Discernment of Spirits - Part VII

We are in the penultimate week of our series on St. Ignatius Loyola’s discernment of spirits and applying them to parish renewal. Today we are looking at the eleventh and twelfth rules. Number twelve has very important implications, but let’s look briefly at rule eleven first:

The eleventh rule: Let him who is consoled see to humbling himself and lowering himself as much as he can, thinking how little he is able for in the time of desolation without such grace or consolation. On the contrary, let him who is in desolation think that he can do much with the grace sufficient to resist all his enemies, taking strength in his Creator and Lord.

When we have momentum and things are going well for us in the parish, we must be aware of the subtle nature of pride. It can creep into our hearts if we don’t watch it. We can start to think we are the cause of all the good things happening. We forget the fact we can do nothing apart from God and his grace. Without a team of people sacrificing together, we cannot accomplish anything for God’s kingdom. This doesn’t mean a false humility in which we say we did nothing. False humility is just another form of pride. We need to be aware of what we do offer. We need to have clarity about the unique contributions we make so that we can continue to contribute to parish renewal.

Aim to keep your heart humble when things are going well as it will set you up for future growth and success. How do you aim for humility? CS Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” When things are going well recognize God’s grace. Give God the glory. When things are doing well, acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of other people on your team. Thank them, and you will be aiming at humility. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Now let’s move on to rule twelve which is so important in the life of parish renewal. I guarantee you will need to keep it in mind over and over again. I am taking this rule from Dan Burke’s book Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits.

The twelfth rule: Understanding and Dealing with the Aggression and Threats of the Enemy. 

The enemy acts like an aggressive dog in being weak when faced with strength and strong when faced with weakness. When an aggressive dog is faced with firm opposition, it loses heart and flees. On the contrary, if the person begins to lose heart and flee, the anger, ferocity, and vengeance of the dog knows no bounds. In the same way, it is proper to the enemy to weaken and lose heart, fleeing and ceasing his temptations, when the person who is exercising himself in spiritual things confronts the temptations of the enemy firmly by doing what is diametrically opposed to them. On the contrary, if the person who is exercising himself begins to be afraid and lose heart in suffering the temptations, there is no beast so fierce on the face of the earth as the enemy of human nature in following out his damnable intention with such growing malice.

While rule eleven deals with our pride, rule twelve deals with pride in other people’s hearts. In essence, rule twelve tells us that the Evil one is a bully. He uses bullies or people acting like bullies to corrupt parishes and keep ground he is gained.

Many times, parish ministries get held hostage by volunteers or staff members. These are volunteers or staff members who may have started or taken over a ministry with good intentions but have now made it into their own little fiefdom. They do not take incoming calls about how to improve or grow or allow others into it. They may bully others, expecting their ministry to be deemed the most important ministry in the parish. Instead of seeing the ministry as fitting into the overall mission of the Church, they expect everything to revolve around their ministry. They believe they have a right to parish resources and to do what they want with their ministry. They have earned it.

Many times, the pulpit has been taken over by clergy who assume they have a right to preach because of their ordination. One of the major ways evil corrupts parishes is by this sense of entitlement. It is in clergy and it is in volunteer laity. No one has a right to a position or ministry in the Church. It is a privilege and honor to hold humbly. And when someone talks about their rights, it means pride has gotten into their hearts and either they must repent or move out of that position. There are no rights in the kingdom of God only exercising the authority and gifts Jesus has given us in humble service of others.

If a person has made a ministry all about them, he or she needs to repent or we need to move him or her out. When you begin to address the issue, they will try and bully you to not take action. Someone will threaten to quit the parish if you move them into another ministry or don’t do what they want. Someone else might throw an emotional fit. They will threaten to write a letter downtown or tell everyone about the situation and how terrible a person you are. If it is a priest or a deacon, and you are challenging them to improve their preaching - they may say they have a right to preach or teach and use the pulpit.

Ignatius tells us, “Stand up to the bully.” Greater is he that in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) As James writes, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Sometimes that will be quite literal. The person you confront will quit as soon as you challenge them. Don’t be intimidated by that. I have a kind of a joke that you are not a full-fledged member of the staff until someone quits the parish because of you. I say "kind of a joke" because I certainly don’t want people to leave the parish. I’d rather they repent. But if you are a leader, at times you will have to kindly but firmly challenge people. Sometimes, no matter how well you do it, people will quit and run away. Take that not as a loss but as a victory over the devil. As that person runs, they are taking an evil spirit with them.

One final thought: don’t stand up to the bully alone. If a situation has risen to the point that you think the other person will not respond well, then bring an ally. You are not teaming up on the person, but you are bringing someone who can both witness the interaction in case it is mischaracterized later and who can clarify points you stumble over. It will also keep you from chickening out of the situation.

Is there a ministry or place in your parish that you have allowed to be taken over by the enemy? Out of fear, you haven’t addressed it? Pray for the strength to stand up to the bully - and for their repentance. Pray for the wisdom to begin the conversation and for moving at the right pace. Identify an ally who can go with you.

Rooting for you,
Tom