The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life: Learning to Listen to God with a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor
Episode 37 – St. Gertrude the Great – Friendship With the Lord
In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor turns to St. Gertrude the Great, a Benedictine nun formed in the remarkable monastery of Helfta. Her love for Christ is tender, reverent, and deeply rooted in the life of prayer. Gertrude did not grow in isolation. She was shaped within a community ordered by the Holy Rule, the Divine Office, sacred study, and faithful monastic life. In that setting, her desire was educated, her attention was trained, and her love for Christ was given language.
Gertrude helps us see that intimacy with the Lord does not come from spiritual excitement or passing emotion. It grows through daily fidelity. The rhythm of prayer, Scripture, liturgy, and return slowly forms a heart capable of friendship with Christ. Her prayer is simple and deeply revealing: she asks Jesus to remain with her so that her heart may remain with Him. She knows how easily the heart becomes divided and scattered. She also knows that closeness to Christ is not something the soul can secure by its own effort.
This episode shows how naturally Gertrude’s teaching fits within the Benedictine way. The Holy Rule does not stand in the way of intimacy with Christ. It makes room for it. Trust begins to grow where love has already begun. The more the soul knows Christ’s tenderness and faithfulness, the less it fears Him and the more willing it becomes to remain near Him. This episode invites listeners to see friendship with Christ not as a fantasy, but as the true life of the soul, formed by grace, prayer, and the repeated turning of the heart back to Him.
Citations
St. Gertrude the Great, Spiritual Exercises, Seventh Exercise
“O Jesus, you who are immensely dear to me, be with me always, so that my heart may stay with you and that your love may endure with me with no possibility of division.”
Galatians 2:20, RSV–Catholic Edition
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
Do I think of Christ as someone distant, or as someone who truly desires friendship with me?
How has prayer been shaping my heart to remain closer to the Lord?
What most often scatters my heart and pulls it away from Christ?
In what ways have daily fidelity, liturgy, and Scripture helped deepen my love for Jesus?
How might a simple prayer like “Lord, keep my heart with you” change the way I move through the day?