FREEDOM OF THE DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
During
the last supper discourse described in John, Jesus speaks of obedience to his
commandments and words out of love and in the light of the Holy Spirit. Because
this kind of obedience draws upon the light and assistance of the Holy Spirit,
it entails the discernment of spirits.
“‘If
you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he
will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth,
which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you
know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.’” (1)
“‘Whoever
loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to
him to make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my
words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. I
have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the
Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all
that [I] told you.’” (2)
It
is significant that Jesus’ exhortation to the Apostles and his promise of the gift
of the Holy Spirit takes place during the last supper, just before the Passion,
because the obedience of the Apostles before and after these events is marked
by a quantum difference in discernment.
“From
the beginning to the end the Acts of the Apostles shows the triumph of the
Spirit. The Spirit’s all-powerful action proves that the way of the Cross,
followed by Jesus, was the divine way. The Acts give confirmation and the
accomplishment of the discernment required by Jesus in the Gospel. In the
Gospel the ways of the Spirit are, generally, in the eyes of witnesses,
shrouded in darkness and seem to lead to formidable trials. Discernment,
according to the example of the Lord, is practiced with fear and sometimes with
anguish. In the Acts, the ways of the Spirit do not differ; in practice, they
lead to the greatest of his disciples to experience the attitudes, even the
same situations as their Lord.” (3)
The
fullness of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit following Pentecost and
in the founding of the Church quickens the discernment of the Apostles and
practically ensure its infallibility. By virtue of this gift of the Holy
Spirit, the Apostles are able to fulfill the Lord’s commission to them
unerringly.
Before Pentecost, the Apostles are uncomprehending, lacking in understanding. “Jesus said to them, ‘Do you still not understand?’” (4)
Before Pentecost, the Apostles are uncomprehending, lacking in understanding. “Jesus said to them, ‘Do you still not understand?’” (4)
After Pentecost, the Apostles proclaim the Word of God in fullness of
knowledge and with abundance of light. “The eunuch said to Philip in reply, ‘I
beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone
else?’ Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage,
he proclaimed Jesus to him.” (5)
The
gift of discernment is given not only to the Apostles but also to St. Paul.
“Although
Paul enumerated among his charisms the gift of ‘discernment of spirits’ (diakrisis pneumaton), he, nonetheless,
never elaborated a systematic doctrine of discernment. Still the place that the
discernment of the Spirit and his action holds in Pauline thought is worthy of
study. To recognize its importance, a grouping of texts in which the apostle
speaks of discernment or shows the criteria on which it is based is not
sufficient. It is necessary to look at the apostle actually practicing this
discernment, and this might be most diverse circumstances: while justifying his
mission, settling a difficulty, or judging the actions of a community.
“All
his actions consisted in practicing discernment. Whether he is making known to
the Christians of Thessalonica God’s work in them; or is appraising the merits
and weaknesses of the people of Corinth; or is revealing to the Romans the
spiritual power which animates Judaism, Paganism, and Christianity, and which dominates
the religious history of the world; or is teaching the authentic ways of the
Spirit to the Christians of Asia, led astray by Gnosticism—he is always
projecting the light of God on the situation of the churches and on hearts. He
is practicing the discernment of spirits.” (6)
What,
precisely, is “discernment of spirits?” It is mentioned by Paul and John in their
respective epistles, but they do not expound any formal theory or doctrine of
discernment.
“To
each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To
one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; ...to another
discernment of spirits; ...But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.” (7)
“Beloved,
do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to
God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (8)
In
the New Testament, the meaning of the discernment of spirits is conveyed in the
accounts of the Apostles’ works rather than in the exposition of a doctrine. Understood
in this sense, it is the fulfillment by the Apostles of Jesus’ commands and
words by virtue of the light and assistance of the Holy Spirit and in the
plenitude of His power. The discernment of spirits is thus a genuine type of
obedience to God.
Discernment
of spirits differs from obedience to the Mosaic law in at least one primary sense, and that is in the latter’s sacramental character. The
sacrament—the visible sign—of obedience to the Mosaic law resides mainly in
following what is proclaimed in the Word. But in the case of the discernment of spirits, obedience to God is hidden in the interior experience of the person obeying, in the gift of
the Holy Spirit given to him or her.
Demonstrably, the commandments of God and the Church, or the directives of a religious superior are just like the Mosaic law. They cannot always serve as indications of God’s will for a person. There are many situations in which God’s will is not so explicit—in the choice of a wife, the selection of an occupation, or the vote for a political candidate, to cite some examples. In these situations, obedience to God is not simply a matter of following the commandments of God and the Church or the directives of a religious superior, but rather of drawing upon the gift of the discernment of spirits, of judging and acting with the power and assistance of the Holy Spirit. Discernment of spirits is thus genuine obedience to God, although it is not necessarily exercised with the same efficacy and certitude as the obedience of the Apostles to the Holy Spirit during the foundation of the Church.
Of
this type of obedience to Jesus’ commands, words, and will, we may apply some
of his greatest words in praise of the disciple.
“While
he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared
outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, ‘Your mother and your
brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.’ But he said in reply
to the one who told him, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And
stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and
my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and
sister, and mother.’” (9)
“‘You
are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you
friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.’” (10)
“While
he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, ‘Blessed is
the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’ He replied, ‘Rather,
blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’” (11)
Family,
friend, and above all, blessed, that is, a sharer in the holiness of God—they
are all the surpassing gifts of the disciple living in obedience to God.
Therefore,
we may speak of the “freedom of the discernment of spirits,” an allusion to the
“freedom of obedience” in religious life.
In
an important sense, the freedom of the discernment of spirits is the necessary counterpoint
to the abuse of religious and spiritual authority and of the obligation of obedience
to this authority. Discernment fosters spiritual freedom in instances when the
abuse of authority and of the obligation of obedience diminishes it.
Moreover,
the freedom of the discernment of spirits is the exercise of a virtue that
promotes greater spiritual freedom, in the same way that the practice of any
other virtue has liberating consequences.
Notes
(1)
John 15:15-17.
(2)
John 15:23-24.
(3)
Jacques Guillet, Gustave Bardy, Francois Vandenbroucke, Joseph Pegon, Henri
Martin, Discernment of Spirits: Translation of the article Discernement des Esprits in the Dictionnaire de Spiritualite, translated
by Sr. Innocentia Richards, Ph.D. (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical
Press, 1970), pages 39-40.
(4) Mark 8:21.
(5) Acts 8:34-35.
(6)
Guillet et al., op. cit., p. 41.(5) Acts 8:34-35.
(7)
1 Corinthians 12:7-11.
(8)
1 John 4:1.
(9)
Matthew 12:46-50.
(10)
John 16:14-15.
(11)
Luke 11:27-28.
THE FREEDOM OF OBEDIENCE
“I
said that every Discipline has its corresponding freedom. What freedom
corresponds to submission? It is the ability to lay down the terrible burden of
always needing to get our own way. The obsession to demand that things go the
way we want them to go is one of the greatest bondages in human society today.
People will spend weeks, months, even years in a perpetual stew because some
little thing did not go as they wished. They will fuss and fume. They will get
mad about it. They will act as if their very life hangs on the issue. They may
even get an ulcer over it.
“In
the Discipline of submission we are released to drop the matter, to forget it.
Frankly, most things in life are not nearly as important as we think they are.
Our lives will not come to an end if this or that does not happen.”
Source:
Richard J. Foster, Celebration of
Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, 25th Anniversary Edition (New
York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1998), page 111
Submission—“the
freedom of obedience.”
Photo courtesy of David Campbell
ReplyDeletePhoto link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/knowhim/336337024
Gonzalinho
Many good discussions about monastic obedience are available on the Internet, for example:
ReplyDeletehttp://abbey.suscopts.org/index.php/MONASTIC-LIBRARY/obedience.html
https://catholicexchange.com/lessons-monastery-spiritual-direction
Gonzalinho
We are all obliged to follow the law of God revealed through the teachings of the Church. On the other hand, in many situations in life, God does not reveal his will explicitly. Very often we have to judge and act according to our own discernment of spirits. Discernment is thus a type of obedience to God. It is obedience to our understanding of the will of God, which may or may not fully correspond to God’s will, because discernment is hardly ever infallible.
ReplyDeleteGonzalinho
The virtue of obedience consists, first, in our desire to do God’s will, and second, in our knowledge of it. This knowledge may not infallible but it should be sufficient for moral certainty. When we act upon our knowledge of God’s will, we do so virtuously, however imperfectly. Our obedience is virtuous to the degree that we have discerned God’s will correctly.
ReplyDeleteIt may not be possible to determine God’s will with certitude or in detail, and in a certain sense it is even impossible to know God’s will, because in the final analysis the will of God is inscrutable. The prospect always exists that when we act with moral certainty we do so in error.
Notwithstanding, obedience to our understanding of the will of God is genuinely obedience.
Gonzalinho
“Moral certainty is a concept of intuitive probability. It means a very high degree of probability, sufficient for action, but short of absolute or mathematical certainty.”
Delete—“Moral Certainty,” Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_certainty
“The quaint-sounding term ‘moral certainty’ dates back to c. 1400. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as ‘a degree of probability so great as to admit of no reasonable doubt.’ In the seventeenth century it became an important term in the law….”
https://philosophynow.org/issues/118/Moral_Certainty
—Toni Vogel Carey, “Moral Certainty,” Philosophy Now, 2017
Gonzalinho
To speak of obedience is to speak of searching for the will of God in order to carry it out.
ReplyDelete…As we know, the will of God has two aspects. On one hand, there is what is necessary to arrive at God and what touches upon every human being, as is expressed in the commandments, which has the purpose of preserving human life, not to oppress it tyrannically. On the other hand, there is what God offers or asks of each one in particular so they can collaborate with his Plan of Life, in their concrete life, with their personal, historical, cultural baggage. This manifestation of the will of God is infinitely multiform, as is infinitely multiform the history of humanity and even that of every person in particular. This will of God can only be grasped in a attentive and daily listening to the Spirit which communicates to us these invitations, suggestions and petitions of God:
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the (John 3:8.)
…This attentive listening is called spiritual discernment of the will of God.
…There is no other way of knowing the concrete will of God in our lives than spiritual discernment. And, even still, this knowing is not infallible. Discernment brings us to moral or “spiritual” certitudes, more or less strong, but never infallible.
…Besides the proof of acceptance by the Church, there is the proof of the fruits, which is decisive, even though this test generally requires the passage of time: You will know them by their fruits (Matthew 716-20.) The later fruits of the life of Ignatius have fully confirmed the authenticity of his spiritual experiences and of his discernment.
http://www.sjweb.info/documents/cis/pdfenglish/200912004en.pdf
—Francisco López Rivera, S.J., “Obedience and Discernment,” Review of Ignatian Spirituality (January 2009) 40(120)
Gonzalinho
The article is excellent in its exposition of the subject of the spiritual discernment of the will of God, with two important qualifications.
DeleteFirst, it describes the discernment of the spirits under the conditions of religious obedience and in the Society of Jesus in particular, and these conditions do not obtain for the vast majority of the Roman Catholic faithful who do not live under the vow of obedience.
Second, it does not investigate the ramifications for obedience, discernment, and their particular dynamic in cases when religious or spiritual authority is abused, for which we can cite as a prominent contemporary example the wrongheaded policies of the bishops, including that of the pope himself, Saint John Paul II, during the decades-long scandal of clerical sexual abuse. The Church hierarchy perpetrated cover-ups, legal settlements, and payoffs to protect the reputation of clergy and religious, resulting in major psychological damage to the victims. The gravely misguided policies were successfully maintained over many decades in part because of the prevailing Roman Catholic ethos of obedience.
Gonzalinho