Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Luke 6:36-38
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be measured to you.”

Mercy is at the heart of the Christian life. Jesus does not simply ask us to be merciful—He commands it: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Mercy is not about excusing wrongdoing but about reflecting the heart of God, who never withholds His love from us.

It is easy to expect mercy for ourselves but struggle to extend it to others. We hold onto grudges, justify our anger, and demand justice on our terms. But Jesus reminds us that the measure we use for others is the measure that will be used for us. If we desire mercy, we must first be willing to give it.

Abba Poemen once said:

“Do not dwell on the wrongs done to you, and you will find mercy. But if you judge harshly, the same judgment will be upon you.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Poemen 45)

Mercy does not mean ignoring sin but approaching others with the same patience and tenderness with which God approaches us. This requires humility—recognizing that we, too, are in need of mercy every day.

St. Faustina writes:

“He who knows how to forgive prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart.” (Diary of St. Faustina, 390)

Pope Francis reminds us of the radical nature of mercy:

“Mercy is that concrete action of love that, by forgiving, transforms and changes our lives. It is the very mystery of our faith. Mercy makes us realize that violence, resentment, and revenge have no meaning, and the first step toward mercy is to acknowledge that we need it ourselves.” (Misericordia et Misera, 2)

The more we reflect on God’s mercy, the more we become merciful ourselves. The key is not merely to try harder but to receive God’s mercy deeply, allowing it to transform our hearts.

Lent is a time to evaluate our hearts—are we quick to judge and slow to forgive? Or do we reflect God’s generous love, offering mercy even when it is difficult? Today, let us ask for the grace to love as God loves, forgiving as He forgives.

1. Do I extend mercy to others as freely as I receive it from God?
2. What grudges or judgments am I holding onto that I need to surrender?
3. How can I be an instrument of God’s mercy in my daily life?
4. When have I experienced the mercy of God, and how has it changed me?

Lord, You are rich in mercy, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. Teach me to reflect Your mercy in all my relationships. Help me to forgive, to let go of judgment, and to love as You love. May my heart be open to Your grace, that I may be merciful as You are merciful. 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.

As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.

Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”

Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…

From the Holy Gospel of Luke 6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

What word made this passage come alive for you?

What did you sense the Lord saying to you?

Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

What did your heart feel as you listened?

What did you sense the Lord saying to you?

Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

What touched your heart in this time of prayer?

What did your heart feel as you prayed?

What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen

Steps to Take as You Follow Christ

Ask—Whom do I treat as an outsider in God’s kingdom?

Seek—As you go about your daily activities, think about how often you see someone else as “one of them” rather than “one of us.” Of course, people are all unique and different. However, the gospel calls us to break down artificial barriers that prevent us from expressing the unity God desires.

Knock—Meditate on 1 Peter 2:21–24 while holding a crucifix in your hands.

This, in fact, is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow the way he took. He had not done anything wrong, and there had been no perjury in his mouth. He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults; when he was tortured he made no threats but he put his trust in the righteous judge. He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness; through his wounds you have been healed. You had gone astray like sheep but now you have come back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Think of the example of Jesus on the cross. How might you concretely imitate and model your life on Jesus?

Transform Your Life—Make discernment rather than judgment the goal of your life’s decisions. Ask yourself, “What does God want me to do at this moment?” and, “What is God trying to teach me through this?” Strive to be open to his guiding presence. Learn from all whom you meet this day and every day.

The author of The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009. His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work.

The Power of the Cross is now available as a free e-book,
check out more information by going here

Check out more at the Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page

Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.

In Episode 3 of The Power of the Cross, Michael Dubruiel reflects on the Cross as a uniting force that draws together heaven and earth, mercy and truth, humility and love. During the Second Week of Lent, the Cross is revealed not only as the place of suffering, but as the point where God’s transforming grace meets the reality of daily life.

Through Scripture, story and lived experience, Michael explores Christ’s call not to judge, but to love with mercy rooted in humility. Drawing on the Transfiguration, the Litany of Humility and the daily demands of discipleship, this episode invites listeners to see how the Cross reshapes how we relate to others at work, at home and in moments of hidden struggle. The Cross unites the glory of God’s kingdom with the ordinary circumstances where faith is tested and formed.

This reflection calls listeners to embrace humility as a path to freedom and to allow the Cross to liberate them from false securities, pride and self-reliance, so that Christ may be encountered more fully in both prayer and daily life.

Michael Dubruiel died in 2009. These recordings, made in 2008, have been remastered to improve audio clarity and are shared with the permission of his wife, Amy Welborn.

1. Where do I find it most difficult to unite my faith with the realities of daily life?

2. How does the Cross challenge my tendency to judge others too quickly?

3. In what ways is humility difficult for me and why?

4. When have I experienced a moment of spiritual clarity or “transfiguration” that strengthened me during a time of trial?

5. What attachments or false securities might the Cross be inviting me to surrender this week?

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

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

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

In this Second Sunday of Lent reflection, Msgr. John Esseff invites listeners into the mystery of the Transfiguration from the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus reveals his glory on the mountain as he prepares to face suffering and death. The mountain of light is inseparable from the mountain of Calvary. Jesus stands between glory and the cross, revealing that resurrection is reached only through suffering freely embraced in trust and obedience to the Father.

Msgr. Esseff reflects deeply on baptism as participation in Jesus’ own suffering, dying, and rising. Many, he notes, have been baptized yet avoid this interior journey by relying solely on reason, control, or self protection. Through the story of a young man discerning priesthood, he shows how attachment to reasoning alone can block the step of faith required to follow Christ fully. Faith is not figuring everything out. Faith is listening and responding when God speaks.

Drawing from the witness of Abraham and the teaching of St. Paul, Msgr. Esseff reminds listeners that God’s plan precedes time itself and unfolds within each person through Christ living within. Whether in family separation, illness, financial struggle, prison ministry, or global suffering, Jesus continues to suffer, die, and rise in his people. Lent becomes an invitation to interior listening, where the Father’s command on the mountain is heard anew: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

1. Where am I resisting the call to suffer, die, and rise with Christ this Lent?
2. How does reliance on reason or control limit my response to God’s invitation?
3. Have I truly encountered the risen Lord within my own life and experiences?
4. Where is Christ asking me to trust him beyond what I can explain or manage?
5. How can I practice deeper interior listening during this Lenten season?

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor reflects on the beginning of Chapter 5 and St. Benedict’s teaching on unhesitating obedience. This obedience is not compliance or loss of freedom. It is a readiness born of love. When Christ is cherished above all, the heart is not divided. It becomes able to respond promptly and peacefully.

St. Benedict roots obedience in deep listening and in a conscience formed by truth. It is never blind compliance or cooperation with what is false. It is alignment with Christ. Through ordinary acts of response, often unnoticed and unremarkable, the heart is trained to say a quiet yes. Over time, obedience becomes participation in Christ’s own fidelity, shaping a freedom that does not depend on having one’s own way.

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 5 §1 (RB 1980)

“The first step of humility is unhesitating obedience,
which comes naturally to those who cherish Christ above all.”

“Primus humilitatis gradus est oboedientia sine mora, quae convenit his qui nihil sibi carius Christo existimant.”

Letter from Paul to the Ephesians, 4:26-27. RSV–CE

“Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”

1. When I hear the word obedience, do I associate it with fear or with love?
2. What does my response time reveal about what I cherish most?
3. Where am I tempted to negotiate, delay or internally resist what is reasonably asked of me?
4. How is my conscience being formed by Christ rather than by preference or impulse?
5. What small act of prompt obedience can I practice today?

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®.

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

Psalm 27:8-9
“My heart says of You, ‘Seek His face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.”

Lent calls us deeper—not into more activity, but into greater surrender. The spiritual life is not about doing more but about giving God more space in our hearts, allowing Him to shape us according to His will. To pray is to surrender, to rest in God’s presence even when we feel nothing, and to trust Him even when we do not understand His ways.

Prayer is not always about receiving answers. Often, it is about being drawn into silence, where God speaks in ways beyond words. The great saints and mystics teach us that surrender in prayer is not passive but an active opening of our hearts to God. St. Teresa of Ávila reminds us:

“Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with Him who, we know, loves us.”

Yet, surrender is not easy. There are times when God seems distant, when prayer feels dry, and when surrender seems impossible. This is where perseverance is essential. Abba Isaac the Theban teaches:

“If you see that your prayers are not being answered, do not give up. God is drawing you closer through your perseverance.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Isaac the Theban 1)

God may seem silent, but He is never absent. He deepens our longing so that our hearts might expand to receive more of His love. Just as Jesus withdrew to pray before His great moments of suffering and glory, so too must we enter into deeper prayer, trusting that even in the silence, God is working in us.

The Desert Fathers saw prayer and surrender as the foundation of spiritual growth. Abba Agathon offers this wisdom:

“Keep your heart in prayer, and your heart will keep you in peace.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Agathon 10)

True surrender in prayer means not grasping for control but allowing ourselves to be led. It means praying not only to change our circumstances but to be changed ourselves.

As we reflect today, let us ask: Do we seek God’s presence or merely His answers? Are we willing to remain in prayer even when it feels dry or difficult? Can we surrender not just our struggles but our very selves to the One who loves us completely?

1. How can I cultivate a habit of deeper prayer and surrender in my daily life?
2. When has God seemed silent in my life, and how did I respond?
3. What are the areas of my life I need to surrender more fully to God?
4. How can I rest in God’s presence without needing immediate answers?

Lord, You call us to seek You, not just in words, but with our whole hearts. Teach us to surrender in prayer, trusting in Your love even when we do not feel it, and resting in Your presence even when we do not hear it. Give us perseverance when prayer feels difficult, and grant us the grace to open our hearts more fully to You. Transform us, Lord, so that we may live in deep communion with You.

Amen.

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