Lent Archives - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Taking Up Our Cross. . .To Stay with Jesus Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Do I feel “lucky” to carry the cross that God has given me? Seek—Keep the cross of Christ before you at all times. Let it be a reminder of Christ’s forgiveness for you when you feel sorrowful for your sins. Let it be a sign of God’s love for others when you are tempted to judge. Let it be a light that you can share with those whose lives you touch. Knock—Meditate on 1 Corinthians 12:26–27. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. Do you think of yourself as a part of Christ’s body? What changes are necessary for you to make in order to act as a member of the body of Christ rather than as an individual follower of Jesus? Transform Your Life—Realize the difference that embracing the cross of Christ makes in your life. Learn to see the world in a new way and to see what Jesus meant when he said, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). The post PoC-45 Good Friday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Taking Up Our Cross. . .Be Not Afraid Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Is life a series of “gifts” from God or tragedies? Seek—Encounter the empty tombs of life with the expectation that they are signs of the Risen Christ. Knock—Meditate on 1 John 4:18–19. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because he first loved us. How do you view the events of your life, as God punishing you or as God showering you with gifts? Is your image of what God is like from the way Jesus reveals God to us or from some other source? Transform Your Life—Accept the cross whenever it presents itself to you in daily life. Do not flee from it. Do not shrink from it, but embrace it in the name of Jesus. Learn from it, be enlightened by it, find in it the key to living a fruitful life. Think of this every time that you sign yourself with the cross. The post PoC-46 Holy Saturday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Taking Up Our Cross. . .Be Prepared Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—How well do I prepare for the Eucharist I receive at Mass? Seek——Try to participate fully in the Eucharist each time you are present; if possible, attend daily. Be mindful of what you do at Mass, what you hear and how you respond. Learn more about the Mass. Knock—Meditate on 1 Corinthians 11:27–30. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. What does St. Paul mean when he says that those who do not discern bring judgment upon themselves? What can you do to examine yourself before participating in Mass to avoid doing it absent-mindedly? Transform Your Life——Know what you celebrate when you are at Mass; mean what you do with every gesture and prayer, and especially when you receive Holy Communion. The post PoC-43 Holy Wednesday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Taking Up Our Cross. . .In Imitation of Christ Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Am I willing to do small things for Christ? Seek—Volunteer to do a task that no one wants to do, a menial or unpleasant one, all the while uniting yourself with the Passion and death of Jesus. Knock—Meditate on Philippians 2:5–8. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Paul says that we should have the mind of Christ, and Jesus told Peter that he was think- ing like men and not God. How is having the mind of Christ dif- ferent than the thoughts that we are apt to naturally have about life issues? Do your thoughts clash with the gospel message? Are you trying to be like the god you imagine, or the God Jesus revealed by his cross? Transform Your Life——Seek to follow the example of Christ in all that you do. Be solicitous for the care of others. Learn the truth that in dying to self you are born into eternal life. The post PoC-44 Holy Thursday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Taking Up Our Cross. . .To Follow the Lord Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—How often do I trust my own instincts, and how often do I entrust myself to Jesus? Seek—Try to live each day with a resignation to God’s will, accepting each moment with the expectation that God might be breaking through to you. Knock—Meditate on 1 Peter 5:6–9. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. Think about the experiences of Peter in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles and the words that he writes here. What lesson do they convey? How might the devil be seeking to devour you in your attempts to follow Christ? Transform Your Life—Make an amendment to live humbly. Cast all of your hopes and anxieties on the Lord. Realize that following Jesus means living a life of trust not in your way but in God’s way, the way of the cross. The post PoC-42 Holy Tuesday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Taking Up Our Cross. . .In Reverence Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Do I reverence God? Seek—Find a way to adore God today, be it in the Eucharist or in the secrecy of your room, or anywhere. When you see the shape of the cross, say the prayer that St. Francis instructed his brothers and sisters to say, “We adore you Christ and we praise you present here and in all the Churches throughout the world, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.” Knock—Meditate on Hebrews 12:28–29. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. What does it mean to offer acceptable worship to God? How is the kingdom we are offered by Christ unshakeable? Transform Your Life—Make your life one of reverence toward God at all times. Let your focus be on remaining in God’s presence, rather than judging and criticizing those around you. The post PoC-41 Holy Monday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Taking Up Our Cross. . .In Abandonment Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Do I believe in God’s providential care? Seek—Cry out to God to save you. Realize what it means to say that God is your Savior. Frequently call to mind all that you need to be saved from and have recourse to God who alone can save you. Knock—Meditate on Romans 13:12–14. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Reflect on how putting on armor of light and bringing all of your cares before God will change the way you see them. Transform Your Life—Believe and trust in Jesus at all times. Do not allow the enemy to have a foothold into your life. Make “Hosanna, save us, Lord” the prayer that is constantly on your lips. The post PoC-40 Palm Sunday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .Justice Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Do I see myself as a child of God? Seek——Focus on the crucified Christ as you meet him throughout the day. Stand up for your brother or sister, always appealing to the brother or sister who might seek to harm him or her. Knock—Meditate on Micah 2:12–13. I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. He who opens the breach will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the LORD at their head. Micah prophesies that the Lord will lead his sheep out of their captivity. In the violent journey of Christ out of the walled city of Jerusalem, we see a lit- eral fulfillment of this prophecy. Are you one of the followers of Jesus on his way of the cross? Transform Your Life—Realize that you are a child of God, reborn in Baptism when you shared in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Live out your Baptism, dying to yourself whenever you find yourself tempted to be a child of something other than the one true God. The post PoC-39 5th Saturday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .The Dignity of Work Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Am I doing what God wants me to do? Seek—To pray, to put God first in all things, in every aspect of your life. Ask God to bless your home and your work, making all that you do fruitful. Knock—Meditate on Genesis 2:2–3. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done. (. . . )So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation. How do you rest from your work? How do you sanctify the Sabbath in your life? Do you trust enough in God’s providence to take a day off? Spend some time reflecting on Jesus’ Sabbath rest on Holy Saturday and what it could mean for you. Transform Your Life—Allow the cross of Christ to restore the dignity of your work. This may not involve leaving behind your job, even if you took that job for the wrong reasons. God can transform anything into good. So what matters is what your motivation is in your work: are you building up the kingdom of God or are you trying to build your own kingdom? The post PoC-38 5th Friday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .Obedience Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Am I obedient to the commands of Jesus? Seek—To be open to God. Receive the Eucharist and ask God to enrich you with his Body and Blood, enabling you to be an obedient son or daughter, abiding in Christ. Knock—Meditate on 1 John 2:3–6. And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He who says, “I know him,” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. How well do we know him? How much of our disobedience is due to our own ignorance of Christ? Are we disobedient children because we do not really believe that the Father loves us, and wants what is best for us? Transform Your Life—Accept the transfusion of life that is the Eucharist, an exchange of our sin-tainted, mortal flesh for the immortality of the God-Man. Live the Eucharist realizing that Christ remains in you. When you are tempted, call upon the presence of Christ to empower you to be obedient. The post PoC-37 5th Thursday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .Our Freedom Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Are there areas of my life where I am still enslaved? Seek—Persevere in the teaching of Jesus. Experience the joy of the small victories when standing your ground against the enemy, especially when he seeks to seduce you back into the slavery of sin. Knock—Meditate on Romans 6:22–23. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. What does it mean to be a slave of God? Are you a free person? If not, what still enslaves you? If so, from what has God freed you? Transform Your Life—St. Ignatius of Loyola taught that we should make use of created things inasmuch as they aid us in praising, reverencing, and serving God, for that is the purpose of our existence. Spend your life seeing all of creation in these terms, remaining in the teaching of Jesus, and witness how your life is totally transformed. The post PoC-36 5th Wednesday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .The Image of God Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—What can make me more like Christ in his humility? Seek—Ask God to reveal to you his purpose for your life. When you do not feel accepted by others, look to the rejection that Jesus endured on the cross and unite your suffering to his. Knock—Meditate on Numbers 21:8–9. And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. Imagine the people being bitten by serpents, then being healed by staring at the ser- pent on the pole (which is still the symbol for the medical pro- fession). What do you think healed the people? Transform Your Life—Learn the acceptance of God. Confess your sins and anything that you think makes you unacceptable to God. Learn to love your physical imperfections and to help others accept theirs and yours. The post PoC-35 5th Tuesday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .Life The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila - Audio Mp3 Audio 3Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—What still binds me? Seek—See the restorative power of the cross to see all things made new by the death of Jesus—spend some time allowing your past failings, relationships, and the deaths of loved ones to come forward, and present them to the Lord. Knock—Meditate on Acts 9:40–41. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, rise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. The early Church continued the ministry of Jesus, as does the Church today. In the raising of Tabitha, we see Peter doing what Jesus did. How much do we act on our faith in Christ when we encounter the results of sin in our lives? Transform Your Life—Remember life; too often we live in the past. Live for the present moment in Christ. The post PoC-33 5th Sunday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .Forgiveness The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila - Audio Mp3 Audio 3Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Do I believe in the power of Jesus to forgive? Seek—Acknowledge your sinfulness before God. Make a daily examination of conscience. In whom are you placing your trust, in Jesus or yourself? Frequently ask God to help you to sin no more. Knock—Meditate on Philippians 3:8–11. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. What does Paul mean when he speaks of his faith in Christ? Why would he count everything else as a loss and garbage? How can one become more like Christ in his death? Transform Your Life—See yourself as no different than the greatest sinner or greatest saint. Potentially, you could be one or the other; the outcome depends more upon the one in whom you place your trust than any personal merit of your own. The post PoC-34 5th Monday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Illumines. . .The Way to True Unity The-CrossSteps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Am I focused on unity or division within the body of Christ? Seek—Give thanks to God ahead of time in your prayers. Think of how Jesus instituted the Eucharist (i.e., “thanksgiving”) on the night before he died. When you are at Mass, consciously give thanks to God through Jesus for all that God has done and will do in your life. Knock—Meditate on Ephesians 5:1–2. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God How can we imitate God as beloved children? Are there people that we are still divided from? Pray for unity among nations and people of various faiths, and that they may come to know the Savior of mankind, Jesus. Transform Your Life—Be a thankful person even in the midst of situations where there doesn’t seem to be much to be thankful for—think about Solanus Casey and how even though he was thought of as someone who had little to offer in his community, because of his faith, through God he became one of the most revered members of the house. Trust God at all times. The post PoC-32 4th Saturday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Illumines. . .The Truth The-CrossSteps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—From whom did I learn what I know about Jesus now? Seek—Read the Gospels daily to come to a deeper understanding of Jesus. Always begin your reading with a prayer asking God to enlighten you in your endeavor. Knock—Meditate on Acts 16:30–31. “Men, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” The jailor experiences the power of God’s protection over the apostles and wishes to be saved. They tell him what is necessary is to believe. What does it mean to believe? How is belief different than knowledge? Transform Your Life—Jesus often tells his disciples to watch, to be vigilant. Seek the Lord at all times, in all places. Invite him to be a part of every area of your life. Hold nothing back. The post PoC-31 4th Friday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Illumines. . .Our Choices The-CrossSteps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Whom am I trying to please with the actions of my life? Seek—The glory of God in all things, in all of your actions, in all of your interactions with others. Knock—Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:3–4. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God Does the gospel seem like “good news” to you? Transform Your Life—Foster a sense of pilgrimage as the model of your life. See yourself as someone walking in the footsteps of Christ. At all times seek to serve God first and to do his will in your life. The post PoC-30 4th Thursday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Illumines. . .Death The-CrossSteps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Who can save me from death? Seek—Pray for the dead, especially those you have known in life—family, friends, co-workers, and benefactors. When you are at Mass, call to mind those who have died when the priest mentions them in the Eucharistic Prayer. Knock—Meditate on 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14. But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. If people who have died come to mind when you read over this passage, pray for them. Transform Your Life—An ancient Christian practice is to remember death. This is not a morbid fascination with the inevitable but a clarifying experience, reminding us that our final end need not be death but life with God, and that the shortness of our earthly existence should be focused on doing whatever will build up God’s kingdom. The post PoC-29 4th Wednesday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Cross of Christ Illumines. . .Weakness The-CrossSteps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Do I embrace my weakness? Seek—God’s help in carrying your weakness daily. Offer up that weakness in the same way that the Lord offered up his suffering on the cross for the salvation of the world. Knock—Meditate on 2 Corinthians 12:8–10. Three times, I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. No one is sure what this “thorn” was, though there is speculation that it was an eye problem or even might have been the stigmata (the wounds of Jesus marked on his flesh). Whatever it was, it made Paul uncomfortable, but he realized that in this weakness the power of God was made manifest. Transform Your Life—Look for ways to embrace the Lord present in the weakness of the world: in the hungry, thirsty, sick, lonely, naked, and imprisoned. Experience the power of God made manifest in what the world considers weak. The post PoC-28 4th Tuesday of Lent: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

"Any moral conversion, if it is to be real, must work its way into our minds and hearts. The conversion we undergo is one that transforms our entire person, and so our thought processes, habits, perceptions, and affections all become realigned to a new way of seeing good and evil Patience with ourselves, as well as with ohters who are also in the midst of conversion, becomes the key virtue to cultivate. God knows we are on the right track once we embrace such a conversion, and so being gentle on ourselves is not a sign of laxity or weakness of will, but a sign of wisdom. Of course, the start of a moral conversion can be dramatic and jumpstart a change, but over the long haul of life, the heart of a person must be fully cooperative; otherwise, the person will not adhere to the moral truth for long." The post CTD4 – The Desert of Sin – Crossing the Desert: Lent and Conversion with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.