Jul 2006 Christian Spirituality By George A Lane SJ

 FINDING GOD'S WILL: DISCERNMENT Continue from ...... There are two different levels of discernment, and St Ignatius divides them into two sets of rules. the first set goes with the First Week of the Spiritual Exercises, and the second set with the following weeks. The First Week has a distinctive purpose, to prepare a person to receive the grace of God by taking some fundamental considerations about themselves and the world around them. One tries to locate oneself in the world, in relationship to God, and to see where they stand, and to assess their value system. Once this is done and the need for contact with God is realized, a person can then confront the distinctly Christian vocation of following Christ. Once a person realizes that God is an operative force in their life, they start to ask themselves how they can serve God better. The problem of sin is transcended and they move toward the goal of a closer following of Christ. We see, then, that there are two phases, choosing between good and evil (First Week, Rules I), and then the choice among various alternative goods, how to follow Christ more closely (Second Week, Rules II). When the choice is no longer between good and evil, but among various goods, things can become confused, and a person wonders how they can know that a particular way of behaving or a particular choice is God’s will or not. This is where discernment comes in. The two basic states of soul, the matter for discernment, Ignatius calls consolation and desolation. Consolation is the complete love of God with an increase of faith, hope, and charity, and interior joy. Desolation is the opposite, darkness of soul, turmoil of spirit, restlessness, temptations against faith, hope and love. For a person going from one mortal sin to another, the evil spirit presents apparent pleasures, sensual delights, and gratifications; for the same person the good spirit causes remorse and the sting of conscience. For one moving from sin to love of God, the spirits act the very opposite: the evil one harasses with anxiety, sadness, and obstacles; the good spirit gives courage, strength, consolation, and peace. So at the beginning a person must know the basic orientation of their life and then develop a keen sensitivity about how they feel. When one is experiencing desolation, Ignatius advises that they be patient, realize that God has left them on their own, and be assured that God will give sufficient grace to overcome that state of soul. When one is in consolation, they should store up strength against desolation and humbly recognize the source of their well-being.

- To Be Continued - © Copyright Shalom 2006. All rights reserved.