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<\/p>\n\u201cMy sheep know my voice and they follow me (John 10:27).\u201d<\/p>\n
I read that line a long time ago, proclaimed in the week after we celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday. But it has stayed with me for weeks.<\/p>\n
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I know His voice and I\u2019m supposed to follow it. So, why do I so often follow my voice or that of the enemy?<\/em><\/p>\n Do you pay attention to the voices in your head? Saint Ignatius of Loyola says the first thing to do as you move into the spiritual life is \u201cBe Aware.\u201d I\u2019m just a little kid in the spiritual life. I\u2019m only just learning how to be aware. I\u2019ve been praying for how to do what Saint Ignatius asked \u2013 to discern between the human, the holy and the unholy.<\/p>\n The voices in my head that stir me into action or hold me back are many. But I\u2019ve been praying about how to know which one belongs to God.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to get out of bed. I want to sleep longer.\u201d Hmm. That\u2019s probably a human voice.<\/p>\n But I have been interested in discerning the other voices.<\/p>\n Saint Ignatius says the Lord can be harsh in admonishing those in mortal sin (Discernment of Spirits, Rule 1). He scolds and tells you to stop. This is important to know. The Lord gives us a conscience for a reason. He wants you so badly to be His and to find happiness in Him. His laws aren\u2019t for restricting. They are for wisdom and joy.<\/p>\n St. Ignatius of Loyola<\/p><\/div>\n Saint Ignatius says those who are not in mortal sin and are trying to advance from \u201cgood to better\u201d will find the Lord\u2019s voice to be encouraging (Rule 2). He speeds you on with joys and tears and laughter and moments of clarity.<\/p>\n What about the \u201cother voice?\u201d Saint Ignatius says the voice of evil for those in mortal sin is very soothing as it gives temptations to unholy pleasures (Rule 1). Giving the generic example of alcoholism, the voice of evil would say your drinking is no one else\u2019s business and offer the allure of a drink to ease your tensions. For one trying to go from \u201cgood to better,\u201d the voice of evil would admonish, giving discouragement and using fear to hold a soul back (Rule 2).<\/p>\n The first question, then, is whether or not you are in mortal sin. A mortal sin concerns grave matter, full knowledge and is done on purpose. It would be good to check out Exodus 20:1-17 for the Ten Commandments, Galatians 5:13-26 for the comparison of the fruits of the flesh versus those of the Spirit and 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 on how love behaves for examining your conscience.<\/p>\n The next thing is to listen and \u201cBe Aware\u201d of the fact that there are voices in your head. Sometimes we aren’t really paying attention.<\/p>\n Step two is to “Understand.” If you are in mortal sin, listen to the voice of admonishment because God chastises those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6). And He must love me a lot because I\u2019ve had a lot of holy chastisement in my life! The chastisement of God, I have found, comes with a kind of clarity and peace. It tends to have a joy in it that makes you realize you are going to come closer in relationship with God and experience more of His love.<\/p>\n The voice of unholy admonishment, I am finding as I try to \u201crise from good to better,\u201d feels very dark. There is an intense shame, an alienating feeling, a worry I\u2019ll never be forgiven. I hear all of my wounds speaking: “I\u2019m so stupid,” “I never do anything right,” “I always say the wrong thing.” I feel like I\u2019ll be cast out from the presence of God and those I love forever. But I\u2019m finding this isn\u2019t the voice of God. God\u2019s voice doesn\u2019t make me feel alone, stupid and hopeless.<\/p>\n Understand that God\u2019s voice is peaceful and unifying. It\u2019s loving. The voice of evil is shaming, accusing and alienating. And then you have to “Take Action.” How do you do that?<\/p>\n Saint Ignatius wants us to toss what isn\u2019t of God in the trash by actively renouncing or rejecting it. Jesus gave His holy name as a weapon. So, you can combat the voice that is not of God by saying, \u201cIn the name of Jesus, I reject, rebuke and\/or renounce having another drink\/staying in bed\/the lie that I\u2019m stupid\/that I\u2019m always saying the wrong thing\/that I\u2019ll never be forgiven.\u201d And then ask God to restore and fill you by the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n I\u2019m trying, day by day, to listen to the voice of the Shepherd. I\u2019m His sheep and no one else\u2019s. I hear His voice and I follow.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/St.-Ignatius-540x700.jpg?resize=540%2C700\")
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