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We trace the Carmelite path from Elijah’s quiet breeze to Teresa and John’s reform, exploring how silence, scripture, and daily Eucharist shape a life of allegiance to Christ. Along the way, we look at Mary’s role, major historical shifts, and why laypeople might discern the Secular Order.

• origins on Mount Carmel and Elijah’s witness
• the Rule of St Albert and daily Eucharist
• shift to mendicant life and urban presence
• crises, mitigations and the call to reform
• Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross’ renewal
• Mary as model contemplative and patron
• Spain’s Golden Age and Carmelite saints
• differences with the Ancient Observance
• why charisms matter for lay discernment
• how the Secular Order forms prayer and life

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Want a prayer life that feels like a real relationship, not a checklist? We dive into Lectio Divina—sacred reading—as a simple, time-tested way to hear God through scripture and grow in freedom. Rather than racing through chapters or playing Bible roulette, we slow down with a short passage, repeat it, listen for the phrase that stirs the heart, talk with God about it, and then rest in his presence. This isn’t study or analysis; it’s encounter with the living Word who gently convicts, comforts, and guides.

We trace how the Church has heard God in scripture from the earliest communities through the Desert Fathers, Benedictine steadiness, and Carmelite contemplation. Along the way, we clarify what “inspired” means, why the canon matters, and how the Gospels shape every reading. Then we get practical: posture, breathing, choosing the day’s Gospel, repeating a few lines, journaling, and handling distractions without shame. You’ll hear a live walkthrough of Galatians 4–5 that shows how a single phrase—“stand firm” or “do not take the yoke of slavery”—can become a personal word that leads to concrete change.

If your mind wanders, you’re normal. If prayer feels dry, that silence can still be holy ground. We unpack the “ear of the heart,” how to notice interior movements, and why peaceful rest in God often bears the deepest fruit. Over time, Lectio Divina shapes identity: truth replaces cultural noise, freedom grows where fear once ruled, and trust deepens as you return to the same verses that quietly anchor you. Whether you’re new to prayer or seasoned in contemplation, this gentle rhythm can steady your days and open space for real conversation with God.

Subscribe or follow, share this with a friend who needs a simple way to pray, and leave a review telling us which verse keeps calling you back. Your words help others discover the path to a freer, quieter, more faithful life.

Other Prayer Episodes

• Prayer: Building a Relationship with God Beyond Words (Season 2 Episode 40)
• Relationship is at the Core of Religion (Season 2 Episode 35)
• Passing on the Faith: A Dialogue on Community, Relationship, and Personal Growth (Season 2 Episode 32)
• Navigating and Deepening Your Relationship with God (Season 2 Episode 18)
• Our Relationship with God (Season 2 Episode 8)
• Relationship (Season 1 Episode 7)

Click here to support the Carmelite Friars!

Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!

Send us a text

We explore mental prayer through a Carmelite lens, moving from definitions and methods to the lived experience of silence, distraction, and trust. The theme is simple and demanding: prayer is a relationship, not a performance, and silence is where love learns to listen.

• mental prayer as interior attention and loving presence with God
• meditation using reason vs mental prayer using affection and attention
• rosary as rhythm that steadies focus on the mysteries
• how distraction and dryness purify motives and deepen trust
• the necessity of silence for identity, depth, and freedom from noise
• discursive prayer and the Carmelite emphasis on friendship with Christ
• practical helps for recollection: scripture, crucifix, sacred music
• growing intimacy through practice, Lectio Divina, small resolutions
• reflection prompts on silence, expectations, and dialogue vs monologue

Click here to support the Carmelite Friars!

Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!