Taking Up Our Cross. . .To Stay with Jesus

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Do I feel “lucky” to carry the cross that God has given me?

Seek—Keep the cross of Christ before you at all times. Let it be a reminder of Christ’s forgiveness for you when you feel sorrowful for your sins. Let it be a sign of God’s love for others when you are tempted to judge. Let it be a light that you can share with those whose lives you touch.

Knock—Me...

In place of provincialism, respect and tolerance

– The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, explore the challenge of overcoming provincialism through the Benedictine virtues of respect and tolerance. Within the stability of monastic life, there exists a real temptation to turn inward and lose sight of the broader human family. St. Benedict addresses this by fostering communities composed of people from different backgrounds, cult...

Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter – Great Works in Western Literature with Joseph Pearce

In this episode of The Great Works in Western Literature,  Joseph Pearce and Kris McGregor explore Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, a foundational work of American literature that offers a profound meditation on sin, repentance, and redemption. Set within a Puritan community, the novel examines the consequences of moral failure while also revealing the deeper Christian call to mercy and reconciliation. Pearce highlights how Hawthorne challenges both the self-righteousness of judgmental religion and the despair of hidden sin, presenting instead a vis...

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

Episode 43 – St. Gregory the Great – The Pastoral Rule: Discretion and Self-Knowledge

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor continues with St. Gregory the Great and turns to a danger that often follows responsibility: losing sight of one’s own soul while caring for others. Gregory understands how easily outward activity can create the illusion of fidelity while the interior life grows thin, neglected, or evasive. For that r...

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

Day 43: The Price of Betrayal

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

Matthew 26:14–25 
One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say, “Whe...

Wednesday of Holy Week – 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 26:14-25

One of the Twelve, the man cal...



Taking Up Our Cross. . .Be Prepared

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—How well do I prepare for the Eucharist I receive at Mass?

Seek——Try to participate fully in the Eucharist each time you are present; if possible, attend daily. Be mindful of what you do at Mass, what you hear and how you respond. Learn more about the Mass.

Knock—Meditate on 1 Corinthians 11:27–30.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning...



Taking Up Our Cross. . .In Imitation of Christ

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Am I willing to do small things for Christ?

Seek—Volunteer to do a task that no one wants to do, a menial or unpleasant one, all the while uniting yourself with the Passion and death of Jesus.

Knock—Meditate on Philippians 2:5–8.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be gras...

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...

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: d...

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?”

Tuesday of Holy Week – 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 John 13:21-33,36-38

While at supper with his discipl...



Taking Up Our Cross. . .To Follow the Lord

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—How often do I trust my own instincts, and how often do I entrust myself to Jesus?

Seek—Try to live each day with a resignation to God’s will, accepting each moment with the expectation that God might be breaking through to you.

Knock—Meditate on 1 Peter 5:6–9.

Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day; unload all your worries onto...

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

Episode 41 – St. Anslem of Canterbury – Proslogion: Seeking the Face of God

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor continues with St. Anselm of Canterbury and turns from faith seeking understanding to the deeper patience of seeking God’s face. Anselm helps us see that the spiritual life is not sustained by insight alone. There are times when truth seems near and luminous, and times when it feels...

I Don’t Have the Energy – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss spiritual desolation and St. Ignatius of Loyola’s guidance on overcoming it. Desolation often manifests as a lack of energy or motivation in one’s spiritual life, as illustrated by Bob’s story—a faithful man suddenly feeling weary in his spiritual commitments and tempted to give up leading a church group.

It’s important to recognize and reject these feelings without making changes during desolation, using St. Ignatius’ prin...

The Oasis of Lent – Crossing the Desert: Lent and Conversion with Deacon James Keating

Deacon James Keating and Kris McGregor discuss various aspects of marriage, spirituality, and the role of Christ in relationships. Life is a continuous response to God’s love, with the ultimate fulfillment found in heaven.

While perfection may not be attainable, continual growth in yielding to Christ leads to spiritual improvement over time.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

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

Day 41: The Fragrance of Love

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 12:1–11
Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table.

Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair...

Monday of Holy Week – 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. John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover, J...



Taking Up Our Cross. . .In Reverence

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Do I reverence God?

Seek—Find a way to adore God today, be it in the Eucharist or in the secrecy of your room, or anywhere. When you see the shape of the cross, say the prayer that St. Francis instructed his brothers and sisters to say, “We adore you Christ and we praise you present here and in all the Churches throughout the world, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

Knock—Me...

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

Episode 40 – St. Anslem of Canterbury – Proslogion: Faith Seeking Understanding

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor turns to St. Anselm of Canterbury, the Benedictine monk, abbot, and Doctor of the Church, whose well-known phrase “faith seeking understanding” captures a deeply prayerful approach to truth. Anselm does not begin with doubt, nor does he treat understanding as something to be won apart from God. He begins with faith al...

Palm Sunday: Entering the Passion of Christ – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff Podcast

In this Palm Sunday reflection, Msgr. John Esseff invites listeners into the beginning of Holy Week, where the Church holds together both the triumph of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and the suffering that will soon follow. The crowds welcome Jesus as king, yet misunderstand the nature of his kingship. He comes not as a worldly ruler, but as the suffering servant whose mission is fulfilled through the cross and the resurrection.

Msgr. Esseff reflects on how...

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

Day 40:  “The Road of the Cross, The Way of Love”

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

Mark 11:1–10 

When they were approaching Jerusalem, in sight of Bethphage and Bethany, close by the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go off to the village facing you, and as soon as you enter it you will find a tethered colt that no one has yet ridden. Untie it and bring it her...



Taking Up Our Cross. . .In Abandonment

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Do I believe in God’s providential care?

Seek—Cry out to God to save you. Realize what it means to say that God is your Savior. Frequently call to mind all that you need to be saved from and have recourse to God who alone can save you.

Knock—Meditate on Romans 13:12–14.

Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves be...

Palm Sunday – 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 Matthew 21:1-11

When they drew near to Jerusalem
and came to...

Jane Austen and Pride & Prejudice and Mansfield Park – Great Works in Western Literature with Joseph Pearce

In this episode of The Great Works in Western Literature, Kris McGregor and Joseph Pearce explore the enduring genius of Jane Austen through Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. Austen, often misunderstood or reduced to light romantic fiction, is revealed as a writer of profound moral and philosophical depth. Pearce highlights her deeply Christian worldview, rooted in realism, virtue, and the dignity of the human person. Through her vivid characters and masterful dialogue, Austen examines the consequences of pride, pr...

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

Episode 38 – St. Mechtilde of Hackeborn – The Book of Special Grace — Being Held by God

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor turns to St. Mechtilde of Hackeborn, a Benedictine nun whose life was deeply formed by the liturgy, the Holy Rule, and the worshiping life of the monastery at Helfta. Within that rich world of the Divine Office, the psalms, Eucharistic love and sacred learning, Mechtilde came t...

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

Day 39: Hope in the Midst of Opposition

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 11:45–56 

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. “Here is this man working all these signs,” they said, “and what action are we taking? If we let him go...

5th Saturday of Lent – 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 John 11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to...

The Cross of Christ Restores. . .Justice

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Do I see myself as a child of God?

Seek——Focus on the crucified Christ as you meet him throughout the day. Stand up for your brother or sister, always appealing to the brother or sister who might seek to harm him or her.

Knock—Meditate on Micah 2:12–13.

I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, li...

In place of spiritual homelessness, stability – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, explore the deeply countercultural Benedictine vow of stability as a remedy for what Fr. Mauritius describes as a kind of “spiritual homelessness.” In a world marked by constant movement, change, and restlessness, St. Benedict calls the monk to remain rooted in one place and one community. This stability is not merely geographical but spir...

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

Episode 38 – St. Gertrude the Great – Trust Before God

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor continues with St. Gertrude the Great and turns more directly to the trust that marks her whole spiritual life. That trust did not arise suddenly or in isolation. It was formed in a Benedictine world of liturgy, Scripture, adoration, and long fidelity, and it became more deeply centered on the mercy of C...

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

Day 38: In the Father’s Hands

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 10:31–42

The Jews fetched stones to stone Him, so Jesus said to them, “I have done many good works for you to see, works from My Father; for which of these are you stoning Me?” The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for doing a good work, but for blasphemy: You are only a man and You claim to be God.”

5th Friday of Lent – 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 John 10:31-42

The Jews fetched stones to stone him...



The Cross of Christ Restores. . .The Dignity of Work

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Am I doing what God wants me to do?

Seek—To pray, to put God first in all things, in every aspect of your life. Ask God to bless your home and your work, making all that you do fruitful.

Knock—Meditate on Genesis 2:2–3.

And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done. (. . . )So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested f...

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

Episode 37 – St. Gertrude the Great – Friendship With the Lord

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor turns to St. Gertrude the Great, a Benedictine nun formed in the remarkable monastery of Helfta. Her love for Christ is tender, reverent, and deeply rooted in the life of prayer. Gertrude did not grow in isolation. She was shaped within a community ordered by the Holy Rule, the Divi...

Defending Human Life – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

Mike Aquilina and Kris McGregor discuss how early Christian leaders upheld the dignity of human life in a culture where infanticide and abortion were common and widely accepted. In the ancient pagan world, unwanted infants—especially girls—were often abandoned or killed, and abortion was supported by prominent thinkers. Jewish and Christian communities consistently rejected these practices, a stance clearly reflected in early writings such as the Didache and works by Church Fathers like Justin Martyr and Athenagoras. Across centuries, these sources present a unifie...

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

Day 37: Before Abraham Was, I Am

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 8:51–59 

Jesus said to the Jews: “I tell you solemnly, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” The Jews said, “Now we know that You are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he will never know the taste of death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is...

5th Thursday of Lent – 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 John 8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews...



The Cross of Christ Restores. . .Obedience

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Am I obedient to the commands of Jesus?

Seek—To be open to God. Receive the Eucharist and ask God to enrich you with his Body and Blood, enabling you to be an obedient son or daughter, abiding in Christ.

Knock—Meditate on 1 John 2:3–6.

We can be sure that we know God only by keeping his commandments. Anyone who says, ‘I know him’, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, refusing to adm...

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

Episode 36 – St. Hildegard of Bingen – Living in Harmony

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on St. Hildegard of Bingen’s vision of healing as the restoration of harmony. For Hildegard, healing is not only the easing of pain or the correction of one part of life. It is the return of right order, where soul, body, and daily life begin to come back into balanc...