A Few Introductory Remarks The presentation that follows offers an idea of what I use when I teach the fourteen rules T eachers will find their own approach this is just to present one model and one that I am constantly adapting in accord with different groups and my own slowly deve ID: 765404
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A Few Introductory Remarks The presentation that follows offers an idea of what I use when I teach the fourteen rules. T eachers will find their own approach : this is just to present one model, and one that I am constantly adapting in accord with different groups and my own (slowly) developing ability to use software tools .
Obviously, the presentation improves as helpful images are added. I continue to look for new images, take pictures myself, learn more about copyright issues with images, and similar. These are issues we all face. The images included in this presentation are used with the permission of the Institute for Advanced Jesuit studies at Boston College, to which my gratitude.
The biblical quotes included are from the New American Bible Revised Edition and the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition and are used with permission: Excerpts from the New American Bible, Revised Edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Excerpts from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
A reading of The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide to Everyday Living will supply the commentary to the slides. Some slides also reflect material present in Setting Captives Free: Personal Reflections on Ignatian Discernment of Spirits . I hope to add more to the presentation posted here in the future . The presentation proper begins with the next slide. May it be of service!
.. in the teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola The Discernment of Spirits
Life of Christ Lives of the Saints
worldly project holy project
“Until one time his eyes were opened a little”
Personal holiness Agents of renewal
Be Aware Understand Take Action (accept/reject)
Be Aware
“You were within and I was without.” St. Augustine:
Diversion : a flight from our limitations Blaise Pascal
“I have often said that the sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.” Pensées
“Farther and farther I went from you, Into more and more fruitless seedings of sorrow , with a proud dejection and a weariness without rest.” St. Augustine
f orward b ack
Sensual images T rouble of heart “You’re too weak . . . .” Continence, giving courage
God Serious sin
Rule 1: the enemy Persons going from mortal sin to mortal sin The enemy Is ordinarily accustomed Leading them to imagine sensual delights
enemy
Rule 1: the enemy Persons going from mortal sin to mortal sin The enemy Is ordinarily accustomed Leading them to imagine sensual delights
God Serious sin
Rule 1: the good spirit The good spirit A contrary method S tinging and biting Their consciences
Good Spirit
Rule 1: the good spirit The good spirit A contrary method S tinging and biting Their consciences
God Serious sin
Rule 1: the good spirit The good spirit A contrary method S tinging and biting Their consciences
God Serious sin
Persons who are “intensely purifying their sins” “rising from good to better in the service of God our Lord.”
God Serious sin
to bite, sadden, place obstacles, disquiet with false reasons
bite, gnaw ( morder )
“he tries rather to upset you.” St. Ignatius to Sr. Teresa Rejadell
“bite” “Yes . . . but . . . .”
Yes, but why did it take so long? Yes, but you could have done more…. Yes, but it’s not going to last. Yes, you’ll grow a little, but not much....
to bite, sadden, place obstacles, disquiet with false reasons
“he places obstacles and impediments in the way” St . Ignatius to Sr. Teresa Rejadell
to bite, sadden, place obstacles, disquiet with false reasons
courage and strength, consolations , tears , inspirations and quiet, easing all obstacles
Rules 3 and 4
Raissa Maritain “Greatly moved, I wept very sweet tears.”
inflamed with love of God love of created things in God tears increase of hope, faith, charity joy that attracts to heavenly things
Spiritual Consolation
Nonspiritual Consolation
“God used this image to teach us his tenderness toward us .” St. Thérèse of Lisieux
A certain amount of healthy nonspiritual consolation
inflamed with love of God love of created things in God tears increase of hope, faith, charity joy that attracts to heavenly things
Intensity (gentle-stronger) Duration (brief-longer)
Spiritual Consolation
Spiritual Desolation
Alice “She feels that God is no longer near.”
darkness of soul disturbance in it movement to low and earthly things agitations and temptations lack of confidence, hope, love totally slothful, tepid, sad as if separated from its Lord
Spiritual Desolation
Nonspiritual Desolation
Spiritual Desolation Nonspiritual Desolation
“Take care, then, of the body for the love of God, because at many times the body must serve the soul.” St . Theresa of Avila, Life , X, 23
darkness of soul disturbance in it movement to low and earthly things agitations and temptations lack of confidence, hope, love totally slothful, tepid, sad as if separated from its Lord
“The one of them he gives, t he other he permits.” St. Ignatius to Sr. Teresa Rejadell
Qualities of spiritual desolation
Spiritual Desolation claims power to interpret our spiritual past predict our spiritual future
“Spiritual desolation presents itself as our spiritual identity.” What you are experiencing (spiritual desolation) is who you are .
A sense of shame : “Look at you! Look at you struggling like this! You are such a mess in your spiritual life. You should be beyond this after all these years. Shame on you!” There is no shame in experiencing spiritual desolation.
A sense of isolation : “You are alone. It’s just you. You’re the only one who experiences this.”
Struggling with desolation: “Look at you! There’s something wrong with you .”
A sense of irreparable disaster : “Things are going badly. It’s all over. The harm can’t be undone. Don’t think it’s ever going to be different.”
Pre-event desolation Before events in the spiritual life or in ministry (retreat, talk in parish, new step in prayer, starting the group, new apostolic activity)
Physical struggles and the vulnerability to spiritual desolation : Pain, discouragement, worry about the future
Intensity (gentle-stronger) Duration (brief-longer)
“the thoughts that come from consolation” “the thoughts that come from desolation”
Title, Rules 1-4 Rules 5-14
Good Spirit Enemy
Rule 5 “ In time of desolation, never make a change.”
“In time of desolation”
“In time of desolation, never make a change.”
In time of spiritual desolation, never make a change to any spiritual proposal that you had in place before the desolation began .
Spiritual desolation Nonspiritual desolation
Two Questions: Am I in a time of spiritual desolation? Am I thinking of changing a spiritual proposal that was in place before the desolation began?
“In time of desolation, never make a change.”
Rule 5 In spiritual consolation, the good spirit counsels In spiritual desolation, the enemy counsels
Spiritual consolation Tranquil time Spiritual desolation
“What you decide in the light, do not change in the darkness.”
“change ourselves intensely against the desolation itself.” Rule 6
“It seems that my lot is t o live in faithful service a nd heaviness of heart.”
The Cross Spiritual desolation
“change ourselves intensely against the desolation itself.” Rule 6
Rule 6: Prayer Meditation Much examination Suitable acts of penance
Prayer of petition
“Ask, and it will be given to you.” Matthew 7:7
“Whenever I find myself faced with the prospect of an attack by my enemy, I am most courageous; I turn my back on him, without so much as looking at him, and run to Jesus .” St Thérèse of Lisieux
Rule 6: Prayer Meditation Much examination Suitable acts of penance
Meditation in desolation: Truths of faith Verses of Scripture Memories of God’s fidelity in the past
Rule 6: Prayer Meditation Much examination Suitable acts of penance
Much examination: What am I feeling? How did this begin?
Overwhelming, global desolation Desolation arising from a specific cause
“myself-in-desolation” “myself-reflecting-on-myself-in-desolation”
Rule 6: Prayer Meditation Much examination Suitable acts of penance
Suitable gestures of penitential courage
Wait ten minutes to go to the refrigerator…. Wait a half-hour before going online …. Smile at someone when you feel no desire to…. Do a small service for someone…. No matter how small….
“a little more than the full hour” Spiritual Exercises , 13
“God never refuses that first grace that gives one the courage to act; afterwards, the heart is strengthened and one advances from victory to victory .” St . Thérèse of Lisieux , Last Conversations
Rule 6: four spiritual means and h ealthy nonspiritual means
St. Angela of Foligno “It seemed to me that I felt nothing of God.”
Spiritual consolation is taken away She is in spiritual desolation What remains: a grace deeper than the desolation
Rule Seven: consider A trial So that he may resist Because he can resist
Rule 7 “One who is in desolation”
Rule 7 consider (reflect on, think about, ponder)
Rule 7: consider A trial So that he may resist Because he can resist
Rule 7: consider A trial
Rule 7 “that the Lord has left him in trial”
Viktor Frankl Man’s Search for Meaning
Rule Seven: consider A trial So that he may resist
C onsider The purpose of the trial: “so that he may resist”
patience prayer love of neighbor resist spiritual desolation
We grow in resisting by resisting
When we resist a desolation : 1. we avoid the harm of that desolation 2. we grow in the ability to resist
Rule Seven: consider A trial So that he may resist Because he can resist
Consider, in desolation: “that he can resist”
The litany of spiritual desolation “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t….”
Consider “that he can resist” “with the divine help that always remains with him”
“ always ”
What will happen if we consider these three thoughts in time of spiritual desolation? A trial So that he may resist Because he can resist
Elizabeth Leseur “In the midst of this, a will un- shakeably turned to God.”
“the resolve to use my misfortunes for the good of souls”
“to fill my life with prayer, work, and charity”
“to maintain serenity through everything”
“to love more than ever those who are the dear companions of my life”
Rule 8 “One who is in desolation”
Rule 8 Work to be in patience Think that he will soon be consoled Diligently use the means (rule 6)
Rule 8 Work to be in patience ( “trabaje de estar en paciencia”)
patience: patior (patiens) to suffer, undergo, endure, bear
to stay the course, not give up, remain faithful, in desolation
Rule 8 Work to be in patience Think that he will soon be consoled Diligently use the means (rule 6)
Rule 8 T hink that he will soon be consoled (call to mind, reflect on, consider)
“soon”
interpret the past predict the future
Let him think that: Desolation will pass Consolation will return And much sooner than the desolation is saying
Rule 8 Work to be in patience Think that he will soon be consoled Diligently use the means (rule 6)
Prayer of petition Meditation Much examination Suitable penance
Rule 8 Work to be in patience Think that he will soon be consoled Diligently use the means (rule 6)
. . X
C D C D . . YES
Julian of Norwich “And then again I felt the pain, and then afterwards the joy and the delight.”
Rule 9 Why does God allow s piritual d esolation ?
Rule 9 Why does a God who loves us permit us to go through times of spiritual desolation?
“But I tell you the truth: it is better for you that I go.” (John 16:7)
off of the sorrow of the separation on to the reason for it
Cause: God’s reason Fruit: if we resist the desolation
God’s Reason Our Faults Fruit Conversion
God Serious Sin Rules 1 and 2
Generally progressing toward God Regressing in one area
God Serious Sin
God Serious Sin
“God, who loves me more than I love myself”
God’s Reason Our Faults Fruit Conversion
God’s Reason Our Faults 2. 3. Fruit Conversion
God’s Reason Our Faults A Trial Fruit Conversion Learning
St. Francis of Assisi “You are for that reason more truly a servant of God.”
“Without spiritual desolation we would remain spiritual children.”
God’s Reason Our Faults A Trial Consolation is gift Fruit Conversion Learning Humility
Third Reason To see the truth (consolation is grace) And so have the right attitude (humility)
Rule 9 Why does a God who loves us permit us to go through times of spiritual desolation?
God’s reasons: a love that, brings healing gives growth helps us avoid a pitfall
Rule 10 When in consolation , take in strength for desolation .
Rule 10 “ One who is in consolation”
C D C D . .
St. Elizabeth Seton “Then I laid still to enjoy the heavenly peace that came over my soul”
St. Francis of Assisi “he would make the most of it and enjoy the consolation afforded him in this way”
St. Elizabeth Seton That evening, still warmed by those two hours of consolation
Rule 10 When in consolation , take in strength for desolation .
One who is in consolation : Think How he will conduct himself in the next desolation Taking new strength for that time
Joseph in Egypt : Seven years of plenty Seven years of famine
What happens if we do not prepare? Harder to reject the desolation!
One who is in consolation : Think How he will conduct himself in the next desolation Taking new strength for that time
Ways of taking new strength Prayer of petition for strength in future spiritual desolation Meditation on truths that will sustain in future spiritual desolation
3. Consideration of the value of spiritual desolation for growth Reflection on past personal growth through spiritual desolation
5. Resolution to make no changes in time of spiritual desolation 6. Review of these Ignatian rules
Learn the Rules Keep them fresh in our awareness
7. Planning for specific situations of spiritual desolation
Rule 11 Humble in consolation Trusting in desolation
“One who is consoled” “One who is in desolation”
Rule 11 Final rule that refers to consolation and desolation “Portrait of mature person of discernment”
Rule 11, first part Humble in consolation
How do we remain humble in consolation? “thinking” “of how little he is capable in time of desolation , without such grace or consolation”
Rule 11, second part Trusting in desolation
One who is in desolation “think” “that he can do much with God’s sufficient grace to resist all his enemies” “taking strength in his Creator and Lord”
“When consolation is taken away, do not be cast down, but wait humbly and patiently for the visit of God, for he is able and powerful to give you more grace and spiritual comfort than you had before.” ( Imitation of Christ , II, 9)
Rule 11 Humble in consolation Trusting in desolation
C D C D . .
Jane’s eight-day retreat: The two parts of rule 11
Rule 11, first part : “seeking to humble herself and lower herself as much as she can, thinking of how little she is capable in the time of desolation without such grace or consolation”
“myself-in-consolation” “myself-reflecting-on-myself-in-consolation”
Rule 11, second part : “thinking that she can do much with God’s sufficient grace to resist all her enemies”
“myself-in-desolation” “myself-reflecting-on-myself-in-desolation”
spiritual desolation temptation
Spiritual desolation : a heavy movement of the heart on the spiritual level Temptation : a deceptive suggestion of the enemy
spiritual desolation temptation
Rules 12, 13, 14: Three qualities of the enemy in his temptations
“enemy of human nature” Rule 12: woman fighting a man Rule 13: false lover Rule 14: leader of a group of thieves
“enemy of human nature” Rule 12: woman fighting a man
Rule 12 The enemy: “weak when faced with strength strong when faced with weakness”
The enemy: “to weaken” “lose heart” “flee” “cease his temptations”
The enemy: W eak when compared to Christ and the power of his grace in us
A snowball just starting at the top of a mountain . . . . And the snowball, gaining mass and speed, halfway down the mountainside . . . .
“Something contrary to God’s law comes into your mind. Do not keep your mind on this , do not consent to it. What comes into your mind is the head of the serpent. Crush the head and you will avoid the rest of the movement. What does it mean to crush the head of the serpent? To reject that suggestion.” St. Augustine , on Psalm 103, 4 th sermon
Rule 12 Stop the snowball at the top of the mountain!
Steve on retreat “If you can’t even do these simple things . . . .”
Stand firm in the beginning!
Eve in the Garden Jesus in the Desert
St. Francis of Assisi “He should rise immediately to pray.”
St. Benedict, Rule : “ As soon as wrongful thoughts come into your heart . . . .”
“dash them against Christ”
“and reveal them to your spiritual father.”
Rule 13 “Breaking the Spiritual Silence”
Rules 13 and 5 together Will get you safely through any spiritual darkness
“He wishes to remain secret and not be revealed.”
temptations, doubts, fears, burdens…
“received and kept in secret”
Nonspiritual Spiritual
With whom should we speak?
“one’s good confessor”
“who knows his deceits and malicious designs”
“another spiritual person”
“who knows his deceits and malicious designs”
Captives set free!
Break the spiritual silence!
St. Thérèse of Lisieux The evening before her vows
Imagined scenario
“My doubts left me completely as soon as I finished speaking.”
imagined scenario real scenario
Thomas Merton “Never had I experienced the calm, untroubled peace and certainty that filled my heart.”
“There is something I need to say, but . . . .”
He/she is too busy. I’m too busy. He/she will laugh at me. He/she won’t be able to understand me.
He/she will lose respect for me. He/she will end the direction. Why talk about it? There’s nothing anyone can say that will help.
“ To advance toward the Lord we always have need of a guide, of some form of dialogue; we cannot do it just with our own reflections. And finding this guide is part of the ecclesial nature of our faith.” Benedict XVI, September 16, 2009
Rule 12: Standing firm in the beginning Rule 13: Breaking the spiritual silence Rule 14: Strengthening the weak point
“All of this is good, and I can see how it will help me in many ways. But.… There is this one area that will not change….”
Rule 14 Strengthening the Weak Point
“ where he finds us weakest, there he attacks us”
Is there some situation that frequently discourages you?
That frequently strips you of spiritual energy?
Are there circumstances in which you often become afraid ?
In which you often become spiritually worn out?
In which you feel spiritually helpless?
Is there one recurring way in which you find yourself spiritually weakened ?
Does one thing seem to diminish most your energy to love and serve others?
Is there something that habitually disheartens you in prayer?
That causes you to doubt God’s love for you?
Is there a repeating pattern of these experiences?
Spiritual territory of rule 14 Strengthen the weak point! On a deep level, captives are set free
“Know thyself”
Strengthen the weak point Prayer Bring it to the Lord Not alone with it Ask for the help we need
Strengthen the weak p oint In spiritual direction S hare about this point L earn how to pray with regard to it
Strengthen the weak p oint The examen prayer Daily review of experience with regard to this point Learning, ongoing growth
Strengthen the weak p oint Spiritual reading Regarding this point Learning from the tradition Nourishing the effort
Strengthen the Weak Point G race builds on nature Growth in human maturity Use the means when helpful
Venerable Matt Talbot He built his spiritual life on strengthening the weak point— and it made him a saint.
“When one virtue is growing, all are growing with it.” St. John of the Cross
The weakest point Transformed into the space o f greatest growth
The fourteen rules : Setting Captives Free
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