Our vocation as a man is to make ourselves like Christ.”
Discern: what choices are we going to make? Which door to open?
Fr. Paul Rolphy PINTO, a Jesuit of Indian origin, animates the Chapter Retreat.
For two days, this Saturday and Sunday, Father Paul Rolphy PINTO, a Jesuit of Indian origin, professor at the Gregorian University in Rome, leads the retreat on the theme of discernment.
Three entry points:
What does the Lord call us to be?
What the Lord calls us to do.
What are our apostolic priorities?
Three moments can be observed:
- The Lord’s call is very clear
- Discernment goes through desolation or consolation
- Not much is going on: it’s a peaceful time of the soul
The speaker differentiated the personal, community and apostolic levels.
Many metaphors and stories presented by the host of the retreat.
He also presented several aspects on common discernment in the footsteps of St. Ignatius, and stemming from the work of Father Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Jesuits:
+ Not everything is to be discerned. It’s about choosing the right thing to discern
+ This or that external partner can be part of discernment, but it is important to know why
+ Taking into account our inner freedom
+ Unity of mind and heart
+ It is a question of knowing well what is to be discerned and of knowing how to discern
+ To pray together
+ To practice spiritual conversation
+ To practice an examination from our emotions and inner movements
+ To determine how to make a final decision.
“How to feel God’s will in me? If this is his will, he will give me strength and graces to do it. “
How to feel God’s will in me? If this is his will, he will give me strength and graces to do it.
Discerning will help us choose, but these are two different aspects.
The retreat is held in silence. With teaching time and personal time, punctuated by the liturgy of the day and the divine office.
This Sunday, the day is marked out by an initiation to spiritual conversation from the Superior General’ Report.
This translates into four moments within the 5 commissions, bringing together Brothers and laity:
+ a personal prayer
+ a group sharing on the fruits of one’s personal prayer
+ another group sharing on the “spiritual movement” aroused by what others shared the previous time
+ a debate and a discussion in the end.
