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Divine Intimacy Radio

Divine Intimacy Radio is a haven of rest and wellspring of spiritual life for those seeking intimacy with God and the enlightened path of Catholic mystical and ascetical wisdom. Weekly we will explore topics like prayer, spiritual direction, meditation, contemplation, holiness, and much more.
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Now displaying: Page 18
Jun 2, 2017

Today, Dan and Melissa answer your questions about the saints, confession and hearing God's voice.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Why do some images of the saints include skulls?
  • How does God speak to us
  • Should we expect Him to speak to us whether audibly or through life events?
  • Why do we need to confess our sings to a priest?

Resources:

May 30, 2017

What is the best way to approach dating through a Catholic perspective? Dan and Melissa speak with author, Father Thomas Morrow about his book, Christian Dating in a Godless World to gain insight.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Why should we listen to a priest give dating advice?
  • What is the difference between dating and courtship?
  • Is it acceptable to date just for fun?
  • What is "friendship dating"?
  • Is there such a thing as a single vocation or is the single state a transitional one?
  • How much effort does one need to put forth to find a spouse?
  • Is it a good idea to use a Catholic internet dating service to meet people?
  • What are some resources for parishes to help minister to singles looking to get married?
  • Why is chastity before marriage important?

Resources:

May 26, 2017

Today, Dan and Melissa reflect on God's intense, personal love for each individual soul and answer the question, how do we avoid distractions in prayer?

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Reflections on the pure, unconditional, personal love with which the Creator formed each, unique human being.
  • A life filled with earthly wealth may lead to comfort, but a humble life oriented to God will lead to peace and eternal joy.
  • What prayerful solution can you offer for a person who gets distracted in prayer easily?
  • Jesus suggests that we go into a small, remote space to pray. (Matthew 6:6)
  • Establishing a consistent prayer time each day programs our bodies and minds to be still during this time.
  • Practicing lectio divina helps lessen distractions. 
  • Do not simply sit in silence if you are at a beginning stage in prayer.

Resources:

May 23, 2017

How can we make the home a place of peace and prayer? Today, Dan and Melissa discuss the book, The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home with author, Leila Lawler, to help families orient their lives to Christ.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • What is an oratory?
  • How should one go about setting up his or her prayer space?
  • Is a prayer corner or space expensive?
  • What does it mean to develop a regular, daily prayer life and how can the oratory help?
  • Why is the Liturgy of the Hours important?
  • How should our lives reflect the liturgical year?
  • What does the liturgy have to do with family prayer life?

Resources:

May 19, 2017

Why should we have confidence in God? Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles explore the unmatched confidence that St. Therese has for her beloved and how this confidence in God can change everyday life.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Therese has absolute confidence in Jesus and offers her life to Him in loving, trustful surrender.
  • How can we come to understand that God is arranging the events of our life of exile, especially when the events are painful?
  • When we choose to see the events of our lives through faith, Jesus is with us, standing beside us through the difficulties.
  • Why should our confidence in God mirror that of a child in the womb?
  • God's love for us is exponentially greater than that of a mother's love for her child.
  • Our Beloved has set a path for us that we must follow to find Him. We know that God has given us all that we need to reach Him.
  • In order to come to the confidence that Therese has in God, we must never make major decisions out of fear.
  • We must frequent the sacraments.
  • We must make time each day for conversation with God.

Resources:

May 16, 2017

When tragedy, loss or failed expectations strike, how can we cope with our circumstances in a healthy, faithful way? Today, Dan and Melissa speak with author, Jeannie Ewing about her book, From Grief to Grace: The Journey from Tragedy to Triumph to better understand God's Will in difficult situations.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • What was the inspiration behind this book?
  • How would you define grief from a Catholic perspective as opposed to how the world views grief?
  • What is the difference between depression and grief?
  • How can one embrace the spiritual reality of grief and suffering?
  • How do we find the path to life in the midst of suffering?
  • How can we most effectively help our loved ones when they are suffering?
  • How can this book help someone experiencing grief in the beginning stages of his or her spiritual journey find deeper meaning through the hardship?

Resources:

 

May 12, 2017

How can we find joy in God will for us? Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles discuss the wisdom of St. Therese of Lisieux on the role of Our Lady in the spiritual life and the importance of humility.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Why would anyone look outside of the Church for spiritual sustenance?
  • Why is St. Therese of Lisieux so important in our time? Why should anyone read her writings?
  • Why is St. Therese so popular and so loved among the faithful?
  • What difficulties is Celine experiencing at this time?
  • Why does Therese feel that she is more blessed than the Blessed Mother?
  • God works through all situations and circumstances to bring us to Himself.
  • Why does St. Therese mention the story of Zaccheus?

Resources:

May 9, 2017

How can we properly discern God's will in our lives? To find the answer, Dan and Melissa search heaven and earth with author, Julie Onderko about her book, Discover Your Next Mission from God: Saints who found God's will - and how you can too

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • How can I know God's will in my life?
  • God uses ordinary means to speak to us in our lives.
  • Will the absence of the sacraments and an established prayer life obscure one's vision to finding God's will in his or her life?
  • How does a spiritual director help discern God's will?
  • What happens if you feel like you missed your calling in life?
  • Who is Blessed Bartolo Longo and why is his story important?
  • What role does humility play in discerning God's will?
  • Can our past hinder our response to God's call?
  • How important are the roles of Mary and St. Joseph in discerning God's will for us?

 Resources:

May 5, 2017

How should we treat those souls who have fallen away from the Faith? Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles discuss the wisdom of St. Therese of Lisieux on the power of intercessory prayer and the mercy of our Lord.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • St. Therese urges her sister to pray for a man who has left the Church in a scandalous way.
  • Who is this person and why is St. Therese so concerned about him?
  • St. Therese understands that each and every soul has been created to enter into a loving relationship with God and approaches the situation with this understanding of God's love.
  • How should we treat similar people who we may encounter in our daily lives?
  • What is the power of prayer, fasting and sacrifice?
  • If we pray, fast and sacrifice for a soul who is apart from God, should we expect to see results soon after?
  • How can we help souls who have chosen to be separated from God return to Him?
  • How does St. Therese show her maternal instincts toward this man?

Resources:

 

May 2, 2017

How does anger play a role in your life and more importantly in your salvation? Dan Burke and Melissa Elson speak with Fr. Thomas Morrow about his book, "Overcoming Sinful Anger: How to Master Your Emotions and Bring Peace to Your Life".

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • What constitutes sinful anger? Is there righteous anger?
  • If someone believes anger is simply a part of his or her personality, will they ever be able to overcome angry behavior?
  • What strategies can we use to overcome sinful anger?
  • Can anger come from past events in life? If so, how long does it take to overcome these feelings?
  • How does anger affect one's marriage or children?
  • Can anger issues affect one's eternal salvation?

 Resources:

 

Apr 28, 2017

St. Therese says, "Life is mysterious!...It is a desert and an exile..." Today, Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles discuss how this life can feel like a desert at times and how God gives us the strength to persevere through difficulty. 

 Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • St. Therese has a self-giving way of loving God. She desires no consolations or perceptible love in return, only "a love felt by Jesus".
  • Is it wrong to desire an experiential love?
  • God will manifest Himself to anyone sincerely seeking Him with faith, but He will do so in His own way.
  • How can we keep from becoming discouraged by St. Therese's seemingly unattainable holiness?
  • How can we cross the desert of this life to come to know the glory of the next?
  • St. Therese believes that she is profoundly and uniquely loved by God and that each and every person is profoundly and uniquely loved by God.
  • What is the "day of distances"?
  • Progress on the path of spiritual maturity is made by averting our attention from the trials we are experiencing and instead focusing on what pleases God.

Resources:

 

Apr 25, 2017

Being single and Catholic isn't always easy in today's world. Dan and Melissa address this problem as they speak with Judy Keane about her book Single and Catholic: Finding Meaning in Your State of Life.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Is this book about dating and courtship?
  • In what ways can one make the most of his or her time as a single person?
  • What are some of the myths and misunderstandings of being single?
  • How can a single person who feels called to marriage best live his or her faith and find that potential spouse?
  • How important is establishing a prayer life and relationship with Christ when we seek relationships with others?
  • What can a faithful, prayerful, introverted person do to meet other faithful Catholics?
  • If one feels called to marriage but is advanced in years, what should he or she do to fulfill God's will?

 Resources:

Apr 21, 2017

What happens to a holy soul during the "dark night"? Today, Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles explore the meaning of the "dark night of the soul" and the way that St. Therese of Lisieux perseveres through this difficult time in her spiritual journey.

 Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • How is St. Therese's description of "the dark night of the soul" similar to that of St. John of the Cross?
  • What are the stages of the spiritual life? What stage is St. Therese experiencing?
  • We must pass through this "dark night" in order to progress from one stage to the next. 
  • St. Therese has complete trust in God even though she cannot sense His presence in her life at this point.
  • Many lose faith or become discouraged during this stage, but St. Therese is committed to her Lord. She never loses trust in Him.
  • How can we have peace while in this transition stage?
  • How can we make progress spiritually while in this transition stage?

Resources:

Apr 18, 2017

What happened to traditional hymns during Mass and why are they so important? Dan and Melissa speak with Fr. George Rutler about his book, The Stories of Hymns: The History Behind 100 of Christianity's Greatest Hymns to find out.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • What is the meaning and significance of the hymn, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"?
  • What is the difference between a hymn and other types of songs?
  • Are translations of the lyrics important?
  • How does hymnody add more beauty to the liturgy?
  • What are some common "mistakes" made in modern times with regard to music in the liturgy?

 Resources:

Apr 14, 2017

Dan and Melissa strongly recommend watching The Passion of the Christ on Good Friday evening to more effectively meditate on the brutal reality that Our Lord entered into to redeem the world. 

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Having a visually realistic portrayal of the event of our Lord’s Passion and death to meditate upon.
  • Mary’s role in the Passion and the emotional suffering she endured.
  • Scenes of the everyday life of the Holy Family.
  • The meditations of those acting in the movie during the scene.
  • Suggestions on how to watch the movie.

Resources:

Apr 11, 2017

Description: Today, Dan and Melissa speak with Fr. Ed Broom about attaining holiness in everyday life in his book, From Humdrum to Holy

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • What is an Oblate of the Virgin Mary?
  • Can anyone become holy? Is sainthood attainable in this life?
  • How do prayer and participating in the sacraments play a role in becoming holy?
  • What are some practical steps for the average person to become holy?
  • Why should we practice a daily examen? Does the examen only focus on recognizing our sins?
  • Is patience important to practice on the path to holiness?

 Resources:

Apr 7, 2017

Description: How does St. Therese of Lisieux remain so spiritually motivated all of the time? This week Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles focus on one of the secrets to St. Therese's spiritual success, keeping her eyes fixed on Jesus.

 Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • How does St. Therese overcome moments of weakness in her spiritual life?
  • We must not always try to conquer our weaknesses, but humbly accept them and surrender them to the Lord.
  • What is the difference between Godward self-awareness and self-absorption?
  • What can we do to turn our thoughts back to Jesus when we become consumed in our weaknesses?
  • Jesus is aching and yearning for our hearts. Our hearts need to be moved by this thirst of Jesus.
  • Jesus sees us as precious and the object of his divine affection. 

Resources:

Apr 4, 2017

Description: Dan and Melissa speak with Fr. Thomas Dailey about his book, Live Today Well: St. Francis de Sales's Simple Approach to Holiness

Questions/Topics discussed on the show:

  • Who is St. Francis de Sales and what is appealing about his spirituality?
  • How does St. Francis make holiness available to everyone regardless of vocation?
  • What is St. Francis' approach to prayer and does he advocate mental prayer?
  • What times during the day should we pray and what should these prayers look like?
  • How does St. Francis suggest that we begin every day?
  • How can we orient our minds to God during our meals?
  • What is "direction of intention" and why is it the key to holiness?

 Resources:

Mar 31, 2017

Description: This week Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles discuss St. Therese's intense suffering as she experiences the dark night of the soul. 

 Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • Why does St. Therese refer to herself as "a grain of sand"? 
  • The writings of St. Therese reflect those of St. John of the Cross: we must study the life of Jesus and imitate Him in everything we do. 
  • We must detach ourselves from our own reputation.
  • St. Therese had a devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and finds consolation not only for herself, but for the world in a simple smile descending upon us from His blood-stained face.
  • Why does St. Therese long for "the homeland" at this stage in her spiritual life?
  • What is causing the suffering that St. Therese is experiencing?
  • Why does God have us pass through such painful purification?
  • How can one overcome the dark night of the soul?

Resources:

Mar 28, 2017

Description: Once again Dan and Melissa speak with Dr. Kevin Vost to take a more in depth look at his book, The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • How can we employ the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and grow in holiness?
  • What is piety and how can we live it?
  • What are the different types of knowledge?
  • What is the difference between the virtue of knowledge and the gift of knowledge?
  • What is the difference between the gift of knowledge and the gift of wisdom?
  • What is a good Scriptural example of the gift of fortitude?
  • How can one use the gift of fortitude to overcome one of the seven deadly sins, i.e. gluttony?
  • What is the gift of counsel?
  • Why are understanding, counsel and wisdom considered the highest of the seven gifts?
  • What is the gift of understanding?
  • What is the gift of wisdom and how does St. Thomas Aquinas embody this gift?

 Resources:

Mar 24, 2017

Description: This week Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles unmask the truth behind scrupulosity through the wisdom of St. Therese of Lisieux.

 Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • St. Therese's cousin, Marie, is plagued by scrupulosity and will not receive the Eucharist.
  • What is scrupulosity?
  • Has St. Therese ever experienced this problem in her own spiritual life?
  • At what point does scrupulosity commonly manifest itself during the spiritual journey?
  • Can our wickedness ever be greater than God's mercy?
  • What advice does St. Therese give to Marie to help her with this problem?
  • How do St. Ignatius of Loyola's Rules of Discernment apply to this situation?

Resources:

Mar 21, 2017

Description: Dan and Melissa speak with Dr. Kevin Vost about his book, The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Every Spiritual Warrior's Guide to God's Invincible Gifts.

 Questions/Topics discussed on the show:

  • What are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and why are they important?
  • Why are St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure such strong sources for this book?
  • After the sacrament of Confirmation, why aren't the gifts of the Holy Spirit apparent immediately in most of us?
  • How are the gifts of the Holy Spirit different from the virtues?
  • What can we do to move the soul to cooperate with the Holy Spirit so that we can best make use of these gifts?
  • What is the difference between the gifts and the charisms of the Holy Spirit?
  • What are some practical ways to live out these gifts?
  • Why does each chapter end with a section on the Jesus, the Blessed Mother, and a particular saint? 

 Resources:

Mar 17, 2017

Description: This week Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles contemplate St. Therese's understanding of the brevity of life and what is necessary to fulfill the will of God. 

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • What does St. Therese mean when she says, "...life is a moment between two eternities"?
  • How are there two eternities?
  • How do we live life in the best way possible in order to progress from one eternity to the other?
  • How can we draw ourselves out of our current sufferings to see things in the light of the God's providence?
  • How can we experience peace amidst the most difficult trials of life?
  • Heaven is the finest moment of our humanity.
  • What is peace?
  • Is there a distinction between peace and joy?

Resources:

 

Mar 14, 2017

Description: Dan and Melissa speak with Dr. Christopher Blum about his book, Meditations for Lent and how Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet's reflections on the life of Christ will inspire any and every soul to enter into a new relationship with our Lord.

 Questions/Topics discussed on the show:

  • How did Dr. Blum discover the writings of Bishop Jacquest-Benigne Bossuet?
  • Who is Bishop Bossuet and what kind of writing is he known for?
  • Who were his main spiritual influences and what school of spirituality did he belong to?
  • How do his writings compare to those of some of his famous contemporaries?
  • Why did Dr. Blum choose these particular meditations?

 Resources:

Mar 10, 2017

Description: This week Dan, Melissa and Dr. Anthony Lilles make known the love that God has for us through every circumstance and the hope we can garner during our trials through His eternal love. 

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

  • St. Therese offers great consolation and encouragement to her sister, Celine, as she faces criticism and disapproval from others for desiring to enter Carmel while their father is plagued with mental illness.
  • What is the basis for St. Therese's encouragement?
  • How can others' sinfulness be good for us?
  • How can we have hope in the midst of suffering?
  • How can we experience peace through suffering?

Resources:

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