St. Ignatius' Seven Qualities for Authentic Discernment

CLEVELAND - March 20, 2014 - PRLog -- It never hurts to learn from the examples of the saints! Born in late 15th century Spain, St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuit Order, and is known for his writings and guidelines for discernment. The following seven qualities which a person must have for an authentic discernment process are taken from St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises.

1. Openness: Discernment can only take place if one has an open mind and an open heart. Any pre-conceived notions or expectations which limit us must be let go of. St. Ignatius speaks also of "attachments", or conditions which put limits on what we are willing to do. Because these limit one's freedom, they must be dismissed.

2. Generosity: Because we can not put limits on the decision-making process as listed above, one must have a generous heart and a willingness to give to God whatever he asks.

3. Courage: Building further on the first two qualities, one must have courage, should God ask something difficult of us. God's path is the only one which will satisfy us, but in no way does that guarantee that it will be easy. Our calling is out of our hands, and requires complete trust in God's providence.

4. Interior Freedom: In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius speaks of three attitudes people can have. The first is one who is "all talk and no action". Although they mean well, they never make the time or commitment to respond to God's will. The second type of person does many good things with their life, except for the central calling - which is too hard for them. Finally, the third is one who possesses true interior freedom. Their deepest desire is to respond to God's will, because God is their first priority.

5. A Habit of Prayerful Reflection on one's Experience: One must pray daily as part of authentic discernment. St. Ignatius recommends a method of prayer called "The Examen of Consciousness".

According to the steps, one begins the Examen with an awareness of God's presence and asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit
Next reflects on the day, asking how God was present. How has Christ called us through these experiences? How have we responded?
Thank God for the blessings of the day
Ask forgiveness for any faults or failure to respond to God's call. Ask for the grace to respond to Christ's call the next day.

6. Having one's Priorities Straight: Following Christ should be our greatest goal, and if so, everything else must be ordered to achieve this end. All of our choices should be consistent with our commitment to God.

7. Not Confusing Ends with Means: All vocations: marriage, priesthood, consecrated life, are means or paths to serving and glorifying God. Too often, they are mistaken as the end goal of a person's existence. A person who confuses ends with means may choose a vocation that they want, and then try to put God into it, when it should be the other way around. God remains the first priority.

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Shadow the Sisters this Spring

Would you like to learn more about the religious life? Is the possibility of becoming a sister tugging at your heart? Come visit us for a day or two, or stay overnight during our open house, which runs April 10-17, 2014.

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Sr. Jeanette Marie, Vocations Director