The Heart Knows

"Were not our hearts

 burning within us ..."

When we are in conversation with someone, and they are speaking while we are listening, there are certain dynamics happening within us. In our minds we evaluate what we hear, referencing it to what we understand and know to be true. But on an other level, what we hear may evoke certain responses on a deeper level, where our deeper emotions reside. Not only do we think about what we hear, we register various feelings about what we are taking in.

St. Ignatius recognized this to be true as one prayed and reflected on the scriptures, asking for a deeper understanding of its meaning and message to them personally. From this, he formed rules for identifying different ways one's heart may be moved in prayer. These are now known as the Ignatian Rules for Discernment. (Read more about the heart in prayer)

There are two general ways one's heart is moved in prayer; one is identified as Consolation the other as Desolation. Ignatius defines consolation as: 

• Every increase in faith, hope and love, and all interior joy that invites and attracts to what is heavenly, and to the salvation of our soul, by filling it with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord.

He defines desolation as:

• What is entirely the opposite of consolation … darkness of soul, turmoil of spirit, inclination to what is low and earthly, restlessness arising from many disturbances which lead to lack of faith, lack of hope, and lack of love. The soul is wholly slothful, tepid, sad, and separated, as it were, from its Creator and Lord.

What is clear is that we need to have an understanding of what is going on in our hearts. "Know thyself." When you open the morning paper to look up the sports scores from the night before, you read down the list of scores as a matter of fact until you come to your favorite team. Now it's, "Oh no, they lost", or "Ya, they won". What makes this score different is not the numbers you are reading, rather, that you have a special attachment to the fortunes of this team. It means a lot to you.

When we take up a text to scripture for prayer, what, if any response it may evoke, tells the story of our spiritual state; from none to deep. What follows next is to understand why. This will require that we work at it. Besides our own investigation and study, having the guidance of one who is experienced in prayer and discernment is a great advantage.

For a comprehensive article  on this subject go to; Discernment: Recognizing God’s Voice, by Brian Incigneri.

There is the site, Ignatian Spirituality.