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Catholic podcasts dedicated to those on the spiritual journey! Offering the best teachings from the rich Catholic Spiritual/Discernment tradition.Discerning Hearts ©2010-2022 All Rights Reserved. Ciencias Sociales Cristianismo Espiritualidad Filosofía Ministerio y Evangelismo
Episodios
  • BW42 – Compassion Rooted in Prayer – The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

    BW42 – Compassion Rooted in Prayer – The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts
    Mar 31 2026

    The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life: Learning to Listen to God with a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor Episode 42 – St. Gregory the Great – The Pastoral Rule: Compassion Rooted in Prayer

    In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor turns to St. Gregory the Great, monk, pope, and Doctor of the Church, whose Pastoral Rule speaks with unusual depth about the relationship between contemplation and responsibility. Gregory knew both the silence of monastic life and the heavy demands of pastoral office. Because of that, he writes with realism. He understands how easily caring for others can draw the heart outward, leaving the interior life thin, restless, or neglected.

    Gregory does not oppose compassion and contemplation. He insists they belong together. The shepherd must be close to others through sympathy, yet remain anchored in God through prayer. Without that rootedness, even sincere service can become anxious, reactive or subtly self-serving. Prayer does not remove a person from responsibility. It purifies responsibility and keeps it faithful.

    This teaching fits deeply within the Benedictine way. The Holy Rule does not force a choice between prayer and duty. It teaches the soul to remain rooted in God while carrying what has been entrusted to it. Stability guards against interior scattering. Obedience keeps responsibility under God rather than under ego or fear. Humility protects authority from distortion. This episode invites listeners to see that the safest place for responsibility is in the hands of a person who still knows how to pray.

    Citations

    St. Gregory the Great: The Pastoral Rule

    “The shepherd should be close to everyone through compassion
    and yet remain above all through contemplation,
    so that he may pour himself out in sympathy
    and still cling to the heights of prayer.”

    Mark 6:31, RSV–Catholic Edition

    “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.”

    Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
    1. Where in my life has responsibility begun to crowd out recollection and prayer?
    2. Do I tend to serve others from union with God, or mostly from urgency, reaction, or pressure?
    3. How does prayer purify my motives and steady my care for others?
    4. In what ways do stability, obedience, and humility help me carry responsibility more faithfully?
    5. How is Christ calling me to care for others from a deeper place rather than simply doing more?
    For other episodes in this series, visit The Rule Of St. Benedict For Daily Life: Learning To Listen To God With A Discerning Heart Pick up a copy of The Rule of St. Benedict here

    Copyright © 2026 Kris McGregor. All rights reserved. No portion of this content may be reproduced, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form, including audio, print, or digital media, without prior written permission from Discerning Hearts®.
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    9 m
  • SJ1 – St. Joseph’s World – St. Joseph and His World with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast

    SJ1 – St. Joseph’s World – St. Joseph and His World with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast
    Mar 31 2026
    St. Joseph’s World – St. Joseph and His World with Mike Aquilina Kris McGregor and Mike Aquilina explore St. Joseph by placing him within the sweeping history of Israel, especially the lineage of Abraham and King David as presented in the Gospel of Matthew. This genealogy is not incidental but central, revealing a family story rooted in concrete historical events, carefully preserved over centuries. The people of Israel maintained detailed ancestral records because they trusted that God’s promises—though sometimes appearing delayed—would be fulfilled. This long view of history reveals a pattern: divine promises unfolding across generations, culminating in the arrival of the Messiah through David’s line, with Joseph playing a unique role within God’s family as a reflection of fatherhood. Mike also reflects on the flawed yet significant figures of David and Solomon, whose sins contributed to the collapse and exile of the kingdom, demonstrating both human weakness and the need for repentance. Despite apparent defeat—exile, loss of kingship, and the seeming end of David’s line—God’s plan continued quietly through preserved genealogies and faithful communities living in dispersion. Over time, movements like the Maccabean revolt and the return to the land reignited hope, leading descendants of David back to places like Nazareth, where Joseph would be born. This historical journey reveals how divine purposes unfold through both triumph and failure, preparing the way for fulfillment in unexpected ways. You can find the book on which this series is based here. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions How does seeing St. Joseph within the long history of God’s promises deepen your trust in God’s timing in your own life?What can Joseph’s place in the house of David teach you about accepting a mission that has been prepared by God long before you could see it?How does the faithfulness of those who preserved their family history challenge you to remember and give thanks for the ways God has acted in your life?What do the failures of David and Solomon reveal about the danger of power, pride, and forgetting dependence on God?How does David’s repentance after grave sin invite you to return to God with greater honesty and humility?In what ways do you find yourself measuring success by numbers, influence, or recognition instead of by fidelity to God?How does the history of exile and restoration show you that God can still bring hope out of situations that seem ruined or lost?What does this episode reveal about the importance of memory in the spiritual life, especially in remembering God’s faithfulness across time?How might St. Joseph’s hidden place in salvation history encourage you to value quiet obedience and trust over visible achievement?As God prepared the world for Christ through generations of waiting, how is He asking you to be patient with His work in your own heart today? About the Book fsdfsd About the Author Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries (2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio. For more episodes in this series visit – St. Joseph and His World with Mike Aquilina page.
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    27 m
  • Day 42: A Table Prepared – Discerning Hearts Podcast

    Day 42: A Table Prepared – Discerning Hearts Podcast
    Mar 31 2026
    A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast Day 42: A Table Prepared Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible) John 13:21–33, 36–38 Having said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “I tell you most solemnly, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, wondering which he meant. The disciple Jesus loved was reclining next to Jesus; Simon Peter signed to him and said, “Ask who it is he means,” so leaning back on Jesus’ breast he said, “Who is it, Lord?” “It is the one,” replied Jesus, “to whom I give the piece of bread that I dip in the dish.” He dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. At that instant, after Judas had taken the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus then said, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” None of the others at table understood the reason he said this. Since Judas had charge of the common fund, some thought Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or, “Give something to the poor.” As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out. Night had fallen. When he had gone Jesus said: “Now has the Son of Man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified… My little children, I shall not be with you much longer.” Simon Peter said, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now; you will follow me later.” Peter said to him, “Why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” “Lay down your life for me?” answered Jesus. “I tell you most solemnly, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times.” Reflection: Betrayal doesn’t come from enemies. It comes from those we’ve let in. Those we’ve trusted. Those we’ve loved. Judas has walked with Jesus. Eaten with Him. Slept under the same roof. Witnessed the miracles. Heard the parables. Felt the warmth of His friendship. And still… he turns. Jesus offers him bread. It is the sign of deepest communion, a gesture of peace and covenant. But Judas receives it not as a gift, but as a means to a hidden agenda. And then he leaves. The Gospel says simply: “Night had fallen.” And not just outside. The others don’t understand. Peter speaks with zeal. But Jesus knows what’s coming. Peter’s denials. Their scattering. His agony. He knows, and still He stays at the table. And this is where it gets personal. Because we’ve all known betrayal—not just from others, but sometimes within ourselves. We’ve betrayed our own integrity. We’ve said one thing and done another. We’ve made promises to God and failed to keep them. We’ve pulled away in fear. But Jesus stays. He does not retreat. He gives His heart, knowing it will be broken. He knows what’s in Judas. And He still offers him bread. He knows what’s in Peter. And He still looks him in the eye. He knows what’s in you. And He’s still sitting at the table. This is not sentimental love. This is covenantal love. The kind that stays even when it hurts. The kind that doesn’t withdraw even when we do. The kind that keeps reaching. Pope Benedict XVI said “God does not force us. He does not fence us in. He leaves us free, even to refuse Him…But it is in this freedom that love becomes real.” (Holy Week Homily, April 4, 2007) Judas gave his heart to silver. Peter gave his heart to his own strength. Only one returned. Evagrius Ponticus once said, “A man in chains cannot run. Nor can the soul enslaved to passions be free to follow Christ.” (On the Eight Thoughts) Judas was not free. Peter would not be free—until he wept. Until he was healed. Today, the question is not “Would I betray Him?” The real question is: When I do fail Him—will I return? Jesus already knows. And He’s still holding out the bread. Reflection Questions: 1. Where have I felt betrayal in my own life—and how has it shaped my heart? 2. When have I betrayed or abandoned my love for Christ, even subtly? 3. What keeps me from coming back to the table, to receive the Bread He still offers? Closing Prayer: Jesus, You were betrayed by a friend, denied by the one who swore to defend You, and abandoned by those closest to You. Still, You loved. Still, You offered Yourself. Let me not run from my own weakness. Let me not turn away in shame. You are still offering bread. And You are still offering Yourself. Amen. This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.
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    9 m
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