Week #5: Overcoming Obstacles

Below is the outline for Talk 5, titled “Overcoming Obstacles.”  As you listen to the teaching video, follow along in this outline.  You may print this outline and use the space to the right for notes or use your own journal for notetaking.

Discussion questions for this talk can be found at the end of the outline.  If you are participating in this series together with a group, consider selecting some or all of these questions for your group discussion.

Talk Outline

I.  Overcoming Spiritual Desolation

1. One of the great obstacles to our life if prayer is spiritual desolation. Spiritual desolation is heaviness of heart in my relationship with God, which comes from the enemy and prevents us from going forward in our spiritual life.
2. It is important to remember the connection between natural desolation and spiritual desolation. Natural desolation can lead to spiritual desolation, but it does not have to do so.  If there is natural desolation, it can help the spiritual life to make changes at the natural level (for example, if I am exhausted from working too much, then I may need to figure out ways to work less).
3. In times of spiritual desolation, never change your spiritual proposals.
   1. Spiritual proposals are things I do to strengthen and maintain my relationship with God.
   2. In desolation, we are tempted to give up on these. But this is the time they are the most important.
   3. When struggling, it can be helpful to do something extra in my spiritual life. Little acts can help a lot.  Instead of quitting prayer early, do just a little more (add 3-5 minutes!).
4. When struggling in your spiritual life, be patient with yourself. Struggles are normal and discouragement makes them worse.
   1. Look for ways to encourage and be gentle with yourself.
   2. It can be helpful to do something extra in my spiritual life. This can be a little thing, such as go to Mass once more each week or go to confession.  Share your struggle with a friend with a strong prayer life.
   3. Keep practicing ARRR. Acknowledging and relating my struggle with honesty in prayer can make me open to receiving God’s way of seeing the struggle.  Journaling is helpful.  Consider which Scriptures you pray with.

II.   Overcoming Distractions

1. Distractions in prayer are normal.
2. General category 1 – a racing mind and it is hard to calm down and focus.
   1. Consider when you pray in the day. Try to find times where it is easier to focus.
   2. Try spiritual reading for 15 minutes or so before praying.
   3. Try to actively use your imagination in prayer.
   4. Remember that prayer is a work of the heart, more than the mind. It is possible for the heart to be loving God even while the mind is distracted.
3. General category 2 – a particular thing is distracting me.
   1. Often times this is a problem I don’t have a solution to and may be affecting my relationship with God.
   2. In this case, bring it to the Lord in ARRR prayer. Acknowledge the distraction.  Tell the Lord why it bothers you.  By relating, I begin to be open to receiving how God sees this problem.
   3. Other ideas include bringing to mind a quote from Scripture, looking at a spiritual image, or praying in an Adoration chapel.

III. Regular Spiritual Reading

1. Good books help us understand what is happening in our lives of prayer. They can spur our imagination and our desire to grow in prayer.  They can help us learn the ways of God.
2. Some suggestions for those just beginning to learn how to pray are:
   1. Jacques Philippe, Time for God,
   2. Peter Kreef, Prayer for Beginners,
   3. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, and
   4. Timothy Gallagher, The Discernment of Spirits.

IV. Persevere

1. One of the most important virtues for growing in a prayer life is perseverance.
2. Parable of the Sower and the Seed. Persevere to develop deep roots.
3. Every relationship takes work.
4. God understands that it takes time for us to grow. What is important is that we don’t give up.  As long as we keep striving no matter how much we fail, we will continue to grow.

Talk #4: Discernment of Spirits

Below is the outline for Talk 4, titled “Discernment of Spirits.”  As you listen to the teaching video, follow along in this outline.  You may print this outline and use the space to the right for notes or use your own journal for notetaking.

This teaching video covers the first four (of the fourteen) Rules of Discernment given by St. Ignatius.  The text of the first four rules is provided at the end of this talk outline for a single reference.

Discussion questions follow the reference materials at the end of this outline.  If you are participating in this series together with a group, consider selecting some or all of these questions for your group discussion.

Talk Outline

• One of the keys to learning to follow the movements of God is the Discernment of Spirits

1. 1. Movements in my soul come from 3 places:  God, the enemy, or myself (my human spirit).
      1. St. Ignatius defines the enemy broadly as anything that is not from God.  This includes the fallen angels (including the devil).  This also includes the fallen part of ourselves, such as tendencies in our own psyche which spring from egoism or disordered sensuality.  Scriptures calls this the world, the flesh, and the devil.
      2. St. Ignatius calls God, the blessed Trinity, the good spirit.  He also means the way God acts on us by the good spirits, that part of us which is in league with God by the sanctifying grace from our baptism, and the Church, the body of Christ who influences us toward the good.
   2. St. Ignatius names these movements consolations or desolations.
      1. We all experience ups and downs in our spiritual life – times when we have great energy, God feels close and we desire to pray and serve, and other times when we don’t have energy, God feels far away and we find it difficult to pray.
      2. St. Ignatius teaches us discernment of spirits to help us understand these ups and downs so that we can navigate our life and follow God more easily. 
      3. St. Ignatius learned this in his conversion.  During recovery from an injury in battle, he read the life of Christ and lives of the saints.
      4. When thinking about things of the world he took delight in them, but afterwards was dry and discontented.
      5. When thinking about living as the saints he was consoled, and afterwards he remained content and happy.
      6. One time “his eyes were opened a little,” realizing from experience that some thoughts left him sad and others happy.
      7. Little by little he came to recognize the difference between the spirits – one from the enemy, and the other from God.
      8. St. Ignatius wrote his rules for discernment of spirits – how to know when the enemy is bothering me and how to know when God is leading me.

• Discernment of Spirits: Introduction to the Rules

1. 1. “Rules for becoming aware and understanding to some extent the different movements which are caused in the soul, the good to receive them, and the bad to reject them.” (313)
   2. St. Ignatius wants to help us do 3 things:
      1. To become aware (“his eyes were opened a little”).
      2. To understand (try to figure out where these movements are coming from and what they mean).
      3. To respond (accept the good, reject the bad).
   3. To become aware of spiritual movements in the soul.
      1. St Augustine says, “You were within, and I was without. And created things kept me from you.” (Confessions, Book 10.) In our world today, it’s easy to live habitually without.
      2. Need silence and time in prayer to hear the voice of God in my heart.
   4. St. Ignatius gives fourteen rules for discernment. This teaching will discuss rules one through four.

• First Rule:  Persons moving away from God
  1. “First Rule. The first rule: in persons who are going from mortal sin to mortal sin, the enemy is ordinarily accustomed to propose apparent pleasures to them, leading them to imagine sensual delights and pleasures in order to hold them more and make them grow in their vices and sins.  In these persons the good spirit uses a contrary method, stinging and biting their consciences through their rational power of moral judgment.” (314)
  2. Notice the directional quality of these rules. Our life is headed in a general direction at all times – toward God or away from God.
  3. The first rule applies to persons heading away from God (“going from mortal sin to mortal sin”).
     1. The enemy works on the level of desires (“propose apparent pleasures to them”).
     2. God works on the rational level, the head (“stinging and biting their consciences”).
     3. God and the enemy always work contrary to each other.
• Second Rule:  Persons moving away from God

1. 1. “Second Rule.  The second: in persons who are going on intensely purifying their sins and rising from good to better in the service of God our Lord, the method is contrary to that in the first rule.  For then it is proper to the evil spirit to bite, sadden, and place obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, so that the person may not go forward.  And it is proper to the good spirit to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing and taking away all obstacles, so that the person may go forward in doing good.”
   2. (315)The second rule applies to persons heading toward God (“rising from good to better in the service of God”).
      1. God and the enemy work contrary to each other.
      2. This time, the enemy works at the rational level, the head (“bite, sadden, and place obstacles, disquieting with false reasons”).
      3. God works at the level of heart to make it easy to go forward (“courage and strength, consolations”).
         

• Example from St. Augustine’s Confessions Book 10.

1. 1. Headed away from God. 
      1. “I was in torment, reproaching myself more bitterly than ever as I twisted and turned in my chain.  I hoped that my chain might be broken once and for all, because it was only a small thing now…  And you, O Lord, never ceased to watch over my secret heart.  In your stern mercy you lashed me with the twin scourge of fear and shame …”
      2. St. Augustine is headed away from God, still attached to his sin. He wants to be free but isn’t able. God lashed him “with the twin scourge of fear and shame.” That was God’s mercy.
      3. He beings to make a turn toward God. As he turns God begins to console him.
      4. Headed toward God.
         1. “But by now … I had turned my eyes elsewhere, and while I stood there trembling at the barrier, on the other side I could see the chaste beauty of Continence in all her serene, unsullied joy, as she modestly beckoned me to cross over and to hesitate now more.”
         2. When St. Augustine turned toward God in prayer, God gives him an interior vision of hope to help him and to allow him to surrender. In his vision, lady Continence gives him courage. Right after this is the famous passage – Take and Read!
            

• Third Rule: Spiritual Consolation

1. 1. For persons headed toward God, God works through spiritual consolation (uplifting movement of the heart).
   2. “Third Rule. The third is of spiritual consolation. I call it consolation when some interior movement is caused in the soul, through which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and, consequently when it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all. Likewise when it sheds tears that move to love of its Lord, whether out of sorrow for one’s sins, or for the passion of Christ our Lord, or because of other things directly ordered to his service and praise. Finally, I call consolation every increase of hope, faith and charity and all interior joy that calls and attracts to heavenly things and to the salvation of one’s soul, quieting it and giving it peace in its Creator and Lord.” (316)
   3. Spiritual consolation always comes from God. An uplifting movement of various kinds that moves me towards God and helps me to follow him in life.
      Notice the words and how they are all affective words. These uplifting movements come in various degrees and intensity.
   4. Example from St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
      1. Seeing the hen protecting her little chicks under her wings (nonspiritual consolation) lead her to recall scripture and recognize God’s tenderness and protection of her (spiritual consolation).
      2. Nonspiritual consolation can lead to spiritual consolation. Likewise, nonspiritual desolation can lead to spiritual desolation.
         

• Fourth Rule:  Spiritual Desolation

1. 1. For persons headed toward God, the enemy works by trying to slow them down and prevent them from going forward by spiritual desolation.
   2. “Fourth Rule. The fourth is of spiritual desolation. I call desolation all the contrary of the third rule, such as darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to low and earthly things, disquiet from various agitations and temptations, moving to lack of confidence, without hope, without love, finding oneself totally slothful, tepid, sad and, as if separately from one’s Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts that come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts that come from desolation.”
   3. Desolation is the exact opposite of the movement of consolation. Desolation is the work of the enemy
      1. We all experience spiritual desolation at times.  If it goes unchecked, it can be a great obstacle in our spiritual lives.
      2. Distinguish spiritual desolation (a movement from the enemy) from psychological depression (non-spiritual, second level of the heart).  Distinguish between spiritual and non-spiritual consolation and desolation.
      3. Spiritual desolation is a heavy movement of the heart that leads to low and earthly things.
      4. Spiritual desolation often presents itself as our spiritual identity.  It may take over the past and future.  I may forget I ever had a relationship with God and may think I may never be able to again, because God feels so far away.  Spiritual desolation uses universal negatives (e.g., “entirely forgotten,” “never will be able to.”).  But the enemy is a liar.
   4. St. Ignatius teaches when you recognize this is spiritual desolation and name it, then you can reject it and come to be free of it.
      1. Rules one through four define the terms spiritual consolation and desolation.
      2. Rules five through nine teach what to do in spiritual desolation.
      3. Rules ten and eleven are about times of spiritual consolation and desolation.
      4. Rules twelve through fourteen are about what to do in temptation.
      5. It is worth studying all of them. This basic introduction of rules one through four can help to discern which movements are from God (which is to be accepted), and which are from the enemy (which are to be rejected).

• St. Ignatius letter to Sr. Teresa Rejadell

1. 1. See full text of quote at the end of this outline.
   2. Spiritual consolation, when present, allows us to go through our trials, even with joy.
   3. Spiritual desolation is a normal part of the spiritual life. We all have ups and downs. Need to learn to discern and become aware of what is going on – to recognize desolation is the work of the enemy, and then take appropriate responses to reject it and return to God’s grace and help.

• Two rules (briefly summarized) to do in times of spiritual desolation

1. 1. When in spiritual desolation, never change your spiritual proposals (Fifth Rule).  For example, a proposal to take time for daily prayer or Mass or to go confession.  They will be the guide to get through the difficulties.
2. When in spiritual desolation or temptation, it is helpful to tell the right person – for example, a good spiritual friend who knows the spiritual life (Thirteenth Rule).

Talk 4:  The Text of the First through Forth Rules

Rules for becoming aware and understanding to some extent the different movements which are caused in the soul, the good, to receive them, and the bad to reject them.  And these rules are more proper to the first week.

1. First Rule.  The first rule: in persons who are going from mortal sin to mortal sin, the enemy is ordinarily accustomed to propose apparent pleasures to them, leading them to imaging sensual delights and pleasure in order to hold them more and make them grow in their vices and sins.  In these persons the good spirit uses a contrary method, stinging and biting their consciences through their rational power of moral judgment.
2. Second Rule.  The second: in persons who are going on intensely purifying their sins and rising from good to better in the service of God our Lord, the method is contrary to that in the first rule.  For then it is proper to the evil spirit to bit, sadden, and place obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, so that the person may not go forward.  And it is proper to the good spirit to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations, and quiet, easing and taking away all obstacles, so that the person may go forward in doing good.
3. Third Rule.  The third is of spiritual consolation.  I call it consolation when some interior movement is caused in the soul, though which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and, consequently when it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all.  Likewise when it sheds tears that move to love of its Lord, whether out of sorrow for one’s sins, or for the passion of Christ our Lord, or because of other things directly ordered to his service and praise.  Finally, I call consolation every increase of hope, faith, and charity, and all interior joy that calls and attracts to heavenly things and to the salvation of one’s soul, quieting it and giving it peace in its Creator and Lord.
4. Forth Rule.  The fourth is of spiritual desolation.  I call it desolation all the contrary to the third rule, such as darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to low and earthly things, disquiet from various agitations and temptations, moving to lack of confidence, without hope, without love, finding oneself totally slothful, tepid, sad and, as if separated from one’s Creator and Lord.  For just as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts that come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts that come from desolation.

Talk 4:  Quotations from the letter of St. Ignatius to Sr. Teresa Rejadell

1. “I will call your attention briefly to two lessons which our Lord usually gives, or permits.  The one of them he gives, the other he permits.  The first is an interior consolation which casts out all uneasiness and draws one to a complete love of our Lord ….  In a word, when this divine consolation is present all trials are pleasant and all weariness rest.  He who goes forward with this fervor, warmth, and interior consolation finds every burden light and sweetness in every penance or trail, however great.  This consolation points out and opens the way we are to follow and points out the way we are to avoid.  It does not remain with us always, but it will always accompany us on the way at the times that God designates.  All this is for our progress.”
2. “But when this consolation is absent the other lesson comes to light.  Our ancient enemy sets up all possible obstacles to turn us aside from the way on which we have entered.  He makes use of everything to vex us, and everything in the first lesson is reversed.  We find ourselves sad without knowing why.  We cannot pray with devotion, nor contemplate, nor even speak or hear of the things of God with any interior taste or relish.  Not only this, but if he sees that we are weak and much humbled by these harmful thoughts, he goes on to suggest that we are entirely forgotten by God our Lord, and leads us to think that we are quite separated from him and that all that we have done and all that we desire to do is entirely worthless.  He thus endeavors to bring us to a state of general discouragement…. For this reason it is necessary for us to become aware of our opponent.”

Week 4: Discussion Questions

1. Movements in the soul come from 3 places:  God, the enemy, or myself.  Give an example of one or more of these movements.
2. St. Ignatius’ Introduction to the Rules of Discernment says, “Rules for becoming aware and understanding to some extent the different movements which are caused in the soul, the good, to receive them, and the bad to reject them.”  Describe each of these three steps in your own words (to become aware, to understand, and to respond).
3. Share an example of a time when God opened your eyes “a little” to become aware and understand a movement in your soul.  How did you respond?
4. St. Augustine said, “You were within; I was without.”  We are invited to live within, to live with Jesus in our hearts.  What are some things that keep you on the outside?
5. St. Ignatius described two possible movements – persons moving away from God, and persons moving toward God.  For persons moving away from God (First Rule), how does the enemy work?  How does God work?
6. For persons moving toward God (Second Rule), how does the enemy work?  How does God work?
7. In the Third and Fourth Rules, St. Ignatius defines spiritual consolation and desolation.  How has this teaching made you aware of experiences of consolation and desolation in your life?  (The St. Thérèse of Lisieux example illustrates how God can use simple things in life such as a hen with her chicks.)
8. Bishop Cozzens commented that we all experience the ups and downs of spiritual consolation and spiritual desolation throughout our lives.  What are the two brief examples Bishop Cozzens gave at the end of his talk to combat spiritual desolation?
9. This teaching covered the first four of the fourteen rules for discernment of spirits given by St. Ignatius.  How could you continue to learn more about these rules for your spiritual journey?

Week #3: Conversation with God 

Below is the outline for Talk 3, titled “Conversation with God.”  As you listen to the teaching video, follow along in this outline.  You may print this outline and use the space to the right for notes or use your own journal for notetaking.

Discussion questions can be found at the end of this outline.  If you are participating in this series together with a group, consider selecting some or all of these questions for your group discussion.

Talk Outline

• Recap: Prayer happens in the heart. 

1. 1. Movements of the heart are “affective movements,” and come as thoughts, feelings and desires.
   2. Prayer purifies the heart so we can learn to love what God loves.

• Distinguishing movements of the heart; 3 levels of our heart.

1. 1. Interior thoughts, feelings and desires come to us from present experience or from memory.
   2. Level I (surface psychological) – transient, even superficial, change rapidly, easily swayed by external stimuli (examples: bad mood because of weather or the opinion of others).  These thoughts, feelings and desires are not movements of the Holy Spirit.
   3. Level II (deeper psychological) – more complex, are more deeply rooted, do not just come and go, many are habitual patterns of thinking, feeling or desiring.  
      1. Include family relationships, temperaments, deep moods such as psychological depression or deep joy or happiness, sexual desires.
      2. Non-spiritual consolation (uplifting feeling) or non-spiritual desolation (down feeling).
      3. Still not the place where God speaks, although God often wants to bring healing to the experiences of this level of the heart.
   4. Level III (spiritual) – spiritual thoughts, feelings and desires that impact directly on one’s relationship with God and carrying out his will.
      1. Spiritual consolation (uplifting movement of the heart toward God) – “I call it consolation when some interior movement is caused in the soul, through which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and, consequently when it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all.  Likewise when it sheds tears that move to love of its Lord, whether out of sorrow for one’s sins, or for the passion of Christ our Lord, or because of other things directly ordered to his service and praise.  Finally, I call consolation every increase in hope, faith and charity, and all interior joy that calls and attracts to heavenly things and to the salvation of one’s soul, quieting it and giving it peace in its Creator and Lord.”  (Third Rule; Spiritual Exercise #316.)
      2. Spiritual desolation (downward movement of the heart away from God) – “I call desolation … darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to low and earthly things, disquiet from various agitations and temptations, moving to lack of confidence, without hope, without love, finding oneself totally slothful, tepid, sad and, as if separated from one’s Creator and Lord.  For just as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts that come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts that come from desolation.  (Forth Rule; Spiritual Exercise #317.)

• Spiritual movements of the heart – thoughts, feelings and desires.

1. 1. Come from one of three spirits:  Holy Spirit, evil spirit, human spirit.
   2. What exactly happens in the heart?
      1. Feelings and desires come.
      2. Give rise to thoughts (intellect).
      3. Call for a response (will) – to receive what is from God and reject what is not from God.
      4. Come into our hearts through memory, imagination and spiritual senses.
   3. This is a guide not a science.  Not all of our thoughts, feelings and desires can be easily categorized.  We have different levels of the heart and this is simplified to three levels.

1. 1. Chart

1. 1. Practically, how do we enter into conversation with God about some struggle in life.
      1. Prayer is the conversation where I speak to God about the struggles or joys at the second level of the heart.
      2. As I receive God’s truth and love at the third level of the heart, he begins to set me free at the second level of the heart.  This begins to purify the way I think and feel at the second level of the heart.

• The 4 practical steps to surrender our hearts to God.

1. 1. 1. Acknowledge – When I am having some struggle, the first thing I have to do is to admit that it is a struggle.  This requires self-awareness.  It can be difficult to acknowledge.  There can be a fear to acknowledge because I don’t want to give the thing too much power – better to ignore it.  Or, because I think to myself – if I were a real Christian this would not bother me.  Or, because I do not have the faith to believe God can work in this area.
      2. Relate – Second step is to relate the situation to God in prayer and ask God how he sees it.  
         1. Practically, simply tell God about it.  “Father, this is really difficult for me.”  “I am afraid.”  “This feels like too much for me!” “Father this makes me very angry, how can you allow this to happen!”
         2. If I pour it out in faith, I can receive from God a new way to see this.  This is God’s part of the action – and I cannot control this.  But I can have faith he will do it!  
         3. Relating is our work.  Receiving is what God does.
      3. Receive – Third step is God acting, showing me how he is working.  He speaks to my heart and allows me to receive his way of seeing, his truth.  He shows me that he is present.
         1. This is a spiritual consolation at the third level of the heart.  It might be a word or phrase from Scripture.  It might be a sense of peace or his presence.  It might be a word from a friend or something I hear in a homily.
         2. It comes with an uplift of heart, because the Holy Spirit is speaking to me.
      4. Respond – Forth step is to respond differently, with the grace and strength from God.  I can respond in truth and with God’s peace.
         1. This is so different than white knuckling the Christian life.

• Prayer is a two-way conversation

1. 1. 1. 1. God works in prayer.  His presence comes into situations and changes them.
         2. God wants to show us he is good in every situation when we bring it to him in prayer.
         3. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  2 Cor. 1:3-8
         4. This receiving is the key to the whole spiritual life – this is the peace that Jesus promises even in the greatest trials.  True peace that comes from true surrender.

• Examples

1. 1. 1. Jesus in the Agony of the Garden
      2. St. Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-10).

• What is prayer in light of ARRR?  

1. 1. Prayer is the place where I surrender to God’s will – I acknowledge my struggle, I relate that to him, I receive from him how to see it, and then I can respond with his grace.  In this way, prayer changes me and purifies my heart.