St. Teresa describes her spiritual ecstacies and how they caused her distress. Dan and Melissa talk about how everyone is called to the heights of holiness as they read from St. Teresa's letter to her brother from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Is there a Universal Call to Holiness?
• Can everyone reach the advanced stages of prayer that the Saints do?
• How do lay people reach the heights of holiness? What should they do when they get there?
• What is the evidence of authentic prayer?
• Is spiritual aridity normal? Where does it come from?
• How should we deal with periods of aridity and consolation?
• How the marital experience is like the spiritual life.
• What is the measure of spritual progress?

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - Online
• Dr. Anthony Lilles
• Psalms 107: 23-32 - USCCB Bible link
• Acts 2: 15-17 - USCCB Bible link
• Lumen Gentium (Vatican Council II document) Chapter V - Universal Call to Holiness
• Pelagianism - New Advent link
• Voluntarism - New Advent link
• Joel 3:1-2 - USCCB Bible link (This is Jpoel 2:28 in the Douay-Rheims Bible)
• Dan Burke's Speaking and Events - Link at Spiritual Direction.com
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - USCCB Bible Link
• Join us on a Pilgrimage to Spain in 2016 - Link to the Pilgrimage Dan mentions.
• Real Men Pray the Rosary - Website
• http://avila-institute.com - Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation

How can we recognize temptations from the enemy when they are disguised as good works? Join Dan and Melissa as they discuss St. Teresa's advice to a friend in a letter from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Does God grant special graces? What is a special grace?
• How can we know if God has granted us special graces?
• Does God work on us through our human frailties?
• How does good spiritual direction help us recognize what is, and what is not, a grace from God?
• What is the proper response to a gift from God?
• How does the enemy disguise his temptations?
• Some clues to help recognize the work of the enemy.
• The enemy varies his attack based on the spiritual state of the subject.

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - Online
• Phillippians 4 - USCCB Bible link
• Sr. Magdalena of the Cross--Franciscan Nun who had a pact with the devil for 40 years and also allegedly fasted from food for eleven years.
• Dr. Anthony Lilles
• Finding God Through Meditation - St. Peter of Alcántara
• Temptations of an Apostolic Heart - Dan Burke spiritualdirection.com post
• http://avila-institute.com - Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation

How can we determine if our crosses are the work of God or the work of the enemy? Dan and Melissa discuss St. Teresa's spiritual advice to a friend in a letter from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Why does God answer our prayers with trials and suffering?
• Can the work of the enemy be mistaken for the work of God?
• How can we tell if a trial is the work of God and not the work of the devil?
• Some tools for discernment: daily examen, spiritual direction, St. Ignatius' Rules of Discernment.
• Can an action that seems to be in service to God be inspired by the enemy?
• How and why are advanced souls more at risk of attacks from the devil?
• Moderation in spiritual life in St. Teresa's time contrasted with modern society.

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - Online
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 - USCCB Bible link "God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength..."
• 14 Rules for Discerning of Spirits - Text from St. Ignatius with links to podcasts by Fr. Timothy Gallagher
• Divine Office - Liturgy of the Hours - Online
• http://avila-institute.com - The Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• Daily Examen - Prayer Guide from The Avila Institute
• The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross - Kavanaugh and Rodrigues. Contains Dark Night of the Soul.

St. Teresa diagnoses an attack of the devil on a fellow nun. Join Dan and Melissa as they discuss St. Teresa's advice to this nun in a letter from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• How does the devil attack us through temptation?
• St. Teresa diagnoses the cause of another nun's personal struggles.
• Does St. Teresa contradict St. Ignatius Rules for Discerning of Spirits?
• How can we resist attacks from the enemy?
• "Breaking the silence" to fight the devil.
• Overcoming trials by serving others.
• Advice to avoid misusing the teachings of the saints.
• Why does spiritual progress increase the need for good spiritual direction?

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - Online
• 1 Corinthians 10 - USCCB Bible link
• The Discernment of Spirits - An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living - Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V.
• 14 Rules for Discerning of Spirits - Text from St. Ignatius with links to podcasts by Fr. Timothy Gallagher
• Divine Office - Liturgy of the Hours - Online

Dan and Melissa discuss the impact of suffering on prayer and how to differentiate true prayer from manufactured prayer. Listen as they reflect on letters from St. Teresa from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Where does suffering come from?
• Why does God allow suffering?
• Where is God in our suffering?
• The impact of suffering on prayer.
• How to pray effectively in the midst of profound physical suffering.
• True prayer vs. manufactured prayer.
• What is the goal of true prayer?
• How we can make vocal prayer contemplative.

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• Book of Job - USCCB Bible link
• Gospel of John, Chapter 9 - USCCB Bible link
• Romans, Chapter 8 - USCCB Bible link
• 1 Kings, Ch. 18: Elijah and the prophets of Baal - USCCB Bible link
• Rosarium Virginis Mariae - Pope St. John Paul II Apostolic Letter on the Rosary
• The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary - EWTN.com

Dan and Melissa discuss stages of prayer and the transitions between the stages, focusing particularly on contemplative prayer. Join them as they reflect on letters of St. Teresa from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• What is contemplative prayer, or contemplation?
• How does contemplative prayer differ from meditation and other forms of prayer?
• How to recognize contemplative prayer.
• What to do when one experiences contemplative prayer.
• Melissa shares a personal experience as an example of contemplative prayer.
• What are the fruits of contemplation?

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalog - online
• Navigating the Interior Life - Dan Burke
• Divine Intimacy - Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen
• http://avila-institute.com - Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• The Better Part - Fr. John Bartunek
• Finding God Through Meditation - St. Peter of Alcantara
• The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross - Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez
• Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. 2 - Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez
• http://www.ncregister.com - National Catholic Register
• In Conversation with God - Francis Fernandez

Listen to reflections on letters of St. Teresa from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila. In today's show Dan and Melissa answer the questions: What is a "rule of life"? Why do you need one? How do you make one?

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Motivation vs. structure when making a plan for loving God.
• How to start with a "small yes".
• The importance of having a written plan.
• How to identify your root sin. Why do you need to?
• How to find joy in discipline and beauty in structure via a Rule of Life.

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalog - online
• Navigating the Interior Life - Dan Burke
• Navigating the Interior Life - Study Guide - Dan Burke
• Thirsting for Prayer - Fr. Jacques Philippe
• Time for God - Fr. Jacques Philippe
• Searching for and Maintaining Peace - Fr. Jacques Philippe

St. Teresa gives insight into effective leadership techniques. Dan and Melissa reflect on letters from St. Teresa from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• St. Teresa returns to the Convent of the Incarnation, which is in a state of rebellion and spiritual poverty.
• A historical look at the situation at the Convent at the time of St. Teresa's return.
• What does it mean to be a successful leader?
• Does the gift of good leadership skills necessarily lead to pride?
• What is the true source of our authority as leaders?
• How to use love and prayer as leadership tools.
• St. Teresa demonstrates that provision grows with holiness.

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalog - online
• Journey Home on YouTube - Marcus Grodi interviews Dan Burke
• The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. III - contains Book of Her Foundations

How does a saint respond to persecution? Recognizing the aspects of a saint's character. St. Teresa's letters reveal some of the secrets to sainthood. Reflections on Day 18 from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Do your emotions drive you toward God or away from Him?
• Avoiding the victim mentality.
• How to obtain the grace to hold up under persecution.
• Holiness through obedience, humility, and docility to the Church.
• How can we feel peace in the face of repression or persecution?
• What does the enemy have to do with a lack of obedience?
• What the saints know about what God wants from us.

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• Catholic Spiritual Direction website - http://www.spiritualdirection.com
• The Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation - http://avila-institute.com
• About Dr. Anthony Lilles
• The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Volume One - contains The Book of Her Life
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online

Join Dan and Melissa as they reflect on letters from St. Teresa from the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila. Todays letter reveals some of the Saint's personal tragedies and how she deals with them.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• How suffering allows us to more fully experience joy.
• What is the relationship between contrast and clarity in the spiritual life?
• What does it mean to be a contemplative?
• Does detachment mean a lack of emotion?
• Some practical benefits to prayer and the contemplative life.
• How prayer can give us the tools to function effectively in everyday life.
• Making time for adoration.

Resources:

• 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
• http://www.spiritualdirection.com - Catholic Spiritual Direction website
• EWTN Religious Catalog - online
• http://divineprovidence.org - Marian Servants of Our Lady of Divine Providence House of Prayer
• About Dr. Anthony Lilles
• Revelation 21:4 - USCCB Bible link
• 1 Corinthians 13:12 - USCCB Bible link
• Romans, Chapter 8:18 - USCCB Bible link
• James 4:8 - USCCB Bible link