Recap Session 4: February 8th, 2009

Welcome!

Thank you for taking time to review the recap of Session 4- Discerning God's Call in your life:Consolation and Desolation-The Moment of Intimacy. If this is your first time viewing the blog- welcome- we're so glad you're here. Please take note of previous sessions as they lay the foundation for the topics discussed in the recap of session 4. Note also the updates in the "spotlight on ministry" and "culminating service project" sections of the blog. If you are seeking a community of faith- you are most welcome to join us! We would love the opportunity know you. For more information about who we are- please see our website-www.goodshepherdvancouver.org. Whether you're in the Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington area, or far away, please continue to grow in faith with us by checking our blog as we discover more about developing a discerning heart through the lessons of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Holy Scriptures.

In this session we will examine what occurs when qualities of a discerning person begin to emerge and grow. This Moment of Intimacy can bring us joy, but it can also be filled with challenges and questions. Discernment within this moment will confirm the relationship as God's gift to us. It will also help us to focus on God's call to grow as a person whose relationships are all characterized by desires as well as by human qualities such as reverence, gratitude, trust, prayer, gentleness and self-knowledge. While reflection, prayer, and our commitment to a life of Christian virtue dispose us for the gift of discernment, consolation itself is God's gift and grace to us. In time and with experience, we learn that even an experience of desolation can be a gift through which we are drawn closer to God in deeper freedom and humility (Merz and Smith, 2006). While it is not the goal of a Christian relationship, the experience of intimacy in a relationship holds powerful potential for the way God will incorporate the relationship into God's plan for the world as well as for the individuals in the relationship. This stage of intimacy is often a real time of consolation by which we mean- an increase in hope, faith and charity and every interior joy which calls and attracts one toward heavenly things and to the salvation of one's soul, bringing tranquility and peace (Spiritual Exercises, p316). Let's take a look at the different aspects of this moment of intimacy.

Desires
Desires are a favored place for God's action in a person. Revealing both positive and negative energies, our desires may shift and compete for attention as God moves us toward an interior place of harmony rather than of conflict (Smith and Merz, 2006).

Ignatian Insight
"From this lesson he derived not a little light, and he began to think more earnestly about his past life and about the great need he had to do penance for it. At this point the desire to imitate the saints came to him though he gave no thought to particulars, only promising with God's grace to do as they had done. But the one thing he wanted to do was to go to Jerusalem as soon as he recovered as mention above, with as much of disciplines and fasts as a generous spirit, ablaze with God, would want to perform" (Autobiography, 9). "The strong desire God himself had given him to serve him" (Autobiography, 27).

Scriptural Insight
"I say to you,'Ask, and it will be given unto you, seek and you shall find..." (Luke 11:9-10, 13)
"Then Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' the blind man said to him, 'My teacher, let me see again." (Mark 10:51)

Reflection Questions

• Am I at ease in praying about my desires?
• When I am still and attentive to God, what desires do I notice surfacing within myself?
• What desires were prominent at the times of major decisions in my life?
• Do I give attention to the desires of others?
• What does it mean to be discerning about our shared desires?
• As we become more discerning in our interactions, do we notice desires to relate to each other in new ways that may be surfacing?
• How do we work with expressed desires that appear to distract or divert our attention?
• Am I conscious of the manipulation of human desire with occurs in contemporary society?
• How do I respond to my desire to better understand people of other cultures?

Desire to Find God
Fundamental to discernment is the human desire to find God. Discernment focuses this desire upon the discovery of God's will at this time in our life (Smith & Merz, 2006).

Ignatian Insight
"By [the kind of] consolation I mean that which occurs when some interior motion is caused within the soul through which it comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord. As a result it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all."(p316 Spiritual Exercises)

Scriptural Insight
"O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you...." Psalm 63:1-8
"....that they would search for God and perhaps grope for Him and find Him- though indeed he is not far from each one of us..." (Acts 17:24-25,27-28)

Reflection Questions

• When did i begin to be aware of my desire to find God?
• How have I nourished my desire for God?
• What happens when I remember that God desires me more than I desire God?
• Am I reverent with another's desire for God?
• How does my desire for God influence my choices within a relationship?
• Do we acknowledge that one of the purposes of our group is to help each other find, love, and serve God?
• How are world events affecting my awareness of the significance of the human desire for God?

Reverence
Reverence is the response given to any aspect of creation recognized as a gift of God. In reverence we bring awe and gratitude to all life and experience (Smith & Merz, 2006).

Ignatian Insight
"Human beings are created to praise, reverence and serve God Our Lord, and by means of doing this to save their soul. The other things on the face of the earth are created for human beings to help them in the pursuit of the end for which they are created. From this it follows that we ought to use these things to the extent that they help us toward our end, and free ourselves from them to the extent that they hinder us from it. To attain this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things, in regard to everything which is left to our free will and is not forbidden" (Spiritual Exercises, p23).

Scriptural Insight
" O Lord how manifold are your works...." Psalm 104:24-31
"Consider the lilies of the field...." (Luke 12:27-28)

Reflection Questions

• What experiences of beauty have called forth a reverence from me?
• What motivates me to practice the self-discipline that reverence requires?
• When have I felt reverenced? Recall the circumstances and savor the effect that occasion had upon my sense of confidence in my identity.
• What behaviors in relationships do I find to be irreverent? Am I faithful about sharing that with others?
• Is our reverence and respect for both men and women growing among us?
• What changes can we make to our way of being together in order to grow in reverence and respect?
• Are we learning to exercise power and appropriate control in ways that convey respect for others' thoughts, feelings, and diverse views?
• What local or national issues have as one of their causes a fundamental lack of reverence for human beings? For the earth?

Gentleness
The delicacy of the Spirit's action demands a gentleness that opens us to deeper attentiveness to God's call and invitation. Gentleness which requires great inner-strength, counters the movements toward arrogant power and aggressive assertiveness that can be prevalent in our environment (Smith & Merz, 2006).

Ignatian Insight
"In this way, the Lord deigned that he awake as from sleep. ....from that day forward he remained free of those scruples and held it for certain that Our Lord had mercifully designed to deliver him" (Autobiography, p 25).

Scriptural Insight
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom" James 3:13
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3

Reflection Questions

• How do I handle the disappointment I may feel when I have not done something well?
• What strength is called forth from me when I try to be gentle with myself and others?
• What opportunities do I have to practice gentleness?
• How do we work with deadlines and other times of stress?
• Are we aware and open to the possiblity that our group can be controlled by dynamics such as fear, human respect, anger or arrogance? Do we ever use our unity to exclude others?
• Who are the frail and fragile human beings who especially evoke gentleness from me?
• In a culture that holds speed as a value, how do I make time to hold my life gently rather than harshly?
• How do I practice gentleness toward the earth and use my power to foster shared responsibility for it?

Prayer
Prayer opens us to the mystery who is God, and serves essentially to turn our focus from self and our own plans to God's words, actions, and desires in our life and in the life of the world. In prayer, we praise God and express our gratitude, sorrow and need (Smith & Merz, 2006).

Ignatian Insight
"The Preparatory Prayer is to ask God Our Lord for grace that all my intentions, actions and operations may be directed purely to the service and praise of His Divine Majesty." (Spiritual Exercises, 46).

Scriptural Insight
"Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me" Wisdom 7:7
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is tin the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:26-27
"Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive" Matthew 21:22

Reflection Questions

• What memories do I have of God responding to my prayer?
• What daily or weekly rhythm have I chosen for prayer?
• What graces do I need to pray for in order to become more discerning in my life?
• Consider a relationship- What dimension of that relationship is drawing me to prayer at this time? What am I noticing in that prayer? How do I interpret it?
• Do we include prayer in our personal preparation for our gatherings?
• Have we found ways of praying together that are inclusive to the various ways in which we each prefer to pray?
• How do the cares of the world enter my prayer? Do I take in information via media, in a prayerful way?
• Have I ever had the opportunity to pray with people of another religious tradition? What impact did that have on me and my way of praying?

Gratitude
Gratitude for the ways in which God has been active in our life encourages us to trust that God will continue to give the gift we will need in the future. Gratitude for the blessings of God within and around us deepens as we grow in discernment (Smith & Merz, 2006).

Ignatian Insight
"I will also thank Him because he has shown me, all through my life up to the present moment, so much pity and mercy" (Spiritual Exercises, p 71).

Scriptural Insight
"On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out saying, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!' When he saw them, he said to them, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself, at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, 'Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?' Then he said to him, 'Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:11-19)

Reflection Questions

• What do I discover as I recall God's gifts at the end of each day? This a great opportunity to do the Examen Prayer explained in Session 3.
• What gifts of god stand out in my mind as especially formative of who I am?
• What aspects of my life do I find difficult to accept with gratitude? Am I aware of the way in which that lack of gratitude can hinder my openness to God's action in that aspect of my life?
• Do I pray with gratitude for those whom god has placed in my life?
• Consider a relationship- what do you find yourself consistently being grateful for?
• Do we find ourselves grateful for each other and our shared experience even at stressful times?
• Is our service characterized by a spirit of gratitude?
• For what international developments am I especially grateful? Am I ready and willing to express my gratitude in action?
• Is my growing global consciousness increasing my gratitude for the wondrous action of God in diverse peoples and places?

Trust
In order for us to be instruments of God's love in the world, we must trust in God's desire to re-create the world in Christ. As we grow in discernment, we must endeavor to trust and be trustworthy- otherwise we will falter when we encounter human limitation or sinfulness- not just in each other, but in ourselves as well. Trust is the openness to creative possibilities!

Ignatian Insight
"One who is in consolation should consider how he will act in future desolation, and store up new strength for that time" (Spiritual Exercises, 89).

Scriptural Insight
"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act." Psalm 37:5 "He said to his disciples....'Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens; they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds.! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest?" (Luke 12:22-26)

Reflection Questions

• What have been significant times in my life when I have had to trust God?
• What scriptural figures catch my attention because of their trust in God?
• How have I learned to trust others?What are signals to me that I am moving toward not trusting God or others?
• What has challenged us to be more trusting in our relationship?
• Have I learned to forgive when my trust is betrayed?
• How does our mutual trust help us to confront rather than avoid issues?
• How do we balance trust in others with a healthy independence of thought and action? Are we learning to be interdependent within the church?
• Is our trust in each other strong and realistic enough that we can let go of controlling events and decisions when necessary?
• When I reflect on the massive migration of peoples globally, what do I discover about hte significance of trusting and the responsibility of being trustworthy?
• Do I allow fear to overpower my desire to see justice in particular situations?

To Sum Up
This Moment of Intimacy can bring us joy, but it can also be filled with challenges and questions. Discernment within this moment will confirm the relationship as God's gift to us. It will also help us to focus on God's call to grow as a person whose relationships are all characterized by desires as well as by human qualities such as reverence, gratitude, trust, prayer, gentleness and self-knowledge. While reflection, prayer, and our commitment to a life of Christian virtue dispose us for the gift of discernment, consolation itself is god's gift and grace to us. In time and with experience, we learn that even the experience of desolation can be a gift through which we are drawn closer to God in deeper freedom and humility.

Let Us Pray
Jesus, lover of my soul, Love that will not let me go, Into your arms I long to fall, To rest my weary soul. And we cry, Holy, holy, holy is your name. Holy, holy, holy is your name. Barry Taylor