How do you make good decisions as a Christian who earnestly wants to collaborate with God? In this presentation, Anne Pate explores what the Ignatian tradition of Christian spirituality has to say.

1. Making good decisions
- part 3
Cafechurch
13th November 2018
Anne Pate

2. Christ Has No Body Now But Yours (featuring Josh Garrels)
Porter’s Gate Worship Project
Change Gear

3. Gratitudes

4. Christ Has No Body
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do
good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all
the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

5. Characteristics of a good decision
Discernment is about choosing to work with Christ in building the
Kingdom, in my own unique way.
Good decisions move us towards God, community and each other.
Good decisions integrate different aspects of ourselves. They ring
true with who we are.
Good decisions bring a sense of harmony and peace – even if living
out the decision is difficult or painful at times.

6. Preconditions for discernment
• I desire to make a choice that helps me to serve God in the best possible
way.
• I have a regular prayer life in which I seek to grow closer to the God who
desires to grow closer to me.
• The decision is between two ‘good’ options: eg. do I join religious life, or do
I get married?
• I have a clear sense of the alternatives before me.
• There is some ambiguity or obscurity involved: it is not immediately clear
to me which choice is the one God is calling me to.
• I make the decision in a time when I sense God’s presence and love.
• I am as interiorly free as I can be from the influences of self-centredness,
prejudices, fears, anxieties etc. which would prevent me from hearing how
God is leading me.

7. Group conversation
Bring to mind a decision that you face at this point in your life.
• Am I clear on the options before me?
• How will I involve God as I make this decision?
• What factors do I need to take into account as I make this decision –
eg. significance of the decision; impact on other people; my
feelings; any constraints on the course of action open to me?

8. Three spiritual situations
Ignatius describes three situations, in any of which a good decision can
be made:
• The ‘revelation’ time
• Discerning interior movements
• Making a decision using reason and active imagination

9. The revelation time
‘When God so moves and attracts the will that without doubting or
being able to doubt, the faithful soul follows what is shown, just as St
Paul and St Matthew did when they followed Christ our Lord.’ [175]

10. The revelation time
• The person is shown, decisively and unambiguously, which course to
follow. The response is one of assent.
• Leaves no room for doubt
• BUT: Not every experience which does not contain doubt is inspired
by God.
• Although Ignatius is not clear on this point, we ought to reflect on
this experience and be discerning.
• What kind of experience is meant here? Something dramatic, or a
more ‘ordinary’ sense of conviction?

11. Discerning interior movements
‘When sufficient light and knowledge is received through experience of
consolations and desolations, and through experience of the
discernment of different spirits.’ [176]

12. Discerning interior movements
• Discernment may unfold over a long period.
• The deep influences of good and bad ‘spirits’ manifest themselves
through the interplay of feelings, thoughts and imagination.
• We reflect on the origins of these movements and the directions to
which they lead us.
• Good decisions may involve change, relinquishment and cost, which
can lead to desolate reactions.
• Ignatius’ Guidelines for Discernment of Spirits are invaluable here.

13. Using reason and active imagination
‘The Third Time is one of tranquility.
One considers first of all the purpose
for which as a human being one is
born, namely to praise God our Lord
and to save one’s soul. Desiring this,
one chooses as a means some life or
state within the bounds of the Church,
in order to find in it a help to the
service of one’s Lord and the salvation
of one’s soul. I call this a ‘tranquil’ time
in the sense that it is a situation when
the soul is not moved by various spirits
and has the free and tranquil use of her
natural powers.’ [177]

14. Using reason and active imagination
Using reason
• I put before myself the matter about which I want to decide
• I recall the need for freedom from disordered attachment
• I pray that the Spirit will act in my will and in my mind
• I prayerfully consider reasons for and against each of the alternatives
• I evaluate these reasons and decisions
‘After I have gone over and pondered in this way every aspect of the matter
in question, I will consider which alternative appears more reasonable.
Then I must come to a decision in the matter under deliberation because of
weightier motives presented to my reason, and not because of any sensual
inclinations.’ [182]
• I offer the decision to God, seeking confirmation.

15. Using reason and active imagination
Using active imagination
When we feel drawn to one of the alternatives, this way helps us to test
whether our motive is truly the love of God or a rationalization of our
‘sensual inclinations’.
• Advising another person whom I have never met before
• Looking at my decision from the perspective of my death bed
• Looking at my situation from the perspective of standing before God on the
last day

16. In weighing the “lights” and “shadows” in the specific choices I
face, these few basic questions may help:
What feels like faith? What feels like fear? What feels like
an act of love? What feels like a cry for love? What path
leads to greater freedom? What path leads to self-
enclosure? What choice calls me out of myself and
orients me toward others? What choice might leave me
isolated and self-involved? (Matt Malone SJ)