Abiding Together

In this week's episode, we reflect on how to prepare for Advent. During this busy season, it is easy to spend more time preparing our home than our hearts and we chat about the need for slowing down, quieting our hearts and surroundings, and becoming attentive to God’s presence in our daily lives. We also share practical ways we prepare and wait for the coming of our Lord at Christmas. Heather’s One Thing - The songs Holy Forever (YouTube) and The Story I’ll Tell (YouTube) Sister Miriam’s One Thing - The Carmellite Sisters (View their upcoming events here) Michelle’s One Thing -  The song You Know My Name by Tasha Cobbs and This “Full of Hope” Advent Mug from Blessed is She   Announcement: Our Advent study begins next week! Be sure to subscribe to our weekly email to receive each episode, discussion questions, and videos to your inbox.   Journal Questions: Ask the Holy Spirit: What do you want me to be present to this season? Where do I need hope in my life? Where do I lack peace in my life? Where do I need joy in my life? Where do I need to birth joy in my life?   Discussion Questions: What practices do you incorporate in Advent to embrace the season of preparation? When will you take time for prayer this week and throughout Advent? How can you better embrace Advent rather than just tolerate it? How can you slow the interior pace of your heart in Advent?   Quotes to Ponder: “The liturgy of Advent…helps us to understand fully the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an ‘advent,’ a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ. To predispose our mind to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the Creed, one day will come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize him as present in the events of daily life. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously.” (St. John Paul II)   Scripture for Lectio:  “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)   Sponsor - The Little Rose Shop: Discover the beauty of integrating faith into your everyday life with The Little Rose Shop. Our Morning Offering Prayer mug , is the perfect companion for your morning routine, allowing you to start each day with a heartfelt prayer, focusing your thoughts on Christ. Plus, explore our Quiet Books collection, including the Mass Quiet Book, Rosary Quiet Book, the Where is Jesus Quiet Book, and Wrapped in Mary’s Mantle Quiet Book. These engaging books are designed for babies and toddlers, making it easy to introduce them to the wonders of faith in a quiet and interactive way—perfect for adoration or Mass. As a special treat for Abiding Together listeners, use promo code ABIDING15 for an exclusive 15% discount at checkout. Enrich your spiritual journey and bring the joy of faith into your home with The Little Rose Shop.   Timestamps: 00:00 - The Little Rose Shop 01:31 - Intro 02:24 - Welcome 04:44 - Guiding Quote and Scripture Verse 05:54 - Stillness 07:20 - Preparing Our Hearts 11:29 - Distractions 14:16 - Intentional and Incarnational 17:25 - Slowing Down 18:57 - Finishing Well 20:16 - Practical Ideas 25:59 - Announcement 27:36 - One Things  30:08 - Closing Prayer

In this week's episode, we conclude our three part series on the heart and  Pope Francis’ recent encyclical Dilexit Nos. We reflect on Scripture as a personal love story, how it speaks to our areas of weakness, and the awesome reality of Jesus desiring to love and heal us there. The Lord meets us where we are and He is always seeking to bring our hearts closer to His. He speaks directly to each one of us with an invitation to be loved and to love. This invitation of love requires a response not only in big moments but in the ordinary moments of each day. Heather’s One Thing - Her friends Laura and Brandon Sister Miriam’s One Thing - Farkle Classic Dice Game Michelle’s One Thing -  Nazareth Organics (especially the Sleep Balm) Michelle’s Other One Thing - The Florida State vs UNC game   Other Resources Mentioned:  “Dilexit Nos”: A brief guide for busy readers Dilexit Nos audio version   Journal Questions: How do I experience spiritual amnesia and forget the ways the Lord loves me? When have I experienced the tender love of the Lord in places of poverty and isolation in my heart? Where in my life do I need to hear the sweet sound of the Lord’s heartbeats? What does Jesus want to convey to me through that sound? What parts of Christ’s Body, the Church, do I fail to love?   Discussion Questions: How has the Lord being present to your heart brought you healing and communion? How has the barrage of tragedy and hardship from the news and social media hardened your heart toward human suffering? Where are the lukewarm places of your heart? What conversations can you have, actions can you take, or apologies can you make to love your neighbor like Christ?   Quotes to Ponder: The pierced heart of Christ embodies all God’s declarations of love present in the Scriptures. That love is no mere matter of words; rather, the open side of his Son is a source of life for those whom he loves, the fount that quenches the thirst of his people. (Pope Francis, “Dilexit Nos”, Paragraph 101) Saint Augustine opened the way to devotion to the Sacred Heart as the locus of our personal encounter with the Lord. For Augustine, Christ’s wounded side is not only the source of grace and the sacraments, but also the symbol of our intimate union with Christ, the setting of an encounter of love. There we find the source of the most precious wisdom of all, which is knowledge of him. In effect, Augustine writes that John, the beloved disciple, reclining on Jesus’ bosom at the Last Supper, drew near to the secret place of wisdom. (Pope Francis, “Dilexit Nos”, Paragraph 103)   Scripture for Lectio:  “I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.” (Hosea 11:4)   Sponsor - Leanne Bowen: Today’s sponsor is Leanne Bowen Fine Art. We love her prints and her candles. These candles smell so good and burn super slowly. She just released a beautiful collection of candle tins that are the perfect size for stockings and hostess gifts! She has a new image of the three wisemen on a Frankincense and Myrrh candle. Her candle scents are really unique and the artwork on the labels make them very intentional gifts. Her most popular candle in November is the Cranberry Orange Spice. It has a stunning image of the Holy Family on the label. She also has a Chrism Sacred Heart candle that smells JUST like Chrism! Leanne also offers Christmas cards of the Holy Family, Saint Nicholas, the three wisemen, and Mary holding Jesus. She is offering 15% off to all our listeners with the code ABIDE15 at www.LeanneBowen.com. We think you’ll love her stuff!   Timestamps: 00:00 - Leanne Bowen 01:33 - Intro 02:26 - Welcome 05:10 - Scripture Verse and Guiding Quote 06:26 - This is a Love Story 08:17 - Thirsting for God 10:30 - God Will Never Forget You 12:29 - Being Loved in Our Weaknesses 17:38 - Deeply and Individually Loved 19:42 - A Lament and a Request 22:42 - Loving Like Jesus 25:01 - Repairing 29:26 - Final Thoughts 30:36 - One Things  

In this week's episode, we continue our three part series on Pope Francis’ recent encyclical Dilexit Nos. We reflect on our ache to be loved, how Jesus heals in close proximity to us, and the “science of the caress”. We also talk about how Jesus is a man who comes and finds us wherever we are and longs to open up a new place for us in relationship with Him. Will we allow our hearts to beat again with love? Heather’s One Thing - Thai Peanut Chicken Stir Fry  Sister Miriam’s One Thing - Abuses in the Religious Life and the Path to Healing by Dom Dysmas de Lassus Michelle’s One Thing(s) - Fr. Mark Mary’s podcast: Rosary in a Year and Vanilla Caramel Nut Butter   Other Resources Mentioned:  “Dilexit Nos”: A brief guide for busy readers and Dilexit Nos audio version   Journal Questions: Do I perceive Jesus’ presence in my life as being up close to me, or at a distance? How have I encountered Jesus as the Lover? How do I project my scars onto Jesus? Who in my community or in the Church is hardest for me to love right now? How can I love them better? Where do I have a belief that Jesus is indifferent to me?   Discussion Questions: How have you experienced the ache to be cherished? How can you bring communion where there is polarity and discord? What happens in you when you consider the Sacred Heart of Jesus? When have you blindly trusted in Jesus and His Love and Providence for you? How did He prove Himself trustworthy?   Quotes to Ponder: “The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of his love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel. It stands at the origin of our faith, as the wellspring that refreshes and enlivens our Christian beliefs.” (Pope Francis, “Dilexit Nos”, Paragraph 32)   Scripture for Lectio:  “Take heart, daughter!” (Matthew 9:22)   Sponsor - Florecita Design: Florecita Design wants to help you build your domestic church. The Florecita Design Activity Bundle is a set of 12-15 printable activities for young children, delivered each month and based on the Catholic liturgical calendar. Every month, Florecita Design will help you incorporate math, science, and pre-literacy skills with your little kids all within the context of the Catholic Church. This Activity Bundle is a digital subscription created by a speech-language pathologist to provide parents with the tools and language to incorporate the faith easily into every day play for their 2 to 7 year-olds. All parents have to do is print the activities and follow along the instructional booklet for enriching, screen free ways to entertain their kids. Florecita Design just released the Advent and Christmas Activity Bundle, which is a holiday special with TWENTY activities, including puzzles, an Advent prayer banner, St. Nicholas activities, and so much more. To learn more, visit florecitadesign.com.  You can use the code ABIDE10 for 10% off your first three months of the Activity Bundle! You can also follow along on Instagram @florecitadesign for speech-language tips, sales and liturgical living ideas for little kids. Let’s teach our kids the Catholic faith in ways that are simple, tangible and beautiful!   Timestamps: 00:00 - Florecita Design 01:19 - Intro 02:12 - Welcome 02:43 - Actions Reflect Our Heart 04:09 - The Science of Caress 05:37 - The Humanity of Christ 08:26 - Aching to Be Loved 10:11 - The Holy Spirit and Community 14:03 - The Human Heart 17:08 - Vulnerability and Secure Love 20:00 - Our Image of God 23:08 - One Things

In this week's episode, we begin a three part series on Pope Francis’ recent encyclical Dilexit Nos (on the human and divine love of the Heart of Jesus Christ). We discuss how God, as the Divine initiator, loved us first and continuously calls us deeper into His most Sacred Heart. We also reflect on the meaning of our hearts, being captivated by Jesus’ love, and the beauty of allowing Him to set our hearts aflame.   Heather’s One Thing - Man and Woman and the Order of Creation Conference at Franciscan University (view the livestream here) Sister Miriam’s One Thing - Tomato Basil Soup Michelle’s One Thing - The book Sons in the Son by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR, and Fr. Angelus Montgomery, CFR ( Sign up here to get the consecration reflections)   Other Resources Mentioned:  “Dilexit Nos”: A brief guide for busy readers Dilexit Nos audio version   Journal Questions: Who am I, really? What am I looking for? What direction do I want to give to my life? Why and for what purpose am I in the world? How do I want to look back on my life once it ends? What meaning do I want to give to all my experiences? Who do I want to be for others? Who am I for God?   Discussion Questions: How do you belittle or dismiss the movements of your own heart? When do you feel distanced from your heart in this season? How can you minimize the distance you have from your heart this week? How do you self-protect instead of making a self-gift? What direction do you want to give to your life? Why and for what purpose are you in the world?   Quotes to Ponder: “The heart is also the locus of sincerity, where deceit and disguise have no place. It usually indicates our true intentions, what we really think, believe and desire, the “secrets” that we tell no one: in a word, the naked truth about ourselves. It is the part of us that is neither appearance or illusion, but is instead authentic, real, entirely “who we are”.”  (Pope Francis, “Dilexit Nos”, Paragraph 5) Scripture for Lectio:   “He loved us first.”  (1 John 4:19)   Sponsor - Reform Wellness: Reform Wellness is a Christ-centered functional medicine and holistic wellness ministry. Reform redefines health as the state of your body and soul. Their mission is to empower the whole person to find well-being in Christ and become the best versions of themselves physically and spiritually. Reform works with private clients, corporate teams, religious communities, and educational institutions worldwide, both in-person and online. They offer valuable information, educational resources, and lifelong tools to improve your physical and spiritual well-being.   We invite you to learn more about Reform’s foundational course Reform Online which offers educational tools, best practices, and community through their nine wellness pillars centered in Christ. Reform is extending an exclusive discount for all our listeners on their upcoming Cohort: Reform Your Home and Family. We highly recommend this three-month foundational course; we’ve each taken Reform Online and still benefit from the fruits in our daily lives. Use code “Abide10'' for your exclusive discount through November 15.    Timestamps: 00:00 - Reform Wellness 01:39 - Intro 02:31 - Announcement and Welcome 05:04 - About the Encyclical 06:53 - The Importance of the Heart 11:16 - The Heart as the Locus of Sincerity 14:54 - Our Heart is Meant for Love 18:46 - Being Captivated by Jesus’ Love 24:20 - The Sacred Heart Aflame with Love 25:51 - One Things