A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 4: “Follow Me“

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Luke 5:27-32
“When Jesus went out, He noticed a tax collector called Levi sitting by the customs house, and He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything, he got up and followed Him. In his house, Levi held a great reception for Jesus, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to His disciples and said, ‘Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus answered them, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’”

Reflection:

Today, Jesus speaks those simple yet life-changing words to Levi: “Follow me.” And with no hesitation, Levi leaves everything behind; his job, his income, his old life and follows Jesus.

This moment is at the heart of Lent. Every day, Jesus speaks these same words to us: “Follow me.” And like Levi, we are invited to let go of what holds us back: our attachments, fears, and sins, and trust in the new life Jesus offers.

But surrendering is not easy. To leave behind the familiar requires trust, courage, and faith. It is human to hesitate, to wonder what might be lost. Yet, Jesus does not ask for perfection; He asks for willingness. He meets us where we are, in the ordinary moments of life, and calls us into something greater than ourselves.

Self-examination can be difficult and sometimes painful. Often, we avoid looking at the darker corners of our lives out of shame, disappointment with ourselves, or even fear. Yet, the gentle Jesus does not leave us alone. It is He who calls us, He who will guide us. Allowing time and space to listen in silence to what He lovingly reveals to us is the first step in following Him. His voice does not shame or accuse; rather, it reveals and invites. He does not condemn but encourages us to let go, to trust, and to be healed in love.

One practical daily practice to help us grow in awareness of God’s presence and discern His call more deeply is the Examen Prayer, as offered by St. Ignatius of Loyola. This prayer helps us to reflect on our day with gratitude, recognize where God was present, and identify where He is leading us to deeper conversion. The Examen is a powerful tool for cultivating a listening heart, learning from our experiences, and growing in trust. A guide for the Examen can be found on DiscerningHearts.com or in the free Discerning Hearts app.

The prophet Isaiah assures us that God will guide us through the challenges of this surrender. When we let go of the burdens we carry, Isaiah promises: “Your light will rise in the darkness, and your shadows become like noon.” (Isaiah 58:10) God strengthens us when we entrust ourselves to Him fully.

The Desert Fathers deeply understood the struggle of surrendering to God. Abba Theodore of Pherme taught:

“Let us strive to enter through the narrow gate. Just as trees cannot bear fruit if they have not stood against the wind, so too does the one who struggles bear the fruit of the Spirit.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Theodore of Pherme 5)

Saying yes to Jesus is the narrow way. It involves struggle and sacrifice, but it also leads to freedom, healing, and joy. Jesus does not call us because we are perfect or ready—He calls us because He longs to transform us.

St. Francis de Sales, a master of the spiritual life, encourages us in this journey of trust. He writes:

“Do not fear what might happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.” (Letters to a Devout Life)

Take a moment to imagine yourself in Levi’s place, sitting at your work, at your daily tasks, when suddenly Jesus walks by and speaks directly to you: “Follow me.” What do you feel? Do you hesitate? Do you rise immediately? Ask for the grace to trust His voice, to leave behind what no longer leads you to Him, and to embrace the joy of walking in His footsteps.

Reflection Questions:

1. What attachments or habits make it difficult for us to hear and respond to Jesus’ call to“Follow me”?
2. How can we trust that surrendering to Christ will bring greater freedom and joy?
3. What practical steps can we take today to respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, You call us each day with those simple yet powerful words: “Follow me.” Give us the courage to leave behind whatever holds us back,

our attachments, fears, and distractions, and to trust fully in You. Strengthen us as we walk the narrow path, and fill our hearts with the light of Your presence. May we, like Levi, respond with joy and trust, knowing that You walk beside us every step of the way. 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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Saturday after Ash Wednesday – 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 of St. Luke 5:27-32

Jesus noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him.

In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’

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 noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him.

In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’

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 noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him.

In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’

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.

The post Saturday after Ash Wednesday – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.



Saturday after Ash Wednesday

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—How does viewing Jesus as my savior from death help me to face head-on the deaths of loved ones and even my own death?

Seek—Fast from passing judgment on anyone today. Realize in this little dying to yourself, you are opening yourself to see others as God sees them.

Knock—Meditate on Revelation 1:17-18

When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld.

Imagine Jesus touching you with his right hand and lifting you up from your death. What other areas of your life are dominated by death rather than the life of Christ  Ask Our Lord to free you from all death.

Transform Your Life—Do not shy away from death. Attend the funerals of loved ones and use the experience to engage your faith in Christ. Pray for others, ask the saints to pray for you, seeing in them living examples of the promise of Christ to save us from death.

Michael Dubruiel’s book The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ to Your Life is currently available in Kindle format. 

You can find the book here:
https://amzn.to/4rTMBK9

To explore more of Amy Welborn’s books and writing, visit:
https://amywelborn.wordpress.com/books-by-amy-welborn/

Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

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.

The post PoC-4 Saturday after Ash Wednesday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life: Learning to Listen to God with a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor

Episode 4 – The Sweetness of the Lord’s Voice

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on St. Benedict’s striking question: “What is sweeter to us than this voice of the Lord inviting us?” As desire becomes clarified, the heart grows capable of recognizing God’s voice as gentle, steady, and life-giving. Benedictine formation teaches that God does not overpower the heart but invites it. His call is recognized not in anxiety or urgency but in peace. This episode explores how learning to recognize the sweetness of the Lord’s voice shapes discernment, trust, and daily response.

Citations

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue §15 (RB 1980)

“What, dearest brothers, is sweeter to us than this voice of the Lord inviting us?”

“Quid dulcius nobis ab hac voce Domini invitantis nos?”

Matthew 11:28, RSV–CE
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

1. When I think of God’s voice, do I imagine pressure or invitation?
2. How do I distinguish between anxiety and the steady peace that accompanies God’s call?
3. Where in my life have I experienced a quiet attraction toward what gives life?
4. What prevents me from trusting the gentle invitations I sense in prayer or daily circumstances?
5. How might responding to small invitations throughout the day deepen my ability to recognize the Lord’s voice?

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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The 1st and 2nd Stations – Stations of the Cross with Deacon James Keating

Deacon James Keating reflects on the Stations of the Cross as a profound meditation on Christ’s suffering and its connection to human woundedness. Through this devotion, believers unite their burdens with Christ, allowing His love to transform their struggles into a path of salvation. The first station, Jesus’ condemnation, reveals His silent acceptance of injustice, a model for enduring suffering in communion with God. Pilate represents those who reject truth for self-preservation, while Jesus remains steadfast in His mission. His silence before Pilate and His choice to embrace the cross demonstrate perfect love, teaching that God enters even the darkest places of human suffering to ensure no one is abandoned.

As Jesus receives the cross, Dcn. Keating highlights medieval writings that portray Him as willingly taking it, seeing it as the culmination of His love for humanity. His embrace of suffering stands in contrast to human tendencies to resist crosses in life. The lack of compassion from those placing the cross on Him reflects the tendency to project guilt onto others rather than face personal sin. Jesus receives every aspect of human experience, including jeers and rejection, so that all may be reconciled in His love.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

1. How does uniting our personal burdens with Christ’s suffering in the Stations of the Cross deepen our understanding of redemption?
2. In what ways do we, like Pilate, struggle to acknowledge and stand by the truth when it challenges our self-interest?
3. How does Jesus’ silence before His accusers reveal the depth of His love and obedience to the Father?
4. What fears or attachments keep us from embracing our own crosses with trust in God’s will?
5. How does Jesus’ willingness to carry the cross inspire us to accept suffering as a means of sanctification?
6. In what areas of our lives have we “washed our hands” of responsibility instead of courageously choosing truth?
7. How can we cultivate a spirit of humility and surrender, following Jesus’ example in His Passion?
8. What role does the Holy Spirit play in helping us bear our own trials with faith and perseverance?
9. How does reflecting on Jesus’ rejection and suffering help us approach our own experiences of betrayal and loneliness?
10. In what ways can we pray for the grace to receive and carry our crosses with the same love that Christ showed?

Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

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The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life: Learning to Listen to God with a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor

Episode 3 – Desiring True and Everlasting Life

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on how St. Benedict speaks directly to desire. Not desire as impulse or restlessness, but as the quiet force that directs a life. Drawing from the Prologue of the Holy Rule, Benedict reveals that what we seek becomes visible through speech, restraint, and the steady pursuit of peace. True and everlasting life is not abstract. It takes shape in daily choices. As the heart is formed around Christ, desire becomes steadied, and ordinary life begins to reflect what it is truly living for.

Citations

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue §§9–10 (RB 1980)

“If you desire true and everlasting life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

“Si vis habere vitam veram et perpetuam, prohibe linguam tuam a malo et labia tua ne loquantur dolum. Diverte a malo et fac bonum, inquire pacem et persequere eam.”

Psalm 34:14, RSV–CE
“Turn away from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

1. What do my daily habits reveal about what I most deeply desire?

2. In moments of speech, do I pause long enough to consider whether my words serve peace?

3. Where in my life am I being invited to turn away from something that no longer gives life?

4. How does understanding Christ as the center of desire reshape the way I approach small, ordinary decisions?

5. What would it look like for my pursuit of peace to become more intentional and steady?

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®.

The post BW3 – Desiring True and Everlasting Life – The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.



A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 3: “The Fast That God Desires” – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Isaiah 58:6-9
“Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me—it is the Lord who speaks—to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin? Then will your light shine like the dawn, and your wound be quickly healed over. Saving justice will go before you, and the Lord’s glory behind you. Then you will cry, and the Lord will answer; you will call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’”

Reflection:

Today, through the prophet Isaiah, God speaks to us about the true meaning of fasting. Too often, we focus on what we are giving up: a favorite food, an indulgence, or a habit. But Isaiah reveals that true fasting is about freedom, freedom from the chains that bind us, and freedom to love and serve others more fully.

St. John Cassian, in his teachings on the spiritual life, writes:
“Fasting restrains gluttony, the root of all vices, and cuts off the fuel that feeds the activity of the evil one.”(Conferences, Book 5, Chapter 6)

For Cassian, fasting is not just about discipline for the body but a weapon for the soul. It weakens the power of sin and creates space for God’s grace to work in us. True fasting is about more than denial; it is about transformation. It purifies our hearts, helping us to focus on God and respond to the needs of others.

The Desert Fathers echo this wisdom. Abba John said:
“If a man shuts his mouth but harbors resentment in his heart, he is fasting only outwardly.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, John 5)

Fasting is not just about abstaining from food; it is about letting go of pride, selfishness, and judgment so that God’s light can shine through us. Isaiah promises that when we fast in this way, “Then will your light shine like the dawn, and your wound be quickly healed over.”Fasting brings freedom and healing, not just for ourselves but for those around us.

The great St. Augustine, in his Sermon on the Lord’s Prayer, reminds us that fasting must always be paired with charity:
“Do you wish your prayer to fly toward God? Give it two wings: fasting and almsgiving.” (Sermon 206)

When we fast, it should lead us to greater generosity: sharing our bread with the hungry, clothing the naked, and sheltering the homeless. It should open our eyes to the needs of others and our hearts to love.

Reflection Questions:

Take a moment to sit with these questions and let them guide your prayer today:

1. What attachments or habits weigh us down and prevent us from living freely in God’s love?
2. How is God calling us to a deeper, interior fast that transforms our hearts?
3. How can our fasting bring healing and light to others in our lives?

Closing Prayer:

Let us now bring our time of reflection to God in prayer, asking for His grace to help us live out the fast that He desires.

Lord, You have shown us the fast that pleases You: to break chains, to love generously, and to walk humbly with You. Help us to fast not only with our bodies but with our hearts. Free us from the attachments that weigh us down, and open our eyes to the needs of others. May our fasting this Lent be a source of healing, renewal, and light for ourselves and for the world.
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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Friday after Ash Wednesday – 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 of St. Matthew 9:14-15

John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’

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:

John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’

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:

John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’

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.

The post Friday after Ash Wednesday – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.



Friday after Ash Wednesday

HOW MUCH WE NEED JESUS

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—How greatly do I feel the need for Christ in my life?

Seek— Practice fasting before your reception of the Eucharist. Also find special times to fast before high points in the Christian year and during high points in your own life so that you may always remain focused on your need for Christ. Try doing more than is required by the Church.

Knock—Meditate on Revelation 22:17, 20

The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’. Let everyone who listens answer, ‘Come’. Then let all who are thirsty come: all who want it may have the water of life, and have it free. The one who guarantees these revelations repeats his promise: I shall indeed be with you soon. Amen; come, Lord Jesus.

What did Jesus say about two or more gathering in his name?
Who are you waiting for?

Transform Your Life—Foster and keep before you the need that you have for Jesus. Make your constant prayer to Jesus one of entreating him to come, to be present, inviting him to be a part of your life.

Michael Dubruiel’s book The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ to Your Life is currently available in Kindle format. 

You can find the book here:
https://amzn.to/4rTMBK9

To explore more of Amy Welborn’s books and writing, visit:
https://amywelborn.wordpress.com/books-by-amy-welborn/

Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

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.

The post PoC-3 Friday after Ash Wednesday: The Power of the Cross Lenten Meditation appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Emily Bronte and Wuthering Heights – Great Works in Western Literature with Joseph Pearce

Joseph Pearce and Kris McGregor explore Wuthering Heights as a profoundly Christian novel that has often been misread as a sweeping romance. Pearce argues that Emily Brontë, the daughter of an Anglican clergyman, remained rooted in orthodox Christianity, and that her novel critiques—not celebrates—the self-indulgent passion associated with certain strands of Romanticism. Distinguishing between healthy self-giving love and the darker, Byronic strain found in writers like Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, Pearce presents Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship as a destructive parody of love driven by ego and unchecked desire. Their fixation harms not only themselves but everyone around them, revealing the spiritual and social wreckage caused by selfishness.

The discussion highlights Nelly Dean as the moral center of Wuthering Heights, a figure of sanity and sanctity whose perspective reflects Brontë’s own Christian worldview. Through Nelly’s catechetical questioning—especially in Catherine’s reasoning for marrying Edgar—Brontë exposes shallow motives and distorted notions of love. Pearce contends that the novel’s darkness serves a moral purpose: it portrays evil as ugly rather than attractive, countering modern retellings that soften or glamorize destructive passion. While Heathcliff and Catherine’s eternal fate is left ambiguous, Brontë refrains from easy consolation, suggesting that purification would be necessary before any hope of joy. Ultimately, the novel invites readers to mature beyond adolescent romanticism toward self-sacrificial love grounded in moral clarity.

You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

• How does Wuthering Heights challenge modern notions of romantic love in light of Catholic teaching on self-sacrificial love?
• In what ways do Heathcliff and Catherine illustrate the spiritual consequences of unchecked passion and selfishness?
• How does Nelly Dean model prudence, moral clarity, and steadfast charity in the midst of chaos and sin?
• What does the novel reveal about the difference between authentic love rooted in virtue and attraction rooted in ego or desire?
• How might the suffering and moral failures in the story point to the need for repentance, purification, and grace?
• Where do you see the tension between self-gratification and self-gift reflected in your own life?
• How can Catholic readers guard their hearts against cultural narratives that glamorize destructive relationships?
• What role does spiritual maturity play in moving from impulsive emotion to faithful, enduring love?

You can learn more about Joseph’s books, teaching, and writing visit his website Joseph Pearce: Celebrating the True, the Good and the Beautiful  at jpearce.co

A native of England, Joseph Pearce is the internationally acclaimed author of many books, which include bestsellers such as The Quest for Shakespeare, Tolkien: Man and Myth, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis and The Catholic Church, Literary Converts, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile and Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc. His books have been published and translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Croatian and Polish.

He has hosted two 13-part television series about Shakespeare on EWTN, and has also written and presented documentaries on EWTN on the Catholicism of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. His verse drama, Death Comes for the War Poets, was performed off-Broadway to critical acclaim. He has participated and lectured at a wide variety of international and literary events at major colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Europe, Africa and South America.

He is Visiting Professor of Literature at Ave Maria University and Visiting Chair of Catholic Studies at Thomas More College of Liberal Arts (Merrimack, New Hampshire). He is editor of the St. Austin Review, series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions, senior instructor with Homeschool Connections, and senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative and Crisis Magazine. His personal website is www.jpearce.co.

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A Lenten Spiritual Journey with Discerning Hearts: From Ashes to Glory – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Day 2: The Call to Conversion – “Turning Toward the Light”

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):
Matthew 4:17
“From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'”

Reflection:

Today’s scripture reminds us of Jesus’ central message as He begins His public ministry: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Repentance is not just about feeling sorry for our sins. It is about turning: turning away from darkness and sin and toward the light of God’s grace. It is a reorientation of our hearts, minds, and lives toward God.

This turning can feel daunting. We may be hesitant to confront our weaknesses, our failures, and the ways we have strayed from God. Yet, Jesus’ call to repentance is not harsh or condemning. It is an invitation to healing and renewal. The kingdom of heaven is near because Jesus Himself has drawn near. He does not call us to change on our own but to open our hearts to His transforming love.

The Desert Fathers often spoke of repentance as a daily turning of the heart. Abba Poemen said: “Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy the heart.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Poemen 15) His words challenge us to examine our lives honestly. What are the things we cling to that cannot satisfy the deeper longing of our hearts? What are the distractions or attachments that keep us from fully turning to God?

St. John Chrysostom, reflecting on repentance, said: “Be ashamed when you sin, not when you repent. Repentance is medicine, sin is the wound.” This image of repentance as medicine invites us to see it not as a burden but as a gift. It is the means by which God heals the wounds of our sin and restores us to wholeness.

St. Teresa of Ávila reminds us that this turning toward God must also come from a place of humility: “Do not let us deceive ourselves into thinking that because we confess our sins, we have repented. True repentance is shown in the amendment of life, in surrendering our will to God’s will.” Lent is an opportunity to not only ask for forgiveness but to commit to a renewed way of living in alignment with God’s grace.

As we reflect on Jesus’ call to repentance, let us take a moment to examine our own lives.

Repentance is not a one-time event. It is a daily practice, a continual turning of the heart toward God. Each day of Lent is an opportunity to take another step on this journey of conversion, trusting that God’s grace will meet us every step of the way.

Reflection Questions:

1. What are the areas in your life where God is calling you to repentance and renewal?
2. How can you let go of distractions or attachments that do not satisfy your heart?
3. What practical steps can you take today to turn more fully toward God?

Closing Prayer:

Let us conclude with a prayer of repentance and trust in God’s mercy:

Lord Jesus, You call us to repent and turn toward the light of Your kingdom. Help us to recognize the ways we have strayed from You and to trust in Your mercy. Heal the wounds of our sin and renew our hearts by Your grace. May this day be a step closer to You, as we open ourselves to Your transforming love. Strengthen us to let go of what does not satisfy and to turn wholeheartedly to You.
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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