June 6, 2021- Ignatian Spirituality Part 3

For the past two weeks we have been discussing the discernment of spirits as taught by St. Ignatius and its relation to Satan as the accuser. When I am assisting people through mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, I often see people's symptoms begin to spiral out of control because of a negative interaction with another person, a mistake they made, etc. For example, the accusatory voice, whether it be from Satan or our self, starts small with, “You failed.” Then it becomes, “You failed again. You always fail. Why can’t you stop failing? What is wrong with you? No one fails as much as you do. You’re always going to fail!” Before they know it, their symptoms are unbearable, and they find themselves in a dark place. Does this sound like God’s encouragement for us to become holier individuals? No. This is the work of the evil one. The goals of God and Satan are exactly the opposite. One is hope, the other is despair. One is love, the other is solitude. Satan does such a good job of this however that we often feel like we are the only ones struggling and suffering. When you pray, pay close attention to the movements of your heart. If you are scared, feel hopeless, or despair, it is likely not from God and is coming from the accuser himself. If you are filled with hope, confidence, joy, peace, and love, it is likely from God and can be trusted. It takes great practice and possibly a spiritual director to learn the discernment of spirits. Keep in mind, we are barely scratching the surface right now when it comes to the teachings of St. Ignatius. If you are interested in learning more, I highly recommend “The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living” by Fr. Timothy Gallagher. I pray that you will find ways to silence the voice of the accuser in your life and better hear and understand the Spirit of God.