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October 21God Calls Man First -Communion with Christ: Practical Prayer with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Episode 1: God Calls Man First -Communion with Christ: Practical Prayer with Deacon James Keating
Deacon James Keating joins Kris McGregor to explore the Church’s teaching on prayer through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, beginning with the profound truth that God desires communion with each person. Prayer is not simply a human search for meaning but a response to God’s loving presence and His continual invitation to relationship. Drawing from the Old Testament and the experiences of Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and the prophets, Deacon Keating reveals how salvation history unfolds through God’s initiative and humanity’s response. He considers the obstacles that keep us from encountering God, including distraction, materialism, fear of change, and the temptation to believe that God has abandoned us in suffering. The Psalms and the prayers of the prophets offer a way to enter more deeply into this ongoing relationship, allowing Scripture to become a living encounter with the God who continues to speak and act.
Deacon Keating also explores the prophetic dimension of Christian prayer, explaining that genuine faith recognizes God’s active presence in the world and remains open to His transforming grace. Through humility, obedience, and a conscience formed by Scripture and the teachings of the Church, Christians grow in their ability to discern God’s voice. The fullness of prayer is revealed in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who draws humanity into communion with the Father through the Holy Spirit. This intimacy finds a particularly profound expression in the Eucharist, where personal prayer and the communal worship of the Church meet. Deacon Keating offers a simple prayer following Holy Communion, “Jesus, take me to the Father,” as an invitation to surrender our thoughts, desires, and will to Christ. Through this surrender, prayer becomes a transforming encounter in which Christ’s love increasingly shapes our lives, bringing freedom, hope, and lasting joy.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2567
“God calls man first. Man may forget his Creator or hide far from his face; he may run after idols or accuse the deity of having abandoned him; yet the living and true God tirelessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter known as prayer. In prayer, the faithful God’s initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response. As God gradually reveals himself and reveals man to himself, prayer appears as a reciprocal call, a covenant drama. Through words and actions, this drama engages the heart. It unfolds throughout the whole history of salvation.”
Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Hearts” page
You can find the book here.
Discerning Hearts Questions for Reflection and Study
Personal Reflection
Do I truly believe that God desires a personal relationship with me, even more than I desire Him?
What distractions or attachments in my daily life prevent me from responding to God’s invitation to prayer?
When have I experienced God’s presence during a time of suffering, loneliness, or uncertainty?
How might I incorporate the Psalms or the prayers of the Old Testament into my daily prayer life?
Do I approach prayer with the faith that God is living, present, and actively working in my life?
How willing am I to allow God to transform my heart, even when that transformation requires change or sacrifice?
How can I become more attentive to Christ’s presence within me after receiving Holy Communion?
What would it mean for me to pray, “Jesus, take me to the Father,” with complete trust and surrender?
In what areas of my life am I still holding on to my own will rather than allowing Christ’s will to guide me?
How is God inviting me to become a more faithful witness to His love through prayer, humility, and obedience?
Group Reflection or Study
How does understanding prayer as a response to God’s initiative change the way we approach our relationship with Him?
What can the experiences of Abraham, Moses, and Elijah teach us about listening to God and responding to His call?
How do modern distractions and attachments interfere with our ability to recognize God’s presence?
In what ways can the Psalms help us understand the relationship between personal prayer and communal worship?
What does it mean to have a prophetic awareness that God continues to act in our world today?
How do Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and participation in the liturgy help us discern God’s voice?
Why does Deacon Keating describe the Eucharist as the place where personal prayer reaches its deepest fulfillment?
How can surrendering our thoughts, desires, and will to Christ lead to greater spiritual freedom?
From the book description:
The book addresses their mutual dedication to remain with Christ in prayer even in the service of parishioners. Once prayer finds a place in the heart, compassion grows for those who look for God “like sheep without a shepherd.” Through interior prayerfulness, clerical unity in ministry can be better ensured Remain in Me is for priests and deacons to use as prayer, on retreat, or during the holy seasons of Lent and Advent.
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.
The post God Calls Man First -Communion with Christ: Practical Prayer with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
29 min
October 21 Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel According to St. Luke 12:39-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
The post Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
13 min
October 21 Day 9 – A Novena to St. John Paul II – Discerning Hearts Podcast
A Novena to St. John Paul II – Day Nine
Reflection by Saint John Paul II:
“The pilgrim Church on earth lifts its gaze to Heaven and exultantly joins the choir of those with whom God shares his glory. It is the communion of saints!”
Prayer for the Intercession of St. John Paul II

O Blessed Trinity, we thank you
for having graced the Church with
Saint John Paul II and for allowing
the tenderness of your fatherly care,
the glory of the Cross of Christ
and the splendor of the Spirit of love
to shine through him.
Trusting fully in your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary,
he has given us a living image of
Jesus the Good Shepherd.
He has shown us that holiness
is the necessary measure of ordinary
Christian life and is the way of
achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession,
and according to your will,
the graces we implore,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer composed by St. John Paul II
Jesus said…”Abide in Me, and I in you…for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
I leave you now with this prayer: that the Lord Jesus will reveal Himself to each one of you, that He will give you the strength to go out and profess that you are Christian, that He will show you that He alone can fill your hearts. Accept His freedom and embrace His truth, and be messengers of the certainty that you have been truly liberated through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This will be the new experience, the powerful experience, that will generate, through you, a more just society and a better world.
God bless you and may the joy of Jesus be always with you!
[L’Osservatore Romano, 11-5-79, 2]
St. John Paul II, pray for us. Amen
For the full 9-day Novena to St. John Paul II with Mp3 audio and text visit here
The post Day 9 – A Novena to St. John Paul II – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
3 min
October 20 Day 8 – A Novena to St. John Paul II – Discerning Hearts Podcast
A Novena to St. John Paul II – Day Eight
Reflection by Saint John Paul II:
“Thus the great gift of redemption – our being ‘brought forth’ to divine life – is a mighty work of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It must be received by us in faith. It must be lived. It must be proclaimed.”
Prayer for the Intercession of St. John Paul II

O Blessed Trinity, we thank you
for having graced the Church with
Saint John Paul II and for allowing
the tenderness of your fatherly care,
the glory of the Cross of Christ
and the splendor of the Spirit of love
to shine through him.
Trusting fully in your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary,
he has given us a living image of
Jesus the Good Shepherd.
He has shown us that holiness
is the necessary measure of ordinary
Christian life and is the way of
achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession,
and according to your will,
the graces we implore,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer composed by St. John Paul II
Thanksgiving for the Eucharist
For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast!
O Christ the Savior, we give You thanks for Your redeeming sacrifice, the only hope of men!
O Christ the Savior, we give You thanks for the eucharistic breaking of bread, which You instituted in order to really meet Your brothers, in the course of the centuries!
Christ the Savior, put into the hearts of the baptized the desire to offer themselves with You and to commit themselves for the salvation of their brothers!
You who are really present in the Blessed Sacrament, spread Your blessings abundantly on Your people…Amen.
[L’Osservatore Romano, 7-27-81, 2]
St. John Paul II, pray for us. Amen
For the full 9-day Novena to St. John Paul II with Mp3 audio and text visit here
The post Day 8 – A Novena to St. John Paul II – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
3 min
October 20 Tuesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
Tuesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel According to St. Luke 12:35-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready.’
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
The post Tuesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
9 min
October 19Introduction to Rules 3 to 8 – The Second Week Rules for the Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast


Episode 6 – Introduction to Rules 3 to 8 – The Second Week Rules for the Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide to a Greater Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher
Fr. Gallagher offers an introduction to Rules 3 through 8 which primarily addresses the most common question in second mode discernment, “What about spiritual consolation with preceding cause?”
Third Rule
The third: with cause both the good angel and the bad can console the soul, for contrary ends: the good angel for the profit of the soul, that it may grow and rise from good to better; and the bad angel for the contrary, and later on to draw it to his damnable intention and malice. (331)
Fourth Rule
The fourth: It is proper to the bad angel, who takes on the appearance of an angel of light, to enter with the devout soul and to go out with himself; that is, to bring good and holy thoughts, conformed to such a just soul, and afterwards, little by little, he endeavors to go out, bringing the soul to his hidden deceits and perverse intentions. (332)
Fifth Rule
The fifth: We should give much attention to the course of the thoughts; and if the beginning, middle and end is all good, inclined to all good, it is a sign of the good angel; but if in the course of the thoughts that he brings, it ends in something bad, or distractive, or less good than the soul had proposed to do before, or if it weakens it, or disquiets, or troubles the soul, taking away the peace, tranquility and quiet, which it had before, it is a clear sign that it proceeds from the bad spirit, the enemy of our profit and eternal salvation. (333)
Through a series of compelling conference talks, Fr. Gallagher carefully breaks open St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Second Week Rules for Greater Discernment. This set of 8 “rules” (or guidelines) helps us to discern whether a seemingly good, noble, holy idea or feeling, often understood as a “spiritual consolation,” could be a working of the enemy intending to lead us astray. He shows how all of us can learn to listen to and follow God’s gentle leading in our daily lives.
For other episodes in this series visit: The Second Week Rules for the Discernment Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – DH Page
Discerning Hearts Questions for Reflection and Study
Personal Reflection
Have you ever experienced spiritual consolation connected with a good decision or possibility and assumed that the consolation settled the question?
What helps you recognize the difference between consolation without preceding cause and consolation arising through prayer, Scripture, or another spiritual object?
When considering an important decision, do you look carefully at where a spiritual movement is likely to lead over time?
What can Élisabeth Leseur’s experience teach you about consolation that strengthens a person in love, vocation, and service?
Have you experienced something that seemed spiritually good at first but eventually began to weaken your prayer, responsibilities, or freedom?
Group Reflection or Study
Why is consolation with preceding cause more difficult to discern than consolation without preceding cause?
What makes Kathy’s possible move to the inner-city school a genuine Second Week discernment?
What is the key difference between Élisabeth Leseur’s consolation and St. Ignatius’s consolations at Manresa?
What does St. Ignatius mean when he teaches that both the good angel and the bad can console the soul “with cause”?
Why does Rule Three require us to examine where consolation leads rather than judging only by how spiritually good the experience feels?
This series is based on Spiritual Consolation by Fr. Timothy Gallagher
You can find the book here
Also, here are the 2 handouts mentioned by Fr. Gallagher in Talk 2:
Guidance for a Greater Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.
For the PDF document:
Handout Number 1 – The Text of the 8 Rules of the Second Week
https://www.discerninghearts.com/Gallagher/The_Text_of_the_Rules.pdf
Handout Number 2 – Examples – Discernment of Spirits – 2nd Week rules
https://www.discerninghearts.com/Gallagher/EXAMPLES-DISCERNMENT_OF_SPIRITS-SECOND_WEEK_RULES.pdf

For more from Fr. Gallagher on Discerning Hearts:
The Discernment of Spirits: The First Week Rules /w Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV
The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher
The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallager
The post Introduction to Rules 3 to 8 – The Second Week Rules for the Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
28 min
October 19 Day 7 – A Novena to St. John Paul II – Discerning Hearts Podcast
St John Paul II by Mike Roberts

A Novena to St. John Paul II – Day Seven
Reflection by Saint John Paul II:
“Certainly the whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of light. He is the ‘light of the world.’”
Prayer for the Intercession of St. John Paul II

O Blessed Trinity, we thank you
for having graced the Church with
Saint John Paul II and for allowing
the tenderness of your fatherly care,
the glory of the Cross of Christ
and the splendor of the Spirit of love
to shine through him.
Trusting fully in your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary,
he has given us a living image of
Jesus the Good Shepherd.
He has shown us that holiness
is the necessary measure of ordinary
Christian life and is the way of
achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession,
and according to your will,
the graces we implore,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer composed by St. John Paul II
Lord, from You every family in heaven and on earth takes it name. Father, You are Love and Life.
Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, born of woman, and through the Holy Spirit, the fountain of divine charity, grant that every family on earth may become for each successive generation a true shrine of life and love.
Grant that Your grace may guide the thoughts and actions of husbands and wives for the good of their families and of all the families of the world.
Grant that the young may find in the family solid support for their human dignity and for their growth in truth and love.
Grant that love, strengthened by the grace of the sacrament of Marriage, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass.
Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that the Church may fruitfully carry out her worldwide mission in the family and through the family.
We ask this of You, who are Life, Truth, and Love with the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[L’Osservatore Romano, 5-25-80, 19]
St. John Paul II, pray for us. Amen
For the full 9-day Novena to St. John Paul II with Mp3 audio and text visit here
The post Day 7 – A Novena to St. John Paul II – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
3 min
October 19 Monday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

Monday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast
As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.
Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”
Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…
From the Holy Gospel According to St. Luke 12:13-21
A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ ‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.’
What word made this passage come alive for you?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:
A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ ‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.’
What did your heart feel as you listened?
What did you sense the Lord saying to you?
Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:
A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ ‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.’
What touched your heart in this time of prayer?
What did your heart feel as you prayed?
What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen
Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.
The post Monday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
12 min
October 18 Pray Always and Never Grow Weary with Msgr. John Esseff | Discerning Hearts Podcast
Pray Always and Never Grow Weary: Learning to Persevere in Prayer with Msgr. John Esseff – Building a Kingdom of Love podcast
In this episode of Building a Kingdom of Love, Msgr. John Esseff reflects on Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18 and His teaching about the necessity of praying always without becoming weary. Prayer is something every Christian must learn, and perseverance is essential to developing a lasting relationship with God. Drawing from his experiences with St. Teresa of Calcutta, Msgr. Esseff recalls a remarkable night of prayer in war-torn Beirut. Determined to rescue abandoned children trapped by the fighting, St. Teresa spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, pleading for their safety. When the shelling stopped, the rescue became possible. Her persistence offers a powerful example of faith, trust, and confidence in God’s power.
Yet persevering in prayer doesn’t mean that God will always grant what we ask. Msgr. Esseff shares the deeply personal experience of his sister’s death and his mother’s prayers for her healing. Her prayer eventually became an act of surrender, entrusting her daughter to God even as she faced the sorrow of losing her. Through this experience, Msgr. Esseff explores how suffering, illness, fear, and other difficulties can awaken a deeper desire for prayer. He encourages listeners to establish a daily habit of prayer, find a quiet place in their homes, and spend time listening to God. Prayer becomes the foundation of an ongoing friendship with the Lord.
Kris McGregor asks what happens when someone prays with all their heart and still doesn’t receive the answer they hoped for. Msgr. Esseff turns to Psalm 22 and the cry of Jesus from the Cross, reminding us that anger, disappointment, fear, and grief can all be brought honestly before God. There is no need to hide our deepest emotions from the One who already knows our hearts. Learning to pray means learning to speak honestly with God while becoming increasingly attentive to what He desires to say to us. Msgr. Esseff concludes with an invitation to make prayer a daily priority and discover the God who has been looking upon us with love even when we have forgotten to turn toward Him.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
1. Jesus teaches us to pray always without becoming weary. What most often makes it difficult for me to persevere in prayer?
2. When I bring a particular need before God, do I continue praying even when the answer seems delayed or uncertain?
3. What can I learn from St. Teresa of Calcutta’s perseverance before the Blessed Sacrament during the crisis in Beirut?
4. Have I experienced a time when God didn’t answer my prayers in the way I had hoped? How did that experience affect my relationship with Him?
5. Do I feel free to bring my anger, fear, disappointment, and grief honestly before God?
6. Is there a quiet place and a regular time in my daily life where I can develop a deeper habit of prayer?
7. When I pray, do I leave room to listen for what God desires to communicate to my heart?
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30 min
October 18 Day 6 – A Novena to St. John Paul II – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Pope John Paul II by Krzysztof Annusewicz,
A Novena to St. John Paul II – Day Six
Reflection by Saint John Paul II:
“The Good News which she received from her divine Founder obliges the Church to proclaim the message of salvation and human dignity and to condemn injustices and attacks on human dignity.”
Prayer for the Intercession of St. John Paul II

O Blessed Trinity, we thank you
for having graced the Church with
Saint John Paul II and for allowing
the tenderness of your fatherly care,
the glory of the Cross of Christ
and the splendor of the Spirit of love
to shine through him.
Trusting fully in your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary,
he has given us a living image of
Jesus the Good Shepherd.
He has shown us that holiness
is the necessary measure of ordinary
Christian life and is the way of
achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession,
and according to your will,
the graces we implore,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer composed by St. John Paul II
And behold: we who… are standing… beneath the cross of the ages, wish, through Your cross and passion, O Christ, to cry out today that mercy [which] has irreversibly entered in to the history of man, into our whole human history—and which in spite of the appearances of weakness is stronger than evil. It is the greatest power and force upon which man can sustain himself, threatened as he is from so many sides…
Holy is God.
Holy and strong.
Holy immortal One, have mercy on us.
Have mercy: eleison: misere.
May the power of Your love once more be shown to be greater than the evil that threatens it.
May it be shown to be greater than sin…
May the power of Your cross, O Christ, be shown to be greater than the author of sin, who is called “the prince of this world.”
For by your blood and Your passion You have redeemed the world!
[L’Osservatore Romano, 4-27-81,8]
St. John Paul II, pray for us. Amen
For the full 9-day Novena to St. John Paul II with Mp3 audio and text visit here
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3 min