Monthly Reflections
Love Coming to Fruition
n his commentary on St Ignatius’ “Rules for the Discernment of Spirits”, Jules Toner distinguishes between essential spiritual consolation and contingent spiritual consolation. Essential consolation comes from essential spiritual peace. This peace is there even when we are experiencing desolation. When in desolation we are still aware of this essential peace and we work against the desolation as forcefully as we can. Desolation is not the normal condition of one trying to follow Christ. It is only allowed by God and only for a time.
What God wants for us most of the time is contingent spiritual consolation as well as essential consolation. In this sort of consolation we have intense feelings of love for God and an intense desire to follow what God wants for us. We want to be with God, to praise God and give glory to God. In this sort of consolation the love which God has put into our heart shows itself more clearly to us and to others. Toner says that it is a more intense response of the whole personality to God. It is that love, as it were, coming to full bloom.
We experience contingent consolation when we go to Mass, pray, help the poor, attend a spiritual celebration. We experience this consolation especially in times of making a step forward in our commitment to God. Recently the Spiritans who live beside us had their celebrations of final profession and diaconate. It was evident that the ones making their commitment were very happy. In their first homilies two of the new deacons spoke of the love of God and of giving glory to God and not to ourselves.
But it is not just at these highpoints that we experience this consolation. When we read the writings of the saints such as St Therese of Lisieux, we are aware of the flame of love burning in their hearts empowering them to want to do anything for God no matter what it would cost. This happens on a daily basis. So it is with ourselves. How are we to feel going to Mass every morning or on most mornings or, if we choose not to, giving ourselves more time for personal prayer and spiritual reading? Do we go to these occasions in a state of dryness or without feelings? I think that St Ignatius and our own experience would say “no”. Normally we have in our hearts a felt love of God. We want to be there. We bring our whole self to these activities. If this were not the case, then we might as well not take part in the activity. We are just being half-hearted.
I knew on a particular morning that there would be Office at Mass, something I would have preferred not to have. But I thought: I am here and I will throw my whole self into this. The first psalm was sung. I did not sing but listened and tried to take in the beauty of the melody and of the fervour of those singing around me. I listened to the readings attentively and to the homily. Nothing struck me forcibly but I felt warmth in my heart. I kept asking God to give me more warmth and love to be able to respond to what was happening. Thus the Mass proceeded. We sang many songs during Mass. After Communion there was a hymn followed by a sung version of the Benedictus. I was sitting next to someone who had a booklet with the words of this sung version and I moved the book my way so that I could see the words as well as he. The seminarians sang with great fervour and I felt myself being caught up in the praise of God. Then after the song the antiphon to the Benedictus was said, “It will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father working through you.” One of the things that had been distracting me during Mass was the thought of a workshop I would be helping to give in the near future. I fought the distraction and tried to feel hopeful about it. But with these words I felt my spirits soar. I could leave the workshop to God since God would give me the words to say. This was certainly consolation. My feelings were intense. I felt God’s love and felt my love for God in return. The love between God and myself was coming to fruition. This, I think, is not something that God intends to happen just occasionally but often.
Tim Lockwood, CFC
Br. Timothy J. Lockwood, CFC, holds a Ph.D. in Formative Spirituality from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA). He teaches courses in Human Development and Spiritual Discernment in the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation.
