Welcome to Life, Love, & Light!
In this new series of podcasts, we delve into the wisdom of the Christian mystics to discover how they may inspire, encourage, and guide us on our own spiritual path -- especially during this time of pandemic that produces so much fear and suffering.
The first season focuses on Julian of Norwich, the beloved fourteenth century mystic who received sixteen "Revelations of Divine Love" from Christ on the cross. Julian is best known for the words she heard Christ speak to her: All shall be well, and all shall be well, and thou shalt see thyself that all manner of thing shall be well. But there is so much more to discover in Julian’s Revelations — about the unconditional love and mercy of God, the nature of prayer, the Motherhood of God, and the ways in which Christ transforms all our sufferings into glory. Julian will be our contemplative guide, especially since she knew so much about "sheltering in place" for over twenty-five years as an enclosed anchorite and living through four cycles of the Bubonic plague! We will explore each of Julian's sixteen Revelations. Every segment will also include a Guided Meditation at the end. I invite you to make this “Virtual Retreat with Julian of Norwich" while sheltering in place in your own homes or practicing social distancing as you enjoy Nature. I sincerely hope that Julian will inspire and reassure you through these troubled times, granting renewed hope and trust that yes, indeed: All shall be well. PLEASE NOTE: The series begins with "Sheltering in Place" at the top. New podcasts will be posted every week, usually on Friday. I invite you to share these podcasts with family and friends who may benefit from Julian's words of wisdom and inspiration. Please visit the "Books" page above for information about my writings on Julian of Norwich. And if you wish to make a donation to support the costs of producing these free podcasts and maintaining this website, I would be very grateful. (And when you see "Donate to Roni," that's short for VeRONIca.) Thank you so much. Veronica Mary Rolf "Your podcast was certainly one of the gifts of this present shelter in place. I enjoyed the analogy between our present shelter in place situation and that of Julian of Norwich’s. And thank you so much for the wonderful meditation. It’s affording my shelter at home experience a wonderful connection with the Divine. You are so generous to share your spiritual insights." Karen
"Thank you again. I’m so looking forward to the podcast, the week's Revelation and meditation. In between I meditate on the previous revelation, reading your books - as I have done before. . . . I really love “God-in-a-point”. And thank you for the beautiful explanation of that mystical experience. It reminds me of a theme in Russian orthodox theology: The Unexpected Joy." Torhild Thank you so much! Am just discovering so much here that brings hope and light and a fresh way of meeting God in meditation. Wonderful! Louise "It is a blessing that Julian's message is touching so many especially during this time of great uncertainty and suffering. As you have pointed out, her times and ours have great similarities. Indeed, an insightful and courageous woman! Let us strive to model our own lives after her example." Sr. Mary Pat "Listening to your (Julian's) words draws me into another realm of such wonder and love, a veritable foretaste of heaven's delights! I want to thank you so much for all of the effort and love you put into making those podcasts, Veronica. They are marvelous. Our Julian saw it all! And, to her, by a singular grace, God granted the capacity to express it in a depth of beauty that is truly unique in the manner that it touches and sheds heavenly light in one's spirit." Sr. Mary Catherine "I have been fascinated with the life and reflections of Julian of Norwich for quite some time. Thank you for sharing your insight into the life of this spiritual giant and your beautiful meditations." Anne I have so enjoyed listening to these and also look forward to reading your new book! Congratulations on your nice award for that! Thank you for sharing your impactful insights with so many. I love your meditations at the end with which to relax & ponder. Thank you! Jody Thank you, Veronica, for your podcast "Sheltering in Place." Here in Melbourne, Australia, we have Stage 4 lock downs and it finally got to me! Missing family, imprisoned, negative media and thinking etc. . . . I listened to your podcast and received the gift of thinking differently and a different language around our circumstances. In my spirit and soul I feel so protected under the Sheltering of the Divine. Bless you in your ministry and keep safe and well. Kerin Thank you so much for your podcasts on Julian of Norwich. Her revelations and your ministry on them are full of wonderful spiritually inspired truths and blessings. I will listen to them often over and over again. Thank you for sharing your insights and understanding of Julian's revelations. Thank you for investing years and years in study and meditation and for sharing the fruits of your labour so freely with us all. You have very graciously shared your podcasts with whomever would listen and I pray your coming retreat will be a wonderful blessing to all who attend, and that God will richly bless you through out the retreat with his loving presence and inspiration. Jeanette |
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In this Second Season of Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we will explore a fascinating variety of biblical mystics -- the very mystics who inspired and guided Julian of Norwich, whose Revelations of Divine Love we explored during our First Season of podcasts. Indeed, mystics throughout the ages have always been steeped in and nurtured by the stories and characters of sacred Scripture. Over the next weeks and months, we will be meeting these men and women who faced major challenges and crises in their lives . . . made some really big mistakes . . . were forgiven . . . received mystical revelations . . . and then dared to act on those revelations.
These biblical mystics were not ready made saints. They were ordinary and imperfect people just like us who hoped and struggled, questioned and doubted, and sometimes even despaired. As we will see, they did not always make the right choices. But because they were willing to listen to divine guidance within and to learn from their mistakes, eventually, they were given the light and grace to follow the path that was revealed to them and to obey the call of God.
I hope their stories will become powerful inspirations for us in our own time of crisis, fear, and uncertainty, and that these biblical mystics will become our personal spiritual guides. Exploring the stories of biblical mystics may also help us recall and re-evaluate the ways in which God has spoken to us in the past . . . and is speaking to us right now.
We begin with the story of "Abram, Father of Faith," and four mystical "Theophanies" -- or divine revelations -- that he received from the Lord. We examine the nature of the divine call and the journey and struggles it entails. And we relate Abram's questions, doubts. and eventual surrender in faith to our own spiritual path. This is an immensely important reflection, especially in this time of pandemic. Please share this and future podcasts with your family and friends who may be seeking the Lord’s will in their own lives, or who may be depressed or full of doubts about their path, or who may need to be reminded that the Lord speaks to us through our own circumstances . . . at every stage of our spiritual journey. Blessings to all!
These biblical mystics were not ready made saints. They were ordinary and imperfect people just like us who hoped and struggled, questioned and doubted, and sometimes even despaired. As we will see, they did not always make the right choices. But because they were willing to listen to divine guidance within and to learn from their mistakes, eventually, they were given the light and grace to follow the path that was revealed to them and to obey the call of God.
I hope their stories will become powerful inspirations for us in our own time of crisis, fear, and uncertainty, and that these biblical mystics will become our personal spiritual guides. Exploring the stories of biblical mystics may also help us recall and re-evaluate the ways in which God has spoken to us in the past . . . and is speaking to us right now.
We begin with the story of "Abram, Father of Faith," and four mystical "Theophanies" -- or divine revelations -- that he received from the Lord. We examine the nature of the divine call and the journey and struggles it entails. And we relate Abram's questions, doubts. and eventual surrender in faith to our own spiritual path. This is an immensely important reflection, especially in this time of pandemic. Please share this and future podcasts with your family and friends who may be seeking the Lord’s will in their own lives, or who may be depressed or full of doubts about their path, or who may need to be reminded that the Lord speaks to us through our own circumstances . . . at every stage of our spiritual journey. Blessings to all!
In our Third Season of "Life, Love, & Light " podcasts, we explore "The Mystical Path." We discuss what is involved in following such a path – not only through the practice of contemplative prayer – but in every aspect of our daily lives. I also guide the listener in forms of meditation that great mystics of the past, both East and West, have promised can inform and radically transform our lives. I hope these meditations will enrich your own daily practice.
In our first episode, we consider "What is Mysticism?" in its scriptural, liturgical, and contemplative dimensions. We define mysticism in psychological and personal terms and question when mystical life begins. In examining the course of our spiritual development, we realize that the deep yearning for a mystical life is the result of a profound "conversion" of heart. We want to experience that Christ is really here, now, with us – within us – on this path. More and more radically, we want to surrender – not out of desperation, but out of love. We choose to live now not our own lives, but his. Finally, we consider the signs of true mysticism and discover that Christian Mysticism is really not a path at all . . . but a profound love relationship with a person: the person of Jesus Christ.
PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with family members and friends who may be searching for a spiritual path right now.
In our first episode, we consider "What is Mysticism?" in its scriptural, liturgical, and contemplative dimensions. We define mysticism in psychological and personal terms and question when mystical life begins. In examining the course of our spiritual development, we realize that the deep yearning for a mystical life is the result of a profound "conversion" of heart. We want to experience that Christ is really here, now, with us – within us – on this path. More and more radically, we want to surrender – not out of desperation, but out of love. We choose to live now not our own lives, but his. Finally, we consider the signs of true mysticism and discover that Christian Mysticism is really not a path at all . . . but a profound love relationship with a person: the person of Jesus Christ.
PLEASE SHARE these podcasts with family members and friends who may be searching for a spiritual path right now.
In the Fourth Season of Life, Love, & Light podcasts, we delve into the all-important but rarely discussed topic of Resurrection, based on my recent award winning book, Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters, co-authored by my daughter, Eva Natanya, PhD. In the first episode -- entitled What is Resurrection? -- we consider ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Hebrew ideas about the afterlife: what it was, what it was not. Then we examine biblical references to life after death in the psalms, prophets, apocalyptic literature, and the Book of Wisdom. In the process, we discover that faith in the resurrection of the body and soul of the whole person to new life after death was based not on human merits or worthiness, but rather on the goodness and steadfastness of Yahweh. Hope in the eventual triumph of divine life over human death was grounded in the certainty that the Creator is all-powerful. What God creates, God can and will redeem and recreate. Sin and death have no hold over Yahweh. Future podcasts will closely examine the four biblical accounts of Christ's resurrection to discover the bedrock of Christian belief in bodily resurrection. We will also consider how we may begin living resurrected lives even now, as sons and daughters of the resurrection.
Please let your friends know about this new season of Life, Love, & Light podcasts. They are also available on Apple, Google, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, and all the major directories as well as on https://lifelovelight.buzzsprout.com/.
At this time of great disharmony, fear, crisis, and suffering in our world, one thing remains certain: The love of God is everlasting.
Please let your friends know about this new season of Life, Love, & Light podcasts. They are also available on Apple, Google, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, and all the major directories as well as on https://lifelovelight.buzzsprout.com/.
At this time of great disharmony, fear, crisis, and suffering in our world, one thing remains certain: The love of God is everlasting.