 Let us look for a moment at this notion of consolation.
St. Ignatius, the founder of
the Jesuits, developed a special approach to prayer in the form of a thirty-day
retreat, called the Spiritual Exercises. In this time of carefully constructed
prayer, those who were considering becoming Jesuits would finalize their
decision. The key to this decision making through prayer was what Ignatius
called the experience of the Consolation of the Holy Spirit. The person praying
would make their decision, then that person would look for confirmation that
their decision was the right and true decision, pleasing to God.
Confirmation of their decision
would be given by God through this Consolation caused by the Holy Spirit. St.
Ignatius describes consolation this way.
I call it consolation when an interior movement is aroused in the soul, by which it is inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and as a consequence, can love no creature on the face of the earth for its own sake, but only in the Creator of them all ….. I call consolation every increase of faith, hope, and love, and all interior joy that invites and attracts to what is heavenly and to the salvation of one’s soul by filling it with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord.
As these effects were being
experienced, the one praying knew for certain their choice was God’s choice for
them.
Even though we are not
thinking about joining the Jesuits, that does not mean we cannot experience the
benefits of this way of prayer. We all must make important decisions in our
lives and we want them to be the right decision; in harmony with God’s will. So,
we too can go to God and ask for guidance; and here, Ignatius’ way of praying
for guidance can be most helpful.
The key here is listening for
God’s Voice with our hearts. We have already worked out our decision in our
heads; the pros, the cons etc.; now it is the heart’s turn to way in. Our
hearts tell us by a deep and certain peace, by a strong conviction, a calm,
consoling belief that the Spirit is with us, confirming our decision. With that
we can now act. The final test will be in the fruits of our decision. Only good
vines produce good fruit. The fruits of the Spirit are our final discernment.
That brings us to today’s
gospel and Jesus’ example to the vines and their fruit: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes
away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he
prunes so that it bears more fruit.”
It is in knowing Jesus, knowing the gospels, knowing the works and fruits of the Spirit describe in the scriptures that we learn to recognize the Voice of consolation speaking in our hearts: the VOICE of charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. It is by these fruits that we are able to hear the Spirit’s Voice of Consolation.
More on Praying Scripture . . . LINK . . .
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