The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life: Learning to Listen to God with a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor

Episode 38 – St. Mechtilde of Hackeborn – The Book of Special Grace — Being Held by God

In this episode of The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life, Kris McGregor turns to St. Mechtilde of Hackeborn, a Benedictine nun whose life was deeply formed by the liturgy, the Holy Rule, and the worshiping life of the monastery at Helfta. Within that rich world of the Divine Office, the psalms, Eucharistic love and sacred learning, Mechtilde came to know God not as distant or uncertain, but as constant, attentive and near. Her teaching rises from a soul shaped by praise, listening, and long fidelity.

At the heart of this episode is a deeply consoling truth: God’s love comes first. Mechtilde shows that the soul is not loved only when it is fervent, attentive, or strong. It is held because God has already set His love upon it. This is why her teaching is so gentle and so steady. She is not trying to stir emotion. She is helping the heart receive what is already true. The soul is never outside God’s care.

This vision fits naturally within the Benedictine way. The liturgy teaches us to live within God’s initiative. Stability teaches the soul not to run. Obedience teaches one to listen with the ear of the heart. Through repeated return in prayer, praise, and worship, trust begins to grow. In Christ, this care is not abstract but personal. This episode invites listeners to let go of the hidden fear of being overlooked or left to themselves and to receive, more deeply, the quiet assurance that they are known, loved, and held by God.

Citations

St. Mechtilde of Hackeborn, The Book of Special Grace.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

1. Do I carry a hidden fear of being overlooked, forgotten, or left to myself by God?
2. How has liturgical prayer, parish worship, or the rhythm of the Church’s prayer shaped my trust in God?
3. Do I tend to think God’s love depends on how attentive, strong, or spiritually successful I feel?
4. In what areas of my life do I most need to receive the truth that I am held in God’s care?
5. How might my prayer change if I began more consciously from God’s love rather than from my own effort?

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The Rule Of St. Benedict For Daily Life: Learning To Listen To God With A Discerning Heart

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