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.  

  Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena Day 6 – Mercy «Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.» Luke 6:36 Meditation Sts. Louis and Zélie, aware of their own weakness, let the mercy of God transform them, and they tried to live it and pass it on in their everyday lives. Céline relates: « In her old age, Marie, our oldest sister, still remembered with regret, and even with tears, the sighs of our Mother in noticing the damage Marie had done to her lace, damage which our Mother herself repaired, at the price of late nights and fatigue, without addressing any reproach to her daughter. » « Following the example of my Father, Mother also practiced kindness in judging others, never allowing herself to speak ill of her neighbor, even being delicate and scrupulous in this regard, and reproaching herself, sometimes with great humility, for the little interjections spurred by her vivaciousness. » On this topic, Zélie said: « I had the weakness of making fun of Madame Y; I’ll regret it forever. I don’t know why I don’t like her. She’s never been anything but helpful and nice to me. … Thus I want to change completely for the good. I’ve already started because for some time I’ve been taking every opportunity to speak well of this woman. » Resolution Today, I will try not to speak ill of others, and I will ask the Lord for the grace to forgive those who have harmed me. Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to Saints Louis and Zélie, you who in your life as a couple and as parents have given witness of an exemplary Christian life, in putting God in the first place through the exercise of the duties of your state in life and the practice of the virtues of the gospel, we turn to you. Help us to have unshakable confidence in God and to surrender ourselves to His Will, as you did in the joys but also in the trials, the sorrows, and the sufferings with which your life was marked. Help us to love God with all our heart, to persevere in our daily difficulties, and to dwell in the joy and hope that will give us a living faith in Christ. Intercede for us so that we may obtain the graces we need today and all the days of our life. Amen. Saints Louis and Zélie, pray for us Imprimatur +Jacques Habert, Bishop of Séez, 26 May 2016 text ©Shrine of Sts. Louis and Zélie in Alençon Please visit their website at https://louisetzelie.com/en/pray/novena-to-saints-louis-and-zelie/ For more on the life of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin visit: A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin; Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher and The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Most Holy Mary, Our Mother, in your great love for us you gave us the Holy Scapular of Mount Carmel, having heard the prayers of your chosen son Saint Simon Stock. Help us now to wear it faithfully and with devotion. May it be a sign to us of our desire to grow in holiness. (State your request here…) Recite the following prayers… Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.

Holy Rule Novena to St. Benedict Day 7 In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict you have said: We believe that God is present everywhere and that the eyes of the Lord behold the good and the bad in every place (cf Prov 15:3). Let us firmly believe this, especially when we take part in the Work of God. Let us, therefore, always be mindful of what the Prophet says, “Serve the Lord with fear” (Ps 2:11). And again, “Sing wisely” (Ps 46[47]:8). And, “I will sing praise to Thee in the sight of the angels” (Ps 137[138]:1). Therefore, let us consider how it becomes us to behave in the sight of God and His angels, and let us so stand to sing, that our mind may be in harmony with our voice.  (Holy Rule 19) 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.  

Instead of leaning on others, standing on one’s own feet From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict: CHAPTER LXIX That in the Monastery No One Presume to Defend Another Care must be taken that on no occasion one monk try to defend another in the monastery, or to take his part, even though they be closely related by ties of blood. Let it not be attempted by the monks in any way; because such conduct may give rise to very grave scandal. If anyone overstep this rule, let him be severely punished.     Father Mauritius Wilde, OSB, Ph.D., did his philosophical, theological and doctoral studies in Europe. He is the author of several books and directs retreats regularly. He serves as Prior at Sant’Anselmo in Rome.

O Beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining a pure virgin, assist us in our necessity! O Star of the Sea, help and protect us! Show us that you are our Mother! (State your request here…) Recite the following prayers… Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.

  Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena Day 5 – Charity «I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.» John 13:34 Meditation The Martins were conscious of their duties to their neighbor, and the simplicity of their life made them attentive to the needs of others. Céline said, « If frugality prevailed in our home, then lavishness ruled when it came to helping the poor. We went to meet them, we searched them out, we urged them to come home with us, where their needs were satisfied: they were given food and clothes and encouraged to do what is right. I can still see my mother bustling around a poor old man. I was seven years old back then, but I remember it as if it were yesterday. We were walking in the countryside when, on the road, we met an old man who appeared destitute. Mother sent Thérèse to give him some alms. He seemed so grateful that she entered into conversation with him. Then my mother told him to follow us, and we returned home. She prepared a good dinner for him; he was starving, and she gave him clothes and a pair of shoes… And she invited him to come back to us whenever he needed anything. » If one of her workers fell ill, St. Zélie would visit her on Sunday, happy to provide her with anything she needed. She treated her maid the same way: « It happened that she spent three weeks, night and day, at the bedside of Louis, who had a very severe attack of articular rheumatism, and whom she did not wish to send to the hospital. » And when St. Louis, for his part, « knows that, in the neighborhood, there are ill people whose conversion is urgent, we witness his eagerness in visiting them, and in asking the whole family to pray that the sick person might decide to receive the Last Rites. … [His wife] does her best to help him in this apostolate. » Resolution Today, I will do something good for somebody—by a smile, a telephone call, a visit, or by giving alms… Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to Saints Louis and Zélie, you who in your life as a couple and as parents have given witness of an exemplary Christian life, in putting God in the first place through the exercise of the duties of your state in life and the practice of the virtues of the gospel, we turn to you. Help us to have unshakable confidence in God and to surrender ourselves to His Will, as you did in the joys but also in the trials, the sorrows, and the sufferings with which your life was marked. Help us to love God with all our heart, to persevere in our daily difficulties, and to dwell in the joy and hope that will give us a living faith in Christ. Intercede for us so that we may obtain the graces we need today and all the days of our life. Amen. Saints Louis and Zélie, pray for us Imprimatur +Jacques Habert, Bishop of Séez, 26 May 2016 text ©Shrine of Sts. Louis and Zélie in Alençon Please visit their website at https://louisetzelie.com/en/pray/novena-to-saints-louis-and-zelie/ For more on the life of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin visit: A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin; Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher and The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Holy Rule Novena Day 6 In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict you have said: The twelfth degree of humility is, when a monk is not only humble of heart, but always let it appear also in his whole exterior to all that see him; … and always saying to himself in his heart what the publican in the Gospel said, with his eyes fixed on the ground: “Lord, I am a sinner and not worthy to lift up mine eyes to heaven” (Lk 18:13)… Having, therefore, ascended all these degrees of humility, the monk will presently arrive at that love of God, which being perfect, cast out fear (1 Jn 4:18). In virtue of this love all things which at first he observed not without fear, he will now begin to keep without any effort, and as it were, naturally by force of habit, no longer from the fear of hell, but from the love of Christ, from the very habit of good and the pleasure in virtue. May the Lord be pleased to manifest all this by His Holy Spirit in His laborer now cleansed from vice and sin.  (Holy Rule 7) 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.  

  Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena Day 4 – Our Duties « We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do. » Luke 17:10 Meditation Louis and Zélie were entrepreneurs who successfully conducted their businesses independent of one another. Later, however, they worked together. It was said that Louis undertook « selling only objects of very good quality; he crafted and tested everything himself. » « He was very severe in regard to any sign of negligence or carelessness, » according to the testimony of his daughter. Even when work seemed to overwhelm them, they knew where to turn in order to deepen their union with God. St. Zélie wrote, « It’s this miserable Alençon lace that makes life difficult. When I have too many orders, I’m a slave to the worst kind of slavery. When it’s not going well … I have nightmares! Oh well, what can I do? I must accept it and come to terms with it as bravely as possible. » She said, « God, who is a good Father … never gives His children more than they can bear. » In spite of the profit they could have made, Louis and Zélie did not work on Sundays. They did not consider their work a means of becoming rich. « I feel, » St. Louis said, « that I could easily acquire a taste for investing, but I do not want to be carried away by that current. It is such a dangerous incline. » Along the same lines, St. Zélie wrote to her sister-in-law: « It’s not the desire to amass a great fortune that drives me … I must go all the way for my children, and I see myself in a dilemma: I have employees whom I must furnish with work. » « Money is nothing when it’s about the sanctification and perfection of a soul. » Resolution Today, I will accomplish my duties out of love for God and for the good of others. Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to Saints Louis and Zélie, you who in your life as a couple and as parents have given witness of an exemplary Christian life, in putting God in the first place through the exercise of the duties of your state in life and the practice of the virtues of the gospel, we turn to you. Help us to have unshakable confidence in God and to surrender ourselves to His Will, as you did in the joys but also in the trials, the sorrows, and the sufferings with which your life was marked. Help us to love God with all our heart, to persevere in our daily difficulties, and to dwell in the joy and hope that will give us a living faith in Christ. Intercede for us so that we may obtain the graces we need today and all the days of our life. Amen. Saints Louis and Zélie, pray for us Imprimatur +Jacques Habert, Bishop of Séez, 26 May 2016 text ©Shrine of Sts. Louis and Zélie in Alençon Please visit their website at https://louisetzelie.com/en/pray/novena-to-saints-louis-and-zelie/ For more on the life of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin visit: A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin; Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher and The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Holy Rule Novena to St. Benedict Day 5 In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict you have said: The second degree of humility is, when a man loves not his own will, nor is pleased to fulfill his own desires but by his deeds carries out that word of the Lord which says: “I came not to do My own will but the will of Him that sent Me” (Jn 6:38). It is likewise said: “Self-will has its punishment, but necessity wins the crown.” The third degree of humility is, that for the love of God a man subject himself to a Superior in all obedience, imitating the Lord, of whom the Apostle says: “He became obedient unto death” (Phil 2:8). The fourth degree of humility is, that, if hard and distasteful things are commanded,  even though injuries are inflicted, he accept them with patience and even temper, and not grow weary or give up, but hold out, as the Scripture says: “He that shall persevere to the end shall be saved” (Mt 10:22).  (Holy Rule 7) 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.  

 Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – 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 10:1-7 Jesus summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ 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 summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ 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 summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ 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.

  Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin Novena Day 3 – Religious Practices « Rising very early before dawn, He left and went off to a deserted place, where He prayed. » Mark 1:35 Meditation Sts. Louis and Zélie, « before the start of a very full day, often went to church at 5:30 in the morning. They both faithfully received Communion on the first Friday of every month. » According to the custom of their time, they received Communion four or five times a week and regularly went to Confession. They also participated in their parish’s activities such as Eucharistic Adoration, Vespers on Sunday, processions, missions during Lent, etc. They had a great devotion to the saints. St. Zélie recounted, for example, the time when baby Thérèse was at the point of death: « I quickly went upstairs to my room. I knelt at the feet of St. Joseph and asked him for mercy, that the little one be cured, resigning myself completely to the will of God if He wanted to take her. I don’t cry often, but I cried while I was praying. I didn’t know if I should go downstairs … finally, I decided to go. And what did I see? The child was suckling with all her heart. » Resolution Today, I will make an examination of conscience and be deeply sorry for everything that has offended God and my neighbor. Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to Saints Louis and Zélie, you who in your life as a couple and as parents have given witness of an exemplary Christian life, in putting God in the first place through the exercise of the duties of your state in life and the practice of the virtues of the gospel, we turn to you. Help us to have unshakable confidence in God and to surrender ourselves to His Will, as you did in the joys but also in the trials, the sorrows, and the sufferings with which your life was marked. Help us to love God with all our heart, to persevere in our daily difficulties, and to dwell in the joy and hope that will give us a living faith in Christ. Intercede for us so that we may obtain the graces we need today and all the days of our life. Amen. Saints Louis and Zélie, pray for us Imprimatur +Jacques Habert, Bishop of Séez, 26 May 2016 text ©Shrine of Sts. Louis and Zélie in Alençon Please visit their website at https://louisetzelie.com/en/pray/novena-to-saints-louis-and-zelie/ For more on the life of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin visit: A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin; Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher and The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Holy Rule Novena to St. Benedict Day 4 In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict you have said: The first degree of humility, then, is that a man always have the fear of God before his eyes (cf Ps 35[36]:2), shunning all forgetfulness and that he be ever mindful of all that God has commanded, that he always consider in his mind how those who despise God will burn in hell for their sins, and that life everlasting is prepared for those who fear God. And while he guards himself evermore against sin and vices of thought, word, deed, and self-will, let him also hasten to cut off the desires of the flesh. Let a man consider that God always sees him from Heaven, that the eye of God beholds his works everywhere, and that the angels report them to Him every hour. The Prophet tells us this when he shows God thus ever present in our thoughts, saying: “The searcher of hearts and reins is God” (Ps 7:10)…Therefore, in order that he may always be on his guard against evil thoughts, let the humble brother always say in his heart: “Then I shall be spotless before Him, if I shall keep myself from iniquity” (Ps 17[18]:24) .   (Holy Rule 7) 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.  

 Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time – 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 9:32-37 A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’ Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’ 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: A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’ Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’ 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: A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’ Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’ 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.

Dr. Matthew Bunson discusses the life, times and teachings of St. Jerome Born: 347 AD, Štrigova, Croatia Died: September 30, 420 AD, Bethlehem For more on St. Jerome and his teachings Jerome – Letters – The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary – To Pammachius Against John of Jerusalem – The Dialogue Against the Luciferians – The Life of Malchus, the Captive Monk – The Life of S. Hilarion – The Life of Paulus the First Hermit – Against Jovinianus – Against Vigilantius – Against the Pelagians – Prefaces – De Viris Illustribus (Illustrious Men) – Apology for himself against the Books of Rufinus From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI General Audience 2007 Jerome was born into a Christian family in about 347 A.D. in Stridon. He was given a good education and was even sent to Rome to fine-tune his studies. As a young man he was attracted by the worldly life (cf. Ep 22, 7), but his desire for and interest in the Christian religion prevailed. He received Baptism in about 366 and opted for the ascetic life. He went to Aquileia and joined a group of fervent Christians that had formed around Bishop Valerian and which he described as almost “a choir of blesseds” (Chron. ad ann. 374). He then left for the East and lived as a hermit in the Desert of Chalcis, south of Aleppo (Ep 14, 10), devoting himself assiduously to study. He perfected his knowledge of Greek, began learning Hebrew (cf. Ep 125, 12), and transcribed codices and Patristic writings (cf. Ep 5, 2). Meditation, solitude and contact with the Word of God helped his Christian sensibility to mature. He bitterly regretted the indiscretions of his youth (cf. Ep. 22, 7) and was keenly aware of the contrast between the pagan mentality and the Christian life: a contrast made famous by the dramatic and lively “vision” – of which he has left us an account – in which it seemed to him that he was being scourged before God because he was “Ciceronian rather than Christian” (cf. Ep. 22, 30). In 382 he moved to Rome: here, acquainted with his fame as an ascetic and his ability as a scholar, Pope Damasus engaged him as secretary and counsellor; the Pope encouraged him, for pastoral and cultural reasons, to embark on a new Latin translation of the Biblical texts. Several members of the Roman aristocracy, especially noblewomen such as Paula, Marcella, Asella,