The Discerning Hearts Blog Archives - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Kris McGregor introduces The Spiritual Journey for the Discerning Heart, a Catholic reflection series offering practical help for recognizing God’s grace, discerning his guidance, and drawing wisdom from Scripture, the saints, and the great spiritual masters of the Church. The post A Great Cloud of Witnesses – The Spiritual Journey for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Fr. Gallagher explains Rule Thirteen of the Discernment of Spirits and how breaking spiritual silence brings freedom. The post The Thirteenth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Monday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Monday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Sunday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Sunday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 9 St. Bernard you have said: "Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son. O Blessed Mary, whoever loves you honors God; whoever serves you pleases God; whoever invokes your holy name with a pure heart will infallibly receive the object of his petition." The post St. Bernard of Clairvaux Novena – Day 9 – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 2 St. Augustine has written: “Though good and bad men suffer alike, we must not suppose that there is no difference between the men themselves, because there is no difference in what they both suffer. For even in the likeness of the sufferings, there remains an unlikeness in the sufferers; and though exposed to the same anguish, virtue and vice are not the same thing. For as the same fire causes gold to glow brightly, and chaff to smoke; and under the same flail the straw is beaten small, while the grain is cleansed; and as the lees are not mixed with the oil, though squeezed out of the vat by the same pressure, so the same violence of affliction proves, purges, clarifies the good, but damns, ruins, exterminates the wicked.” (from "The City of God") The post St. Augustine of Hippo Novena – Day 2 – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 8 St. Bernard you have said: "Many appear full of mildness and sweetness as long as everything goes their own way; but the moment any contradiction or adversity arises, they are in a flame, and begin to rage like a burning mountain. Such people as these are like red-hot coals hidden under ashes. This is not the mildness which Our Lord undertook to teach us in order to make us like unto Himself." "If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool." The post St. Bernard of Clairvaux Novena – Day 8 – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 1 St. Augustine has written: "No one knows what he himself is made of, except his own spirit within him, yet there is still some part of him which remains hidden even from his own spirit; but you, Lord, know everything about a human being because you have made him...Let me, then, confess what I know about myself, and confess too what I do not know, because what I know of myself I know only because you shed light on me, and what I do not know I shall remain ignorant about until my darkness becomes like bright noon before your face.” (from the "Confessions") The post St. Augustine of Hippo Novena – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 7 St. Bernard you have said: “It was love that motivated His self-emptying, that led Him to become a little lower than angels, to be subject to parents, to bow His head beneath the Baptist’s hands, to endure the weakness of the flesh, and to submit to death even upon the cross” St. Bernard you ... Read more The post St. Bernard of Clairvaux Novena – Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Join Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz and Kris McGregor as they discuss: 1. The Maternal Nurturer2. Where Are The Women? The post Ep 2 – The Call to Teach – And Mary’s ‘Yes’ Continues Afresh w/ Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 1 Beginning in Hope  Whatever my failings may be, I will never lose heart, aware that I will commit many such failings; but I will always ask God’s forgiveness immediately, and strive to do better. And I will be persuaded that discouragement is the greatest obstacle on the way of salvation. [If I fall many times] I will get up immediately and with humility, and not hate myself (for that would be self-love); this is true love. A child falls thousands of times, but it never just stays there on the ground. It cries, and runs to his mother. And so do we to the crucifix. How many grades of grace, of glory, of honor [do we gain and give to] God, each and every time we do this. The post A Novena in Honor of Ven. Bruno Lanteri – Day 1 – Discerning Hearts podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 6 From the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola: If we desire to live in honor and to be esteemed by our neighbors, then we shall never be solidly rooted in God our Lord, and it will be impossible for us to remain undisturbed when insults come our way [Ep. 1:86]. If we find that we are without the patience to endure insults from others we, then, have greater reason to complain, not because of those who injure us, but because of our own sensuality and carnal inclinations, and because we are not as mortified or dead to the world as we should be. These people are offering us opportunities for gaining a treasure greater than anyone can win in this life, and riches more numerous than anyone can accumulate in this world [Ep. 1:86-87]. The post St. Ignatius of Loyola Novena – Day 6 – Discerning Hearts podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Legacy of St. Charbel Makhluf and St. Nimatullah Kassab - Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff - Discerning Hearts Podcast The post The Legacy of St. Charbel Makhluf and St. Nimatullah Kassab – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

From the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola: The peace of our Lord is something interior, and it brings with it all the other gifts and graces necessary for salvation and eternal life. This peace makes us love our neighbor for the love of our Creator and Lord, and because of this same love we observe all the commandments of the law, as St. Paul says: “He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). He has fulfilled the law because he loves his Creator and Lord and loves his neighbor for his Lord’s sake [Ep. 1:162]. The post St. Ignatius of Loyola Novena Day 3 – Discerning Hearts podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Listen to an excerpt on Mary Magdalen "Conversion and Discipleship" from Three Women and the Lord by Adrienne von Speyr The post Mary Magdalen – An Excerpt from Three Women and the Lord by Adrienne von Speyr appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Day 1 From the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola: The moment you decided to use all your strength in praising, honoring, and serving God our Lord, that was the moment you entered battle with the world, raised your standards against it, and made yourself ready to reject all that is exalted by embracing all ... Read more The post St. Ignatius of Loyola Novena Day 1 – Discerning Hearts podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

This reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas considers peace, dialogue, and the call to see the faces of those who suffer. The post MH29 – The Faces That Call Us to Peace – Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Msgr. John Esseff explores the spiritual battle between Christ and Satan, revealing how devotion to the Sacred Heart strengthens us to resist temptation and live in God's Kingdom of Love. The post SH8 – The Sacred Heart and Spiritual Warfare – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

This reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas considers the call to disarm our words, speak truth with charity, and serve peace. The post MH28 – Disarming Words – Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Sunday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Sunday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

This reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas considers the civilization of love, digital connection, justice, fraternity, and the common good. The post MH27 – The Civilization of Love – Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

This reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas considers education, digital life, and forming young hearts in truth, dignity, and freedom. The post MH24 – Education for a Discerning Heart – Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart A 30-Day Journey with Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas Episode 23: Truth as a Common Good In this episode of Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart, we reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s teaching on truth as a common good. The Holy Father reminds us that the digital transformation is reshaping the way we communicate, learn, work, argue, search for answers, and form opinions. In this environment, truth must be sought, protected, and shared with responsibility. This reflection considers how digital platforms and artificial intelligence can foster dialogue and participation, but can also blur the line between truth and falsehood. A headline, video, post, rumor, fabricated quote, or misleading summary can move quickly before anyone has time to examine it. Pope Leo XIV warns that disinformation did not begin with AI, but AI can make it more powerful. Through the light of Ephesians 4:25, this episode invites us to speak truthfully because we belong to one another in Christ. A discerning heart slows down before sharing, verifies before repeating, distinguishes fact from opinion, and asks whether its words serve charity, communion, and the dignity of the person. Citations Selection from Magnifica Humanitas Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, Chapter Four, nos. 131 – 132: “In light of the principles of the Church’s Social Doctrine, the digital transformation invites us to rediscover truth as a common good, to protect the dignity of work and to safeguard freedom against all forms of dependence and commercialization.” “The use of digital platforms and AI systems is driving profound changes in public and political communication. Tools that could foster dialogue and participation are often used to construct distorted narratives and blur the boundaries between truth and falsehood, mixing facts with opinions.” “Disinformation did not begin with AI, yet today it finds a powerful amplifier in AI.” Ephesians 4:25, RSV–Catholic Edition “Putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions Where did I react before seeking the truth? Did I repeat, share, or believe something without enough care? How do digital platforms or artificial intelligence shape what I trust, fear, or pass along? Where is the Holy Spirit inviting me to speak with greater honesty, patience, and restraint? What act of truthfulness can I choose today to protect charity, communion, and another person’s dignity? For other episodes in this series, visit Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor To read the full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas, visit Vatican.va  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 Sower and the Seed – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff In this reflection, Msgr. John Esseff contemplates Jesus as the divine Sower who plants the seed of the Kingdom of God throughout the world. Through the parables of the wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast, he reveals that Christ continually sows goodness while the devil seeks to sow evil. Rather than becoming discouraged or quick to judge, Christians are called to trust God’s wisdom as his Kingdom quietly grows within human hearts and throughout the world. Drawing on the insights of St. Augustine and Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Msgr. Esseff explains that the visible Church contains both saints and sinners, while the true Kingdom of God is found wherever Christ reigns within the soul. Through moving stories of a child strengthened by suffering, a father who grew steadily in holiness, and a seminarian who discovered Christ after years away from the faith, he shows how God’s grace often works in hidden and unexpected ways. The reflection concludes with a message of hope and perseverance. The Kingdom frequently begins like a tiny seed and grows slowly through faith, suffering, prayer, and daily conversion. Rather than despairing over the darkness of the world or the struggles within our own families, we are invited to continue praying, trusting that Christ never stops sowing the good seed and that his Kingdom will reach its fullness in God’s perfect time. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions: How is Christ sowing the seed of his Kingdom in my life today? What keeps me from trusting God when I see evil or confusion in the world or the Church? Where have I witnessed God’s grace quietly growing through suffering, patience, or perseverance? Who in my family or among my friends needs my faithful prayer rather than my judgment? How can I cooperate more fully with Christ as he continues to sow the good seed in my heart?  

Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart A 30-Day Journey with Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas Episode 21: What Must Not Be Lost In this episode of Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart, we reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s warning about what must not be lost in the age of artificial intelligence. The Holy Father teaches that the danger is not only the misuse of certain technologies, but the spread of an anti-human vision in which efficiency, control, and optimization become the measure of life. This reflection considers how easily the human person can be reduced to a project to be improved, managed, or measured. A worker can become a set of performance numbers. A student can see learning only as competition. A caregiver can feel the frustration of love that cannot be made efficient. Even a ministry can be tempted to measure spiritual fruit only by reach, data, response, or growth. Pope Leo XIV gives us a different measure: the quality of a civilization is seen in the care it is able to offer. Through the light of Matthew 9:36, this episode invites us to recover the human gestures that keep love alive. A discerning heart asks where it has treated someone as a task, interruption, or function, and where the Holy Spirit is inviting real care, patient presence, and recognition of the face before us. Citations Selection from Magnifica Humanitas Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, Chapter Three, nos. 112-114: “The risk extends beyond the misuse of certain technologies. More gravely, the pervasive technocratic paradigm in which we are immersed, and that is amplified by the digital revolution and AI, threatens to normalize an anti-human vision.” “When efficiency becomes the ultimate measure of value, human beings are tempted to see themselves as a project to be optimized rather than as persons called to relationship and communion.” “The quality of a civilization is measured not by the power of its means, but by the care it is able to offer, by its ability to recognize the other as a face not merely as a function.” Matthew 9:36, RSV–Catholic Edition “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions Where have I treated myself as a project to be optimized, improved, or measured? Where did I see someone as a task, interruption, or function rather than as a face? How has efficiency, control, or constant improvement weakened my capacity for patience and care? What ordinary gesture of love is the Holy Spirit inviting me to recover today? Who needs my real presence, attention, and compassion, so that they may know they are seen and loved? For other episodes in this series, visit Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor To read the full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas, visit Vatican.va  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®.

St. Bonaventure Novena – Day 7 St. Bonaventure you have said: “Oh, if you could feel in some way the quality and intensity of the fire sent from heaven, the refreshing coolness that accompanied it, the consolation it imparted; if you could realize the great exaltation of the Virgin Mother, the ennobling of the human race, the condescension of the divine majesty; if you could hear the Virgin singing with joy; if you could go with your Lady into the mountain region; if you could see the sweet embrace of the Virgin and the woman who had been sterile and hear the greeting in which the tiny servant recognized his Lord, the herald his Judge and the voice His Word, then I am sure you would sing in sweet tones with the Blessed Virgin that sacred hymn: My soul magnifies the Lord and with the tiny prophet you would exalt, rejoice and adore the marvelous virginal conception.” Dear St. Bonaventure Cardinal, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, you chose a life that embraced mortification and great humiliation. Choosing to serve those individuals who were rejected and sick you risked illness for yourself. You made your life a continuous prayer and spent hours meditating on the wounds of Christ. Please pray for us that we may have a sincere and humble heart. Pray that we may not lose sight of Jesus’ wounds and thus walk on the straight path to eternal salvation. All-powerful Father, may we who celebrate the feast of St. Bonaventure always benefit from his wisdom and follow the example of his love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Sunday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Sunday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Novena to St. Benedict – Day 8 In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict you have said: If we do not venture to approach men who are in power, except with humility and reverence, when we wish to ask a favor, how much must we beseech the Lord God of all things with all humility and purity of devotion? And let us be assured that it is not in many words, but in the purity of heart and tears of compunction that we are heard. For this reason prayer ought to be short and pure, unless, perhaps it is lengthened by the inspiration of divine grace. At the community exercises, however, let the prayer always be short, and the sign having been given by the Superior, let all rise together.  (Holy Rule 20) Glorious Saint Benedict, sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God’s grace! Behold me humbly kneeling at your feet. I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God. To you I have recourse in the dangers that daily surround me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor. Inspire me to imitate you in all things. May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His kingdom. Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Your heart was always full of love, compassion and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. You never dismissed without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to you. I therefore invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore. {mention your petition} Help me, great Saint Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen. O Holy Father, St. Benedict, pray for us.  

Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart A 30-Day Journey with Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas Episode 10: Truth Shared, Not Possessed In this episode of Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart, we reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s teaching that truth is “a gift to be shared, not a possession to be monopolized.” The Holy Father reminds us that the Church’s Social Doctrine is not about domination, control, or cultural power. It is a service to communion, rooted in the Gospel and offered for the good of the human person. This reflection considers how even truth can be misused when it is separated from charity. In family life, ministry, parish conversations, and public debate, we may be tempted to use truth as a weapon, a shield, or a way to appear superior. Pope Leo XIV invites us to a different path: one marked by humility, patience, shared discernment, and trust in the slow work of grace. Through the light of Ephesians 4:15, this episode invites us to speak the truth in love. A discerning heart asks whether its words serve communion, whether correction is guided by charity, and whether truth is first allowed to judge and convert the heart before being offered to others. Citations Selection from Magnifica Humanitas Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, Introduction, nos. 25 and 27: “Understanding that the truth is a gift to be shared, not a possession to be monopolized, frees the Church from the temptation of seeking forms of presence based on power… What matters most is not occupying positions of power or defending cultural strongholds, but initiating good processes and enabling them to mature.” “Social Doctrine can be seen more authentically. It is not a handbook of principles and norms to be applied, but a process of shared discernment. It is born from the encounter between the eternal truth of the Gospel and the questions of history.” Ephesians 4:15, RSV–Catholic Edition “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions Where am I tempted to use truth as a weapon, a shield, or a way to appear superior?How can I speak truth more clearly, humbly, and lovingly in a difficult conversation?Where do I need patience, rather than control, as grace begins its slower work?Before I correct, respond, or post, do I ask whether my words will serve communion?How is the Holy Spirit inviting me to receive truth as a gift that first converts my own heart? For other episodes in this series, visit Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor To read the full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas, visit Vatican.va  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®.

Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart A 30-Day Journey with Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas Episode 7: Remaining Human In this episode of Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart, we reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s call to remain profoundly human in the era of artificial intelligence. The Holy Father warns that human dignity can be threatened by new forms of dehumanization, and he invites us to safeguard the grandeur of humanity revealed fully in Christ. This reflection considers how dehumanization can begin in ordinary moments. We may become less attentive, less patient, less merciful, or less present to the person before us. In a world shaped by speed, productivity, digital distraction, and constant reaction, Pope Leo XIV reminds us that no machine can replace the human heart made for God. Through the light of John 1:14, this episode invites us to look to Christ, the Word made flesh, as the full revelation of what it means to be human. A discerning heart asks whether it is becoming more open to others, more willing to listen, and more eager to seek what unites rather than what divides. Citations Selection from Magnifica Humanitas Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, Introduction, nos. 15: “In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human. We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace. True progress always stems from a heart open to others, an intelligence willing to listen and a will that seeks what unites rather than what separates.” John 1:14, RSV–Catholic Edition “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions Where have I become less attentive, less patient, or less present to the person before me?How is the Holy Spirit inviting me to listen more deeply today?Where am I tempted toward distraction, reaction, impatience, or division?Is my heart open to others, or has it become guarded, hurried, or dismissive?What concrete act of human presence can I offer today, so that Christ may make my heart more attentive, merciful, and free? For other episodes in this series, visit Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor To read the full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas, visit Vatican.va  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®.

 Sacred Heart Novena – Day 8 My God and my Savior, Jesus Christ, I believe it to be an undeniable truth. I believe it firmly, O Jesus, that you are my good shepherd. Even if you had not said it, I would believe it because I know that you have in my behalf always manifested the heart of a good shepherd. Would that I, during my entire life, had permitted the goodness and solicitude of your Heart to lead me; would that I had never departed from your side, for then I would not have suffered so much misery and tribulation. But alas, I was untrue to you so often that in consequence I fell into the abyss of sin and was mortally wounded. Now, however, your straying lamb calls to you from the depths of its misery. O my Good Shepherd, have mercy on me; give me proof again of your compassionate Heart. After all that you have thus far done for me, I cannot believe that your Heart will reject me. Consequently, I beseech this Heart, I embrace it with confidence; and conjure you by all your merits that you obtain for me from your heavenly Father the forgiveness of my sins and the grace for a complete conversion. And then I also pray for the grace of (mention your request) which I am so much in need and which I hope to receive as the fruit of this novena. O Heart of the Good Shepherd, have mercy on me. Amen ——————— O Divine Jesus who has said, “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you,” behold me prostrate at your feet. Animated with a lively faith and confidence in the promises dictated by your Sacred Heart and pronounced by your adorable lips. I come to ask your aid. (mention your request) From whom shall I ask, O sweet Jesus, if not from you whose heart is an inexhaustible source of all graces and merits? Where shall I seek if not from the treasure which contains all the riches of your clemency and bounty? Where shall I knock if it be not at the door of your Sacred Heart through which God himself comes to us and through which we go to God? To you then, O Heart of Jesus, I have recourse. In you I find consolation when afflicted, protection when persecuted, strength when overwhelmed with trials and light in doubt and darkness. I firmly believe you can bestow on me the grace I implore even though it should require a miracle. You have only to will it and my prayer will be granted. I know I am most unworthy of your favors, O Jesus, but this is not a reason for me to be discouraged. You are the God of mercies and you will not refuse a contrite and humble heart. Cast upon me a look of pity, I conjure you, and your compassionate Heart will find in my miseries and weakness a pressing motive for granting my petition. But, O Sacred Heart, whatever may be your decision with regard to my request I will never cease to adore, love, praise and serve you. Deign, O Jesus, to accept my act of perfect submission to the decrees of your adorable Heart which I sincerely desire may be fulfilled in and by me and all your creatures forever and ever. Amen. Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Most sweet Jesus, redeemer of the human race look down upon us humbly prostrate before your altar. We are yours and yours we wish to be but to be more surely united with you behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to your most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known you, many too, despising your precepts have rejected you. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to your Sacred Heart. Be you king, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you. Grant that they may quickly return to their Father’s house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger. Be you King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions or whom discord keeps aloof and call them back to the harbor of truth and the unity of faith so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd. Grant O Lord, to your Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm. Give peace and order to all nations and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor forever. Amen.

Dr. Paul Thigpen reflects on Christ the victorious commander, the help of Mary, the saints, the angels and the strength of faithful Christian companions. The post POA5 – Know Your Commander and Comrades – Put On The Armor – A Manual for Spiritual Warfare w/Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D. – Discerning Hears Catholic Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Friday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Friday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Eastertide - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Eastertide – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

A Need to Share – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V. Fr. Timothy Gallagher explores the experience of spiritual dryness in prayer, highlighting it as a potential sign of growth rather than failure. Using the story of a father and son, Fr. Gallagher illustrates how unresolved burdens, such as past sins or secrets, can hinder intimacy with God. God desires us to bring everything—our pain, shame, and struggles—into prayer, where healing and growth can occur. Spiritual dryness, rather than being discouraging, can be an invitation to deepen trust and intimacy with God. Fr. Gallagher advises seeking guidance from a spiritual director for navigating such struggles and reminds us hat God is infinitely patient, always ready to walk with us in our burdens. This message is one of hope: through honesty and trust, even the most challenging seasons of the spiritual life can lead to profound freedom and renewed connection with God. You can pick up a copy of the book here. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions What areas of your prayer life feel dry or disconnected, and could this indicate an invitation to deeper intimacy with God?Are there unresolved struggles or hidden parts of your heart that you have not yet shared with God in prayer?Who in your life could serve as a trusted spiritual director to help you navigate moments of spiritual dryness or doubt?How might greater openness in your relationships with loved ones mirror the vulnerability God invites in prayer?Can you view spiritual dryness not as failure but as a sign of God’s loving call for growth and healing in your life?How does reflecting on God’s tenderness and patience encourage you to approach Him with your deepest fears and struggles?In what ways can this episode inspire you to see your spiritual challenges as pathways to greater freedom and connection with God? An excerpt from the chapter, "A Need to Share": "Most fundamentally, prayer is a relationship: the human person and the Divine together, in communication. Dryness may arise in prayer when we need to share something with the Lord but have not done so. We may feel ashamed, too angry, too hurt. And so we do not speak of it. Then our prayer feels superficial, dry. We have little to say. Little! The contrary is true: prayer is dry because we have so much to say and have not said it. Father Reed’s question is the right one: “Have you spoken about this with the Lord?” The Jesus who speaks so sensitively with the Samaritan woman (John 4:4–42), who meets with the nervous Nicodemus by night (John 3:1–2), who invites the two saddened disciples to tell him their burdens (Luke 24:13–35), who approaches the weeping Mary Magdalene and pronounces her name (John 20:16), who heals Peter’s threefold denial with the threefold question about love (John 21:15–17): this Jesus never “bulldozes” into human hearts. He is patient (Matt. 12:20) and gentle (Matt. 11:29). But he loves us too much to leave us alone with our fear and shame. He invites us to share the burden with him, to tell him about it, to allow him to accompany us in it. When we do, this form of dryness will pass, and prayer will flow." Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 118). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition. To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast From the book's description: "Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It's a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth. All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness. With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You'll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you'll be given the remedy for the struggle. You'll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them. In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You'll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you'll learn to reject the enemy's ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness." Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts? Visit here to discover more!  

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Eastertide - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - 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... The post Thursday of the Fourth Week of Eastertide – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss the life and teachings of St. Catherine of Siena. The post St. Catherine of Siena, Part 2 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

St. Catherine of Siena, Part 1 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson - Discerning Hearts Podcast The post St. Catherine of Siena, Part 1 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Eastertide – 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 Matthew 11:25-30 Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’ 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 exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’ 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 exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’ 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.