A Good Friday Reflection with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcast

A Good Friday Reflection with Msgr. John Esseff – Building a Kingdom of Love

Msgr. John Esseff guides listeners through a meditation on the Passion of Jesus Christ, drawing upon The Passion of the Christ film and the Stations of the Cross to help internalize Christ’s suffering. He invites the listener to not merely recall Christ’s death as a historical event, but to see it as a present and deeply personal encounter—where one’s own experiences of false accusations, humiliation, abandonment, and physical or emotional pain can be united with Jesus on the Cross. Through the lens of suffering, he encourages the faithful to discover how their wounds, rejections, and even anger can become moments of profound communion with Christ.

The crucifixion is the ultimate revelation of divine love and mercy, extending to every person throughout all time. Jesus’ death was not just an act of redemption but also a call for each individual to carry their own cross in union with Him. Msgr. Esseff reflects on the power of the Cross to overcome evil, the importance of spiritual companions like Mary, Simon of Cyrene, and Veronica, and the intimate way in which Christ shares in all human suffering.

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Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

1. How have I experienced false accusation or rejection, and how might I unite that with Christ’s own Passion?
2. In what ways have I been invited to carry my own cross, and how have I responded to that call?
3. Who has been a Simon of Cyrene or a Veronica in my life, helping me bear suffering with compassion?
4. Have I ever felt abandoned by God, and how does Jesus’ cry from the Cross speak into that experience?
5. Do I allow Christ’s suffering and love on the Cross to transform the way I view my own pain and struggles?
6. How can I enter more deeply into the mystery of Good Friday and stay spiritually present with Jesus in the tomb?
7. In moments of humiliation or spiritual dryness, do I turn to Mary, my spiritual mother, for comfort?
8. How does the crucifixion reveal to me the depth of God’s mercy and love for every human person, including myself?
9. What part of the Passion narrative resonates most deeply with my current season of life?
10. Do I see my daily sacrifices and trials as opportunities to grow in union with Christ and participate in His redeeming love?

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Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta.    He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity around the world.  Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio,  who would become a spiritual father to him.  He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world, especially to the poor.   He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests, sisters, seminarians, and other religious leaders around the world.