In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on the Sixth Degree of Humility in Chapter 7 of the Holy Rule. St. Benedict turns to the ordinary and often hidden realities of daily life, where humility is shown in the way a person receives work, place and limitation with peace. This degree is not about self-hatred or denying one’s gifts. It is about freedom from the pride that always wants a better role, more notice or a more appealing task.

The Sixth Degree of Humility is lived in the unnoticed places of life. It appears in repetitive work, hidden service and responsibilities that do not bring recognition. St. Benedict asks whether the heart can remain peaceful there, without bargaining, resentment or the need to be reassured of its value. Humility grows when peace is no longer tied to visibility, praise or preference, but to faithful offering.

This teaching becomes very practical in family life, work and service to others. It can mean doing what is plain without complaint, accepting a lesser role without bitterness or carrying unnoticed responsibilities with steadiness. Looking to Christ in the hidden life of Nazareth, this episode invites listeners to see that hidden fidelity is not lesser fidelity. It is often the place where love is purified and the heart becomes freer to serve.

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 7 § 49-50 (RB 1980)

“The sixth degree of humility is that a monk be content with the lowest and most menial treatment,
and regard himself as a poor and worthless workman
in whatever task he is given.”

“Sextus humilitatis gradus est, si contentus sit monachus vilitate et extremitate, et in omnibus quae sibi iniunguntur se indignum et inutilem operarium existimet.”

“But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.”

1. How do I respond when my work goes unnoticed or receives little appreciation?
2. Do I measure my value by visibility, praise or the kind of task I am given?
3. Where in my daily life am I being asked to serve faithfully in hidden ways?
4. What resentment or comparison begins to rise when I feel overlooked?
5. How does Christ’s hidden life at Nazareth help me understand the quiet strength of this degree of humility?

Copyright © 2026 Kris McGregor. All rights reserved. No portion of this content may be reproduced, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form, including audio, print, or digital media, without prior written permission from Discerning Hearts®.

O glorious Saint Joseph,
faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
to you we raise our hearts and hands
to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign heart of Jesus
all the helps and graces necessary
for our spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly for the grace of a happy death
and the special favor we now request…

(State your request here.)

O guardian of the Word Incarnate,
we feel animated with confidence that your prayers
in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen.

DAY ONE

O great St. Joseph,
with feelings of unlimited confidence,
we beg you to bless this novena that we begin in your honor.
“You are never invoked in vain,” says the seraphic St. Theresa of Jesus.
Be you then to me
what you have been to that spouse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and graciously hear me as you did her.

Amen.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Luke 16:10
“Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much.”

Faithfulness in the little things prepares us for faithfulness in greater things. Jesus reminds us that holiness is not found only in grand gestures but in the small, often unseen acts of love and obedience. The spiritual life is built in the hidden moments of daily perseverance—choosing to trust, to serve, to remain steadfast in prayer even when we feel nothing.

Lent is a time when we are invited to examine our small, daily choices. Are we faithful in the way we speak to others? Do we show patience in moments of frustration? Do we bring our hearts to prayer, even when it feels dry? Holiness is not about feeling spiritual—it is about remaining faithful.

The Desert Fathers understood this well. Abba Dorotheus taught:
“Do not seek to do great things. Do the small things with great love, and God will entrust you with more.” (Discourses and Sayings, Dorotheus of Gaza)

Similarly, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, known for her “Little Way,” reminds us:
“God does not look at the greatness of our works, but at the love with which they are done.”

Faithfulness in small things teaches us to trust God even when we do not see immediate fruit. Just as a seed must be planted and watered before it grows, our small acts of perseverance prepare our souls for deeper transformation.

As we reflect today, let us ask: Where is God calling me to greater faithfulness in the small things? How can I embrace perseverance in prayer and trust, even when I do not see results right away?

1. Where in my daily life can I grow in faithfulness?
2. How can I remain steadfast in prayer, even when I feel nothing?
3. How does trusting God in small things prepare me for greater challenges?
4. What small acts of love can I offer today as a path to holiness?

Lord, You call us to be faithful in the little things, trusting that You are at work even when we do not see it. Teach us to persevere, to pray with faith, and to love in the small moments of daily life. May our hidden acts of love bear fruit in Your time. Amen.

This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on the Fifth Degree of Humility in Chapter 7 of the Holy Rule. St. Benedict turns from endurance and restraint to truthful speech, showing that humility also appears in the willingness to bring what is hidden into the light. Silence alone is not enough. A person may say very little and still conceal much. Humility begins when the heart stops protecting what is false and becomes willing to speak plainly about what is wrong.

St. Benedict’s teaching is not an invitation to overshare or to expose oneself carelessly. It is a call to honest speech in the right place, with the right person, where truth needs to be told. For the monk, this means confession to the abbot. For the rest of us, it may mean confession after serious sin, telling the truth in a marriage, admitting a fault in family life or work, or bringing a recurring temptation into the light with a confessor or trusted spiritual guide. Hidden sin does not heal by being ignored. It must be named truthfully so that it can be judged rightly, forgiven, and surrendered to God’s mercy.

This degree of humility reveals how deeply St. Benedict understands the human heart. We often want to soften the truth, delay it, or manage how we appear. But concealment weakens the heart. It makes us more guarded, more divided, and less free before God. This episode invites listeners to consider where honesty is needed, and how truthful confession becomes not humiliation but healing, not self-exposure for its own sake but the beginning of freedom.

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 7 § 44-46 (RB 1980)

“The fifth degree of humility is that one does not conceal
from one’s abbot any evil thoughts that enter the heart,
or any wrongs secretly committed,
but humbly confesses them.”

“Quintus humilitatis gradus est, si omnes cogitationes malas cordi suo advenientes, vel mala secreta facta, abbati suo humili confessione non abscondat.”

“I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.”

1. Is there something I have been hiding, minimizing, or delaying in order to protect how I appear?

2. Do I understand the difference between honest confession and unhealthy oversharing?

3. Where in my life do I most resist speaking the truth plainly and without excuse?

4. How has concealment weakened my peace, freedom, or clarity before God?

5. What truth may need to be spoken in the right place today so that grace can begin to heal what has been hidden?

Copyright © 2026 Kris McGregor. All rights reserved. No portion of this content may be reproduced, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form, including audio, print, or digital media, without prior written permission from Discerning Hearts®.

In this episode, Deacon James Keating and Kris McGregor discuss Lent as a time of vulnerability to God’s mercy, emphasizing bringing sin into Christ’s light for liberation. They contrast morality’s true freedom with sin’s chains and highlight Christ’s presence in our struggles.

Deacon Keating gives us of a message of hope, reassuring listeners that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and mercy.

1. Lenten Focus: How does Deacon Keating suggest shifting focus during Lent from a mere “to-do list” approach to one of vulnerability and openness to God’s mercy?
2. Recognizing Sin: According to the podcast, what is the significance of bringing hidden truths and sins into the light of Christ during Lent?
3. Morality and Freedom: Describe the relationship between morality and true freedom, as discussed in the episode.
4. Christ’s Presence: How does Deacon Keating emphasize Christ’s accompaniment through the Lenten journey, drawing parallels with Jesus’ experience in the desert?
5. Message of Hope: Summarize the final message of hope conveyed by Deacon Keating in the conclusion of the episode.

An excerpt from “Crossing the Desert: Lent and Conversion”:

“The ancient image of Lent as a time of withdrawal is relevant to the formation of conscience if we perceive that our consciences have been inordinately attached to anemic sources of influence. Christians are called to transform the world of culture, work, and politics according to the truths learned through Christ in the Church. It is a powerful and dignified calling. Lent affords us a good opportunity to repent of those habits, attitudes, or behaviors that reflect a preoccupation with the secular. Thus devoid of the religious, we are then called to eagerly respond to our faith and imbue the secular with religious and ethical meaning. To do less than this is to render our baptisms impotent and meaningless.”

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

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Matthew 18:21-22
“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.’”

Forgiveness is at the heart of the Gospel, yet it is one of the most challenging commands to live out. When Peter asks Jesus about the limits of forgiveness, Jesus responds with a number that signifies boundlessness: “Seventy-seven times.” In other words, forgiveness is not something we can measure or ration; it must flow freely, just as God’s forgiveness flows freely to us.

This kind of forgiveness is only possible when we recognize how deeply we have been forgiven by God. It is through God’s mercy that our hearts are softened and made capable of forgiving others. Forgiveness does not mean excusing sin or forgetting the hurt; rather, it is a decision to let go of resentment and to entrust justice to God.

The Desert Fathers taught the importance of forgiveness as a path to spiritual freedom. Abba Joseph said:

“If you want to find rest here and hereafter, in every trial say, ‘Who am I?’ and do not judge others.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Joseph 3)

Similarly, St. John Chrysostom, one of the greatest preachers of the early Church, reminds us:

“Nothing causes us to resemble God more than our willingness to forgive.”

Forgiveness transforms not only the person who forgives but also the community. It opens the door to healing and reconciliation. As we reflect today, let us ask: How can we embrace Jesus’ call to forgive without limits? Who in our lives are we being called to forgive?

1. Are there any hurts or grudges that you are holding onto? How can you begin to release them?
2. How does God’s forgiveness of your sins inspire you to forgive others?
3. What steps can you take to foster reconciliation in your relationships?

Lord, You teach us to forgive not just seven times, but seventy-seven times. Help us to let go of resentment and to entrust justice to You. Fill our hearts with Your mercy, so that we may forgive those who have hurt us and seek reconciliation with those we have wronged. May our lives reflect Your boundless love and mercy.

Amen.

This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.