Consolation or Desolation!!!

    I am inspired by Ignatius of Loyola's dedication, commitment and faithfulness to the discerning of the Holy Spirit. His being raised as royalty and that he combines this royal upbringing with the ideas of faith and belief have heightened the cause and organization of Christian formation within the soul of men and women throughout the ages. There are many that find him to be unusual in the use of the spiritual exercises that are of the mystical nature and maybe too mystical, but thus far what I am discovering is practical thoughts as applied to supernatural visions so as to discern the will of God in a person's life.


     Ignatius called "consolation" when the soul is roused by an interior movement which causes it to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord and consequently can love no created thing in this world for its own sake, but only in the Creator of all things can one love. In opposition, Ignatius called desolation all that is contrary to the third rule, as darkness of the soul, turmoil of the mind, inclination to low and earthly things, restlessness resulting from many disturbances and temptations which lead to loss of faith, loss of hope, loss of love.

     After our two month old, Nicholas died, I experienced a deep time of desolation. I never lost my faith, but there was a deep sense of loss of hope and loss of love. About, six weeks after he died, I received a call and the caller was being encouraging by stating, "the next time you see Nicholas, he will be a strapping twenty something young man." I was gracious and hung up the phone, but it really upset me. I did not want the twenty-something...I wanted the two-month-old. I prayed and as I prayed I was comforted by the Holy Spirit with a God given truth. I have a treasure laid up in heaven for me that is realized in the here and now. I believe Nicholas is no longer bound by time. Thus, he is present with the Lord and when I see him again, Jesus will turn and will put a two month old back in our arms. It was in that prayer time that I moved from desolation to consolation.

     In my consolation, I find my worship and prayer time is enhanced because he is a great and loving God. He knows my heart and my hurt. Thus, my love for him grows and increases the more I rely on him to bring to comfort and hope. It is this time of consolation that my tears of grief are turned to "tears inspired by love of the Lord" because I know that he will complete that which he started and restore all things when the time is made complete.

   Hard Times come to a Dead End at the Cross! You know I love ya, Don