Description: This week Dan and Melissa provide the layout for a successful experience in prayer by introducing discovery prayer (or lectio divina).

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• The spiritual doctors of the Church describe mental prayer as being essential to a successful prayer life.
• By praying discovery prayer with the Gospels, one will encounter Christ, who transforms the soul.
• Discovery prayer consists of reading, reflecting, responding, resting and resolving.
• What are the sacred elements of prayer?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: Praying is not reserved only for holy souls. All souls need prayer to bring them to the heights of holiness. On this episode of Divine Intimacy Radio, Dan and Melissa stress that the most crucial element of beginning a prayer routine is to pray!

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• If someone wants to establish a lasting, meaningful prayer life, he must jump in and get started.
• A common misunderstanding is that one must be holy in order to start a meaningful prayer life when the opposite is true. One must start a prayer life first in order to be holy.
• Reading countless books on prayer is not a substitute for prayer. 
• Beginning a prayer routine is difficult, but as one practices and learns, it becomes easier and more enjoyable.

Resources: 

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: Dan and Melissa explore the reality of God's desire for a deep, lasting relationship with each individual soul.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• What does it mean to say that God "thirsts" for us? How is this reality possible?
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that God seeks to meet us at the well, longing to give us living water so that our thirst might be forever satisfied.
• Who is it that places the desire for God in our souls?
• God will always bring to completion what He has put into motion.

 Resources: 

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2560
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: What is prayer? This week Dan and Melissa debunk the popular idea of prayer only as a means of attaining what we want. 

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• What is prayer?
• How do the saints describe a healthy, meaningful prayer life?
• How can we avoid treating God like a vending machine?
• What is the result of a deep prayer life?

 Resources: 

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: This week Dan and Melissa explore the depth of God's love for each and every soul He created and how this eternal love draws each of us to prayer.

Topics/Questions covered in the show: 

• What is the importance of realizing God's personal love in one's life?
• How should we respond to this deep, personal love?
• Why is prayer a matter of justice?
• Why does God deserve our prayers?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: Why should we pray? This week Dan and Melissa dive into Dan's new book on prayer titled, Into the Deep: Finding Peace through Prayer and begin to discuss the importance of establishing a real, meaningful, lasting relationship with God.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Why pray?
• How can we grow closer to God if we do not spend meaningful time with Him?
• Prayer leads us to holiness.

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: This week, Dan and Melissa discuss the enemy's plan of attack on the soul.

 Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• How can one discern his or her vocation properly in accordance with God's will? 
• How can we quickly overcome spiritual desolation?
• The enemy watches us closely and attacks us at our weakest spiritual point. 
• How can we fortify our defenses against the enemy and succeed in virtue?
• How can we recognize our root sin?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• The Discernment of Spirits by Father Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Navigating the Interior Life by Dan Burke
• Spiritualdirection.com Recommended Resources
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: Dan and Melissa address Rule 13 on the enemy's plan to keep us quiet during spiritual desolation.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• What is Rule 13 of the Discernment of Spirits?
• Is there ever a time when a soul matures to the point of no longer experiencing spiritual desolation?
• How can a soul discern between experiencing suffering and desolation?
• The importance of making known the temptations of the enemy to combat his power over the soul.
• To whom should one reveal his or her spiritual battles, temptations, or desolation?

Resources: 

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• The Discernment of Spirits by Father Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer by Dan Burke
• Spiritualdirection.com Recommended Resources
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description:

How strong is the enemy? Today Dan and Melissa discuss strength and weakness when faced with temptation from the enemy.

 Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• What is Saint Teresa of Avila’s advice about the tactics the enemy uses to dissuade those beginning to establish a prayer life?
• Cooperation with God’s grace is essential in establishing a prayer life.
• Saint Francis de Sales warns us that it is dangerous to receive a gift from God and ignore it.
• Saint Therese of Lisieux says that “A soul in the state of grace has nothing to fear from demons, who are cowards, capable of fleeing before the gaze of a little child.”
• Saint Ignatius suggests that we must be strong against the attacks of the enemy and resist temptations.

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• The Discernment of Spirits by Father Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.
• The Autobiography of Saint Teresa of Avila
• The Story of a Soul - The Autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux
• Fire from Above by Dr. Anthony Lilles
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.

Description: This week Dan and Melissa discuss how the rules of Saint Ignatius of Loyola's Discernment of Spirits has impacted their lives.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• The rules of The Discernment of Spirits that have had the most impact on Dan and Melissa.
• Which rules seem to be the most important in establishing a closer relationship to Christ?
• Is a daily examination of conscience necessary to grow in the spiritual life?
• How can the life and writings of Saint Therese of Lisieux help inspire those called to the vocation of marriage and family life?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• The Discernment of Spirits by Father Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.
• The Examen Prayer by Father Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.
• Spiritualdirection.com Recommended Resources
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. — please leave your name, location and question.