Discerning Hearts - Catholic Podcasts

Caryll Houselander image used with permission from TRINITY ICONS Day 15: The Sacred Vigil of Love The fostering of an infant’s life is a thing of terror as well as of beauty. We are face to face with life at its most precious, housed in its frailest. That life depends for its survival upon us, upon the intelligence, the skill, the perseverance, the unceasing, untiring vigilance of our love. It requires of us love that is as strong as the worn and hollowed rock, as delicate as the dew that trembles in it. We stand on one side of the cradle, death stands on the other. The new life is still a spark, a spark that we kneel to fan with the warm breath of our own life, a spark that death could blow out so easily. So is it with the Christ-life in each of us and in the world. It is lodged in little ones, in the weakest and puniest, and love and death stand over it, face to face. In the mysterious period of natural life between birth and babyhood, there is a parable of the Christ-life in the soul. Commentary:  Caryll Houselander draws a powerful parallel between the fragile care required for a newborn and the nurturing of Christ’s love within our souls. She conveys the delicate responsibility we have in fostering the Christ-life, which, like an infant, relies on our unwavering vigilance and love. Just as a newborn depends completely on those who care for it, the life of Christ within us depends on our attentiveness, our perseverance, and our willingness to protect and nurture this divine presence. Houselander reminds Catholics of the awe-inspiring and at times fearsome responsibility of sustaining this spark of Christ’s life, which requires both tender love and strong resilience. Personal Reflection: Reflect on how you might nurture the life of Christ within yourself and others. How can you protect and foster this divine presence with loving vigilance? Consider small ways in which you can cultivate patience, care, and attentiveness to keep this spark of Christ’s love burning brightly. Houselander quote from:  Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God, Sheed & Ward, 1944 For more reflections visit: Caryll Houselander  – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham Image used with permission To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons The post Day 15: The Sacred Vigil of Love – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – 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 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.

Monday of the 3rd Week of Advent – An Advent Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart 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 21:23-27 Jesus had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’ 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 had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’ 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 had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’ 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? We thank you, Lord Jesus for this time with you. Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as we await the advent of Christ your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever 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 3rd Week of Advent – An Advent Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Caryll Houselander image used with permission from TRINITY ICONS Day 14:  Patience in the Hidden Growth of Sorrow Sometimes this Advent season of the soul is a recurring rhythm through life, deliberately chosen as such or simply given to us. Sometimes it is the immediate result of conversion or of a new awareness of God or of an increase of Love. Sometimes it is a painful experience. It may be that a soul brimmed with love becomes dumb, inarticulate, blind, seeing only darkness, unable to give things that it longs to give to a world of children asking for bread. This simply means that the Holy Spirit of Love, by which Christ was conceived in that heart, is compelling it to suffer the period of growth. The light is shining in the darkness, but the darkness does not comprehend it. To a soul in such a condition, peace will come as soon as it turns to Our Lady and imitates her. In her the Word of God chose to be silent for the season measured by God. She, too, was silent; in her the light of the world shone in darkness. Today, in many souls, Christ asks that He may grow secretly, that He may be the light shining in the darkness. We ought to let everything grow in us, as Christ grew in Mary. And we ought to realise that in everything that does grow quietly in us, Christ grows. We should let thoughts and words and songs grow slowly and unfold in darkness in us. Commentary:  Caryll Houselander reflects on the “Advent season of the soul” as a time when, even in silence and darkness, Christ grows within us. This hidden growth can be challenging, especially when we feel brimming with love yet find ourselves unable to express or act on it. Houselander encourages us to look to Mary as a model of patient, silent surrender. Just as she held the Incarnate Word in silence and allowed Him to grow within her, we too are called to let Christ grow in us without rushing the process. Even in the moments when we feel unable to give or express ourselves fully, God is at work in our hidden depths, transforming us. Personal Reflection: Consider a place of silence or frustration in your spiritual life where you feel “in the dark.” How might you imitate Mary’s trust in God’s timing, allowing Christ to grow quietly within you, even if you don’t yet see the fruit? Embrace this season as an opportunity for Christ to unfold slowly in your heart. Houselander quote from:  Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God, Sheed & Ward, 1944 For more reflections visit: Caryll Houselander  – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts Image © Trinity Icons / Joseph M. Malham Image used with permission To purchase your own copy, visit Trinity Icons The post Day 14: Patience in the Hidden Growth of Sorrow – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – 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.