By KAITLIN KLEIN
WONDERFUL ADVENTURE
In my two previous columns, I introduced St. Ignatius of Loyola and his first 14 rules for discernment of spirits. I recommended Fr. Timothy Gallagher's book, “The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living,” which I will continue to reference as I share about the 14 rules we all can use to help us navigate our feelings and life experiences in order to grow closer to the Lord.
In the Oct. 7 edition of The Message, I described the first four rules, which lay the groundwork for the rest: how good and bad spirits work in those living in mortal sin and those moving toward God (Rules 1 and 2), and descriptions of spiritual consolation and desolation (Rules 3 and 4).
Moving on to the following rules, we see that Ignatius now gives instruction on how to deal with spiritual desolation. This is a "crucial issue," according to Father Gallagher, and we learn "how to reject the work of the enemy" in these times. In the fifth rule, Ignatius is very clear: "In time of desolation never make a change."
Spiritual desolation may be only a moment, or it could be weeks, or any amount in between (note the emphasis on spiritual desolation; nonspiritual desolation is not addressed here, and those in such situations may need to make changes). When in spiritual desolation, we are to stick to the "proposals and determination" we had before the desolation began. If we have committed to certain prayers or spiritual activities, keep those commitments, even if we don't feel like it. We may feel distracted and restless, and not feel the presence of God; we should continue on as we planned during a time of consolation. In the fifth rule, Ignatius notes that the bad spirit is at work during times of desolation; therefore, we should not listen to pulls toward making changes. This moves us to the sixth rule, which advises what we should do when desolation occurs.
The sixth rule: "...it is very advantageous to change ourselves intensely against the desolation itself, as by insisting more upon prayer, meditation, upon much examination, and upon extending ourselves in some suitable way of doing penance." Father Gallagher points out that we do not need to sit around and simply resign ourselves to the struggles of the desolation, but we can actively work against the enemy. Prayers of petition and taking the time to actually examine the desolation can help us move into consolation again. If prayer is difficult, Ignatius says, "the 'suitable' remedy is to do exactly the opposite" – pray longer. We can resist by becoming even more patient or helping another when it is particularly difficult.
These are simple ideas, but they do take practice – and definitely awareness – to implement. I will continue this series and offer more practical ways we can grow in our spiritual lives.