Day 82. The Call: Listening to the Heart
The consolations and desolations of life form, in a sense, a school of spiritual wisdom.
Michael Ivens, S.J.
Listening with our whole heart, then, is a matter of recognizing and responding to these unique windows of grace called spiritual consolations. For those of us who are flat-footed in the journey of faith, the recognition may come easier. When we find ourselves momentarily able to live in a way that we always thought…hoped…was possible. When we are filled with unshakable confidence and affection for Jesus, really sorry for sin (not just sort of mechanically so), enjoying – even looking forward to – prayer. In short when we feel like honest to goodness Christians and that we’ve finally arrived. Such is spiritual consolation.
Of course, it will not last. Ignatius is firm on this point too. Therefore enjoy, savor, and revel in these gift-moments. Listen carefully for the Lord’s guidance and, later on, take note of the circumstances surrounding the consolation experience. You may find remarkable clarity about questions that only hours before were murky and confusing. These are prime times for discernment.
And take to heart these two pieces of Ignatian wisdom. First, since spiritual consolations are only temporary, store up some of the grace for any desolations to follow, “take new strength for that time.” (323) Second, be careful to distinguish the authentic leadings of God from your own enthusiasm in the immediate aftermath of a consolation – the so-called “spiritual high” or “after-glow.” I’ve seen young people coming off powerful retreat experiences make rash and ill-advised commitments to God based on residual emotions rather than real discernment. Authentic leadings of God, as we said, are permanent and endure even after the feelings fade.
There’s another reason to be careful: Consolations can be counterfeit. Ignatius cautions that while a spiritual desolation is always from the enemy, a spiritual consolation can sometimes be phony. In other words, the enemy can deceive us with false and misleading consolations. Therefore, he advises that we proceed with our eyes wide open. Any leading of God, he observes, can be divided into three parts: the beginning, the middle and the end – or (1) the inspiration, (2) the process and (3) the real results. As we respond in obedience to the perceived voice of God, we want to keep listening and observing to ensure that all three parts are genuinely of God and don’t in fact conceal “the tail of the snake.”
Let’s say the Lord seems to be leading me in a simple matter. It’s evening and suddenly I get (1) the inspiration to drive to a chapel where there is perpetual adoration and pray. It’s an unusually strong urge combined with certain spiritual consolations that seem to indicate that there’s something important God wants to reveal there. As far as I can tell, it’s a legitimate inspiration. So, using Ignatius’ wisdom, I consider the beginning. Is there anything wrong, in principle, with going to the chapel to pray? No, as far as I can see, there’s no problem there. Then I reflect on (2) the process. How will I get to the chapel? Is there any reason I shouldn’t go? Are there any prior commitments or responsibilities I must attend to? Imagine, for example, that this inspiration occurs while I am babysitting my little sister. Unless there is a miraculous early return of our parents, it would be out of the question for me to leave her at home alone in order to “do God’s will.” The leading may still be authentic, but the timing must yield to a legitimate prior commitment.
Finally, suppose I have no such commitments and nothing seems wrong about me going. I drive to the chapel, but I never get there. Why? The route takes me past a place that holds particular temptation for me (suppose, for example, it’s a liquor store for which I might have a weakness, or maybe the home of a former dating relationship that remains a frequent snare for sin). It dawns on me that (3) the real result of the supposed “consolation” was merely to place me within the orbit of this particular sticky temptation. Thus the tail of the snake is exposed – though in this case too late. Careful reflection can prevent such situations before they arise, or at least provide wisdom after the fall.
Another important point about spiritual consolations and desolations. Even authentic spiritual consolations are not all good. Likewise, desolations are not all bad. When God grants graces in the form of spiritual consolations, we may become inflated. Feeling full of God can quickly and ever so subtly reverse into feeling full of self. One can grow proud and think that, after all, “I deserve this” or “I’m a cut above others in the spiritual life.” A desolation, though painful, helps to bring us back to earth and reminds us of the humble state of our “natural powers.” Desolations make us deeply aware, in the words of Ignatius, “that it is not ours to attain or maintain increased devotion…but that all is the gift and grace of God.” (322)
Be aware that learning the art of discernment of spirits takes time. Therefore, if this has been your first exposure to the notion of spiritual consolations and desolations, don’t write them off merely because they are unfamiliar. Ignatius recommends the practice of a daily Examen of Consciousness (note the spelling – this is not what you review before confession). It’s a discipline that one does twice daily – once around lunchtime and once at the end of the day. Finding a quiet place to reflect, I ask for light from the Holy Spirit and review the events of the day thus far, recalling any movements of the Spirit – any spiritual consolations or desolations. What effects did they produce in my soul? What did they prompt me to do? How did I respond? If it was desolation, was the urge to make a rash decision resisted?
The Examen will grow clearer with practice. Be patient. And as with all things of the spiritual life, we mustn’t get discouraged if we’re not able to do it consistently. My two rules for such things are: 1. Do what you can do. 2. Something is always better than nothing.
Novena Prayer
Jesus says: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Pier Giorgio responds: To live without faith, without a patrimony to defend, without a steady struggle for truth – that is not living but existing.
Let us Pray: Blessed Pier Giorgio, teach me silence in the face of personal humiliation and unjust criticism. But guide me to be courageous like you in standing on the side of God’s truth. Help me to be faithful to Him in all things, so that His will may be done in and through my life. Show me how to persevere in the struggle for those things which are holy and honorable.
Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is the source of grace and truth, all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I confidently turn to you for help in my present need: (in your own words, ask for the Lord to give you the grace to listen with your whole heart).
A Book of Prayers in Honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, by Rev. Timothy E. Deeter
Make it My Own
Daily Discernment Workbook
BRAIN STORM
1. Good Feelings and False Consolations
Strong spiritual feelings alone don’t indicate God’s will, but only those that pass the test of truth. St. Ignatius takes great pains to make the point that Godly decision-making can’t happen without three key convictions:
I want my choices to be always in accord with Catholic teaching.
I want to choose whatever will bring greatest glory to God.
I refuse to knowingly let any attachments to things other than God get in the way.
Consider the following situations. All involve false consolations. Can you identify which of the three convictions the person is missing?
A. Game Day
For the past year I’ve been meeting with a group of guys who are discerning the priesthood. We meet every other week and it’s been pretty good for me. I stopped attending in the fall, though, because we had to move the meetings to Sunday afternoons. They keep calling me and asking why I pulled out. Not gonna lie, that’s when I watch football with my dad. I know in my heart that’s a non-negotiable. It’s something we’ve always done together and I’m not giving it up. How could God want me to disappoint my dad like that?
My read on this situation:
Which of the three convictions is this person missing?
Why is this a false consolation?
What advice would I offer this person?
B. The Comfort of the Familiar
I’ve been praying about what internship to accept this summer. One involves going to Guatemala and working with Catholic Charities doing outreach to street kids. It would involve a lot of sacrifice, to say the least. My other option is to work with my uncle’s architectural firm which is what I did last summer. When I think about going to Guatemala I get anxious and start freaking out about being kidnapped or something scary like that. When I consider going back to the firm, I like the fact that I already know what’s expected of me and I have a good set of friends there. It’s the choice I’m most at peace with, so I think that’s what God wants for me.
My read on this situation:
Which of the three convictions is this person missing?
Why is this a false consolation?
What advice would I offer this person?
C. The Zen of Prayer
My prayer time is my favorite time of the day. I get so much peace from quieting my heart, focusing on breathing and posture, letting go of all my thoughts and just resting. I learned this approach in a yoga class. Quiet. Still. Empty. It helped me through a time of great anxiety years ago, so I stick to it all the time. Lately my spiritual advisor has been telling me I should change my pattern to make it more faithful to what the Catechism says about Christian prayer. She says I should include talking to God and reading scripture. I don’t know. When I think or pray about making this change I feel fear. When I go back to my established pattern I have peace. That’s the right sign you’re doing what God wants, right?
My read on this situation:
Which of the three convictions is this person missing?
Why is this a false consolation?
What advice would I offer this person?
2. Discerning the Beginning, the Middle and the End
In all of the following actions there is the root, the shoot and the fruit – that is, the beginning (how it was inspired), the middle (how it was done) and the end (what it accomplished). One or more is rotten, can you identify the tail of the snake?
A. Lenten Laura
Laura has always been the “spiritual” girl in her group of friends. She takes a lot of flack for it, but she also gets respect. For Lent this year she was looking for something really hard to do, so she decided to fast more. When she prayed about it, she felt spiritual consolations at the notion of making this sacrifice for Jesus. So, she’s not eating between meals, and only eating one meal a day. She sure is hungry, but she gets a sense of consolation when she sees others eating. Especially satisfying is the sight of Kassie eating. Kassie is the new girl who is also very “spiritual” and talks openly about her faith – even more open than Laura has ever dared to be! Laura feels God’s pleasure most when she’s in a room with others eating and she’s not having anything but her water bottle.
Beginning, Middle or End: Where is the tail of the snake?
What would you guess is Laura’s main reason for fasting?
What advice would you give Laura to make her fasting more pleasing to God?
B. Saint Francis and a Sudden Inspiration
Andy was addicted to pornography for years. Two years ago, he admitted that it was out of control and sought help. Now, with a lot of prayer and grace, he has struggled to find a greater self-control. Lately he has been reading a series of meditations from a booklet during prayer and these have helped him to focus. They’re also very inspiring! Last night, he read a story about St. Francis. He was so struck by it that he wanted to learn more about this holy saint. A spiritual consolation came over him and suddenly he felt the urge to look up the life of St. Francis on the internet and read more about him. He couldn’t wait to finish his prayer so he could do this – in fact, he cut prayer short to go by the library on campus. There he knew he’d find a set of computers off to the side in a corner of the main floor. He typed “Saint Francis” into the search engine. But he suddenly felt very restless and noticed a link on the right hand side of the search results, “intimate apparel for her” it said…
Beginning, Middle or End: Where is the tail of the snake?
If Andy came to you disheartened after falling into sin from looking at explicit pictures on the internet, what advice and encouragement would you give him?
A. Jeremy’s Winning Team
Jeremy, a college junior, runs a men’s Bible study for his campus ministry. Last year it was a dud. The guys were all gung-ho in the fall, but they stopped coming in the middle of the spring semester. Praying about how to build more commitment in the group, Jeremy had an inspiration: register all the men to compete as a team for intramural flag football. Jeremy knows the idea is a winner, and he experiences deep spiritual consolations so he knows it’s the right move. Trouble is, one of the new members of his Bible study isn’t from the state University but from a community college nearby. The rules are clear – only University students with a valid I.D. can register for intramurals. Jeremy sees a way around this. He knows someone at the University who looks just like the new guy. He borrows his I.D. and uses it to register the whole men’s group as a team.
The season is a hit! The guys get really close through the combination of physical activity and spiritual growth. Not to mention, they win the championship for their division!
Beginning, Middle or End: Where is the tail of the snake?
Do the ends justify the means – even if the results were even better than expected? Why or why not?
Something to consider. Suppose the team that lost the championship was a group from another campus ministry. One of their members is also from the community college and recognizes Jeremy’s “new guy” from class. The losing team played by the rules. Their captain told this guy he’d have to stay on the sidelines and cheer because he’s not a University student. What do you think will be his impression of Jeremy’s campus ministry when he watches the guy from his own college run for Jeremy’s team’s winning touchdown? Do you suppose he’ll tell his friends what he knows?
MY FAITH BUILDERS
3. My Daily Examen
St. Ignatius recommends that I practice a daily, prayerful reflection on God’s action in my life through spiritual consolations and desolations. It’s called the Daily Examen. Since Ignatius is our guide, we follow his rules. The page that follows the closing prayer below is a printable version of the Daily Examen. Print it, cut it, fold it and use it as the final activity for today’s workbook. From here on I’ll do this daily and consider the practice as part of my daily walk with Jesus even after this novena ends
Conclude with
“Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be.
World without end, Amen.”
[1] See the 6th rule from the second week of the Rules of Discernment by St. Ignatius of Loyola.