Discerning Hearts - Catholic Podcasts

The Cross of Christ Transforms. . .Law and Love Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—How much do I love God? Seek—God’s love for us and his plans for us are greater than our minds can conceive. Starting today, acknowledge these realities by undertaking acts of trust in God throughout the day. Ask God to fill you with his love. Share God’s love with everyone. Knock—Meditate on Romans 13:8–10. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in one sentence, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Are you giving of yourself in a way that builds up the kingdom of God? Transform Your Life—Imitate Christ or one of your favorite saints as you go about your daily activities. Plead with God to enable you to show charity to all you meet. Listen intently to those who speak to you, asking yourself what God might be saying to you through them. Give everyone, including yourself and God, the benefit of the doubt. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

“Conversion:  Spiritual Insights Into an Essential Encounter with God” is another wonderful offering of spiritual reflections by Fr. Donald Haggerty!  What is “conversion”?   Fr. Haggerty brings us to a clearer understanding by relating it in our life in God.  Sin, mercy, and responding to the will of God are just some of the elements he addresses in this deeply penetrating book. Take a listen to our conversation and then obtain a copy of the book for yourself and friend.  An excellent gift for the questing heart. You can find the book here “Fr. Haggerty uses a clear and direct style to make the point that conversion is the daily heartfelt response of a disciple to the Master.”—Fr. George Rutler, Author, He Spoke to Us   “This is that rarest book, one that needs no praise because its spiritual truth and radical love are evident on every page.”—Matthew Levering, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

Episode 8 – Luke’s Genealogy Traces Jesus Back to Universal Adam, not discrepancies but theological distinctions with Matthew.  The Symbolism with St. Luke’s 77 Generations. The Genealogy of Jesus Christ is recorded differently by Matthew and Luke.  Each unique author has a particular theological meaning behind their genealogies of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of God. Matthew recognized three groups of 14 generations giving a total of 42 generations, which was also the number of Israel’s encampments as they exited Egypt for the promised land.  Jesus was the new Moses, out of Egypt I have called my son. In contrast, Luke is gentile by birth, writing to a more universal audience.  He does not necessarily stress the Davidic line of Jesus nor does he begin with Abraham, the father of the Jewish faith.  Rather, he traces Jesus’ lineage all the way back to Adam, who Luke describes as Jesus, the Son of God, is the New Adam.  In addition, Luke lists 77 generations, which reminds us of the “seventy of sevens” or 490 years from Daniel to the arrival of Jesus, as predicted by the angel Gabriel in Daniel 9.  Seventy-seven also reminds us of the need to forgive:  Jesus tells his apostles that they must forgive their brother “seventy timesseven” times.  Jesus is the New David, the New Moses, the New Adam.  He is the perfection of forgiveness. Sharon Doran serves as the teaching director of “Seeking Truth.” An experienced Bible Study teacher, Sharon has a passion for scripture that will motivate and challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word and apply His message to your everyday life. For more in this series visit the Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Discerning Hearts page “Seeking Truth” is an in-depth Catholic Bible Study, commissioned by the Archdiocese of Omaha in response to John Paul II’s call to the New Evangelization as well as Pope Benedict XVI’s exhortation for all Catholics to study scripture. To learn more go to:  www.seekingtruth.net

The Cross of Christ Transforms. . .How We Forgive Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Do I still harbor past sins for which I have not accepted God’s forgiveness? Seek—Go to confession regularly. As part of your examination of conscience, review how you have accepted God’s forgiveness for past sins in your life, and review how well you have forgiven others in God’s name. Knock—Meditate on Ephesians 4:32–5:2. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 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. St. Paul speaks of us as “beloved children” of God. What does being a child of God require of you? How does it affect the way you treat others, who are also God’s children? Transform Your Life—Let your life be marked by being a forgiver. Realize that when you hold on to something you are making an “idol” of it, which closes God out of that part of your life. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

The Cross of Christ Transforms. . .How We See Jesus Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Am I overly familiar with Christ? Seek—Read the Gospels every day. Encounter Christ as he is presented and try to imagine him in the world today, doing the same acts, confronting unbelief in the modern world. Knock—Meditate on 1 Peter 2:4–5. Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Think also about the life of St. Peter; what about his experience of Christ might have led him to come up with this image? Transform Your Life—There is nothing that exists that can transform our lives more than a relationship with Jesus Christ as he really is—give your life to Christ. Believe, placing all of your trust in his powerful being, and embrace his power in your weakness. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

The Cross of Christ Transforms. . .How We Worship Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—What do I do with God’s spirit? Seek—From a prayer posture, concentrate on your breathing. As you inhale, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. As you exhale, breathe the name from the core of your being: Jesus. Knock—Meditate on Galatians 6:7–9. Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary in welldoing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. Ask God for patience that you might endure in all things by sowing to the spirit. Transform Your Life—Make it a habit to pray the prayer of Jesus from the cross whenever you find yourself tempted to do something that you know is not of God: “Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit.” This prayer that Jesus has given us is the key to moving from sowing in the flesh to sowing to the spirit. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

The Cross of Christ Unites. . .God’s Mercy and Love Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—When have I judged someone wrongly? Seek—Do you need to be reconciled to someone in your life? It might be someone in your family, a former friend, an enemy, or even God. Go to confession; through the grace of absolution, seek to trust in God more and more. Knock—Meditate on 2 Corinthians 5:16–18. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself. . . How do you view others? Transform Your Life—See the temptation to judge others or even yourself as a personal invitation to take up your cross and to trust in Christ, the friend of sinners. Pray that God will bless both you and those you might judge. Be quick to show the mercy that God shows to you to others. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

“You are bait on the hook” “You are bait on the hook” is the lead topic of this episode of “The Spiritual Journey Podcast with Kris McGregor.”  A portion of this podcast was originally recorded during an episode of “The Good Book Club” segment on the Spirit Morning Show.  Kris reflects on six martyrs, two which died over 1800 years, Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, and four Missionary of Charity Sisters who were killed in recent years in Yemen.  The Paschal Mystery and the grace of Martyrdom are explored and the question becomes what does that look like in my life.  Kris also offers a book recommendation further delve into this mystery:  “The Cross: Word and Sacrament” by Adrienne von Speyr   Resources mentioned by Kris in the podcast: The Passion of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity can be found here More on the deaths of the Missionaries of Charity can be found here   The Cross: Word and Sacrament can be found here From the forward (by Kris McGregor): There is no greater mystery to be contemplated than the Paschal Mystery. In this spiritual gem, von Speyr leads us to the foot of the Cross, and with her we gaze upon the crucified Christ and listen deeply. The Word, who became flesh and made his dwelling among us, cries out in his suffering seven last words, which open up the portals of divine grace that are known as the sacraments. These mysterious gifts, which come at such an indescribable cost, deserve to be cherished, reverenced, and contemplated. The Cross: Word and Sacrament will challenge, surprise, and encourage the reader to welcome the Paschal Mystery into his own life. Guided into the depths of this mystery by von Speyr, the reader encounters a very real Jesus, who knows us all too well and still loves us without end. He speaks to us personally. The words he utters from the Cross contain not only gifts experienced in the sacraments of the Church but also questions: Do you truly understand what is being offered to you? Will you accept my gifts? Will you suffer the mystery contained in such love? This small book contains the spiritual richness that is the fruit of her deep meditation on the Word. It calls the reader to conversion, which is a continual process of turning toward the Son, who leads us, in union with the Holy Spirit, into an ever-deepening relationship with the Father. Thus is the reader brought into the very life of the Trinity, that communion of love without end. Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts mentioned in the podcast: Crossing the Desert with Deacon James Keating, PhD Scriptural Stations of the Cross Audio Scriptural Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Mp3 and Verse Texts Kris McGregor Founder and editor/producer/executive director of “Discerning Hearts ®. To learn more about Kris visit here  

Episode 3 -Crossing the Desert: Lent and Conversion – “Waiting in the Desert.”   “The ancient image of Lent as a time of withdrawal is relevant to the formation of conscience if we perceive that our consciences have been inordinately attached to anemic sources of influence.  Christians are called to transform the world of culture, work, and politics according to the truths learned through Christ in the Church.  It is a powerful and dignified calling.  Lent affords us a good opportunity to repent of those habits, attitudes, or behaviors that reflect a preoccupation with the secular.  Thus devoid of the religious, we are then called to eagerly respond to our faith and imbue the secular with religious and ethical meaning.  To do less than this is to render our baptisms impotent and meaningless.”  Keating, James  (2012-07-20).  Liguori Publications. Kindle Edition. Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., the director of Theological Formation for the Institute for Priestly Formation.       Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

The Cross of Christ Unites. . .Us in the Work We Have to Do Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—How can dying to myself help me to know God’s purpose? Seek—Ask others to describe what your gifts are, and where they see you as being most authentic in your life. Knock—Meditate on Revelation 22:1–2. Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. When you receive the Eucharist, imagine that Christ is grafting you to himself, so that his life, his healing, his strength flow through you. Transform Your Life—Ask Our Lord to reveal to you any areas of your life where you might be serving false gods. Ask him to help you to abandon yourself to God’s will in your life in the same way that he did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Believe in God’s providential care for you, no matter what has happened in your life in the past or present. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

The Cross of Christ Unites. . .Those Who Suffer for Justice Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—What does God ask me to do for those who suffer? Seek—Look for opportunities to help someone who needs it (and who cannot help you back). Stand up for someone who is being brought low. Knock—Meditate on Romans 8:18. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. How can you make that suffering redemptive? Transform Your Life——Read the accounts of the martyrs, those who gave the supreme witness to the gospel with their lives. Many monastic communities read about the lives of the martyrs every day, to inspire those seeking to grow in the Christian life. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

The Cross of Christ Unites. . .In Liberty Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—What continues to enslave me? Seek—Ask God to point out areas of slavery that still exist in your life. As you go through your day, catch yourself not being true to who you really are, and ask yourself: Who are you serving now? Knock—Meditate on Romans 7:22–25. For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Ask Christ to save you. Transform Your Life—Thomas Merton wrote about what he called a person’s True Self. Prayer, Merton argued, helps us to discover our True Self: the person God created us to be, totally free from the expectations and demands of others. By contrast, the False Self is enslaved; he cannot be himself, but only what he thinks others want him to be. Starting today, ask God to redeem you from the slavery of the False Self. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

The Cross of Christ Unites. . .In Humility Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask——In what areas of my life do I have the most trouble with pride? Seek—Pray the Litany of Humility. What parts of the litany do you find it most difficult to say? Take concrete steps to defer to others throughout the day, to die to yourself in little things. Knock—Meditate on Philippians 2:5–9. 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.  Are you more like Christ, or our first parents, seeking to “be like God”? Transform Your Life—Jesus tells his disciples that those who humble themselves will be exalted! Humility is the surest path to real success in the kingdom of God. Pray for humility throughout every day. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

  Born: 313 AD, Caesarea Maritima, Israel Died: March 18, 386 AD, Jerusalem, Israel For more on St. Cyril and his teachings Cyril of Jerusalem – Catechetical Lectures From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI  General Audience 2007: Taken as a whole, Cyril’s homilies form a systematic catechesis on the Christian’s rebirth through Baptism. He tells the catechumen: “You have been caught in the nets of the Church (cf. Mt 13: 47). Be taken alive, therefore; do not escape for it is Jesus who is fishing for you, not in order to kill you but to resurrect you after death. Indeed, you must die and rise again (cf. Rom 6: 11, 14)…. Die to your sins and live to righteousness from this very day” (Procatechesis, 5). From the doctrinal viewpoint, Cyril commented on the Jerusalem Creed with recourse to the typology of the Scriptures in a “symphonic” relationship between the two Testaments, arriving at Christ, the centre of the universe. The typology was to be described decisively by Augustine of Hippo: “In the Old Testament there is a veiling of the New, and in the New Testament there is a revealing of the Old” (De catechizandis rudibus 4, 8). As for the moral catechesis, it is anchored in deep unity to the doctrinal catechesis: the dogma progressively descends in souls who are thus urged to transform their pagan behaviour on the basis of new life in Christ, a gift of Baptism. The “mystagogical” catechesis, lastly, marked the summit of the instruction that Cyril imparted, no longer to catechumens but to the newly baptized or neophytes during Easter week. He led them to discover the mysteries still hidden in the baptismal rites of the Easter Vigil. Enlightened by the light of a deeper faith by virtue of Baptism, the neophytes were at last able to understand these mysteries better, having celebrated their rites. For more visit Vatican.va For more from Dr. Matthew Bunson check out his Discerning Hearts page Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and 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 Cross of Christ Unites. . .Those Divided by Sin Steps to Take as You Follow Christ Ask—Whom do I treat as an outsider in God’s kingdom? Seek—As you go about your daily activities, think about how often you see someone else as “one of them” rather than “one of us.” Of course, people are all unique and different. However, the gospel calls us to break down artificial barriers that prevent us from expressing the unity God desires. Knock—Meditate on 1 Peter 2:21–24. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. How might you concretely imitate and model your life on Jesus? Transform Your Life—Make discernment rather than judgment the goal of your life’s decisions. Ask yourself, “What does God want me to do at this moment?” and, “What is God trying to teach me through this?” Strive to be open to his guiding presence. Learn from all whom you meet this day and every day. The author of “The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life“, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009.  His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work! “The Power of the Cross” is available as a free e-book here Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page