Discerning Hearts - Catholic Podcasts

Episode 40 – John 19 – Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Part 1 The Gospel of John reaches a crescendo in Chapter 19:  the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.  The cosmic battle between good and evil, life and death reach its climax on the cross.   The prince of light and life triumphs over the prince of darkness and death.  Banished to a life of darkness with the fall of Adam and Eve, mankind is brought back into the kingdom of light as Jesus crushes the head of Satan.  Yet, we are surrounded by a culture of darkness and death that can only be dispelled by the Christ through the sacraments of the Church. John’s Gospel is dripping with irony, especially during the trial and crucifixion of Christ.  Pilate asks:  “What is truth?” as he looks upon the source of all truth, Jesus Christ.  Satan suppresses truth, and as we hear in Romans 1, the suppression of truth leads us to go against our very nature.  Sharon then teaches us some facts about the torture that Jesus experienced.  Crucifixion was the preferred method of execution used by the Romans in the first century.   It was often preceded by flogging, which by itself could bring about the death of a victim.  Jewish law forbid more than 40 lashes, but Roman law had no such restrictions.  The shroud of Turin demonstrates that Jesus likely received more than 100 strikes with the whip, weakening him to the point he could not carry his cross unassisted.  The victims of crucifixion experienced a slow, agonizing death, with asphyxiation as the ultimate cause. Drawing from Matthew’s account, Sharon then teaches us about Claudia, the wife of Pilate, who warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus’ death.  Returning to John’s account, Sharon highlights additional examples of irony.  Pilate sits in judgement of Jesus, who is the final judge of the living and the dead.  Also, the Jews proclaim they have no king but Caesar, which puts them in violation of the Lord’s prohibition against idolatry as the emperor was the focus of worship in Roman culture.  The Jews crucify Jesus on the charge of blasphemy, yet they declare allegiance to the false god of the Roman emperor. A final example of irony is Pilate’s inscription placed on Jesus’ cross:  the king of the Jews.  Jesus is truly king of king and lord of lords.  Sharon then gives us an interesting teaching about Dismas, the “good thief” who joins Jesus in paradise on the day of the crucifixion.  The hour of the crucifixion is the hour of a new creation.  God is the universal Father, Mary the universal mother and Jesus the universal brother of all humanity.  The Holy Spirit is the universal language and John represents the universal priesthood established by Christ. 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

Day 3 St. Augustine has written: “The wisdom of what a person says is in direct proportion to his progress in learning the holy scriptures–and I am not speaking of intensive reading or memorization, but real understanding and careful investigation of their meaning. Some people read them but neglect them; by their reading they profit in knowledge, by their neglect they forfeit understanding.” (from “On Christian Doctrine“) Heavenly Father, we turn to you now with the intentions we hold in our hearts, as pray as St. Augustine has taught: Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus’ way of love. Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your presence which penetrates all creation. Intercede for us, , St. Augustine That God may favorably hear our plea And that He may grant us the grace To accept His will in all things, Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, In the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen. For the complete 9 Day novena visit the “Discerning Hearts St. Augustine of Hippo Novena – Mp3 audio and text page“

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”) Heavenly Father, we turn to you now with the intentions we hold in our hearts, as pray as St. Augustine has taught: Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus’ way of love. Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your presence which penetrates all creation. Intercede for us, St. Augustine That God may favorably hear our plea And that He may grant us the grace To accept His will in all things, Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, In the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.

Ugly churches and bad poetry. We discuss three more essays by G.K. Chesterton—on architecture, Shakespeare, and free verse poems—as we move through the collection In Defense of Sanity. This discussion is part of the FORMED Book Club—an online community led by Fr. Joseph Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian Dudro that reads and discusses a different book each month. You can find the book here G.K. Chesterton was a master essayist. But reading his essays is not just an exercise in studying a literary form at its finest, it is an encounter with timeless truths that jump off the page as fresh and powerful as the day they were written. The only problem with Chesterton’s essays is that there are too many of them. Over five thousand! For most GKC readers it is not even possible to know where to start or how to begin to approach them.  So three of the world’s leading authorities on Chesterton – Dale Ahlquist, Joseph Pearce, Aidan Mackey – have joined together to select the best Chesterton essays, a collection that will be appreciated by both the newcomer and the seasoned student of this great 20th-century man of letters. The variety of topics are astounding: barbarians, architects, mystics, ghosts, fireworks, rain, juries, gargoyles, and much more. Plus a look at Shakespeare, Dickens, Jane Austen, George MacDonald, T.S. Eliot, and the Bible. All in that inimitable, formidable but always quotable style of GKC. Even more astounding than the variety is the continuity of Chesterton’s thought that ties everything together. A veritable feast for the mind and heart. While some of the essays in this volume may be familiar, many of them are collected here for the first time, making their first appearance in over a century.  

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”) Heavenly Father, we turn to you now with the intentions we hold in our hearts, as pray as St. Augustine has taught: Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus’ way of love. Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your presence which penetrates all creation. Intercede for us, , St. Augustine That God may favorably hear our plea And that He may grant us the grace To accept His will in all things, Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, In the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen. For the complete 9 Day novena visit the “Discerning Hearts St. Augustine of Hippo Novena – Mp3 audio and text page“

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.“ St. Bernard you have given us this prayer and with you, we pray: (The Memorare) REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.   The music chant used within this prayer is an excerpt from “Missa pro defunctis – VI. Offertorium” by Giammatteo Asola  preformed by Papalin under creative common license For the complete novena visit: The Nine Day Novena to St. Bernard of Clairvaux – Mp3 audio and Text  

Episode 6 – The Goodness of Creation… Discerning Hearts is honored to host the reflections of Dr. Regis Martin.  Filled with profound insights, wisdom, and joy, he is one of the most trustworthy guides one can have on the spiritual journey. For years Regis Martin, STD, has been regaling audiences about the mysteries of God and Church, most especially his students at Franciscan University of Steubenville where he teaches theology. Author of half-dozen or more books, including The Suffering of Love (Ignatius, 2006), The Last Things (Ignatius Press, 2011), Still Point (Ave Maria, 2012), The Beggar’s Banquet (Emmaus Road, 2012), Witness to Wonder (Emmaus Road, 2017) his work frequently appears in Crises and The Catholic Thing. .

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.” St. Bernard you have given us this prayer and with you, we pray: (The Memorare) REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.   The music chant used within this prayer is an excerpt from “Missa pro defunctis – VI. Offertorium” by Giammatteo Asola  preformed by Papalin under creative common license For the complete novena visit: The Nine Day Novena to St. Bernard of Clairvaux – Mp3 audio and Text  

Anxiety is Not from God – Episode 1 – Freedom from Anxiety with Sonja Corbitt It may seem like an oxymoron, but rest is a discipline. The number one thing you need to know in battling anxiety is that it does not come from God. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” (2 Tim 1:7). Anxiety is an attack of the enemy, therefore we must close the doors of vulnerability that our unresolved experiences in life have left open. What are those doors? This episode explores the open doors and how to close them once and for all. For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page Be sure to visit Bible StudyEvangelista webpage at: https://www.biblestudyevangelista.com LOVE the Word™ is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice. Listen (Receive the Word.)   Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) During the section of forgiving mom and dad, people with whom you have soul ties, self, and God, did a particular person or memory come to mind? What do you want to say to the Holy Spirit about that? Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!) Heavenly Father, I ask that Your love flow upon me. May the Blood of Christ cover all wounds and restore all in me to wholeness and life. May the fire from Our Lady’s heart now enter me and anoint everything with the Holy Spirit and blind Satan. May St. Joseph wrap me with blessings and peace, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen + (Prayer for Inner Healing, Deliverance Prayers for the Laity, Fr. Ripperger) READ THE TRANSCRIPT Click here for a written transcript of this episode.    Visit here for more on Sonja’s “LOVE the Word” journal Also:

Episode 3 – The Maximum Join Teresa Monaghen, of Pro Sanctity, as she offers a “Personal Plan for Holiness”.  Listen along with these short, but beautiful meditations which encourage us to continue on our journey as “saints in the making”! Pro Sanctity Mission Statement The Pro Sanctity Movement is a Catholic organization dedicated to promoting the universal call to holiness by seeking to address the needs of the mind with theology, the heart with spirituality, and the hands with ministry. It is open to all, especially to those who wish to deepen their commitment to God and to share the message of holiness with others. Learn more about Pro Sanctity at www.prosanctity.org Also, you may wish to visit the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center in Fullerton, CA.  Learn more at  Pro Sanctity Movement West

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 have given us this prayer and with you, we pray: (The Memorare) REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.   The music chant used within this prayer is an excerpt from “Missa pro defunctis – VI. Offertorium” by Giammatteo Asola  preformed by Papalin under creative common license For the complete novena visit: The Nine Day Novena to St. Bernard of Clairvaux – Mp3 audio and Text  

Day 6 St. Bernard you have said: “Let no one believe that he has received the divine kiss, if he knows the truth without loving it or loves it without understanding it. But blessed is that kiss whereby not only is God recognized but also the Father is loved; for there is never full knowledge without perfect love.” St. Bernard you have given us this prayer and with you, we pray: (The Memorare) REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.   The music chant used within this prayer is an excerpt from “Missa pro defunctis – VI. Offertorium” by Giammatteo Asola  preformed by Papalin under creative common license For the complete novena visit: The Nine Day Novena to St. Bernard of Clairvaux – Mp3 audio and Text  

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and what death really means. Reading 2  1 COR 15:20-27 Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for “he subjected everything under his feet.” Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Mother Teresa. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor.  He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians, and other religious leaders.

Day 5 St. Bernard you have said: “Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts, Thou fount of life, thou Light of men, From the best bliss that earth imparts We turn unfilled to Thee again. We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread, And long to feast upon Thee still: We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead, And thirst our souls from Thee to fill. O Jesus, ever with us stay, Make all our moments calm and bright; Chase the dark night of sin away, Shed o’er the world Thy holy light.” St. Bernard you have given us this prayer and with you, we pray: (The Memorare) REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.   The music chant used within this prayer is an excerpt from “Missa pro defunctis – VI. Offertorium” by Giammatteo Asola  preformed by Papalin under creative common license For the complete novena visit: The Nine Day Novena to St. Bernard of Clairvaux – Mp3 audio and Text  

Episode 39 – John 18 – Christ’s Passion  part 2 The arrest and trial of Jesus marks the beginning of his “hour” of glorification.  He was aware of the impending suffering, yet gave full consent to the Father’s plan.  Sharon sets the stage for this dramatic event with a detailed description of the Kidron valley, the deep chasm dividing the Temple from the Mount of Olives. Solomon’s portico was the highest point on the Temple mount and overlooked the Kidron valley, which contains to this day the pillar of Absalom.  Sharon recalls the story of Absalom, son of King David, who was banished by David after killing his half-brother, Amnon, for raping his sister, Tamar.  Absalom died a violent death in the Kidron valley:  as he was riding a mule, his hair became entangled in a tree, allowing David’s soldiers to spear him to death. Facing the Kidron valley, the eastern gate of the Temple was particularly significant.  Jewish tradition held that the divine presence of God would appear at the eastern gate, and it was through this gate that Jesus entered Jerusalem as the passion unfolded.  Returning to Chapter 18, Sharon focuses on the details of Jesus’ arrest.  Judas arrived with a cohort of soldiers; these 500 or more men fell to the ground in response to Jesus’ declaration: “I am he”, the one they were looking to arrest.  Betrayal never comes from an enemy; only from someone close.  Yet on the very night of his betrayal, Jesus offered his own life in forgiveness for sin.   Jesus was taken first to Annas, who was the rightful high priest, but had been replaced by Rome with his son-in-law Caiphas. Next, Peter’s three-time denial fulfills Christ’s prediction.  Finally, the chapter ends with Jesus before Pilate, who attempted to free Jesus through the Passover tradition of releasing one prisoner.  However, the Jews picked Barabbas, which is translated “son of the father”, choosing an insurrectionist over Jesus, the true “Son of the Father.” 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