Discernment What is it, why is it important

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DiscernmentWhat is it, why is it important?

• By Nick Chui

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Video

How not to discern your vocation
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Scope

• Understanding what it means when we say
  Following Gods will
• Discerning a vocation
• Discerning what to do in specific situations
• What if I made a seemingly wrong decision.

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Following Gods will Foundational principles

• God has revealed his will in the areas of faith
  and morals
• Eg Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of
  the trinity
• Thou shalt not steal
• Thou shalt not kill
• Thou shalt not commit adultery
• Love your neighbour
• Go to Mass on Sunday
• Care for your sick parents

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Therefore

• We can be sure that if we sin, we are not doing
  the will of God.
• If we act virtuously, we are doing the will of God

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Why is that important?

• If we want to be attuned to Gods voice, we had
  better start following his will in things which
  he has already made explicit, then we will be
  able to listen.
• Prevents you from practicing double standards i.e
  wanting to discern Gods will in things which he
  has not made explicit, but not wanting to do
  something which he has made explicit.

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In other things, God is more often then not
silent.
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Our Image of GodPope Benedict XVIs Regensburg
Lecture

• Pure Will
• Governed by reason who is ultimately Love.

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Because God is Love

• St. Augustines formula Love God and do what you
  will.
• Want to follow his commandments
• Because you want His friendship
• Because you are his child who does not want to
  disappoint a loving Father.

Rublevs The trinity
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So is it Gods will that you eat chicken rice or
duck rice? An Augustinian solution

• As long as you are
• grateful for the meal
• Did not cheat the person who sell it to you
• Are not having a medical condition
• It is not Friday
• Then whatever rice you chose to eat is
• also Gods will.

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Love means

• Good will
• A certain amount of freedom
• Empowerment
• Variety

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The example of parenthood
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What has God empowered us with?

• Intellect
• Will
• Emotions
• Nevertheless because
• these things are fallen, we
• need to ensure that they
• are purified through prayer
• and the practice of virtue

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• Luca Signorelli cathedral of Orvieto
• Devil comes like an angel of light (2 Cor 1114)

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Vocation Discenment

• Married?
• Celibate for the kingdom
• Note
• Vocation in this sense is a way of being
• rather than what you do
• Eg A priest He is a Father engaged in
• pastoral counselling not vice versa.

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How does the intellect, will and emotions come
into play?

• Analogy of dating
• If the girl does not interest you, you will just
  leave it as it is
• If she does interest you, you would want to get
  to know her better to find out.

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How does the intellect, will and emotions come
into play?

• Religious vocation
• If the priesthood/religious life does not
  interest you, you can just leave it as it is and
  find a girlfriend etc.
• If not, then there is no harm attending days of
  recollection, talking further to priests and nuns
  etc.

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Emotion needs to be informed by the intellect -
Marriage

• Eg The girl is right now attached
• The girl is married
• I realise that I am interested in her only in her
  sexual values, not in her as a person (motives
  need to be purified)
• If no impediment on both sides, you
• can explore this relationship further.

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Emotion needs to be informed by the intellect -
Celibacy

• I have debts to pay up
• I am now bonded to MOE for 3 years
• I have a serious mental illness
• I want to be a priest so that people will respect
  me (motives need to be purified)
• If no impediment then go for it.

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Role of the will

• Once decision has been made, it is not right to
  look back.
• The will strength to direct emotions and
  intellect to do the right thing, especially after
  decision is made
• No one who puts his hand on the plough and
  looks back is not fit for the kingdom Luke 962

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My own journey

• Been taking prayer life seriously
• Attracted to priesthood
• Go to the seminary. Feel very comfortable
• Had good prayer experiences in front of the
  Blessed Sacrament
• Decide to explore further the possibility if God
  is calling me to be a priest.

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My own journey

• Made up mind to apply for the diocesan
  priesthood.
• During waitng time, experienced emotional turmoil
• Suddenly other religious congregations seem
  attractive
• Should not be exploring these
• One thing at a time.

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Discerning for ministry/service/job

• 1 Peter 410-11
• Each one of you has received a special grace, so
  like good stewards responsible for the different
  graces of God, put yourselves at the service of
  others. If you are a speaker, speak in words
  which seem to come from God if you are a helper,
  help as though every action was done at Gods
  orders so that in everything God may receive the
  glory through Jesus Christ.
• Empowerment
• God has given us gifts and talents
• Use this gifts for his glory
• Use this gifts to serve others.

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My story

• Praying about charism
• Able to teach and write
• Legion of Mary book barrow
• Friend in university complimented me on
  explaining a concept well
• Teaching catechism
• Scripture verse teaches me to use this gifts for
  the glory of God.

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Role of intellect, will, emotions

• Eg I enjoy playing the guitar
• - The parish is hoping to train praise and
  worship leaders
• - I feel the urge to do something
• - I am not impaired by any obstacle
• - I go ahead and do it

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Definition of Holiness

• Not necessarily participating in Church
  activities.
• It is desiring to grow into the person God wants
  you to be i.e. a saint.
• By loving Him and your neighbours

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Holiness

• If it entails participating in church activities,
  then very good.
• If however, you have other duties, then we are
  obliged to discharge them to the best of our
  ability.

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Preaching to the converted?

• For ZJ I guess its the reverse. I like to
  participate in Church activities, to be part of
  ZJ, but when do I know when to stop?

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Things to look out for

• Obligations God, Family, studies etc
• If participation helps in family relationships,
  improve studies, better prayer life etc, then you
  know you are on the right track.
• If other things suffer because of your
  involvement in ZJ, then it is time to reconsider.
  

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My story

• President of the Legion of Mary in year 4 of
  University
• Tried as far as possible not to neglect prayer
• Forced to manage time well which may otherwise be
  spent on computer games.
• Being called to something does not guarantee you
  will go to heaven. The story of King Saul.

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What if we discern wrongly?

• Not selected to be part of praise and worship
  team.
• Relationship with girlfriend did not work out.
• Seminary reject you
• - Do we always have to make the correct
  decision all the time in non-moral matters?

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St. Pauls Principle

• We know that in everything God works for good
  with those who love him Romans 828
• - i.e God is able to draw good out of something
  evil/seemingly bad when we embrace the concrete
  circumstances of his life as part of his plan of
  providence for us.

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Gods providence

• Said in fear and trembling
• But it is the teachings of the saints.

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Jean Pierre Caussade/Tony Snow
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My Own story

• Rejected from the seminary
• Applied for a relief teaching job at Fairfield
  Methodist to teach history, did not get it too.
• Rejection lead me to find work at Family Life
  Society. Later realised how fortunate and
  providential. Boss was wavering but a colleague
  put in a good word for me.

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Contd

• Gained a lot of experience working for church,
  growing as a person and knowing and learning the
  Theology of the Body, Church documents etc
• Marvelous
• Previously had to do churchy stuff on the
  side.
• Now can do churchy stuff during office hours!

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Contd

• Wanted to try another diocese. A priest from the
  Archdiocese of Melbourne came along, was
  interviewed and even flew up for interviews.
• Rejected again!

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Contd

• A decision made amidst some turmoil.
• Been liking my work
• Good place to build a career,
• But I thought I was answering a greater call

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Contd

• Now can work at Family Life Society
• Would not be trying for religious congregations
  for some time After a breakup you should not
  find another girlfriend to quickly.
• Manage to enroll as a student in the John Paul II
  Institute for marriage and the family in of all
  places, Melbourne.
• Who knows what God has in stall for me whether
  I get married, whether I will still discern a
  religious vocation in the future.
• I pray that in 20 years time and on my deathbed,
  I can still say as I say today Great is thy
  faithfulness, O God my Father.

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Closing Hymn Great is thy faithfulness