Discernment of Spirits - Part IV

Through the last few weeks we have been looking at St. Ignatius’ rules for the discernment of spirits. It is very practical advice that can give us wisdom to lead change in our parishes and guard our hearts so we last for the long term. Parish renewal is a marathon and not a sprint.

The two rules we are looking at today are especially important. So many people leave parish work and ministry before they see the fruit of their efforts because they are unaware of these rules. So many church workers and volunteers quit when they were on the verge of breakthrough and impact because they don’t take these words to heart. However, that’s not going to be your story. You are going to learn these rules, take them to heart and live them out. You are going to go the distance and fulfill God’s will for your work and ministry in the parish!

So let’s jump into Ignatius’ fifth rule for the discernment of spirits:

The fifth rule: In time of desolation never to make a change; but to be firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which one was the day preceding such desolation, or in the determination in which he was in the preceding consolation. Because, as in consolation it is rather the good spirit who guides and counsels us, so in desolation it is the bad, with whose counsels we cannot take a course to decide rightly.

The example of prayer is often given as an example in someone’s personal spiritual reality. You made a resolution or commitment to pray for 15 minutes, but after a few minutes you feel agitated or distracted. The bad spirit whispers, “It’s no use, you just don’t have the focus today. Cut your prayer short and spend your energy getting work done.” I’ve fallen for that temptation many a times.

In the same way, when it comes to renewing the parish, we are going to hit times when the bad spirits tell us to quit a project or effort. You may be trying to get small groups going in your parish. Maybe you are trying to find the volunteer leaders you need to grow a greeter or parking ministry. Maybe you are trying to get message series started or just devote more time to preparation and practice for your preaching.

You make an effort in an area but something will come against you. An inner voice will tell you that your effort is worthless. A voice will tell you that people don’t want to be changed or challenged. Or a voice will tell you that you are inadequate or that you just don’t have the discipline to put time into practice. Or a voice will question you, “Who are you that you can lead this effort?” Or a voice will tempt you away from the work: Give your time to something else. Will anyone really notice if you practice another 15 minutes? Everyone else gets to have fun on the weekend or weeknight and you are giving up your free time.

These are some of the voices we will hear that will try to make us question our work and efforts to renew and rebuild our parish, or putting our time into work. Sometimes the voices are critics on the outside, but sometimes the voice comes internally. Just as St. Ignatius tells us to recognize those voices as the work of the Enemy in our prayer life, we must recognize it as voices of the enemy for our work for parish renewal.

St. Ignatius says when you hear those voices, don’t change your plans. Never quit an initiative, never quit a project, never cancel a meeting or practice session and definitely never quit your paid or volunteer ministry position when you are in desolation. Stay the course and stay committed to the effort through the proper season. It’s possible you need to tact and make some different strategic decisions. It’s possible you need to go about your efforts in a different way, but don’t quit or give up on what you set out to do until you have done what you committed to do.

So often we hear from parish leaders, “We tried that and it didn’t work.” Often that means someone tried something once and something went wrong and they gave up. When you commit to an initiative or a project give it everything you have and if things fail then do an autopsy afterwards, but don’t give into the voices that are telling you to quit in the middle – most times that’s the voice of the enemy trying to distract you because he sees better than you do how close you are to breakthrough.

While St. Ignatius tells us to not change course when experiencing desolation he does tell us to change the intensity of our efforts. Here’s what he says in the sixth rule.

The sixth rule: Although in desolation we ought not to change our first resolutions, it is very helpful intensely to change ourselves against the same desolation, as by insisting more on prayer, meditation, on much examination, and by giving ourselves more scope in some suitable way of doing penance.

Notice the distinction. Ignatius says to remain firm to our resolution. However, we can often overcome desolation and the attacks of bad spirits by doubling down on our efforts and trying even more. In football, a defense will blitz a quarterback and rush extra defenders when they see it is effective. They will do it over and over again if a quarterback can’t handle it. Rookie or inexperienced quarterbacks often make mistakes against blitzes. However, the most skilled and best quarterbacks quickly recognize and know how to handle a blitz. They often gain more yards against the blitz and make even bigger plays. When that happens, the defense will back up and slow it’s attack. St. Ignatius is saying the same is true for bad spirits. When we are smart enough and spiritually mature enough to recognize the blitzes of the enemy, we can gain even more spiritual ground.

So Ignatius says when the enemy blitzes you with more attacks of desolation, work even harder in God’s service through prayer or your ministry efforts. Nehemiah gives us a great example of this when he was rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. His enemies and opponents threatened to spread lies and rumors about him. Nehemiah says, “They were all trying to intimidate us, thinking, ‘They will be discouraged from continuing with the work and it will never be completed.’ But instead I redoubled my efforts.” (Nehemiah 6:9)

When you recognize the voices of consolation, redouble your efforts. Pray longer. Work Longer. Make ten extra invitations. Practice an extra half-hour. Make more progress for the kingdom and watch the enemy back off.

Rooting for you,
Tom

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer for discernment

Holy Spirit, you, light of our understanding,
gentle breath that guides our decisions,
grant me the grace to listen attentively to your voice
and to discern the hidden paths of my heart,
so that I may grasp what truly matters to you,
and free my heart from its troubles.

I ask you for the grace to learn how to pause,
to become aware of the way I act,
of the feelings that dwell within me,
and of the thoughts that overwhelm me
which, so often, I fail to notice.

I long for my choices
to lead me to the joy of the Gospel.
Even if I must go through moments of doubt and fatigue,
even if I must struggle, reflect, search, and begin again…
Because, at the end of the journey,
your consolation is the fruit of the right decision.

Grant me a deeper understanding of what moves me,
so that I may reject what draws me away from Christ,
and love him and serve him more fully.

Amen.