryness. When my heart feels empty, remain near. Teach me to choose You even without consolation. Strengthen my faith so I may love You with a steady heart. Help me to stay close to You in this quiet place where You work in hidden ways. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 14 Psalm 63.1 RSV St. Teresa of Calcutta, Come Be My Light (private letters) © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 14 – Dryness – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts...

Our Lady of Guadalupe – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff Msgr. John Esseff reflects on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a decisive moment of renewal for the Church, set against the turmoil of 16th-century Europe and the vast conversion that followed in Mexico. He situates Mary’s 1531 appearance to Juan Diego within salvation history, drawing connections to the woman clothed with the sun in Revelation and to the Annunciation in Luke’s Gospel. Her request for a simple church and her choice of a poor, elderly Indigenous man reveal a maternal closeness that transformed an entire continent, leading millions to enter the Church at a time when many were leaving elsewhere. He invites everyone across the Americas to hear Mary’s words personally: “Do you not know that I am your mother?” Msgr. Esseff links this to St. John Paul II’s call for the Church in North and South America to see itself as one body, meeting at this Marian center. He encourages a posture of humility, openness, and attentiveness to those often overlooked, reminding us that Mary’s tenderness reaches every stage of life. As Advent approaches, the feast becomes an invitation to receive her care anew, to pray for unity across cultures, and to walk toward Christmas knowing we are held under her mantle. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions First Reading RV 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB “God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.” From the Office of Readings: From a report by Don Antonio Valeriano, a Native American author of the sixteenth century (Nicon Mopohua, 12th ed., 3-9, 21) The Voice of the Turtledove has been heard in our land At daybreak one Saturday morning in 1531, on the very first days of the month of December, an Indian named Juan Diego was going from the village where he lived to Tlatelolco in order to take part in divine worship and listen to God’s commandments. When he came near the hill called Tepeyac, dawn had already come, and Juan Diego heard someone calling him from the very top of the hill: “Juanito, Juan Dieguito.” He went up the hill and caught sight of a lady of unearthly grandeur whose clothing was as radiant as the sun. She said to him in words both gentle and courteous: “Juanito, the humblest of my children, know and understand that I am the ever virgin Mary, Mother of the true God through whom all things live. It is my ardent desire that a church be erected here so that in it I can show and bestow my love, compassion, help, and protection to all who inhabit this land and to those others who love me, that they might call upon and confide in me. Go to the Bishop of Mexico to make known to him what I greatly desire. Go and put all your efforts into this.” When Juan Diego arrived in the presence of the Bishop, Fray Juan de Zumarraga, a Franciscan, the latter did not seem to believe Juan Diego and answered: “Come another time, and I will listen at leisure.” Juan Diego returned to the hilltop where the Heavenly Lady was waiting, and he said to her: “My Lady, my maiden, I...

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 13 – Surrender “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3.5 to 6 RSV Surrender is the quiet, interior movement that releases control and entrusts everything to God. It is not resignation. It is not passivity. True surrender is an act of love. It opens the heart so God can work in ways we cannot manage or foresee. In the spiritual life, surrender is never one single moment. It unfolds slowly, often through repeated invitations. God does not force surrender. He gently asks for it. Advent teaches this rhythm. God approaches, and the heart responds. The heart loosens its grip again and again as trust deepens. Surrender is not a feeling. It is a decision. It says, “Lord, You know what I cannot see. You lead, I follow.” Surrender frees the heart from fear, softens resistance, and clears space for grace to move. In surrender, the listening heart learns to recognize Christ’s voice with greater clarity. Journey with the Saints – St. Charles de Foucauld “Father, I abandon myself into Your hands. Do with me what You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You.” St. Charles de Foucauld, Prayer of Abandonment St. Charles de Foucauld lived surrender as the center of his spiritual life. His entire mission began not with clarity or certainty, but with a willingness to entrust everything to God. His famous Prayer of Abandonment reveals a heart that desired nothing but God’s will, carried in absolute trust. For St. Charles, surrender was the path to intimacy with Christ. He believed God could work most freely in a heart that held nothing back. His surrender was not dramatic. It was steady, simple, and offered in love. He accepted obscurity, hiddenness, and daily poverty as places where Christ wished to dwell with him. St. Charles de Foucauld teaches that surrender is not weakness. It is confidence in God’s goodness. It is the interior posture that allows grace to guide what we cannot control. His life shows that surrender opens a space where Christ can make His home. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to notice what you are holding tightly. Where are you grasping for control. Where do you fear what you cannot predict or understand. These places point to the invitation to surrender. Surrender is not giving up responsibility. It is giving God permission to lead. It allows the heart to rest without demanding answers first. When surrender grows, the voice of Christ becomes easier to hear. Pressure softens. Anxiety loosens. Grace becomes visible. Ask yourself: What am I carrying that I cannot carry alone? What would it look like to place this in God’s hands today? A Simple Practice for Today Hold your hands open in prayer and quietly say, “Father, I entrust this to You.” Name one burden, fear, or desire. Later in the day, repeat the gesture briefly as a reminder that God carries what you release to Him. Prayer Lord Jesus, teach my heart to surrender. Help me let go of what I cannot control and trust Your wisdom and love. Give me the grace to follow You with the quiet courage that filled the heart of Blessed Charles de Foucauld. Lead me step by step, and let my surrender become a place where You dwell. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 13 Proverbs 3.5 to 6 RSV St. Charles de Foucauld, Prayer of Abandonment © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 13 – Surrender – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 7 – Valentinus – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina Mike Aquilina and Kris McGregor explore the figure of Valentinus, an early second-century teacher whose ideas became one of the most significant challenges to the young Church. Valentinus built an exclusive movement that claimed access to hidden teachings unavailable to ordinary Christians, rejected the true incarnation by treating matter as corrupt, and cultivated a social atmosphere that appealed to wealthy Romans seeking prestige and safety. His approach fit within the broader stream of Gnosticism, a recurring pattern in history that appeals to those who want to view themselves as spiritually superior or part of a select inner circle. The Fathers—especially Irenaeus and Tertullian—carefully examined and critiqued these ideas, noting their internal contradictions and their departure from the apostolic witness. The Church’s response clarified essential truths: the goodness of creation, the real incarnation of Christ, the harmony of Scripture’s layers of meaning, and the universal call of the Gospel. Movements like Valentinus’s ultimately fragmented because they relied on private revelations without a stable authority. This episode also highlights how similar attitudes appear in every age, even within Catholic circles—whenever people treat the faith as a private club or disregard the embodied, communal, and historical character of Christianity. By recalling the errors of Valentinus, it invites us to remain rooted in the Church’s public teaching, the witness of the saints, and the shared life of the whole People of God. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church “We know almost nothing about Valentinus the man except that he was well educated. He had much more higher education than the average Christian: he had studied at Alexandria, so he had the ancient equivalent of a Harvard or Oxford degree. He had specialized in Platonic studies, meaning that he knew Plato backwards and forwards, at least as Plato was interpreted by later students who claimed to have understood him. (Like many philosophy students today, Valentinus probably learned about Plato from secondary sources more than from actually reading Plato.) In about 130, Valentinus came to Rome and he stayed there for about twenty years. Thus, he was in Rome at the same time as Marcion. Valentinus later ended up in Cyprus.1 One thing his opponents gave Valentinus credit for was his brain. Tertullian and, much later, Jerome both considered him to have a formidable mind. But he applied that mind to creating an incredibly convoluted mythology rather than simply understanding the Scriptures. In this Valentinus was just like all the other Gnostics: incredibly convoluted mythologies were their stock in trade. The simple truth was for simple people. Like some academics today, the Gnostic teachers felt a need to prove their intellectual worth by filling their writings with jargon nobody but other Gnostics could understand.” Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians. 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...

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 12 – Interior Movement “I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel. In the night also my heart instructs me.” Psalm 16.7 RSV Interior movement is the gentle way God guides the listening heart. It is subtle. It often arrives quietly, as a small prompting, a shift of desire, a deepening peace, a check within the conscience, or a quiet sense of direction. These movements are not dramatic. They work from the inside out. Christ leads the heart through grace that touches thoughts, affections, and choices. Interior movements are part of how the Good Shepherd speaks. Instead of overwhelming the soul, He nudges it. Instead of forcing clarity, He invites attention. When the heart becomes aware of these movements, discernment becomes possible. We begin to notice which movements draw us closer to God and which movements pull us away. Interior movement is not emotional fluctuation. It is the activity of grace within the soul. It is Christ shaping the desires, quieting unhelpful impulses, strengthening hope, deepening peace, stirring courage, or illuminating a small next step. The discerning heart learns to recognize these movements and follow them with trust. Advent invites us to become sensitive to these interior movements so we may follow Christ with greater freedom. Journey with the Saints – St. Francis de Sales “God’s inspirations prepare our hearts and make us want to receive His grace.” St. Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God, Book 2, chapter 12 Francis de Sales was a master of understanding the interior life. He teaches that God’s movements within the heart are gentle, attractive, and never violent. Grace draws the soul. It never pushes. God inspires first. Then the heart responds. This is how love works. For Francis, interior movement begins with God’s initiative. The soul feels drawn toward a desire for prayer, a longing for patience, a renewed tenderness toward another person, or a quiet urge to trust God more deeply. These stirrings are not from the self. They are invitations from the Lord. Francis also teaches that interior movements require a peaceful, receptive heart. If the soul is hurried, anxious, or overly focused on self, it can miss these gentle inspirations. But when the heart grows calm and attentive, it becomes more aware of how God is guiding from within. He reminds us that interior movements are always rooted in love. God stirs the heart so we can draw closer to Him. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to notice what is happening inside. What desires are stirring. What feels drawn toward God. What feels pulled away. What interior movements seem to nudge you toward patience, gratitude, or prayer. What movements trouble your peace. Interior movements are one of the primary ways Christ guides us. You do not need intense experiences. You simply need attentiveness. When you sense a quiet draw toward something good, pause long enough to ask, “Lord, is this from You.” When you sense an interior resistance or tightening, pause again and ask, “Lord, what are You showing me.” Ask yourself: What movements within me today might be the gentle work of grace. How is Christ trying to guide me from the inside. A Simple Practice for Today At least once today, pause for thirty seconds and gently name the interior movements you feel. Say, “Lord, let me follow the movements that come from You.” Later, pause again and notice: Did any movement lead you closer to God. Prayer Lord Jesus, guide my heart through Your gentle movements. Teach me to notice the stirrings that come from Your grace. Quiet the impulses that pull me away from You and deepen the desires that lead me closer. Give me a receptive heart that listens, trusts, and follows Your inner guidance. Amen. For more of...

Mystical Experience and Consoling Prayer – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating Deacon James Keating explains how God draws the heart toward himself through ordinary prayer and through growth out of serious sin. He describes “consoling prayer,” the simple joy and peace one begins to notice when turning to God—often after the hard early work of conversion, repentance, and regular prayer. Over time, prayer becomes something we desire rather than an obligation, and affection for God gently replaces past attachments to sin. God can unexpectedly visit us during ordinary moments of the day, stirring love for him outside of set prayer times. These moments are like spontaneous interior invitations that deepen closeness with Christ. He also speaks of union through the sacraments—especially the Eucharist—where Christ is truly present even when affection is absent. Acting according to a well-formed conscience is itself another real union with Christ, because choosing the good unites us to the One who is Truth, even when doing so brings difficulty or misunderstanding in the culture. Ongoing purification, participation in parish life, and concrete practices such as confession, spiritual direction, works of mercy, and friendships rooted in Christ gradually reorder the heart. Conversion is a continual turning toward Christ in the Eucharist, letting him heal attachments to sin and make us new. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions 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 post WOM17 – Mystical Experience and Consoling Prayer – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 11 – Guidance “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30.21 RSV Guidance is one of the most tender ways Christ speaks to the heart. He does not force. He does not overwhelm. He guides. He invites the soul to walk with Him, step by step, in a way that is personal, gentle, and full of peace. Advent teaches us to expect this guidance. Christ came into the world quietly, through a path that surprised nearly everyone. God’s guidance often works the same way. It comes through small movements, quiet nudges, and interior clarity that grows over time. The discerning heart learns that guidance is rarely dramatic. It is steady and patient. Guidance also requires cooperation. God does not reveal the entire path at once. He gives light for the next faithful step. He speaks through Scripture, through prayer, through the deep desires He awakens, and through the peace that settles when we move in harmony with His will. To follow Christ is to trust that He knows the way even when we do not. Guidance is God’s continual gift to the listening heart. Journey with the Saints – St. Ignatius of Loyola “It is characteristic of God and His angels, in their movements, to give true spiritual joy and consolation, taking away all sadness and disturbance.” St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, Rule 1 for Discernment Ignatius teaches that God guides the heart by giving interior movements that help us recognize His presence. These movements are not merely emotions. They are spiritual signals that draw the soul toward greater faith, hope, and love. They reveal the path toward God. For Ignatius, guidance is recognizable because it leads to freedom. When a thought, desire, or direction brings peace, clarity, humility, and renewed strength for charity, it can be a sign of the Lord’s gentle directing hand. When it brings agitation, fear, confusion, or discouragement, it is often not from Him. Ignatius teaches us that God guides in a way that respects our humanity and works through it. He does not bypass the heart. He illuminates it. His guidance becomes recognizable as we grow in trust and in the habit of listening. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to pay attention to the small movements within you. Guidance is rarely found in loud moments. It is usually uncovered in the quiet pull toward good, the gentle desire to pray, the sudden clarity that brings peace, or the unexpected strength to do what is loving and right. God guides through these subtle movements. He also guides through the desires He purifies, through the Scriptures that speak directly into your situation, and through the peace that surrounds a faithful decision. Ask yourself: Where do I sense the Lord gently guiding me today. What small step is He giving light for. A Simple Practice for Today Take one quiet moment and pray, “Lord, show me the next faithful step.” Notice any movement toward peace or clarity. Later in the day, pause again and ask, “Lord, guide my thoughts, my choices, and my heart.” Let this openness allow His direction to surface. Prayer Lord Jesus, You are my Shepherd and my guide. Lead me in the way I should go. Open my heart to notice the gentle movements of Your Spirit and give me the courage to follow them. Teach me to trust the light You give for each step. Draw me along the path that brings me closer to You. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 11 Isaiah 30.21 RSV St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, Rule 1 for the Discernment of Spirits © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 11 – Guidance – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts...

Trusting God in Vocation Discernment – “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor talk about discerning one’s vocation, especially marriage. Fr. Gallagher notes that many already sense a natural orientation toward marriage, but still must prayerfully discover whom God is inviting them to marry. He describes practical growth in three areas—Christian formation, human maturity, and spiritual life—so a person becomes ready for a lifelong union. Because modern culture often wounds people, he suggests honest attention to emotional healing, communication skills, and a richer life of prayer (Mass, confession, Eucharistic adoration, daily prayer, retreats). He discusses the challenges young adults face in dating today and encourages seeking wise Catholic sources, community, and companionship so that anxiety or cultural pressures do not isolate them during this search. Fr. Gallagher then transitions to those who feel a pull both toward marriage and toward priesthood or religious life. Drawing on St. Ignatius, he introduces one of three “modes” in which God gives direction: a deep inner clarity that leaves no doubt, illustrated through biblical examples and contemporary stories of vocations discovered either suddenly or gradually, yet with lasting certainty. He reminds listeners that not everyone receives this kind of unmistakable certainty, and that Ignatius offers two additional modes for such discernment (to be discussed next time). God’s providence is active even during long, painful, or uncertain waiting, and that companionship, spiritual direction, and trusting prayer keep a person close to Christ through the process. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions: 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 The post DWG7 – Trusting God in Vocation Discernment – The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 10 – Peace “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14.27 RSV Peace is not something the world can create. It is the gift of Christ Himself. Advent invites the heart to receive this peace, not as a feeling that comes and goes, but as a Presence that remains. The peace Christ offers does not depend on circumstances. It does not rise or fall with events. It flows from His nearness. The world’s peace is fragile. It depends on everything going well. Christ’s peace is different. It enters the heart even in weakness, loss, and uncertainty. It is steady because He is steady. It is strong because He is strong. It is calm because He is calm. Peace does not mean the absence of struggle. It means the presence of Someone greater within the struggle. The discerning heart learns to lean on this peace and to return to it throughout the day. Christ desires to form a quiet center within us where His presence is our rest. Advent helps us welcome this peace so it can shape the thoughts we think, the choices we make, and the way we encounter the world. Journey with the Saints – St. Elizabeth of the Trinity “May nothing trouble my peace or make me leave You, O my Unchanging One, but may each minute carry me further into the depths of Your Mystery. Give peace to my soul; make it Your heaven, Your beloved dwelling and Your resting place.” St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, Prayer to the Trinity St. Elizabeth of the Trinity understood peace as the fruit of God dwelling within the soul. For her, peace was not the result of control or certainty. It was the result of surrender. She trusted that God was at work in the hidden depths of her soul even when she felt nothing. Elizabeth teaches us that peace grows when the heart stops fighting its circumstances and begins resting in God’s presence. She believed that the soul becomes a dwelling place for God when it welcomes His peace and allows Him to quiet its movements. Her teaching shows that peace is not created by the soul. Peace is received. It is the gift of the indwelling God. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to notice where your peace is easily shaken. What unsettles you. What pulls your heart into anxiety or fear. These moments do not mean you lack faith. They reveal where Christ desires to bring deeper healing. Peace grows when the heart returns to Christ again and again. Even a simple turning of the heart can invite His calm into a moment of confusion. Peace becomes a way of seeing, a way of breathing, a way of listening. Ask yourself: Where is Christ offering me His peace today. What would it look like for me to rest more deeply in Him. A Simple Practice for Today Pause once this morning and once this evening. Place your hand over your heart and say slowly, “Jesus, give peace to my soul.” Breathe gently and let His presence quiet you. Return to this prayer whenever you feel troubled. Prayer Lord Jesus, You are my peace. Quiet the thoughts that trouble me and calm the fears that rise within. Make my soul a dwelling place for Your presence. Teach me to rest in Your peace in every moment and to trust the strength of Your love. Deepen in me the peace that only You can give. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 10 John 14.27 RSV St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, Prayer to the Trinity © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 10 – Peace – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Immaculate Conception – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff On the the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Msgr. Esseff reflects on the significance of the Immaculate Conception of Mary within the broader plan of salvation history. He uses Genesis, Ephesians, and the Gospel of Luke to show us God’s eternal plan to reconcile humanity with Himself through Jesus Christ. Humanity’s fall through Adam and Eve introduced sin and death into the world, but God’s response was the plan of redemption, preordained before creation, culminating in the birth of Christ. Mary, conceived without sin, is presented as the new Eve, uniquely chosen to bring Jesus into the world. Her “yes” to the angel Gabriel is seen as a pivotal moment in God’s plan, countering the disobedience of the first parents and initiating the ultimate defeat of sin, Satan, and death. Through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, humanity is adopted as children of God and incorporated into Christ’s body, the Church. He encourages us to see the Immaculate Conception as a profound reminder of God’s love and the invitation to holiness. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions Reading 1: Gn 3:9-15, 20 “After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”Then the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.” Reading 2 Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 Brothers and sisters: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. 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...

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 9 – Courage “Wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27.14 RSV Courage is the grace that strengthens the heart to follow Christ even when the path feels uncertain or overwhelming. Advent forms this courage by teaching the soul to trust God’s presence more than its own fear. Courage is not boldness. It is not confidence in ourselves. It is confidence in God. True courage does not mean the absence of fear. It means the heart chooses faith in the midst of fear. It is the inner movement that says, “I do not see the whole way, but I will take the next step because God is with me.” Courage rises when the soul remembers that Christ has already gone ahead. Courage is also a virtue. It is fed by grace. It grows when the heart draws strength from God rather than from its own resources. The discerning heart learns that courage is not something we manufacture. It is something we receive when we lean on the One who steadies us. Advent reveals that Christ comes into our fear, not after it disappears. He gives courage by His nearness. Journey with the Saints – Pope St. John Paul II “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ.” St. John Paul II, Homily at the Mass for the Inauguration of His Pontificate, 22 October 1978 St. John Paul II understood that courage is born from trust in Christ. His life bore the marks of suffering, loss, and oppression, yet his heart remained steady because it was anchored in the presence of God. His courage was not human strength. It was divine confidence. For St. John Paul, courage begins with opening the heart to Christ. Fear narrows the heart. Courage expands it. Fear closes the doors. Courage opens them. He believed that when Christ enters the heart, grace strengthens it to face any darkness, not by removing the struggle, but by filling it with light. He knew that the heart grows courageous when it accepts God’s love and surrenders any attempt to control outcomes. He teaches us that courage is the fruit of letting Christ stand within us. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to notice places of hesitation within your soul. What feels uncertain. Where do you sense resistance. Courage does not demand that you overcome fear before you move. It asks you to take one small step with Christ, trusting that He steps with you. Courage grows when the heart remembers past moments of grace. Think of times God has been faithful to you. Think of times when you feared the path ahead but discovered His presence waiting for you. That memory strengthens courage now. Ask yourself: Where is God asking me to take a small courageous step. How can I rely on His strength rather than my own. A Simple Practice for Today Take one moment today to pray slowly, “Lord, strengthen my heart.” Identify one small step of trust and take it with intention. Later in the day, repeat the prayer as a reminder that courage is a grace you receive, not a task you achieve. Prayer Lord Jesus, give courage to my heart. Help me trust that You are with me in every uncertainty. Strengthen me with Your grace so I may follow where You lead. Steady my fears and fill me with the confidence that comes from Your presence. Teach me to take each step with You. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 9 Psalm 27.14 RSV St. John Paul II, Homily for the Inauguration of His Pontificate, 22 October 1978 © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 9 – Courage – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The 2nd Sunday of Advent – A Call to Wake Up, Repent, and Enter the Light of JesusBuilding a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff In this Advent reflection, Msgr. John Esseff turns to the figure of John the Baptist and the call to repentance that prepares the way for the Lord. He explains that John stands at the culmination of Old Testament prophecy, announcing the arrival of the Messiah and calling all people to conversion. Yet Jesus teaches that the least in the kingdom is greater than John, because Christians carry Christ within them. This means the true tragedy is not simply breaking commandments but failing to live as Christ in the world. Msgr. Esseff then guides listeners through examples of interior patterns that separate the soul from union with Jesus. He speaks about judgmental attitudes, envy, lust, unforgiveness, gluttony, and other deep tendencies that distort the heart. Each one acts like a hidden disease that wounds the life of Christ within the person. Advent becomes a time to uncover these wounds through honest examination and to bring them to the Lord for healing. He urges listeners to call upon the Holy Spirit, who reveals the core wound with gentleness, not accusation. The Spirit convicts with light and love, while the enemy accuses and discourages. Confession is offered as a powerful path to healing, where the cross penetrates the soul and restores union with Christ. Msgr. Esseff encourages priests to open the confessional during Advent and calls all Christians to stop judging one another and instead direct loved ones to the Holy Spirit, who alone can reveal the truth of the heart. Advent is presented as a privileged time to awaken, repent, and prepare for the coming of the Lord, who desires to bring healing, renewal, and unity to every soul. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. 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 Pope St. 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. The post The 2nd Sunday of Advent – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 8 – Hope “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10.23 Hope is the quiet strength that anchors the heart in God’s promises. It is a theological virtue, not a feeling we generate. God Himself pours it into the soul through grace. Because of this, hope is steady even when circumstances shift, even when emotions rise and fall, even when darkness feels close. Hope looks at God before it looks at the problem. Hope remembers that God keeps His promises. The greatest fulfillment of those promises is the gift of Christ, given at a moment in history when all seemed lost. Advent teaches us to return to this truth every day. Christ is the proof that God keeps His word. Yet hope is not only about the great moments of salvation history. It is also about the personal ways God has been faithful in your life. Each moment He sustained you, guided you, protected you, forgave you, or brought you through something difficult becomes a touchstone of hope. Hope grows when the heart remembers. Hope does not deny suffering. It meets suffering with trust in a God who is larger than every fear and stronger than every obstacle. Hope believes that God is already present and already at work. Journey with the Saints – Ven Bruno Lanteri “Do not lose heart. Be confident. God is love.” Venerable Bruno Lanteri Venerable Bruno taught that Christian hope rests entirely on the mercy and fidelity of God. He understood hope as a grace that lifts the soul when it feels weak or discouraged. His famous spiritual counsel, “Begin again,” expresses this beautifully. Hope always makes it possible to take the next step toward God. For Ven. Bruno, hope was not optimism. It was confidence in God’s character. He believed that no failure, no weakness, and no discouragement could block the action of grace if a soul continued to turn toward God with trust. Hope leans on God, not on self. Ven. Bruno also insisted that hope grows when a person remembers God’s past faithfulness. Every grace God has already given becomes a promise of what He will continue to do. Hope expands the heart to expect God’s goodness again. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to let your heart rest in God’s fidelity. Hope grows when you stop trying to hold everything together and allow God to carry what you cannot. Hope remembers that God has led you before and He will lead you again. Look back over your life. Where has God kept His promises to you. Where has He shown you love, direction, or protection. These memories are seeds of hope. They strengthen your trust in the God who remains faithful. Ask yourself: Where do I need hope today. How is God inviting me to remember His faithfulness? A Simple Practice for Today Recall one moment in your life when God was clearly present. Thank Him for it. Later in the day, pray quietly, “Lord, You have been faithful. Strengthen my hope.” Let this remembrance become a place of trust. Prayer Lord Jesus, strengthen within me the virtue of hope. Help me to trust in Your promises and to remember the many ways You have been faithful. Pour Your grace into my heart so I may rest in Your love and look to You with confidence. Teach me to hope in You always. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 8 Hebrews 10.23 RSV Venerable Bruno Lanteri, spiritual writings © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 8 – Hope – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week Two: Following the Voice of Christ DAY 7 – Trust “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3.5 to 6 Trust is the foundation of recognizing the voice of Christ. Before the heart can follow the Shepherd, it must believe that His voice is steady, loving, and faithful. Trust allows the soul to rest in God even when clarity has not yet come. Trust strengthens the listening heart, because it teaches us to lean on God rather than on our own interpretations. Trust does not remove uncertainty. It transforms it. When the heart lives in trust, uncertainty no longer becomes a barrier. It becomes a space where God reveals Himself. Trust says, “Lord, even when I do not see, I know You are guiding me.” In the spiritual life, trust matures when we stop grasping for control. We often long for explanations. We want to know how God will act or what will come next. But Advent prepares us for a God who arrives in ways we do not expect. Trust keeps the heart open to receive Him. Trust is a daily choice. It is the movement of the heart that leans toward God, especially when the way forward is dim or unclear. Christ guides those who trust Him, and trust teaches the heart to recognize His whispers. Journey with the Saints – St. Joseph “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” Matthew 1.24 St. Joseph is the quiet master of trust. Scripture gives us no recorded words from him. His entire relationship with God unfolds in listening, obedience, and surrender. Joseph trusts God without demanding full understanding. He accepts God’s direction even when it disrupts his plans and overturns what he thought his life would be. Joseph responds to God with a heart that moves quickly toward obedience. He listens not only with his ears, but with his whole life. He surrenders his expectations, his anxieties, his own judgments, and even his need to understand. Joseph shows that trust is not passive. It is an active openness to God’s will, even when the path is hidden. His quiet example teaches us to let God lead. In Joseph, we see trust that yields, trust that listens, and trust that acts. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to notice where you struggle to trust. Trust often becomes difficult when life feels uncertain or when prayer seems unanswered. Yet trust grows not by having more control, but by releasing the desire to control everything. Trust is a gentle turning toward the One who loves you. Ask the Lord to show you the places where your heart holds back. These are often the places where He desires to draw near. Trust begins when we allow God to enter those guarded areas and guide us forward step by step. Ask yourself: Where is Christ asking me to trust Him today. What part of my heart needs to lean more fully into His care. A Simple Practice for Today Lord Jesus, teach my heart to trust You. Help me release my need to understand everything and rest in Your faithful love. Give me the grace to follow Your voice even when the way is unclear. Make my trust steady and simple, like St. Joseph’s, and guide my heart into Your peace. Amen. Prayer Lord Jesus, teach my heart to trust You. Help me release my need to understand everything and rest in Your faithful love. Give me the grace to follow Your voice even when the way is unclear. Make my trust steady and simple, like St. Joseph’s, and guide my heart into Your peace. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 7 Proverbs 3.5 to 6 RSV Matthew 1.24 RSV © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 7 – Trust – An Advent Journey for the...

An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart: Prepare your heart for Christ through Scripture, the saints, and the gentle practice of daily listening. Week One: Awakening the Listening Heart DAY 6 – Conversion “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4.17 Conversion is not a single moment. It is a continual turning toward God. Advent teaches this ongoing movement of the heart. Conversion is the steady, daily action of choosing God again and again. It is the refusal to remain still in spiritual life. It is the willingness to move toward the One who is constantly drawing near. Conversion is not dramatic for most people. It is usually quiet. It is the moment when you realign your heart after noticing you have drifted. It is the instant you choose truth over distraction, love over indifference, prayer over noise. Every turn toward God, no matter how small, becomes a doorway for grace to enter. True conversion is active. It responds to God’s initiative. God always makes the first movement. Conversion is our movement back. The discerning heart knows this is a lifelong rhythm. We turn toward Him again in moments of light, in times of weakness, in days of clarity, and in seasons of confusion. Conversion prepares the heart for deeper listening. It keeps the soul awake, open, and progressing toward Christ. Journey with the Saints – St. Catherine of Siena “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.” Attributed to St. Catherine of Siena St. Catherine understood conversion as a continual rising into the fullness of who God created you to be. She teaches that conversion is not a narrowing of the spiritual life. It is the steady work of grace that expands the heart. As the heart expands, it becomes more capable of receiving God’s love and more available to give that love to others. For St. Catherine, this expansion happens through humility and surrender. When the soul releases fear, pride, or self-reliance, the heart opens wider to God’s action. Every movement toward Him increases the heart’s capacity for charity, courage, and truth. Conversion stretches the heart so it can hold more of God and give more of God. St. Catherine reminds us that conversion unfolds gradually. It is a lifelong process of allowing God to shape, widen, and mature the heart until Christ’s life becomes the center of everything. Reflection for the Listening Heart Today invites you to reflect on where your heart is turned. Conversion is not about perfection. It is about direction. You may drift at times. You may feel distracted. You may recognize places where you have resisted God. Conversion turns you back, even gently, even quietly. Ask God to show you where He is inviting you to turn toward Him again. Perhaps in a relationship. Perhaps in prayer. Perhaps in a place where fear holds you back. Every turn toward God strengthens the listening heart. Ask yourself: Where is Christ calling me to turn toward Him today. What step of conversion is He inviting me to take. A Simple Practice for Today Take one moment today and say, “Lord, turn my heart toward You.” Then choose one concrete act of love, forgiveness, or faith that reflects that turning. Later in the day, repeat the simple prayer as a way of renewing your direction. Prayer Lord Jesus, turn my heart toward You again. Draw me away from anything that leads me from Your love and strengthen every desire that leads me closer to You. Teach me to live conversion as a daily movement of grace. Help me to turn, and turn again, until my heart rests fully in You. Amen. For more of the episodes of An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor visit here Citations for Day 6 Psalm 46.10 RSV St. Teresa of Avila, Poem “Nada te turbe,” line 1 © Discerning Hearts. All rights reserved. The post Day 6 – Conversion – An Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on...