The Discerning Hearts Blog Archives

DOS#6 The Fourth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Episode 6 -The Fourth Rule:

Of Spiritual Desolation. I call desolation all the contrary of the third rule, such as darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to things low and earthly, the unquiet of different agitations and temptations, moving to want of confidence, without hope, without love, when one finds oneself all lazy, tepid, sad, and as if separated from his Creator and Lord.

Because, as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts which come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts which come from desolation.

In this episode with Fr. Timothy Gallagher, in conversation with Kris McGregor, explores of St. Ignatius’ Fourth Rule of Spiritual Desolation. Spiritual desolation is described as the opposite of spiritual consolation, characterized by feelings of darkness, disturbance, movement to earthly things, lack of confidence, hopelessness, and feeling separated from God. The episode discusses the importance of recognizing, understanding, and acting against spiritual desolation to grow in one’s spiritual journey.

Fr. Gallagher explains that spiritual desolation is a common obstacle in the spiritual path, where individuals may feel discouraged, leading to a withdrawal from prayer and church involvement. He emphasizes that spiritual desolation is allowed by God as a test, teaching us to depend more on Him and less on our feelings. The episode provides practical advice on dealing with desolation, such as persevering in prayer and seeking balance in life to avoid non-spiritual desolation, which can impact one’s spiritual life.

The conversation also explores the difference between spiritual desolation and the “dark night of the soul,” highlighting that spiritual desolation should always be resisted as it is a tactic of the enemy, while the dark night is a special kind of purification that comes from God and should be accepted with perseverance. The discussion concludes with the importance of discernment in identifying and overcoming spiritual desolation, encouraging listeners to engage with their spiritual struggles through awareness, understanding, and action.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

1. Reflecting on Personal Experience of Spiritual Desolation: Reflect on a time when you experienced spiritual desolation. How did you feel separated from God, and what were the specific thoughts or emotions you encountered?
2. Identifying Feelings of Darkness and Disturbance: St. Ignatius describes spiritual desolation as including feelings of darkness, disturbance, and a pull towards earthly things. Can you identify instances in your life when you felt this way? What triggered these feelings?
3. Responding to Spiritual Desolation: Fr. Gallagher emphasizes the importance of recognizing, understanding, and taking action against spiritual desolation. Reflect on how you have previously responded to spiritual desolation. What steps did you take to counteract it?
4. Overcoming Withdrawal from Prayer and Church Activities: Spiritual desolation can lead to discouragement in prayer and participation in church activities. Have you ever felt this way? How did you overcome the urge to withdraw?
5. Understanding the Difference Between Spiritual Desolation and the “Dark Night of the Soul”: The podcast discusses the distinction between spiritual desolation and the “dark night of the soul.” How do you understand this difference? Have you or someone you know ever experienced the “dark night of the soul”?
6. Resisting the Work of the Enemy: Ignatius teaches that spiritual desolation should always be resisted as it is the work of the enemy. Reflect on strategies that you could employ to resist and reject spiritual desolation in your life.
7. Maintaining Balance to Combat Spiritual Desolation: The concept of balance is mentioned as a way to combat spiritual desolation. How do you maintain balance in your spiritual and daily life to prevent non-spiritual desolation from affecting your relationship with God?
8. The Role of Discernment in the Spiritual Journey: Reflect on the role of discernment in your spiritual journey. How can discernment help you to distinguish between spiritual desolation and other challenges in your life?
9. Persevering in Prayer During Dry Spells: Fr. Gallagher highlights the importance of persevering in prayer even when it feels dry or difficult. Share a time when you continued to pray despite not feeling God’s presence. What was the outcome?
10. Learning from Spiritual Desolation: Finally, consider the idea that spiritual desolation can teach us valuable lessons. What lessons have you learned from your experiences of spiritual desolation? How have these lessons helped you grow in your faith?

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”.

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#7 The Fifth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 7 -The Fifth Rule:

In time of desolation never to make a change; but to be firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which one was the day preceding such desolation, or in the determination in which he was in the preceding consolation. Because, as in consolation it is rather the good spirit who guides and counsels us, so in desolation it is the bad, with whose counsels we cannot take a course to decide rightly.

In this episode of the Discerning Hearts Podcast, Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor delve into St. Ignatius of Loyola’s fifth rule for the discernment of spirits, focusing on the importance of stability in one’s spiritual commitments during times of spiritual desolation. The discussion emphasizes not changing spiritual resolutions when experiencing desolation, as these periods are influenced negatively by the enemy.

Fr. Gallagher highlights the pivotal role of Rule Five, urging listeners to cling to their spiritual determinations when faced with the challenges posed by the enemy during desolation. Various scenarios illustrate how desolation can impact individuals, emphasizing the necessity of adhering to spiritual intentions set during times of consolation or tranquility.

The dialogue underscores the deceptive nature of the enemy in moments of spiritual desolation, illustrating how it can lead to doubt and discouragement. By referencing real-life examples and insights from St. Ignatius’s own experiences, Fr. Gallagher provides tangible guidance on recognizing and countering the enemy’s tactics, stressing the rule’s significance in maintaining spiritual direction and growth.

Listeners are encouraged to engage deeply with the content, reflecting on its relevance to their spiritual practices and challenges. The episode concludes with a call to further explore and apply Ignatius’s teachings, fostering a deeper understanding of discernment and spiritual resilience in the face of adversity.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

1. Understanding Spiritual Desolation: Reflect on times when you’ve experienced spiritual desolation—those moments when you felt distant from God, devoid of consolation in prayer, or tempted to abandon your spiritual practices. Consider how these experiences align with Ignatius’s description of the enemy’s tactics during desolation.
2. The Value of Spiritual Steadfastness: Meditate on the importance of being steadfast in your spiritual commitments, especially during challenging times. How have you responded to spiritual desolation in the past? Have you been tempted to make changes during these periods? Reflect on the consequences of these actions.
3. The Role of the Enemy: Contemplate the idea that during times of spiritual desolation, the enemy tries to lead us away from God’s path. Consider how recognizing this can empower you to resist negative influences and stay true to your spiritual direction.
4. Rule Five as a Lifeline: Think of Rule Five not just as a guideline, but as a lifeline during spiritual turmoil. In what ways can this rule provide you with a firm anchor in your spiritual life? How can it serve as a source of light when all seems dark?
5. Application of Rule Five: Reflect on practical ways to apply Rule Five in your daily life. Whether it’s sticking to your prayer schedule, attending Mass, or fulfilling your role in ministry, consider how maintaining these commitments can fortify your spiritual resilience.
6. Spiritual Growth through Adversity: Ponder the growth that can come from enduring spiritual desolation without making rash changes. How has your faith been tested and strengthened in such times?
7. Seeking Guidance and Community: Reflect on the value of seeking guidance from spiritual directors, confessors, or trusted mentors during times of desolation. How can your faith community support you in remaining steadfast?
8. Ignatian Spirituality as a Resource: Consider delving deeper into Ignatian spirituality to enhance your discernment skills. How can the principles and practices of this spiritual tradition enrich your relationship with God?

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#8 The Sixth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 8 -The Sixth Rule:

Although in desolation we ought not to change our first resolutions, it is very helpful intensely to change ourselves against the same desolation, as by insisting more on prayer, meditation, on much examination, and by giving ourselves more scope in some suitable way of doing penance.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#9 The Seventh Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 9 -The Seventh Rule:

Let him who is in desolation consider how the Lord has left him in trial in his natural powers, in order to resist the different agitations and temptations of the enemy; since he can with the Divine help, which always remains to him, though he does not clearly perceive it: because the Lord has taken from him his great fervor, great love and intense grace, leaving him, however, grace enough for eternal salvation.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#10 The Eighth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 10 -The Eighth Rule:

Let him who is in desolation labor to be in patience, which is contrary to the vexations which come to him: and let him think that he will soon be consoled, employing against the desolation the devices, as is said in the sixth Rule.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#11 The Ninth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 11 -The Ninth Rule:

There are three principal reasons why we find ourselves desolate.

The first is, because of our being tepid, lazy or negligent in our spiritual exercises; and so through our faults, spiritual consolation withdraws from us.

The second, to try us and see how much we are and how much we let ourselves out in His service and praise without such great pay of consolation and great graces.

The third, to give us true acquaintance and knowledge, that we may interiorly feel that it is not ours to get or keep great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation, but that all is the gift and grace of God our Lord, and that we may not build a nest in a thing not ours, raising our intellect into some pride or vainglory, attributing to us devotion or the other things of the spiritual consolation.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:53 — 25.5MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#12 The Tenth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 12-The Tenth Rule:

Let him who is in consolation think how he will be in the desolation which will come after, taking new strength for then.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#13 The Eleventh Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 13-The Eleventh Rule:

Let him who is consoled see to humbling himself and lowering himself as much as he can, thinking how little he is able for in the time of desolation without such grace or consolation. On the contrary, let him who is in desolation think that he can do much with the grace sufficient to resist all his enemies, taking strength in his Creator and Lord.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#14 The Twelfth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 14-The Twelve Rule:

The enemy acts like a woman, in being weak against vigor and strong of will. Because, as it is the way of the woman when she is quarrelling with some man to lose heart, taking flight when the man shows her much courage: and on the contrary, if the man, losing heart, begins to fly, the wrath, revenge, and ferocity of the woman is very great, and so without bounds; in the same manner, it is the way of the enemy to weaken and lose heart, his temptations taking flight, when the person who is exercising himself in spiritual things opposes a bold front against the temptations of the enemy, doing diametrically the opposite. And on the contrary, if the person who is exercising himself commences to have fear and lose heart in suffering the temptations, there is no beast so wild on the face of the earth as the enemy of human nature in following out his damnable intention with so great malice.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#15 The Thirteenth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

The Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Igantius of Loyola

Episode 15 – The Thirteenth Rule:

Likewise, he acts as a licentious lover in wanting to be secret and not revealed. For, as the licentious man who, speaking for an evil purpose, solicits a daughter of a good father or a wife of a good husband, wants his words and persuasions to be secret, and the contrary displeases him much, when the daughter reveals to her father or the wife to her husband his licentious words and depraved intention, because he easily gathers that he will not be able to succeed with the undertaking begun: in the same way, when the enemy of human nature brings his wiles and persuasions to the just soul, he wants and desires that they be received and kept in secret; but when one reveals them to his good Confessor or to another spiritual person that knows his deceits and evil ends, it is very grievous to him, because he gathers, from his manifest deceits being discovered, that he will not be able to succeed with his wickedness begun..

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page