If it was not Sunday, today the Church would be celebrating the feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. He is the saint, who definitely turned my world upside down, because thanks to him, I learned the truth that God can speak to each of us. Before I discovered this, my faith looked like a pagan ritual of offering sacrifice to gods, so that they would be favorable to me. I thought that I have to follow the commandments and perform various religious rituals, because God has the power to ruin something in my life if He got angry. To get out of this trap in my mind, I had to discover the God who speaks to me personally, who has some good news especially for me and who always wants good.
Ignatius captivated me with his Spiritual Exercises, where in short words he describes how we can hear the voice of God who speaks to us every day through the Bible, people, events and signs. But how can we be sure that among the million thoughts that run through our mind, this one is from God? How do we know that we correctly interpret the Word and signs? Here is where the process of discernment begins. It is a great gift, that, as it seems to me, Pope Francis wants to remind us of, but is so often seen as „blurring of the doctrine.” It’s all about using your mind and heart to hear and recognize the voice of God – we can do it, if we want to. For many, just as it was for me, this could be a revolution, because it means that not only the pope or the bishops have adequate knowledge as to where the Church should head, but God also speaks through the sheep. Therefore Francis recommends to listen to their voice and sometimes even follow them. In the history of salvation, there were several stages in which God communicated with His people. First, in the Old Testament through the Prophets, then in the New Testament through His Son, and today He speaks to us with a voice equally strong through the Holy Spirit, who lives in every baptized person.
Discernment is also something that impresses me in my Society. We do not have superiors, anointed by God, who are always right. We keep listening to the smallest voices, knowing that it is through these little ones, that God often speaks. Yesterday the Chapter started a very detailed process of discernment on who will be our Mother General for the coming years. It’s not just about choosing someone who will be a good superior, but about hearing the voice of God, who is telling us who would be the best one.
We should, however, be aware that discernment inevitably involves taking responsibility for what we hear. If God entrusts something to us, it is not for us to hide, but to proclaim from the rooftops and implement in our lives. Unfortunately, often we prefer to close ourselves in tight and secure places within the law and listen only to what others say, because the Spirit can (and will) invite us to constantly forget about yourself and to accept new crazy challenges.
If you want to learn more about discernment, look up „Ignatian retreat„.
