Sunday Sparks Topics

1. Prayer is Practical
2. Four Habits of Relational Prayer
3. Silence
4. Holiness
5. Practicing the Presence of God
6. Discernment of Spirits
7. Discernment: Two Paths (Rules 1 & 2)
8. Consolation (Rule 3)
9. Desolation (Rule 4)

Sunday Sparks are about 10 minutes long.  These Sunday Sparks are also broken down into 1 minute segments in our Short Sparks videos (Google Drive or YouTube Playlist).

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in Love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in Love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.” (Often attributed to Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ but by Joseph Whelan, SJ)



“Those who are too confident in their own strength do not ask for the Lord’s aid.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

“Lord, keep your hands over Philip this day; for if not, Philip will betray you.” (St. Philip Neri)

“Declare gently that you want to be devout; not that you ‘are devout,’ but that you ‘want to be devout.’ Never be ashamed of ordinary and necessary actions which lead us to the love of God. (St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life)

“But who is Aslan? Do you know him?”  “Well -- he knows me,” said Edmund. “He is the great Lion, the son of the Emperor over the Sea, who saved me and saved Narnia.” (Edmund and Eustace, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis)

“I am not accustomed to walking into a pitch-black room and beginning to chat about my day on the off-chance that someone might be there to listen.” (Fr. Scott Traynor, The Parish as a School of Prayer)

“Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live.” (Isaiah 55:3)

“There was a strong and violent wind … but the Lord was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake - but the Lord was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, a fire - but the Lord was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound” (1 Kings 19:11-13).

“In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you. … Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.” (St. Mother Teresa)

Jesus' Silence and Solitude:  Matthew 14:13, Matthew 14:23, Mark 14:32-41, Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 1:12, Mark 1:35, Mark 1:45, Mark 6:31-32, Mark 6:46, Luke 4:42, Luke 5:15-16, Luke 6:12, Luke 9:18, Luke 22:39-46.

The Cheerful Quiet by Betty Horvath

“Jesus especially delights in the meditation that is made before the Blessed Sacrament.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

“If you can make your meditation quietly in church, it will be well” for he notes, “very probably you could not secure a time so free from interruption at home.” (St. Francis de Sales)

“He who seeks God will find him everywhere and at all times.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

The Difference by Grace L. Naessens

“Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy — then we need an hour.” (Attributed to St. Francis de Sales)

“Early in the morning, when your mind will be less cumbered, and fresh after the night’s rest.” (St. Francis de Sales)

“Seven times a day I praise you” and to “pray without ceasing.” (Psalm 119:164, 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

“It is certain that a half hour’s meditation each day would not be sufficient to attain a high degree of perfection.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

“Mental prayer is tedious to those who are attached to the world, but not to those who love God only. Ah! Conversation with God is not painful nor tedious to those who truly love him. … ‘Taste and see that the Lord is sweet.’ Try it, and you shall see how sweet the Lord is!” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

Invitation to Solitude by St. Alphonsus Liguori

“Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)

”Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48).

"... that through them you may come to share in the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4)

“The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.” (French Catholic novelist Leon Bloy)

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” “I will do it. Be made clean.” (Matthew 8:2-3)

“God commanded the plants, at the creation, to bear fruit each according to its kind (Genesis. 1:11). Similarly, he commands Christians, the living plants of his Church, to produce the fruits of devotion, according to each one's ability and occupation.” (St. Francis de Sales)

“In the Lord’s garden are to be found not only the roses of his martyrs. In it there are also the lilies of the virgins, the ivy of wedded couples, and the violets of widows. On no account may any class of people despair, thinking God has not called them.” (St. Augustine)

“The practice of devotion has to be adapted to the strength, life-situation and duties of each individual.” “Devotion makes the care of the family peaceful, the love of husband and wife more sincere, the service of the ruler more loyal, and every sort of occupation more pleasant and more loveable.” (St. Francis de Sales)

“one of the most sure means of your spiritual progress.” (St. Francis de Sales)

“The holiest and most necessary practice in the spiritual life is that of the presence of God.” “If I were a preacher, I would preach nothing but the practice of the presence of God; and if I were a spiritual director, I would recommend it to everyone, for I believe there is nothing so necessary or so easy.” (Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection)

St. Francis de Sales suggests visualizing God’s presence in one of four ways:

1. A lively and attentive awareness of the omnipresence of God.
2. God is present not only in your place but in your heart or soul.
3. Think of Jesus who sees from heaven all his children and especially those in prayer.
4. Imagine Jesus beside you as your friend.

“Long for God again and again … by short and ardent soarings of the heart: admire his beauty, ask for his help, throw yourself in spirit at the foot of the Cross, adore his goodness, speak to him often about salvation, give him your heart a thousand times a day. ... say in your heart or aloud those which love prompts at the time.” (St. Francis de Sales)

Examples from Brother Lawrence:

• My God, I am completely yours.
• God of love, I love you with all my heart.
• Lord, fashion me according to your heart.
• Any other words love spontaneously produces.

Examples from St. Alphonsus Liguori:

• My Jesus, you alone are sufficient for me!
• Suffer me not to separate myself from you.
• I believe in you, I hope in you, I love you!
• Here I am, O Lord; do with me what you will!
• My God, I desire you alone, and nothing more.
• Let me die before again offending you.
• O my Jesus, draw me entirely to yourself!
• You are all-powerful; make me a saint.
• Let me give myself entirely to you this day.
• I desire to die for you, who did die for me.

“Think of God often, night and day, in all your activities, and even when you relax. He is always near you and with you; do not leave him alone. You would consider it rude to leave a friend who is visiting you by himself; then why abandon God and leave him alone? Do not forget him. Think of him often … This is the true occupation of a Christian; in a word, this is our trade. If we don’t know it, we must learn it!” (Brother Lawrence)

“Birds have nests in the trees where they can seek refuge ... Deer have their bushes and their thickets where they hide, seek shelter and find the coolness of the shade in summer.” So too “our hearts must find and choose some place each day, either on Mount Calvary, or in the wounds of our Lord, or in some other place near him. There we must seek refuge at every opportunity. There we must refresh and recreate ourselves in the midst of exterior occupations.” (St. Francis de Sales)

“Put your hand to the plough; if you carry this out properly you can rest assured you will soon see the benefits. I will help you with my prayers, poor as they are.” (Brother Lawrence)

More Resources

Fr. Timothy Gallagher

• Setting Captives Free (Free Audio Series)
• The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living (Book)

Pope Francis Catechesis on Discernment