The Discerning Hearts Blog Archives - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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 of St. Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

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 have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

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 have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

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

The post 1st Saturday of Lent – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

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Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask——Do I allow God to love through me?

Seek—Keep before you the image of Jesus forgiving those who nailed him on the cross and see everyone with whom you come into contact through Christ. Think about how Christ died for those people and how precious they are as children of God, the same God who loves you

Knock—Meditate on 1 John 4:11–12.

My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us.

Are there people whom you do not love? Ask God to fill you with his love. What does the Father see in these people that you don’t? Ask God to heal you of any painful scars that you still suffer from what others might have done to you. Ask Jesus to touch his wounds from his crucifixion to your own woundedness, that it may become a source of blessing.

Transform Your Life—Put God first in your life. Realize that you can love your spouse, your children, your friends, and your enemies only to the degree that you keep God first. We tend not to expect others to be perfect if we worship the only One who is perfect.

Michael Dubruiel’s book The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ to Your Life is currently available in Kindle format. 

You can find the book here:
https://amzn.to/4rTMBK9

To explore more of Amy Welborn’s books and writing, visit:
https://amywelborn.wordpress.com/books-by-amy-welborn/

Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

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 PoC-11 1st Saturday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on St. Benedict’s instruction not to nurse anger or harbor a grudge, but to make peace before the setting of the sun. The Holy Rule recognizes how quietly resentment can settle into the heart and distort judgment over time. Peace is not optional in Benedictine life. It is necessary for fidelity.

St. Benedict does not deny injury or minimize loss. He directs the heart toward release. Sometimes what has been lost can be repaired. Sometimes it can be replaced by a new good. Sometimes it must be entrusted to God and let go. The discipline is simple and concrete: do not carry anger into the next day. Rooted in God’s mercy, this episode invites listeners to take one deliberate step toward peace and allow grace to loosen the grip of grievance.

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 4 §§14-21(RB 1980)

“Not to give way to anger. Not to foster a desire for revenge.

“Pauperes recreare, nudos vestire, infirmos visitare, mortuos sepelire, in tribulatione subvenire, dolentem consolari… Christo omnino nihil praeponere.”

Letter from Paul to the Ephesians, 4:26-27. RSV–CE

“Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”

Is there an anger or grievance I have allowed to remain longer than necessary?

Do I find myself rehearsing past injuries in ways that keep them alive?

What has been lost in a recent conflict, and which path is possible: repair, replacement or release?

What simple step toward peace can I take before this day ends?

How does trusting in God’s mercy change my willingness to forgive?

Copyright © 2026 Kris McGregor. All rights reserved. No portion of this content may be reproduced, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form, including audio, print or digital media, without prior written permission from Discerning Hearts®.

The post BW11 – Before the Setting of the Sun – The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 2 -Stations of the Cross: Reflections with Deacon James Keating 

For other episodes in the “Stations of the Cross” series click here

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. 

Deacon Keating is also the author of:

From the book description:

Deacon James Keating’s book Abiding in Christ: Staying with God in a Busy World is a how-to-pray resource. This book helps readers to find a quiet space wherein they can be present to God and offers suggestions of how they can be more open to God s movement within them.

The post SC-2 – The 3rd and 4th Stations – Stations of the Cross with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss the significance of St. Gregory of Narek being declared the 36th Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis in 2015. St. Gregory’s profound contributions to Christian spirituality, particularly his “Book of Lamentations,” is a collection of 95 poetic prayers that deeply resonate with themes of humility, suffering, and the longing for union with God. A mystic, theologian, and poet of the Armenian Church, is recognized for his ability to express the depths of human brokenness and the hope found in divine mercy. His writings are compared to those of St. Augustine and St. John of the Cross, emphasizing their ability to guide the faithful toward a personal encounter with God through lament and prayer.

St. Gregory’s life, shaped by early suffering and monastic formation, deeply influenced his spiritual insight. His work remains central to Armenian Christianity, with prayers from the “Book of Lamentations” integrated into the Armenian liturgy. The podcast considers how Gregory’s appointment as a Doctor of the Church invites the broader Catholic Church to engage more deeply with Eastern Christian traditions and spirituality.

ANDREA TORNIELLI: VATICAN CITY

”An Armenian saint has been declared a Doctor of the Church. In last Saturday’s audience with the cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Pope Francis approved the proposal put forward by the Plenary Session of the Congregation, agreeing for the title of Doctor of the Universal Church to be conferred upon Gregory of Narek.

St. Gregory, a priest and monk, was born circa 950 AD in Andzevatsik (formerly Armenia, present-day Turkey) to a family of writers. He died circa 1005 in Narek (formerly Armenia, present-day Turkey). His father, Khosrov, was an archbishop. Having lost his mother at a young age, Gregory was brought up by his cousin, Anania of Narek, founder of the local school and village. The saint lived most of his life in the monasteries of Narek (in what was once called Great Armenia), where he taught at the monastic school. He is considered one of Armenian literature’s greatest poets.

The cult of St. Gregory of Narek will be marked on 27 February in the Roman Martyrology. He will be defined as “monk, doctor of the Armenians, distinguished for his writings and mystic science”.

The papal decision comes just weeks before Francis is due to commemorate the centenary of the Armenian massacre on 12 April in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Medz Yeghern as the Armenian massacre is called, took place in 1915.”

For more from Dr. Matthew Bunson check out his Discerning Hearts page

Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and a senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints, and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

The post St. Gregory of Narek – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Matthew 5:23-24

Forgiveness is the doorway to healing, the first step toward true reconciliation. We accept that a past action has happened that has hurt us, and we begin to let it go, not by our own strength, but through the grace of God, who leads us toward healing and freedom. Jesus reminds us that before we approach God, we must examine our hearts and choose to forgive. Forgiveness is an act of the will—a decision to release resentment and entrust justice to God. It is not always easy, but it frees us from the weight of bitterness and prepares us to receive God’s mercy.

Sometimes, the wounds in a relationship run deep, and forgiveness is not a single moment but a continuing process. We may not always feel emotionally ready to forgive, but turning to the Father and asking for His grace to forgive is the first step. When we do not feel sincere, authentic forgiveness is fully possible at a given moment, we can begin with a simple prayer.

“Father, pour Your mercy upon the one I need to forgive. The pain is still present, and forgiveness feels difficult. Grant me the grace to heal through Your mercy and have the strength and freedom to fully forgive.”

You may need to say it multiple times over days, months, or even years, but each time you do, you take a step closer to the full freedom of forgiveness. The desire to forgive, even if imperfect, is what allows God’s grace to gradually transform your heart.

Abba Moses the Black said:

“The man who is angry with his brother is like a man who drinks poison and hopes it will kill his enemy”(Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Moses 7)

Holding onto anger harms us far more than it does the other person. Forgiveness frees us, even when reconciliation is not possible. Sometimes, the other person may not be open to restoration, and wounds may remain. But even if human reconciliation is unattainable, God is always open to us. His mercy is never withheld, and He invites us to bring our brokenness to Him for healing.

Reconciliation is more than resolving conflicts; it is about restoring relationships. The word reconciliation comes from the Latin reconciliare, meaning to bring together again, to restore harmony. True reconciliation happens when we see others as God sees them—not as adversaries, but as fellow children of God, wounded as we are, in need of grace and healing. It is not merely about resolving disputes but about restoring communion.

Abba Dorotheus provides wisdom:

“Do not imagine that you will be able to correct others before you have corrected yourself. Reconcile first your own heart to peace, and then you will be able to bring peace to others.” (Discourses and Sayings, Dorotheus of Gaza)

Before we can reconcile with others, we must reconcile with God. Sin damages our relationship with Him, distorting our vision and leading us away from His love. Often, we fail to recognize the weight of our sins or their consequences. True reconciliation begins when we see ourselves in the light of His love and seek His mercy.

One of the greatest gifts of the Church is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Christ instituted this sacrament to restore us to grace, lift the burden of sin, and renew our hearts.

Confession is not about judgment but healing. God longs to pour out His mercy, removing the barriers that sin creates between us and Him. When we avoid this sacrament, we deny ourselves the grace that Christ freely offers.

St. Augustine offers this insight:

“I probed the hidden depths of my soul and wrung its pitiful secrets from it, and when I mustered them all before the eyes of my heart, a great storm broke within me, bringing with it a great deluge of tears… For I felt that I was still captive of my sins, and in my misery, I kept crying, ‘How long shall I go on saying, “Tomorrow, tomorrow”? Why not now? Why not make an end of my ugly sins at this moment? (Confessions, 8.12)

Reconciliation with God leads to freedom. It gives us the grace to seek healing in our relationships.

Abba Poemen reminds us:

“If someone wrongs you, you should say to yourself, ‘If it were not for this sin, perhaps I would not be saved.’”(Apophthegmata Patrum, Poemen 65)

Even the wounds inflicted by others can lead us to a deeper dependence on God’s mercy. If we allow them, these struggles can purify our hearts and teach us humility.

Lent is a time to examine our hearts, to forgive, and to be forgiven. Forgiveness sets us free; reconciliation restores what was broken. As we reflect today, let us ask: How can we take steps toward reconciliation in our lives? How can we trust God’s grace to heal the wounds that division has caused? And where in our hearts do we need to surrender resentment and ask for the grace to forgive?

Lord, You are rich in mercy and call us to reflect Your love in our relationships. Help us to forgive as You forgive, and to walk in the freedom of Your grace. Open our hearts to recognize the ways in which we have wounded our relationship with You and grant us the humility to seek Your mercy. May we never fear the Sacrament of Reconciliation but embrace it as a gift of Your love. Transform our hearts, Lord, that we may live in the fullness of Your grace.

Amen.

This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.

The post Day 10: “Reconciliation and Forgiveness” – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

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 of St. Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

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: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

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: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

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

The post 1st Friday of Lent – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on St. Benedict’s call to concrete charity and the decisive command to prefer nothing whatever to Christ. The tools of good works now move outward into ordinary and demanding circumstances where real human need presents itself. These works are not sentimental gestures. They are steady expressions of love lived through presence, restraint and fidelity.

St. Benedict’s list is simple and practical: relieve the poor, visit the sick, console the sorrowing, help in trouble. Each act requires nearness. Charity in the Holy Rule is not distant sympathy but accompaniment. It interrupts comfort. It asks for attention. It calls the heart to recognize Christ in the person who stands before it. When Christ is placed first, charity becomes faithful rather than selective. This episode invites listeners to respond quietly and concretely to the needs within their reach, allowing love to take visible shape in daily life.

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 4 §§14-21(RB 1980)

“To relieve the poor.

“Pauperes recreare, nudos vestire, infirmos visitare, mortuos sepelire, in tribulatione subvenire, dolentem consolari… Christo omnino nihil praeponere.”

Matthew 25:40, RSV–CE

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”

Copyright © 2026 Kris McGregor. All rights reserved. No portion of this content may be reproduced, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form, including audio, print or digital media, without prior written permission from Discerning Hearts®.

The post BW10 – Preferring Nothing to Christ – The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Joseph Pearce and Kris McGregor explore how Frankenstein has been widely misread, particularly through film adaptations that flatten its moral and philosophical depth. Written when Mary Shelley was still a teenager, the novel emerged from a turbulent season in her life—shaped by her radical atheist father, her feminist mother Mary Wollstonecraft, and her relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley, whose estranged wife later took her own life. Amid guilt, loss, and emotional upheaval, Shelley crafted a story that wrestles with ambition, isolation, and moral responsibility. Victor Frankenstein’s creation is not a mindless beast but a rational being deprived of love, and his tragedy reflects the consequences of scientific pursuit detached from ethical grounding and human affection.

Joseph Pearce presents the novel as a meditation on technology, biotechnology, and the dangers of innovation severed from tradition and moral reflection. Victor’s obsessive drive blinds him to nature, family, and sacrificial love—represented most clearly by Elizabeth’s gentle, steady voice. Shelley poses prescient questions about unchecked progress, personal responsibility, and the ripple effects of human pride, yet she offers few tidy solutions. The monster’s unresolved fate mirrors the lingering impact of humanity’s inventions, once unleashed and impossible to recall. Though Shelley’s later life faded quietly, this early work continues to resonate, inviting readers to confront the cost of ambition without conscience and the enduring need for love rooted in self-gift.

A native of England, Joseph Pearce is the internationally acclaimed author of many books, which include bestsellers such as The Quest for Shakespeare, Tolkien: Man and Myth, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis and The Catholic Church, Literary Converts, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile and Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc. His books have been published and translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Croatian and Polish.

He has hosted two 13-part television series about Shakespeare on EWTN, and has also written and presented documentaries on EWTN on the Catholicism of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. His verse drama, Death Comes for the War Poets, was performed off-Broadway to critical acclaim. He has participated and lectured at a wide variety of international and literary events at major colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Europe, Africa and South America.

He is Visiting Professor of Literature at Ave Maria University and Visiting Chair of Catholic Studies at Thomas More College of Liberal Arts (Merrimack, New Hampshire). He is editor of the St. Austin Review, series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions, senior instructor with Homeschool Connections, and senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative and Crisis Magazine. His personal website is www.jpearce.co.

The post GWWL2 – Mary Shelley and Frankenstein – Great Works in Western Literature with Joseph Pearce – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

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 of Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask 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, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask 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, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask 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

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