Discernment of Spirits

Title: Discernment of Spirits

Date: Tuesday, August 30, 1988 - Twenty-Second Week of the Year (II)

Readings: 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 / Psalm 145:8-9;10-11;12-13;13-14 / Luke 4:31-37

On Sunday, the Lord gave us a long litany of sins to avoid; on Monday, the story of John the Baptist revealed just how much we might not want our sins unveiled, even to ourselves; and today, our first reading tells us something of our personal discernment in regards to our sinful nature. The selection we have begins, "The Spirit scrutinizes all matters, even the deep things of God." It is a wonderful and insightful depiction of the interior life. We as Christians do not simply follow laws in blind obedience. We are called not simply to go through the motions of faith; quite contrarily, we are to be filled with God's Spirit from within.

It is difficult for me to convey what I mean here. On the spiritual level, we need to be in communication with the Spirit of God. God helps us to see our failings as well as offers us gifts to transcend them. We pray. In the quiet of prayer our open hearts are clasped by a heart greater still.

We reflect upon our life and ask God for a deeper share in his, by instructing, loving, forgiving, and healing. Anything that would contend against these values of Christ would be from the spirit of the world and not from God. The world's spirit cannot understand us because it is too restless. It hides sin behind deceit and rationalization.

It is no friend of the truth. It loves its own ends without full consideration of others. It seeks revenge instead of forgiveness and will not admit wrongs. And, instead of healing, it will step on anyone or anything to get what it wants.

In the quiet of our life, we need to seek that other Spirit which seeks peace. The fruits for these two rivals in our loyalties are so different, that it should not take long to begin the work of distinguishing one spirit from the other.

However, it may take a whole lifetime to detach one. The spirit of the world will not readily leave and it is greedy to possess us. It wants to dull or deafen our consciences with the noise of sin and distraction. Like that demon in the Gospel, we need Christ's help in destroying it and demanding it to come out. We cannot do it alone. Christ's voice alone is loud enough to restore order and peace. He has been given this authority to liberate us and to fill us with God's Spirit. In this way, we can put on the mind of Christ and not the mindlessness of the world. Consequently, our continuing reflection must rely upon a profound trust in Jesus Christ and his grace in us.