In the FIRST SEASON of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we delve into the wisdom of the beloved medieval mystic, JULIAN OF NORWICH, to discover how her "Revelations of Divine Love" may inspire, encourage, and guide us on our own spiritual path -- especially during this time of pandemic. The first episode is entitled "Sheltering in Place" and introduces Julian of Norwich, an enclosed anchorite who received sixteen Revelations of Divine Love and heard Christ tell her: "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and thou shalt see thyself that all manner of thing shall be well." The season includes twenty-five episodes with Guided Meditations following each episode. In the SECOND SEASON of "Life, Love & Light" podcasts, we meet a fascinating variety of Old and New Testament BIBLICAL MYSTICS -- the very mystics who inspired and guided Julian of Norwich. Indeed, mystics throughout the ages have always been steeped in and nurtured by the stories and characters of sacred Scripture. We discover men and women who faced major challenges and crises in their lives . . . made some really big mistakes . . . were forgiven . . . received mystical revelations . . . and then dared to act on those revelations. These biblical mystics were not ready made saints. They were ordinary and imperfect people just like us who hoped and struggled, questioned and doubted, and sometimes even despaired. As we see, they did not always make the right choices. But because they were willing to listen to divine guidance within and to learn from their mistakes, eventually, they were given the light and grace to follow the path that was revealed to them and to obey the call of God. Their stories may become powerful inspirations in our own time of crisis, fear, and uncertainty. They may also help us recall and re-evaluate the ways in which God has spoken to us in the past . . . and is speaking to us right now. In the THIRD SEASON of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we discuss THE MYSTICAL PATH and consider what is involved in following such a path – not only through the practice of contemplative prayer – but in every aspect of our daily lives. We reflect on the essential role of faith, and the importance of gaining purity of heart, or perfect charity. We explore the three stages of the mystical path and in the Guided Meditations, we practice becoming aware of thoughts, emotions, and memories that arise, without becoming attached to them. We also discuss how to deal with distractions, dullness, and agitation in order to focus on silence, stillness, and surrender . . . toward a deeper union with God. PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with your family and friends who may be seeking the Lord’s will in their own lives but who may be depressed or full of doubts about their path, or who may need to be reminded that God speaks to us through our own circumstances . . . at every stage of our spiritual journey. Podcaster VERONICA MARY ROLF is a medieval scholar, retreat leader, and master teacher of dramatic arts. She is the author of "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters" (Cascade Books, 2020), co-authored with Eva Natanya, PhD, which won a 2021 Catholic Media Association Book Award for Spirituality, and "Suddenly There is God: The Story of Our Lives in Sacred Scripture" (Cascade Books, 2019), which won a 2020 Catholic Media Association Book Award for Scripture. She is also the author of "An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich" (IVP Academic, 2018) and "Julian's Gospel: Illuminating the Life and Revelations of Julian of Norwich" (Orbis Books, 2013), which have won numerous awards, including a First Place Catholic Media Association Book Award and the Nautilus Gold Medal for Spirituality. Veronica leads Virtual Zoom Retreats and blogs on two websites: www.VeronicaMaryRolf.com and www.JuliansVoice.com. Her "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts are also available on
In this final episode of the Fourth Season of the "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we examine a method of contemplative prayer that can help us come to a greater awareness of the reality of Christ's resurrected life that lives within us. I draw on Part Two of our book, "Living Resurrected Lives," which was written by my daughter, Dr. Eva Natanya. Eva is a theologian, a scholar, translator, writer, teacher, spiritual director, and a dedicated contemplative.As Eva points out, the spiritual logic is simple. If we have any hope of coming to live a resurrected life, we must do our part in developing an ever more intimate relationship with the Lord, the very one in whose resurrected life we wish to share. If we can recognize that all our current problems are ultimately a result of our deep-seated spiritual blindness, then we must gradually learn to see ourselves and each other with "the mind of Christ." If all the negativity that festers within our subconscious and causes us to harm others, even in the slightest way, is a result of our failing to understand how and by whom reality is created in every moment, then we must strive to discover the supreme reason for loving our neighbor as ourselves. And this discovery can only be made in the silent depths of our own hearts.Thus it is imperative that we learn to meditate in a steady flow in order to gain the capacity to understand something that was always within, but that previously we were unable to recognize: Divine Awareness. And if we wish to break through to this Divine Awareness, to glimpse the true source of all things, then we must make contemplative practice our first priority, every day. With Eva's guidance, we discuss how to create a sacred space for meditation, how to choose a comfortable meditation posture, and most importantly, how to acquire a mind-body equilibrium that is essential if we are to experience the transformative reality of the resurrected Christ. As Eva writes, this is the goal of our lives: "to prepare for what Christ has always been preparing for us. And for which he begs us to be ready."PLEASE SHARE this essential podcast with your family and friends who may be seeking a spiritual practice that can lead them beyond their pain, suffering, and fear, and offer hope that the divine process of transformation into our resurrected minds and bodies is already happening, here and now. Easter blessings to all!NOTE: This series of podcasts is based on themes from my award-winning book, "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD (Cascade Books, 2020).
During this first week of the Easter Season, today's "Life, Love, & Light" podcast examines how we might actually begin to live resurrected lives -- even now -- amidst our sorrows, sufferings, questions, worries, and fears. This is what Christ's resurrection calls us to do.You may ask: Why should we? Why does it matter? Because, one day – whether we like it or not -- we will be hit with the stark realization that we are going to die. A medical diagnosis, a near-fatal accident, the passing of someone we love: any one of these may bring home the full reality of our own death. It will also make us aware that unless the full scope of what it means to be resurrected among the saints becomes the primary focal point of our life as Christians, the idea of eternal life as supremely blissful will remain only a faint and even foolhardy wish. So we must dare to embark on living now in anticipation of the reality that we hope awaits us.We consider how we might actively prepare for a resurrected life in heaven through the life we live on earth. We examine the essential virtues of a living faith, a daring hope, a radical love, and a total trust in the fact of Christ's resurrection and the promise of our own. And we recognize that to live a resurrected life here and now means choosing a life of service in imitation of Christ. In all things, we seek to gain "the mind of Christ" and to say with St. Paul: “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).NOTE: This series of podcasts is based on themes from my award-winning book, "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD (Cascade Books, 2020).PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with your family and friends who may be in need of hope during these troubled times. May you be filled with Easter blessings and great joy in the reality of Christ's resurrection!
In this week's episode of "Life, Love, & Light," we continue to explore how personal identity might be sustained after death and bodily decomposition. We consider the twenty-one qualities of Wisdom (Greek, Sophia) and the transformative process by which our minds are purified and transformed by the graced energy of the Holy Spirit. In both the Eastern Orthodox and Western Christian traditions, this process of radical transformation is called divinization (Greek, theosis)—that is, “becoming divine.” By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are given new eyes of wisdom and new hearts of compassionate love. And this power is what effects our ultimate transformation.We question: How would a mind that is transformed by the death process and infused by Divine Wisdom become capable of experiencing the infinite and subtle potentialities of matter in a resurrected body? And how might such a body accurately reflect the glorification of that transformed mind?Finally, we discuss various methods of actually perceiving Divine Wisdom at the core of our being -- through contemplative prayer. And we realize that it is Divine Wisdom within us -- the "Christic Mind" -- that alone will carry our personal identity through death into the vision of God.NOTE: This series of podcasts is based on themes from my award-winning book, "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD (Cascade Books, 2020).PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with your family and friends who may be searching for answers about bodily resurrection. May your Holy Week be rich in blessings and Christ's resurrection on Easter fill you with joy and renewed hope!
This week's podcast of "Life, Love, & Light" examines the writings of Augustine and Aquinas on the nature of the resurrected body. The Augustinian doctrine of resurrection focused on the necessity of divine reconstruction by God of every aspect of the body parts, rather than the Pauline metaphor of the seed in the ground that centered on a radical transformation. Inevitably, because of the wide dissemination of Augustine's writings, his staunchly physical interpretation of Paul's “spiritual body” became the standard Western view of eschatology. As we discused in the previous podcast, generations of early apologists had linked personal identity with the “material bits” of the body. All these "bits" would have to be gathered up by God and reconstructed into the resurrected body, otherwise it would not be the same person who had died. Ancient theologians were convinced that if all the matter of an individual corpse were not resurrected intact, the identity of the person would be irrevocably lost. But they could not explain how the unique person could survive when the body was corrupted by death and decay.Aquinas broke with the ancient tradition. He employed Aristotle's metaphysical view that every being is a composite of two principles—primary matter and substantial form. Even though Aquinas still held that God would reassemble all the particles of the corpse in resurrection, he did not ascribe personal identity to the physical matter of the body. Rather, Aquinas (like Origen before him ) located identity in the substantial form of the body: that is, in the rational soul. It was the soul that made a being to be what it is. This approach by so distinguished a scholastic theologian as Aquinas, was an important breakthrough.We consider the qualities of the glorified body, according to Aquinas, and question why it is we cannot imagine either a resurrected body or a resurrected mind.NOTE: This series of podcasts is based on themes from my award-winning book, "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD (Cascade Books, 2020).PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with your family and friends who may have serious questions about bodily resurrection. Blessings to all!
In this week's "Life, Love, & Light" podcast, we recognize that Paul's idea of a transformed spiritual body never addressed whether every single atom of the corrupted corpse would have to be reassembled by God to form a resurrected body. Nor did Paul discuss how the soul might continue to exist while separated from the body during the interim period after death and before resurrection. Furthermore, Paul did not specifically define where the singular identity of the human person lay. Was it inherent in the putrefied flesh? The liberated soul? The infused spirit? Or the resurrected body/soul/spirit unity of the whole person?We examine various theories on the resurrected body developed by ancient theologians Irenaeus and Tertullian, seeking to grasp their concept of a body that will be reconstructed by God from bits and pieces of decayed and organic matter scattered over millenia. We discuss the inconsistencies of their approach as compared with a modern scientific understanding of mattter. And with the philosopher and theologian Origen, we explore the thorny problem of Identity: How does personal identity remain stable when the physical matter of the body is corrupted? In order to be able to separate, gently and with discernment, the core teaching of Christian revelation from the complex theories of resurrection that were developed in answer to particular questions and controversies through the course of history, we must examine this history, however briefly. Then -- grounded in a richer context -- we may more confidently explore new ways of thinking about bodily resurrection that might make more sense to us in our current cultural environments. These explorations may also resonate more meaningfully with our own innermost spiritual longing and desire for transcendence.NOTE: This series of podcasts is based on themes from my award-winning book, "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD (Cascade Books, 2020).PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with your family and friends who may have serious questions about bodily resurrection. Blessings to all!
In this week's "Life, Love, & Light" podcast, we continue delving into Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians and examine the difference between the archetype of a human being -- namely Adam -- who came from the earth, and Jesus Christ, who came from heaven. We discuss in detail Paul's glorious teachings on the “spiritual body.” For Paul, the spiritual body defines the transformed human person who has died completely to sin and lives in the resurrected glory of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. This resurrected, divinized spiritual body is the fully actualized human person, clothed in a transformed physicality, animated through and through by the Spirit of God, the heart of divine love.We also hear Paul's exhortation to hope in his Letter to the Galations: "let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up." The apostle is insistent that the work of the Lord we do every day will have a direct correlation to the eternal gifts we will receive in the consummation and recreation of the world. And in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us that faith in resurrection is the ground of hope: "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor 4:8–11). By examining Paul's luminous teachings, we realize that faith and hope in resurrection give meaning—eternal meaning—to even the smallest of our efforts. We know that nothing will be forgotten. Everything—joys, sorrows, losses, disappointments, rejections, physical and emotional suffering of every kind— will be transformed into eternal glory by the power of Christ's death and resurrection. At this critical time of war, incomprehensible devastation, and tragic death in our world, these teachings are essential for our spiritual lives. NOTE: This series of podcasts is based on themes from my award-winning book, "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD (Cascade Books, 2020).PLEASE SHARE these "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts with your family and friends.Blessings to all!
In this week's episode of "Life, Love, & Light," we examine the teachings of St. Paul on the resurrected body. In his letters to the Corinthians and Galatians, Paul dealt with issues concerning the resurrection that are still being debated today: Was Jesus resurrected bodily? Will our own bodies be resurrected? If so, what kind of body will it be: physical or spiritual? Paul used both vigorous argument and evocative metaphor to make the concept of bodily resurrection abundantly clear for the newly converted Greeks . . . and indeed, for generations to come.We reflect on Paul's faithful proclamation of the teachings he received from the apostles in his First Letter to the Corinthians. We examine the strong resistance, even rebellion, of the Corinthians to Paul's preaching on the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. We hear Paul answering the objections of the Corinthians with a stinging deconstruction of their arguments. And we delve into Paul's understanding of Christ's resurrection as the "first fruits" of our own. Finally, we examine Paul's elucidation of the difference between the "natural" body in which we live now and the "spiritual" body we will receive in resurrection.This series of podcasts is based on themes from my award-winning book, "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD (Cascade Books, 2020). PLEASE SHARE these podcasts on resurrection with those you know who may be seeking a source of renewed hope, encouragement, and confidence that in spite of all the suffering and death we see in the world, no one dies forever. Blessings to all!
In this week's episode of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we investigate more "alternate theories" that have been raised by some modern and postmodern theologians and scholars who consider the resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ to have been brought on by "altered states of consciousness." Were these appearances merely visions induced by wishful thinking? Or personal hallucinations? Or mass hallucinations experienced at the same time and in the same place by all the disciples? Or a mass ecstasy? Did Peter experience a psychotic delusion that, by a chain reaction, resulted in a group fantasy? And was the Apostle Paul also the victim of "chain reaction hysteria"?Why must we consider these objections? Because it is crucial that we understand the arguments and the flaws in these various theories so that when the bedrock foundation of resurrection belief is challenged, we are able to answer objections with clarity and conviction. And perhaps, when we ourselves question Christian faith in bodily resurrection, we need to be very clear and completely certain that the ancient Creed – “I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting” – really does mean what it says.Especially in a time of ongoing pandemic, a brutal war, and the inconceivable suffering and death of soldiers and civilians, as well as the desperation of millions of fleeing refugees, we need the reality of Christ's resurrection to reassure us every hour of every day that nothing we undergo will be lost – all our sufferings are being taken up into Christ's own sufferings on the cross. And all are being transformed and glorified in the fullness of Christ's resurrection . . . and eventually, our own. Without that grounding in resurrection faith, we may lose hope. Thus we must continually deepen our faith in the truth of Christ's bodily resurrection so that we live in its redemptive reality and find our peace in its promise – even amidst the crises of our daily lives.I dedicate these podcasts to all the brave Ukrainians who are fighting for their freedom and their country against tyranny and invasion. May the Risen Christ be with them!
In this week's episode of "Life, Love, & Light," we discuss the epilogue to the gospel of John, in which the Risen Jesus appears to seven disciples as they return from a frustrating night of fishing on Lake Tiberias. This resurrection appearance includes another miraculous catch of fish, a breakfast with Jesus on the beach, and a poignant conversation between the Lord and Peter, in which the disciple who denied Jesus three times is given the opportunity to affirm his love three times.Then we examine repeated attempts at "alternative interpretations" of all Christ's appearances that have challenged faith in his bodily resurrection. Most Christians probably do believe that Jesus really died, that his tomb was empty, and that he came back to life. But how many Christians have really considered in what way he came back to life? Was it a resuscitation, only a spiritual resurrection of his soul, or a vision of a different Jesus altogether? Are the resurrection appearances merely pious legends or pre-scientific myths? Did the disciples truly believe that Jesus had risen in a glorified body? Or did they simply "feel" the continuing presence of the Lord in their midst? Does the New Testament language of the evangelists and of Paul really mean what it says? Or was the crucial "resurrection" event what happened to the disciples and not what happened to Jesus at all? Or does Jesus only live on in the salvific preaching of the church? We delve into these and other modern and postmodern interpretations and then consider the earliest creedal formulations in the four gospels, in the letters of St. Paul, and in the Acts of the Apostles to discover the bedrock of our faith: What Christ's Resurrection really means. Blessings to all!Please Note: This fourth season of podcasts is drawn from my book "Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters," co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya PhD. It won a 2021 Catholic Media Association Book Award for Contemporary Spirituality and is available from the publisher, Wipf & Stock, and from Amazon worldwide: https://smile.amazon.com/Living-Resurrected-Lives-Means-Matters/dp/1725253240/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645836812&sr=8-2
In this week's episode of the "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we go in depth to examine the stories of Christ's resurrection appearances: to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in the gospel of Matthew; to Magdalene alone in the gospel of John; and to the two disciples, possibly husband and wife, on the road to Emmaus in the gospel of Luke. We realize that the weeping and disconsolate Magdalene did not recognize Jesus in the garden until he "called her name" and that the two disciples only recognized that the Stranger on the road was Jesus in "the breaking of the bread." We realize how imperative it is for us to recognize Jesus when he calls our own name in deep prayer (or through the loving voice of someone else), and when we hear him speak to us through Scripture and receive him in Eucharistic fellowship. We consider that we must grow more and more consciously aware that Jesus walks along the road of our lives with us and within us, with every step we take. We also examine the two different stories, in Luke and John, of Jesus' appearances to the disciples and their companions in the Upper Room. And finally, we enter into the story of the doubting disciple, Thomas. In reflecting on this scene, we ask: Did Thomas believe that Jesus was truly God (and therefore could rise from the dead) because he saw him . . . or was he empowered to see who Jesus actually was because he came to believe in him?All the stories of the resurrection appearances were written to enliven and strengthen the faith of the community of early Christians who were enduring great trials and for Christians who would believe and suffer throughout time. Indeed, we are enduring great trials right now. But we also see signs of resurrection because good people everywhere are responding so generously to the crises in our world. As in the gospels, these signs are meant to encourage us as well. These signs bear a message of light, hope, and courage: no matter how dire things get, because Christ is resurrected, he has overcome suffering, death, and everything else that could destroy us. PLEASE REGISTER to be notified of these ongoing "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts and SHARE them with your friends who may be in need of encouragement and hope. Blessings to all!
In this week's episode of Life, Love, & Light, we examine the four gospel accounts of the discovery of the empty tomb of Jesus Christ by the women. It has long been observed that there are numerous disparities in the empty tomb stories. Unfortunately, for some readers, these variations and inconsistencies have given rise to doubt and even disbelief. Since the four canonical gospels diverge not only in details, but in personal viewpoints, we must delve deeper to discover what was deemed absolutely necessary to convey. To deal with these issues, we ask: What is the historical bedrock of each resurrection story? What is dramatization for effect? What is the elaboration of tradition by the early church? And what is a developing theological understanding of Jesus as the Son of God?In the process, we discover that the diverse ways of dramatizing the details of the empty tomb story—who saw and heard what and when— matter less than the essential meaning and message of the story itself. The tomb was empty for only one reason: Jesus had risen from the dead. Inconsistencies in the telling do not rule out truthfulness. Some might even say they add to a story's authenticity. Each eye witness remembered and recounted the experience differently. Each attributed greater or lesser importance to certain aspects of the revelation. But the women who discovered the empty tomb and all who later saw the risen Jesus contributed in some way to the earliest oral tradition. All were convinced that the Jesus they had known before had now returned from the dead, utterly transformed but entirely recognizable. They knew this to be true because they had seen him with their own eyes. Some inconsistencies may indicate that each evangelist was determined to retell the empty tomb and resurrection story in his own particular way, with his own unique emphasis, articulating his own theological viewpoint. But these “teaching agendas” did not change the essential nature of what had actually happened. On the contrary, the kerygma—that is, the apostolic “proclamation” of teaching about the empty tomb and the risen Christ—was based on the core tradition from which all the gospels were written. Please register for Notification of these weekly Life, Love, & Light podcasts and share them with your friends who may be seeking greater understanding of what the resurrection means and why it matters. Blessings to all!
In the Fourth Season of Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we delve into the all-important but rarely discussed topic of Resurrection, based on my recent award winning book, Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters, co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD. In this first episode -- entitled What is Resurrection? -- we consider ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Hebrew ideas about the afterlife: what it was, what it was not. Then we examine biblical references to life after death in the psalms, prophets, apocalyptic literature, and the Book of Wisdom. In the process, we discover that faith in the resurrection of the body and soul of the whole person to new life after death was based not on human merits or worthiness, but rather on the goodness and steadfastness of Yahweh. Hope in the eventual triumph of divine life over human death was grounded in the certainty that the Creator is all-powerful. What God creates, God can and will redeem and recreate. Sin and death have no hold over Yahweh.Future podcasts will closely examine the four biblical accounts of Christ's resurrection to discover the bedrock of Christian belief in bodily resurrection. We will also consider how we may begin living resurrected lives even now, as sons and daughters of the resurrection.Please let your friends know about this new season of Life, Love, & Light podcasts. They are available on Apple, Google, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, and all the major directories as well as on https://lifelovelight.buzzsprout.com/.At this time of great disharmony, fear, crisis, and suffering in our world, one thing remains certain: The love of God is everlasting. Blessings to all!
In this final episode of Season Three of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we examine the goal of The Mystical Path, which is union with God as sons and daughters of the resurrection. Too often, we are so consumed with our sufferings, our fears, and our worries, that we come into the dark tomb of our hearts in meditation expecting to find a corpse. We don't expect to experience the resurrection. The Lord asks us: "Why are you weeping?" Yet, like Mary Magdalene, we don't recognize him until he calls our name. We don't anticipate being filled with the Presence of God! In our practice of contemplative prayer, we have to become silent and still so as to allow Christ to rise within us -- out of the darkness of our inner tomb, our pain, our sadness. Then we may become ablaze with divine joy, the joy that no one can take away from us. We consider what happens in Eucharist, when we bring our simple gifts of bread and wine, the offerings and sufferings of our whole life, to be transformed by the living Presence of Christ. We don't have to realize a state of ecstasy to be in mystical union with Christ. The kingdom of God is already rising up within us! And if we could taste it when we celebrate Eucharist, it is the most sublime state of mystical union possible on earth. In fact, the whole contemplative path is about realizing more fully what happens in Eucharistic liturgy.We ask: "How do we learn to live in Divine Presence, not just in meditation, but in everything we do all day long?" In answer, we reflect on the writings of a seventeenth century monk and mystic, Br. Lawrence, as he describes his own simple and yet sublime practice of the Presence of God. We see again that the whole focus of the mystical path is to become aware of Divine Presence. We discover that the continual practice of the Presence of God in our daily lives, seamlessly interwoven with our morning and evening contemplative prayer, is the best possible description of The Mystical Path -- of living right now as sons and daughters of the resurrection.PLEASE SHARE these "Life, Love & Light" podcasts with family members and friends who may be seeking a practice of contemplative prayer and a deeper realization of the presence of God in their own lives. Blessings to all!
As we continue examining The Mystical Path in our "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we consider the importance of trust in the hidden work of transformation that the Lord is doing in the soul. We must learn to trust through many a dark night and interior struggle, even on the Path of Illumination. But soon, the light will break through the darkness and the distinction between the Path of Illumination and the Path of Union will disappear -- when the sense of being a "separate self" disintegrates altogether. Now Divine Reality is not only perceived and enjoyed as a “beholding,” but the soul becomes one with it. This exalted state of soul is pure gift. It cannot be earned or attained by human effort. While the soul may receive divine messages, intuitions, revelations, and even experience visions and locutions, these are not absolutely necessary. What IS necessary is maintaining single-pointed contemplation in unconditional love. And that means total surrender to the will of God.We discuss guidelines for the discernment of spirits and the importance of having a wise spiritual guide on the Mystical Path, especially if there are visual or auditory experiences involved. We also consider how the practice of meditation is often misunderstood -- as selfish or self-centered -- when, in fact, it is grounded in Christ's own love and the Spirit's own "sighs and groans" for all creation! We reflect on the power of contemplative prayer to develop both compassion and loving-kindness in our hearts, and the many ways in which these virtues become expressed in our daily lives. And we discover that it is precisely through an ever deepening union with the divine that we perfect our relationships with all other beings.PLEASE SHARE these "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts with family members and friends who wish to follow a mystical path and develop a contemplative practice in their daily lives. Easter blessings to all!
Today, in our series of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts on The Mystical Path, we consider the Path of Illumination. We hear Julian of Norwich describe her own experience of illumination when she saw the sudden and blissful transformation of Christ on the cross -- from suffering to perfect joy. Julian herself was lifted up in a transport of ecstasy. This is the illumination that the disciples, male and female, experienced at Easter. Like them, Julian was overwhelmed by the reality of resurrection -- that Christ had conquered suffering and death once and for all. Yet she understood that right now we still abide in the reality of the cross; we still live within the passion of Christ: “in our pains and in our passion, dying.” However, Julian envisioned that, at the last moment of our lives, suddenly Christ will “change his countenance toward us, and we shall be with him in heaven.” By this she meant that Christ will instantaneously convert all our suffering into joy, simply by transforming our mind's ability to perceive him.We reflect on the fact that as we move from the Path of Purgation onto the Path of Illumination, we, too, may experience moments of deep inspiration, vivid images, graces that come pouring out upon us, voices telling us what to do, all good things. We may have glimpses of light and momentary “beholdings,” as Julian of Norwich called them. However, we must not think we have already reached perfect union with God. There's a big distinction between the glimpses that arise in our minds in the early and later stages of the Path of Illumination. So as not to be misled, we must continue to be faithful to our contemplative practice, morning and evening -- becoming aware of our thoughts but not grasping onto any of them. We must remain open to the presence of God and not crave spiritual "perks." We don't want to be satisfied by the insights and inspirations that come from our own mind; we want only those that arise direct from the Divine Source. Cultivating greater awareness and stillness in our meditation practice will also enable us to deal more capably with the life situations in which we find ourselves -- after meditation. Teresa of Avila linked the Path of Illumination with the Prayer of Quiet. At this point, we are able to remain silent and focused more easily in meditation -- and for longer and longer periods of time. We begin to experience a different level of Divine Reality and to rest in this "divine milieu." Then, as our awareness of Divine Presence becomes sustainable, we learn to trust it more and more. Perhaps for the first time, we feel truly "alive"!PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with family member and friends who are seeking a mystical path and a contemplative practice in their lives. And let them know about the upcoming Virtual Retreat I will be leading on the Revelations of Julian of Norwich: "All Shall Be Well" (May 1st-2nd, 2021). Information and Registration are on my website: https://www.veronicamaryrolf.com/retreats.html ALL ARE WELCOME!
In this Good Friday episode of our "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we consider the dark "night of the soul" that every mystic must endure on the Path of Illumination. We relate this dark night to the passion of Jesus Christ. We reflect on the words of the beloved medieval mystic, Julian of Norwich, as she describes her visions of Christ's sufferings -- the most graphic account of the passion in all medieval literature. We hear Julian speak of Christ's "precious plenty of his dearworthy blood" that flows from his body and is "ready to wash all creatures of sin who are of good will, have been, and shall be." She describes the drying and the dying of his body as well as his intense "thirst." Julian reveals that Christ's pain became her pain as she suffered with him on the cross. And she understands that Christ took on the pain of all human beings who ever lived and that in his "failing" all creation failed "out of "sorrow for his pains."At one point, the suffering that Julian sees is so excruciating that she is tempted to look away from the cross. She longs to fly up to heaven. But she realizes that only in the cross of Christ is there safety and salvation. She makes the courageous decision not to turn away from the dark night of the cross, but to endure it as long as necessary and to choose Jesus to be her heaven. Julian understands that the love of Christ for souls is so strong that he willfully chose his cross “with great desire, and patiently suffered it with great joy." This is an astounding insight that cuts through and completely transforms Julian's personal pain at watching Christ suffer. She is convinced that any soul that is “touched by grace” to meditate on the cross shall see all pains “turned into everlasting joy by virtue of Christ's passion.”Julian's Revelations on the passion give us clear insight into how we may endure our own darkest nights of soul (and body) on the mystical path. We may choose, like Julian, not to avoid or escape the suffering, however painful and long it may be, but to take it into our daily meditation practice and release the thoughts and emotions bound up with our suffering. We may wish to become more intimately united to Christ in his suffering as he is with ours. And we may pray never, ever to turn away and abandon him at the foot of his cross. Or our own.PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with family and friends who may be enduring their own dark night of the soul, their own time of great trial, and who would be greatly reassured by Julian's Revelations. Many blessings of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday to all!
In this episode of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we consider the essential thoughts about the nature of reality and discuss the essential virtues that we need to cultivate on The Mystical Path. Drawing on the wisdom of the East, we examine four thoughts that turn the mind towards God: becoming aware of the preciousness of this body and this moment; realizing the impermanence of this life; recognizing that our actions -- good or bad -- have consequences; and finally, seeing the reality of suffering as a necessary part of the path of purification. We discuss the importance of renunciation and examine the four essential virtues: a living faith, a daring hope, a radical love, and total trust.The Guided Meditation helps us identify our own sufferings with those of every other living creature. We allow Christ to take on our sufferings and purify them in his fire of divine love. With great compassion, we envision his light shining forth, entering our own hearts and the hearts of everyone, everywhere -- reminding us, teaching us that he has always already been there. And we recognize that in the oneness of his presence is the oneness of us all, united like rays of light, from star to star; each perfect, each unique.PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to these weekly "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts and SHARE them with family members and friends who wish to develop a meditation practice in their daily lives. And if you would like information about my books on the mystical path -- Suddenly There is God and Living Resurrected Lives (co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD) -- or about my two books on the Revelations of Julian of Norwich – please visit my website: https://www.veronicamaryrolf.com/ Blessings to all!
In this week's "Life, Love, & Light" podcast, we go in depth to examine the three stages on The Mystical Path: the path of purification and recollection; the path of illumination; and the path of divine union. We discuss what "the path of purification and recollection" entails and why a daily practice of meditation is absolutely necessary to our growth in the mystical life. We reflect on the words of mystics like St. Teresa of Avila and Julian of Norwich, Johannes Tauler and St. John of the Cross concerning the value of self-discipline and mortification -- in order to gain our freedom from slavery to the senses. Then we consider "the path of illumination" as the glimpse of the Ground of Reality that is God and realize that it is only by entering into "the prayer of quiet" that we are able to surrender totally to the divine will. We see the need to "discern the spirits" that may arise as either revelation or distraction and acknowledge that while the stage of illumination may be filled with extraordinary graces, it is not yet the stage of perfect union. In "the path of divine union" we understand that the ingrained sense of being a self separate from the Divine Source disappears. Divine Reality is not only perceived and enjoyed as a “beholding,” but the contemplative becomes one with it. Drawing mainly on the Revelations of Julian of Norwich, we hear her description of the unitive prayer "that oneth the soul to God."The Guided Meditation offers a method of watching the sensations in the body, the thoughts and images in the mind, and the emotions attached to these thoughts and images, so that we may learn to let them go and become more and more focused on the stillness of awareness within the soul. It is in this silence and stillness that we may discover the Divine Awareness that is the ground of our being . . . that never moves.PLEASE SHARE this podcast with family members and friends who wish to develop a meditation practice in their daily lives, especially during this Lenten time of silence, stillness, and surrender. Blessings to all!
In this week's episode of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts on The Mystical Path, we deal with the all-important topic of distractions: the barrage of thoughts, images, memories, and emotions that rise up and clamor for attention in our mind just when we want to be silent and focused in meditation. We consider different types of distraction, from agitation and dullness, to spiritual inspiration and the desire to become a mystic! We discuss antidotes to distraction, as taught by the Desert Fathers, the Cloud of Unknowing, St. Teresa of Avila, and modern mystics. We examine the use of a mantra or sacred word to cut through distractions and refocus the mind on God. Yet we realize that if we've not yet had the direct experience of divine encounter (or even if we have and wish to return there), we don't know what it means to "focus on God." On what do we focus? We discover that we need to become acutely aware of the movements of the mind and the heart in meditation, without grasping on to any of them, but letting them go, one by one. As we develop this technique, we may become aware of the very fact of being aware. And thus we may move closer and closer to an experience of Divine Awareness at the ground of our being.The Guided Meditation leads the listener through just such a meditation practice, first watching the movement of the breath and sensations in the body, then becoming aware of the thoughts and images in the mind as well as the emotions attached to those thoughts and images, and finally resting in the stillness of awareness. This is a mystical path of meditation that can radically transform our daily lives.Please SUBSCRIBE to these weekly Life, Love, & Light podcasts and SHARE them with family members and friends who wish to develop a meditation practice in their daily lives, especially during this Lenten time of silence, stillness, and surrender. Blessings to all!
As we continue our "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts on The Mystical Path, we consider three essential aspects of contemplation that Julian of Norwich and countless other mystics have practiced: Silence, Stillness, and Surrender. We examine what each of these practices means and why each is crucial to a mystical life. We discover that meditation is essentially learning to still the mind in the midst of the constant motion of thoughts, feelings, and memories that threaten to derail silent attention. We question why is it so hard to stay aware and watchful without getting distracted; to maintain a "naked intent" of love-longing towards God; to simply be still and rest in God? We realize that it is because we are of two minds -- the "Martha mind" and the "Mary mind" in Luke's Gospel story: the active and the contemplative. We need to make peace between our two minds. The Guided Meditation helps us do this by becoming aware of the subtle layers of bodily sensation, thoughts and images, and the emotional reactions we attach to them. As these thoughts and feelings arise, we simply let them go, gently and without grasping. We surrender our thoughts, emotions, and memories to the work of the Spirit within. Gradually, over time and with consistent practice, we will move further and further into the silence and stillness of Divine Awareness that is the very ground of our being and that never moves. And as we surrender more and more, we will experience the Divine Light that illuminates every moment of our own awareness. Then we may become a light for those in need. In this is the essence of The Mystical Path.PLEASE SHARE this podcast with family and friends who wish to develop a meditation practice in their daily lives, especially during this Lenten time of silence, stillness, and surrender. Blessings to all!
In this week's "Life, Love, & Light" podcast on The Mystical Path, we focus on the essential role of faith, because what nourishes faith nourishes mysticism. We delve into the meaning of the words "contemplation" and "meditation," and discuss the difference between "cataphatic" and "apophatic" forms of mystical prayer. We also consider the ultimate end of the mystical path, which is union with God. And we focus on the importance of maintaining "a constant intention of the mind" in order to reach that end. We reflect on teachings from the Desert Fathers Abba Moses and John Cassian, as well as St. Benedict of Nursia and St. Bernard of Clairvaux, about the importance of developing "purity of heart" which is, in essence, perfect charity. Finally, I lead you in a "Guided Meditation" to help you toward greater relaxation, equilibrium, and clarity of awareness.PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with family members and friends who may wish to develop a meditation practice in their daily lives, especially during this contemplative season of Lent. Blessings to all!
In our third season of "Life, Love, & Light " podcasts, we will explore "The Mystical Path." We will discuss what is involved in following such a path – not only through the practice of contemplative prayer – but in every aspect of our daily lives. I will also be guiding you in forms of meditation that great mystics of the past, both East and West, have promised can inform and radically transform our lives. I hope these meditations will enrich your own daily practice. In our first episode, we consider "What is Mysticism?" in its scriptural, liturgical, and contemplative dimensions. We define mysticism in psychological and personal terms and question when mystical life begins. In examining the course of our spiritual development, we realize that the deep yearning for a mystical life is the result of a profound "conversion" of heart. We want to experience that Christ is really here, now, with us – within us – on this path. More and more radically, we want to surrender – not out of desperation, but out of love. We choose to live now not our own lives, but his. Finally, we consider the signs of true mysticism and discover that Christian Mysticism is really not a path at all . . . but a profound love relationship with a person: the person of Jesus Christ.PLEASE SHARE this podcast with family members and friends who may be searching for a spiritual path right now. Especially during this grace-filled season of Lent. Blessings to all!
In this episode of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we discuss the great Apostle Paul, who called himself the least and also the last of all the apostles. We examine his life story and his personal experience of seeing the Risen Lord. We delve into questions that are frequently asked today: Was Jesus resurrected bodily? Will our own bodies be resurrected? If so, what kind of body will it be: physical or spiritual? Early Greek converts to Christianity had serious resistance to belief in the resurrection of the body. They were convinced, like modern skeptics, that "dead men don't rise." In writing to the Corinthians, Paul used both vigorous argument and evocative metaphor to make the concept of bodily resurrection abundantly clear for them and for future generations. We explore what Paul meant in contrasting the "natural" body and the "spiritual" body. We also reflect on how we might begin to live resurrected lives here and now. This is the final episode in our Second Season of podcasts on "Biblical Mystics." Next week, with the start of Lent, we will begin our Third Season on "The Mystical Path" -- what it is, what it entails, and how we may follow it in the midst of our family life, our work, and our daily concerns. In future podcasts, we will draw on the teachings of men and women through the ages to discover various ways to lead a truly mystical life. And we will learn from their experience how to pray, how to listen, how to meditate, and how to deepen our response to the Divine Call within.PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with family and friends who seek to live a more mystical and "resurrected" life here and now. Blessings to all!
In this episode of Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we search for the identity of Mary Magdalene in the four canonical Gospels. Was she the public sinner who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and dried them with her hair? The unnamed woman with the alabaster jar or perfume who anointed Jesus' head? The woman who anointed the feet of Jesus for burial with an ointment made of pure nard? Or the woman caught in adultery? For centuries, Magdalene has been associated with each of these women, by popes and painters, scholars and theologians. We delve into the mystery of Magdalene by examining both text and context and discover a woman who is unique among all those named "Mary" in the Gospels. A woman of stature, compassion, and great courage, as well as a model of obedient discipleship, Magdalene emerges as a mystic and a witness: the "apostle to the apostles." She is also an example for us of faith in the midst of terrible darkness and of joy emerging out of deepest sorrow. Like Julian of Norwich, Mary Magdalene is a woman for our time.PLEASE SHARE this podcast with family and friends who long to know and to experience, like Magdalene, the gratitude of being cured of personal demons, the desire to follow Jesus – even to the cross – and the ecstatic elation of bearing witnesses to the resurrection.Blessings to all!
In this "Life, Love & Light" podcast, we consider The Divine Love Story as revealed in the Hebrew Bible through the mystical writings of some of the prophets – specifically Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah. We see how Yahweh was understood as Father, Divine Lover, tender Shepherd, nursing Mother, Creator, and faithful Husband to Israel. We hear the prophets plead with the Israelites to return to the Lord to be forgiven, comforted, and healed.Then we see how, in the New Testament, these prophecies of Yahweh's love were fully realized in Jesus Christ's Love Story. We realize that there was not a single moment of Jesus' life that was not a revelation of his Father's unconditional love, for those who had eyes to see and ears to hear. We examine Christ's washing of his disciples' feet to show how low he would stoop to serve. We ask how we might learn to love as Jesus asks us to love, by abiding in him. We contemplate the most extravagant of all Christ's manifestations of love -- his suffering and death on the cross. We hear the prophecy of The Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 and recognize the mystical power of prophecy. We also consider The Holy Spirit's Love Story and realize that this story is being told right here and now -- in us. This is the glorious mystical dimension of our lives.PLEASE SHARE these weekly Life, Love, & Light podcasts with your family and friends who long to know and experience the extravagant love of God as prophesized in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the life death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Blessings to all!
In this week's "Life, Love, & Light" podcast, we encounter two women in the Gospels, sisters with very different personalities, yet both emerging mystics: Martha and Mary. We enter into the scene in Luke's Gospel in which Jesus dines at their home and Martha complains bitterly because Mary sits and listens to Jesus and does not help her in the kitchen. We look at the two personality types: the pro-active, highly capable, but overworked and stressed-out Martha and the more passive, retiring, and mystically inclined Mary. We recognize that we, also, are of these "two minds" and closely examine the sublime invitation Jesus offers Martha -- and us -- to choose "the better part." What is "the better part"? Then we delve into the story in John's Gospel of the raising of Lazarus, and the extraordinary mystical leaps of faith Martha makes, even amidst her overwhelming sorrow at her brother's death. Finally, we witness the outpouring of Mary's love and devotion when she anoints the Lord's feet with extravagant perfume, following a mystical intuition of his impending death and burial. This leads us to consider both the challenges and the incomparable rewards of making peace between our own Martha-mind and Mary-mind by committing to a daily meditation practice of silence, stillness, and resting in the Lord.PLEASE SHARE this podcast with your family and friends who are seeking a contemplative dimension to their daily lives in the midst of so many responsibilities and so much suffering. Blessings to all!
The Second Season of the "Life, Love, & Light" podcast series continues with the Mysticism of the Psalms – that collection of 150 songs and prayers in the Hebrew Bible that were composed by mystics who lived thousands of years ago . . . all of whom were anonymous. We ask: "Can we still relate to the psalms as mystical prayer in our own time and circumstances? " And we discover that in the psalms we not only hear the Israelites praying, we hear 2,000 years of Christian prayer as well. We examine the structure of different types of psalms -- psalms of praise and lament, penance and thanksgiving, confidence and blessings, as well as New Testament psalms. We also consider how often Jesus must have prayed the psalms throughout his lifetime. In the process, we discover what an example of mystical prayer these ancient, hope-filled psalms are for us in our daily lives -- in our times of joy, sorrow, struggle, and crisis. The power of the psalms to lead each individual soul into the mystical dimension of divine love has been proven for three thousand years. Julian of Norwich herself prayed them every day in her anchorage. May we benefit from her example!Please share this podcast with your family and friends who may be in need of comfort, healing, and a renewal of hope right now. Blessings to all!
In preparation for Advent, this episode of the Life, Love, & Light podcasts focuses on the beloved New Testament mystics, Mary and Joseph. We go in depth to consider St. Luke's Gospel account of the annunciation to Mary and St. Matthew's Gospel narrative of the dream revelations to Joseph. We imagine the painful conflicts these two devout but very human people must have endured; conflicts we can recognize as similar to our own. We enter into the couple's decision-making process and consider how they were able to surrender totally to the will of God, even though they did not understand it. And we realize that both these infancy narratives were created by the evangelists from the vantage point of the resurrection -- to inspire and affirm faith in the infant Jesus as the Son of God.PLEASE SHARE these inspiring Gospel stories with those you know who may be going through their own difficult conflicts or a decision-making process right now.NOTE: This will be my last podcast of 2020; I am taking a short hiatus during December but will resume podcasting in January of 2021 with new dramatic explorations of biblical -- and other -- mystics. Until then, I wish you all a safe, healthy, and grace-filled Christmas and New Year!
In this extremely relevant episode of the "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we consider the duel of wits between Moses and Pharaoh, which is really a duel of conflicting theologies. We recall the Passover of the Israelites and of Jesus at the Last Supper, during which he established a new covenant between God and humans, a covenant that would be sealed in his own blood on the cross. We watch the Israelites flee in terror from the pursuing chariots of Pharaoh's army and witness the miracle of the parting of the waters at the command of Moses. We recognize in the Israelites all those refugees who are fleeing hunger, bondage, slavery, or racial injustice right now. We reflect on our own "desert experiences" and realize that even in our darkest hours of suffering, God has always been with us, guiding us through fear and doubt into a greater freedom. We give thanks and commit to praying for one another, especially in these desperate times.PLEASE SHARE this podcast with family and friends who may be seeking freedom from fear and a greater hope in Divine Providence guiding their lives. Blessings to all!
In this episode of Biblical Mystics in the "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, we enter into the dramatic encounter of Moses, the "unlikely mystic." We experience his life-transforming encounter with Yahweh in the burning bush. We hear God's call to Moses to go back to Egypt to liberate the Israelites from slavery. We explore the meaning of the Divine Name given to Moses and the revelation of Christ as the Messiah given to Peter. We recognize the questions, doubts, objections, and even final plea of Moses as our own reluctance to follow God's call. We, too, may be "unlikely mystics." Yet we realize that in whatever Yahweh asks us to do or become, we will always be guided and protected by Divine Providence, as was Moses. God calls us all into a deeper divine-human relationship and asks us to perform a unique service in our lives. And Yahweh promises us that we will never be left alone.Please SHARE this podcast with your family and friends who may be discerning a divine call in their lives right now . . . or who may be under great stress and in need of hope in divine protection. Blessings to all!
In this episode of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts on biblical mystics, we continue the story of Joseph and experience the dramatic encounters with his brothers who travel to Egypt during a severe famine, seeking food from the Grand Vizier. Little do they know that this great prince is actually their own brother Joseph, who they once sold into slavery. We see the ways in which Joseph severely tests his brothers in order to make them fully aware of their own guilt, and so that they may come to contrition. This is a heartrending saga, with enough psychological and emotional twists and turns of character to make it seem like a modern novella! It is also the story of Divine Providence that guides Joseph and his brothers through their tragic twenty-year estrangement into contrition, forgiveness, and extraordinary healing. Again we see that, in spite of evil deeds, God's plan of salvation will not be thwarted and that Divine Love and mercy are always able to bring good out of every evil.PLEASE SHARE this podcast with family and friends who may need reassurance of divine mercy and reconciliation in their own lives right now. Blessings to all!
In this week's "Life, Love, & Light" podcast, we embark on the saga of Joseph, the highly favored son of Jacob in the Book of Genesis. This self-contained story is based on ancient legends. But it was completely refashioned by Israelite narrators to create a deeply moving account of sibling jealousy, hatred, and betrayal; prophetic dreaming and the interpreting of dreams; severe testing and forgiveness; and above all, faith in divine protection. There is such a wide range of human emotions and actions in this legend, it is really more than a legend. It is actually a dramatic novella – so modern in its portrayal of the twists and turns of the human psyche that it continues to shock and astound us. This tragic and eventually triumphant saga of Joseph speaks to us today as a strong example of faith and courage in times of great crisis – just like our own. And it reveals yet again that God's protection will never abandon us, no matter how dire the circumstances. Please SHARE this podcast with family and friends who may need reassurance of divine protection right now, as we continue to suffer through the pandemic, increasing famine, and religious persecutions worldwide. Blessings to all!
In this highly dramatic episode of Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we encounter the story of a most unlikely biblical mystic: Jacob, the son of Isaac. This crafty, wily man deceived his twin brother Esau not once but twice, stealing both his birthright and his father's blessing. Nevertheless Jacob became the recipient of divine revelations in extraordinary dreams. We examine the distasteful aspects of the saga as well as its ancient roots and intentional humor. We delve into Jacob's dreams and their sublime meaning. We question why it is that God grants mystical revelations to sinners. And we witness the transformation of a deceitful man into a biblical mystic through his dream experiences. We also examine the nature of our own dreams and the revelations we have received through them. The story of Jacob's deceits and dreams is a powerful example for all of us of God's unconditional love, protection, and guidance -- even when we go astray. Please share this timeless story with someone you know who may be fleeing divine help, or even "doing battle" with God's messenger right now. It could be a life-changer. Blessings to all!
In this second episode of "Biblical Mystics" on the Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we discover how God makes another covenant with Abram, during which his name is changed to Abraham and all the previous promises of land, wealth, fame, and blessings to his offspring are renewed and reinforced. Then, in another scene, Abraham is visited by three Heavenly Messengers. Who are these Heavenly Messengers? What is their message? It is such a dramatic story filled with very recognizable human reactions -- both from Abraham and from his wife, Sarah. We reflect on how we have been visited by Heavenly Messengers in our own lives, and also that we have been messengers for others. And we consider that these moments are, indeed, our own "mystical encounters" with God. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to these Life, Love, & Light podcasts, whether on Buzzsprout, Apple, or Google podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher, or any other podcast directory. Then you will receive a weekly notification of each new episode in our ongoing exploration of "Biblical Mystics." And PLEASE SHARE the podcasts with your family and friends who may be in need of a Heavenly Messenger right now. You might be that messenger. Blessings to all!
In this Second Season of the Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we will explore a fascinating variety of biblical mystics -- the very mystics who inspired and guided Julian of Norwich, whose Revelations of Divine Love we explored during our First Season of podcasts. Indeed, mystics throughout the ages have always been steeped in and nurtured by the stories and characters of sacred Scripture. Over the next weeks and months, we will be meeting these men and women who faced major challenges and crises in their lives . . . made some really big mistakes . . . were forgiven . . . received mystical revelations . . . and then dared to act on those revelations.These biblical mystics were not ready made saints. They were ordinary and imperfect people just like us who hoped and struggled, questioned and doubted, and sometimes even despaired. As we will see, they did not always make the right choices. But because they were willing to listen to divine guidance within and to learn from their mistakes, eventually, they were given the light and grace to follow the path that was revealed to them and to obey the call of God.I hope their stories will become powerful inspirations for us in our own time of crisis, fear, and uncertainty, and that these biblical mystics will become our personal spiritual guides. Exploring the stories of biblical mystics may also help us recall and re-evaluate the ways in which God has spoken to us in the past . . . and is speaking to us right now.We begin with the story of "Abram, Father of Faith," and four mystical "Theophanies" -- or divine revelations -- that he received from the Lord. We examine the nature of the divine call and the journey and struggles it entails. And we relate Abram's questions, doubts. and eventual surrender in faith to our own spiritual path. This is an immensely important reflection, especially in this time of pandemic. Please share this podcast with your family and friends who may be seeking the Lord's will in their own lives, or who may be depressed or full of doubts about their path, or who may need to be reminded that the Lord speaks to us through our own circumstances . . . at every stage of our spiritual journey. Blessings to all!
In this final episode of the Revelations of Julian of Norwich, she reflects that "This book is begun by God's gift and his grace, but it is not yet performed, as to my sight." Julian is aware that until every soul is brought up to heaven, her shewings will not have been truly “seen” by all those for whom Christ intended them. Her greatest concern is that God's work through the Revelations might be left incomplete. She begs her future readers, whom she will never know, to “pray together” out of love, as Christ himself taught us, ever thanking, trusting, and fully rejoicing in him. Then she reveals that "From the time that it was shown, I desired oftentimes to know what was our lord's meaning" in the Revelations. The answer came to her "fifteen years and more later." And it is sublime. I hope you will share this podcast with family and friends who seek the meaning of their own lives. Julian will surely grace them with understanding.And I am excited to announce that next week, we will begin our Second Season of "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts. In the coming weeks and months, we will explore a fascinating variety of biblical mystics, the very mystics who inspired, formed, and guided Julian of Norwich, as well as every other Christian mystic who ever lived. These biblical mystics were men and women who faced major challenges . . . made some really big mistakes . . . were forgiven . . . received mystical revelations . . . and then dared to act on those revelations. They may become powerful inspirations for us right now. I hope you will enjoy getting to know this diverse cast of biblical characters and discovering their immediate relevance for your own lives. Blessings to all!
In this episode of the "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, Julian of Norwich reveals the most sublime "lesson of love" that Christ gave her. It is perhaps the most important teaching of all, which sums up all the other teachings Julian received from her sixteen Revelations. She speaks of four essential things our courteous Lord wishes us to know; of the "the endlessness and the unchangeability of his love"; and "that the love between him and our souls shall never be separated in two without end." Julian also writes of the three precious gifts that God has given us that serve as an A.B.C. to guide us throughout our lives here on earth. And finally, she expresses her "partial touching, sight, and feeling of three properties of God, in which the strength and effect of all the revelations stand." These three are Life, Love, and Light -- the inspiration for the title of these podcasts.Please reflect on and share this essential podcast with family and friends who wish to discover the most intimate "lesson of love" that Christ taught Julian during her Revelations. It is a truly transformative teaching. Blessings to all!
In this episode of the "Life, Love, & Light" podcasts, Julian of Norwich considers the dangers of false humility and the great harm that comes to the soul because we think our sins are not forgiven. Julian warns us that "This dread we sometimes mistake for meekness, but it is a foul blindness and a weakness." Such false humility can do great harm to our love-relationship with God, leading us into doubt and despair; whereas, true humility trusts mightily in the Lord and rejoices in our salvation. Julian further defines four kinds of "dread" or "fear" -- and insists that the Lord only wants us to have "reverent dread” -- that is, “holy awe” -- because it is very gentle and lacks any hint of terror. And it is inextricably linked to love. Julian also speaks of God's love, longing, and pity for every human being and contemplates the great bliss of heaven and the “trembling and quaking for greatness of joy, endlessly marveling at the greatness of God the creator, and at the littleness of all that is created.” Please share this podcast with family and friends who may suffer from the wrong kind of fear of God – the fear that paralyzes the soul and makes it unable to trust in God's mercy and love. Julian's spiritual counseling on how to cultivate true humility and allow the soul to rest in "holy awe" of Divine Love is the sublime teaching we need right now. Blessings to all!
Following her Sixteenth Revelation, Julian of Norwich reflects on the three faces of Christ that we are shown in this life and also on the suffering that we must endure because of sin -- when we feel we have fallen "in a part of hell." But Julian reassures us that even though we may feel "dead" to ourselves, we are "not dead in the sight of God," who offers us pity, compassion, and mercy. Julian warns us -- just as she must have warned those who came to her anchorage window for spiritual counseling -- to beware of sloth and despair that can deprive us of our love-longing and the ability to rest in the beholding of God: "For he wills in all things that we have our beholding and our enjoying in love." This is a powerful series of teachings that apply to all of us right now. We must not allow ourselves to become lazy and neglect our practice of "beholding God" in prayer and in silence. And we must certainly not despair, but "trust mightily" in the love of God to make all things well. Please share this Life, Love, & Light podcast with family and friends who may suffer from depression and even despair – or who may live in fear of God's judgment and long to trust mightily in God's love. Blessings to all!
In the Sixteenth and final Revelation, Julian of Norwich is gifted with an inner vision of Christ sitting in rest in her soul as in a vast citadel. He is "sovereign might, sovereign wisdom, and sovereign goodness." She understands that the soul is where God delights in dwelling, as his "homeliest home." Julian also hears the final locution -- or inner words -- spoken by Christ within her soul. These words assure her that “it was no raving that thou saw this day” during all her Revelations (which she had, for a brief moment doubted). She is assured by Christ of the truth of her Revelations. She is commanded to "take it and believe it, and keep thee therein, and comfort thee therewith, and trust thee thereto, and thou shalt not be overcome.” This is a most magnificent Revelation, full of encouragement and reassurance for us all. And rest assured, this is not the end of Julian's writings. There is so much more of her reflections on the meaning of her Revelations still to come. Please share these Life, Love, & Light podcasts with your family and friends who may be in need of encouragement and hope right now. Blessings to all!
In her Fifteenth Revelation, Julian of Norwich reveals that Christ taught her the importance of patience in our times of suffering and that we must try to "overpass" our pain so that we, who have been chosen by love, may take delight in our salvation even now. The aftermath of this sublime Revelation, however, is completely unexpected and utterly shocking. Indeed, it is rarely mentioned by those who write about or discuss Julian's Revelations. In the most candid and personal language, Julian confesses her own momentary betrayal of the Revelations when her physical pain returned. If you wish to understand the human vulnerability of the woman, Julian, you must hear this story. It will explain why Julian sympathizes so deeply with our own doubts, betrayals, and need for healing. Please share this podcast with family and friends who wish to be reassured that no betrayal is beyond divine healing. Blessings to all!
In the Fourteenth Revelation of Julian of Norwich, we discover Julian's mystical theology of The Motherhood of God. These inspired reflections on divine nurturing have made Julian's writings both challenging and extremely relevant for our time -- especially regarding the role of women in the church. In language that is extremely daring and tenderly intimate, Julian reveals the full range of the work of our Mother Christ, who labors to give birth to us on the cross, feeds us with himself, teaches us, disciplines us, and brings us up into the fullness of graced maturity. And even when we fall, our Mother Christ embraces, heals, and comforts us. This is an unparalleled understanding of Christ as our truest Mother who will never leave us. Please share this "Life, Love, & Light" podcast with family and friends who may be in need of consolation and reassurance during these traumatic times. Blessings to all!
In this episode of the Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we continue delving into the Fourteenth Revelation of Julian of Norwich. We enter into the mystery of the Parable of the Lord and a Servant that took Julian twenty years to interpret. It is a many-layered dramatic story, full of discoveries about why it is that God looks at us without blame, even in our sinfulness. Julian's understanding of this Parable became the foundation for her entire mystical theology and the key to her understanding of all the other Revelations. Please listen and share this extraordinary Parable -- and Julian's interpretation of it -- with family and friends. For those who have longed for clarity about how Christ saves us, it will be a source of great illumination. Blessings!
This week's Life, Love, & Light podcast continues delving into the Fourteenth Revelation of Julian of Norwich, in which she insists that in her visionary experiences, she did not see any "wrath or blame in God" because "God is that goodness that may not be wroth, for God is nothing but goodness." Julian reveals how God's unconditional love is expressed through his constant outpouring of mercy and grace -- that heal, comfort, teach, and guide the soul on its journey into divine love. Julian's understanding of the "two forms of judgment" -- how God sees us and how the church judges us -- are powerful insights for the conflicts so many have within the church right now. And her soaring faith in God's compassion and all-encompassing love offer us profound reflections to take into the Guided Meditation. Please share this and all the podcasts with family and friends who seek the comfort of mercy and grace. May Julian bless you abundantly!
In the Fourteenth Revelation, we hear the most sublime teachings on prayer that Julian of Norwich received directly from Christ -- how to pray, the manner of prayer, prayer in times of desolation, prayer of thanksgiving, contemplative prayer, and the prayer of union. Julian reveals her own personal struggles with prayer, and shares her radical new understanding of who actually initiates our prayer. For anyone who has ever questioned the value of prayer, the methods of prayer, or the goal of prayer, these teachings are invaluable. They will transform your attitude toward prayer forever!Please share this Life, Love, & Light podcast with your family and friends who may be struggling with prayer right now. May Julian guide you all into the prayer of Christ!
Continuing her account of the Thirteenth Revelation, Julian of Norwich reveals what Christ told her about his working of miracles. She understands that miracles always follow upon great "sorrows, suffering, and anguish." We examine the inexplicable transformations of healing and forgiveness that have occurred in our own lives and realize that we, too, have been the recipients of miracles. Julian also admits that Christ told her she would sin, but that he would never love her -- or us -- any less, even in our sinfulness. Christ also reveals that the suffering we must endure as a result of our misdeeds will be given great "honors" in heaven. This is a groundbreaking Revelation, filled with divine teachings for us to take into our hearts in meditation. Please share this podcast with family and friends who are in need of miracles right now. Julian's words will be a source of profound hope and encouragement. Blessings to all!
In this episode, part of the Thirteenth Revelation of Julian of Norwich, we hear Julian's deep concern that “there are many evil deeds done in our sight and such great harms suffered, that it seems to us that it would be impossible that it ever could come to a good end." Julian questions the all-pervasiveness of sin and wonders how Christ's promise that "all shall be well" can be fulfilled if even one soul is damned. Then Julian reveals her understanding of the "Great Deed" that will be done at the end of time to make all things well. Is it universal salvation? Julian warns us against speculation and teaches instead that we must trust that there will be a Great Deed, without knowing what it will be. There is so much to ponder in this Revelation that pertains directly to the problem of evil in our world right now. Please share this Life, Love, & Light podcast with your family and friends, especially those who are asking tough questions about how God overcomes evil and makes all things well.
In the Thirteenth Revelation of Julian of Norwich, at last we delve into the sublime words she heard Christ speak to her; words that are uniquely associated with Julian throughout the world: "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well." There are some surprising discoveries to be made concerning what Christ's words to Julian mean and what they do not mean. We explore their implications for how we move through the crises and carry the crosses of our lives with faith and trust. Please share these Life, Love, & Light podcasts with your family and friends who are in such need of spiritual guidance and hope right now. Julian's Revelations of God's love and compassion for what we have to suffer can provide such healing and comfort. Blessings to all!
In the Twelfth Revelation, Julian of Norwich experiences Christ in glory more fully than she had before and hears him pour out a magnificent litany of who he is: "I it am. . ." This litany describes, in Christ's own words, the endless ways in which he is present to the human mind and heart. We reflect on what "I it am" means to us, in our present time of suffering, fear, and anxiety. The Guided Meditation at the end of the podcast reflects on the nature of our awareness that is one continuum with Christ's own awareness. And even though sorrow and suffering seem very real, hope in divine transformation and resurrection are infinitely more real. Please share this "Life, Love, & Light" podcast with your family and friends around the world who may be in need of renewed courage and hope. And know that I keep you in my heart and prayer every day. Blessings to all -- and peace!
In the Eleventh Revelation, Julian of Norwich sees Christ look down from the cross to where his mother stood during his passion. He asks Julian "Wilt thou see her?" Julian greatly desires to see Mary as she sees Jesus in physical form, but is given instead an imaginary sight of her in heaven, "exalted and noble and glorious and pleasing to Christ above all creatures.” Julian understands that Christ wants us to rejoice in Mary his mother and that he exalted her above all other creatures precisely so that Julian might see how much she is loved . . . and how much we are loved.Please share these Life, Love, & Light podcasts with your family and friends around the world who are in crisis at this time. I hope Julian's Revelations will be a great comfort to them. The podcasts are available on Apple and Google, Spotify and Stitcher, on Buzzsprout, and on many other platforms. Be sure to click SUBSCRIBE so that you receive notification of each new weekly episode. And for more information about my books on Julian of Norwich, visit my dedicated podcast website: https://www.lifelovelightpodcast.com/
In the Tenth Revelation, Julian of Norwich accepts Christ's tender invitation to enter mystically into his Sacred Heart and there find rest, and joy, and the greatest bliss in his unconditional love. It is an astounding revelation of Christ's deep desire to tell Julian -- and each one of us -- "Lo, how I loved thee." Please listen and share with those you love, especially on this day, June 19th, which is the Feast of the Sacred Heart and the celebration of Juneteenth. Blessings to all!
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