March 27, 2008

                    We see the cross of Christ before us always.
                We with our wounded human natures must
                die to the imperfections to live a new life,
                a life of victory — Jesus appeared to the
                Apostles in His glorified body. Jesus died
                on the cross for our sins. Jesus was laid
                in the tomb, wrapped in burial cloths
                and He dropped those — the big rock
                rolled back and He rose on the third
                day.

                    For me, I see God telling me that the big
                rock for most of us is to not live in the
                reality of our past or how we have
                sinned, hurt others and fail to recognize
                that sinfulness, how we have acted
                taintedly seeking dominance for dominance
                sake, lust, envy, jealousy, possessiveness,
                trying to block God's plan for others, because
                we live to control.

                    I have been told by Jesus that some to
                keep control vindictively make
                havoc to make others over them run
                to handle a crisis.

                    When one grows up in a home where
                mom and dad genuinely love each other
                and work on themselves to try to heal
                their imperfections — they have an
                atmosphere of love in which children
                can advance and learn how to settle
                conflict, not have fear of abandonment,
                not have selfish immature parents
                with big imperfections themselves —
                controlling children and not teaching
                them as they should.

                    So the world is a mixed bag. Suzie Q
                lived in a home — mom and dad may
                have fought every Sunday over church
                one was Catholic — the other didn't go
                to church — Religion may have been
                accompanied by confusion — Mom was
                going to church — dad didn't and was
                mad — Mom dragged (literally the kids)
                dad was mean all day —

                    Children may have learned to be
                seen and not heard on Sundays — hide
                in the woods, go in isolation to avoid
                fighting and tension — They learned these
                survival tactics well since little
                children. They learned about Sunday,
                religion taught in that divided home —
                So now they get in a family with other adults
                They are mad on Sunday — Church and going
                to church comes in conflict in their
                heart — they isolate and are mean
                to others — They never look at their
                past survival tactics they learned
                at home as children — they literally
                punish everyone who is anywhere
                around them on Sunday — they check
                out — they are in their old survival
                mode — numbed out —

                    They learned a lot of the time to
                live in a war zone so they are ready
                for the fight to isolate and feel safe —
                What is the problem? They fail to recognize
                their own behavior — they are locked
                in a buried tomb of the past —
                Numbed out to survive mom and dad's
                fights, but they are 40 and don't live
                with mom or dad anymore. Mom
                died, dad is in his 80's, but the
                lessons they learned, the hurt they
                experienced at home is very much
                alive in them — they hurt people
                they live with isolating, ignoring,
                walking ahead like people don't
                exist — they are numb — they are
                caught up in a hard heart, locked
                in an old vault — hurting others today
                and blaming it on everybody else because
                they never looked at their past and their
                survival lessons they still use and
                how they were wounded.

                    Mary Ann grew up in a normal house —
                she lives with this "stoic" hard hearted
                behavior — she wants to eat and she
                is normal seeing all in the room —
                laughing, loving, naturally — she
                is the victim of this behavior of
                the other — she becomes wounded
                from daily living with this —

                    People with fear of abandonment
                because of alcoholic parents, parents
                with alcoholic behaviors, even though
                they never touched a drink, can live
                with the hardened wounded hearts — they isolate —
                they want someone to run after them like
                a baby would, picking them up and when
                they holler because they are wounded and
                angry inside — they expect everyone
                to come, pick them up, kiss them and
                say "I love you, baby"

                They need to recognize their need for others
                they think others have to be in agreement
                and loving them — while they hurt others
                and are mean to them.

                A dog with a bloodied leg, mangled by
                a car that ran over them in the street —
                barks and may bite someone coming
                to rescue them.

                    When people want to heal they must look at
                their fear of abandonment issues from
                the past — this can keep some people stuck —
                mom or dad, or both were alcoholics,
                rage-aholics and they were not there for
                them to fill their need for
                love, their need for understanding,
                basic needs of children —

                    Now the "child of the past" with
                sick abandonment needs cries out
                to try to get adults, to fill this, like
                parents should have when they were
                children — The "child of the past" screams
                over unmet needs blaming others for
                their horrendous childhood some suffered —
                They need to recognize their problem — no one
                can go back and repair their childhood —

                It happened this way —
                They have to look at it and heal —
                Divorce — one day - the marriage ended —
                people just leaving — your life is
                like a ship-wreck —
                then you completely blame another and
                try to compensate by doing things now
                to others to say it never bothered
                you, try to make surrogate others
                your x-wife so you can control them —
                slavishly — and then you will never
                be abandoned again — you may
                think —
                CONTROL to never have the pain
                of abandonment again

                PUNISHING others for what was done to
                    you in childhood —

                People who are married to people like
                    this who won't recover may have
                    such an awful life living with
                    a wounded other — they have to
                    leave to survive

                Adults who are wounded — who act
                    in very sick ways — need
                    recovery — they do not need to
                    ignore their pain, the wounded
                    "child of the past" and try to set
                    up co-dependent relationships
                    so the other is a "patsy" to fill
                    their sick abandonment needs —

                People who were close to us who left and
                    caused us trauma, must be
                    grieved, forgiven, we pray
                    for them, recognize their weaknesses,
                    sin etc. and
                    we move out to be holy, loving,
                    free of an attachment to one
                    who wounded us. We do not keep
                    acting out sick ways on others —
                    survival tactics learned from the past —
                    we deal with the pain. We
                    deal with the loss of the past

                Every relationship in which we suffered
                    abandonment or so we think, we
                    need to let go of them — work through
                    it, forgive

                A person who is divorced, never looked
                    at the terrible problem and works
                    out unfinished business on another or
                    others — can create such problems
                    the other cannot even continue
                    to live in the patterned sick
                    behavior —
                    the worms in the closet, jumping
                    and getting worse and more numerous
                    make a big mess —
                    pretty soon you can't use that
                        closet at all —
                        it's just yucky

                So how do people get away with this
                    with other adults, with children —

                Children suffer at the hands of dysfunctional,
                    selfish adults —

                Some were taught — men run a little
                    kingdom and all do their dance —

                They see themselves like this — having
                    learned it in childhood —
                    they demand others do everything
                    as if they run the ship
                    hollering if someone makes a
                        noise that offends them —
                    they want people to see they
                        are king — they must
                        establish their rule in
                        1) hollering
                        2) passive-aggressive tricks

                It goes down to them getting "POWER"
                    they lost somewhere else —

                Seeing others at home for adult children
                    of alcoholics on holidays may
                    be horrendous because of roles
                    children had in an alcoholic
                    home —

                In alcoholic, dysfunctional homes
                    there is the hero child, the scapegoat
                    child and it is automatic when they
                    get home —
                    no matter how normal they may
                    have been in their new surroundings —
                    going home may set them back
                    in the old role of scapegoat and
                    in losing their power they may
                    not even know how they are
                    insecure later they resume
                    their new surroundings — causing
                    problems even when they talked to
                    an uppity sibling who made remarks
                    to put them back in that role

                Children who had brothers or sisters
                    that were controlling and mean
                    may have been hurt a lot
                    and they need recovery from
                    that.

                Projection for those not having intimate
                    relationships with others can
                    be a big problem —
                    They may fail to look at the
                    horrendous divorce they had
                    and try to get control back
                    at work — setting up a mock family —
                    the wife who left — put her down —
                    I'm in control of the kids now —
                    the kids are the workers they want
                    to have power over.

                People with pain — unfinished traumatic
                    relationships that ended in
                    divorce and not dealing with
                    it, can start combat with an
                    innocent other over spilled milk,
                    the knives and forks being on the
                    wrong side.

                They can be tense — always ready to
                    work out their tension — they
                    pick someone at work, anywhere,
                    they try to dominate and control —

                People who do this to another at work
                    can be called on for abusing them —
                    the person wants to work —
                    the other with baggage wants to dominate
                    and work out their unfinished business —
                    so they use their position to have
                    power over a worker —

                A person cannot endure these advanced
                    manipulative, dysfunctional
                    ways when working with someone
                    every day —
                    - little work can be accomplished
                    - the person uses power to work out
                        their sick need to control and
                        manipulate others

                In churches where people work in
                    groups — there should be love —
                    people working to help souls —
                    not a person 'helping' to have
                    control and manipulate others —

                A person in religious life must work
                    through old pain —
                        survival behavior from the past —
                        sick abandonment needs

                    Or they continue working out their
                        need for control, manipulation,
                        on innocent others

                Little work is accomplished with
                    a crew of babies who want
                    their baby pain fixed by other adults —

                Adults are to recognize their past,
                    sick abandonment needs, dysfunction,
                    need to control, passive-aggressive
                    ways, anger, pride, seeking dominance
                    for dominance sake —
                    Not ending painful relationships
                    in our own heart — even though
                    they left — letting go of them
                    is essential — finishing the
                    business so we don't keep
                    trying to tell ourselves that
                    painful relationships that ended
                    are just over — we need to let
                    go

                Let go of mom, let go of dad —
                    work through divorces — wounds in
                    childhood — All these wounds need to
                    be recognized and the business finished —
                    rather than saying —
                    you made me mad for a crumb on the
                        table and over looking a divorce
                        that ended in mixed marriage —
                        sharing children

                Holding on to others to control them —
                    to not be left alone because
                    of sick abandonment needs is
                    what Fr. Carter called
                    Slavishly - dependent relationships —

                After a messy divorce and terrible loss —
                    a person not working through it
                    can almost squeeze another so
                    they can't breathe —

                A life rooted in another individual
                    as our god or using them as a
                    'whippin' boy' for our pain is
                    problems from the past — not
                    the person we are dealing
                    with today.

                Because of our tainted vision we see
                    and love God imperfectly — we
                    see and love each other imperfectly —
                    we see and love ourselves
                    imperfectly

                The Blue Books help us see through
                    the eyes of God — with clear
                    vision, pure love

                People who engage in relationships
                    but have so many wounds and never
                    had an intimate successful
                    relationship with another — do
                    not recognize that, that is a
                    sign in itself that they did not
                    let another get too close to them
                    in a successful relationship —

                Although this is not necessary for
                    a religious — a religious vocation
                    is to have healthy relationships
                    with God and with others —

                Relationships are taught from our
                    homes as we grow up. We
                    are being trained to be in
                    relationship.

                The greatest commandment —

                    COMMANDMENT

                    is we love

Matthew 22: 36-40

'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?' Jesus said to him, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets too.'

                Our life is to be lived in learning to
                    be in relationship —
                    hand-in-hand
                    healthy relationships

                Adults are to be adults — not in
                    need of recovery
                    punishing each other for old wounds —
                    not having sick abandonment needs —
                    not acting like dysfunctional parents
                        who controlled and were selfish

                We are to be like Christ

                We were created in the image and likeness
                    of God —

                Jesus, the Son of God, came to tell us
                    how to be

                Jesus was sinless
                Jesus paid for our sins

                We are to go to the Eucharist —
                    Be fed by Him
                    This helps heal our wounded human
                        nature

                Jesus appeared after He rose —
                He showed His wounded body was
                    glorified —

                His wounds were glorified
                He died so we could have this sharing
                    in His life —

                God is

                We are sinners
                We are wounded
                We are imperfect —

                Some people want no directions
                They think they are perfect
                They fail to even recognize their
                    own wounded human nature —
                    Men seeking dominance over women —
                    Women seeking dominance.

                The tendencies of anger, lust, envy,
                    pride, slothfulness

                The blaming

                Creating a case against someone and it
                    comes from our own wounded
                    past, unfinished business
                    we ignored

                Put a bunch of people together in
                    a community who basically
                    lived a single life, some
                    divorced no children, never
                    having a serious intimate
                    relationship — some grown
                    up in very dysfunctional homes
                    almost none having done recovery
                    because they never worked intimately
                    with others and

                    Now you can see why religious
                    communities have dwindled

                I know more than 50% of people
                    are divorced who tried to get
                    married —
                    they could not live with one
                        other person

                Now put people who never looked
                    at their past — acting and reacting
                    without any directions from
                    all this unfinished business,
                    dysfunctional homes

                In humility we recognize our faults
                    because ultimately we live our
                    vocation to become more perfected
                    and get to heaven.

                There are rules —
                An institution runs with a superior
                    and rules

                Religious orders are run on rules
                There is a superior and rules

                A vocation means one is intimately united
                    to God — they give their lives to
                    God —
                    They obey the superior
                    They recognize authority —

                A house divided against itself will
                    not stand

                Christ operates in structure
                Christ is the head of the Church
                We are the members of the body

                Families have parents —
                    they act in authority over the
                        children

                Satan has attacked authority —
                    the Pope is the head of the Church
                    the President is the head of the United States
                    the Archbishop or Bishop the head of
                        the Dioceses
                    the Father and Mother head of the
                        family

                The law operates in authority
                    with laws

                To be in a mode of fighting for basic
                    authority is pandemonium

                When the second-in-command fight the
                    first-in-command and
                    tries to get support of those under —
                    it is mutiny

                These power struggles are constantly
                    going on

                Mary is the handmaid of the Lord —

Luke 1: 46-55

And Mary said:

My soul proclaims
    the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices
    in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon
    the humiliation of his servant.
Yes, from now onwards
    all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty
    has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age
    to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm,
he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes
    from their thrones
        and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things,
    sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help
    of Israel his servant,
        mindful of his faithful love
—according to the promise
    he made to our ancestors—
of his mercy to Abraham
    and to his descendants for ever.

                Mary followed Jesus
                Her heart is venerated next to Jesus'
                    Heart

                Eve wanted to be equal to God
                Eve was prideful
                Eve sinned

                Cain killed his brother —
                    his actions were grave

                God said
                Satan is lurking at your door

                A House Divided Against
                    Itself will not Stand

                The only renewal is being like the
                    pure and holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary

                There is not jealousy, lust, envy,
                    pride, slothfulness in
                    heaven

                Our lives are to be a constant perfecting
                    to die to the ways not likened
                    to Christ — to be likened to Christ.

                Mary said at Fatima

Excerpt from The Spirituality of Fatima

    ...Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell them to ask grace from her, and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Ask them to plead for peace from the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to her. ⁽¹⁹⁾

---

NOTES:

19. For background material on Fatima, I am particularly indebted to
        Our Lady of Fatima’s Peace Plan from Heaven (Rockford:
        TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., 1983). p.9.

                A wounded person with baggage hurting
                    others over lint on a jacket
                    has some hidden major issues
                    they are acting out.

                When a person starts a problem
                    continually to control the
                    one over them — they have
                    issues that are wrong —
                    they want control
                                manipulation
                    they may have lost their power
                        else where and get it back
                        controlling others for their
                            own need to dominate —
                            to have power —

                We must operate to see the big
                    picture — the Father's Plan —
                    live to do the Father's will

                I have watched Marian sites close —
                    the focus became angry people —
                    fighting, seeking dominance

                Mary's head was knocked off at Clearwater
                Now Mary and Jesus still appear
                    to me in the building

                The Blue Books are a key to a more holy life
                    for us

                The Prayers are paramount

                Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss —

                We can never hide our behavior
                    from God —
                    He knows our every thought

                Peter cut off the ear of the servant
                Jesus told Peter to put his sword
                    back

                And Jesus cured the servant
                Jesus was abandoned by His
                    disciples
                Peter denied Jesus 3 times

                Jesus, the chief prophet, was crucified
                Christ was bound
                Christ was ridiculed and maltreated

                They hit the face of Christ —
                Christ had performed miracles and
                    they did this to Him

                Christ was falsely accused by the
                    Jews

                They released Barabbas and
                    they crucified Christ

                Pilate and Herod who had been
                    enemies, were reconciled
                    with each other when dealing
                    with Christ.

                Pilate ordered that Jesus was
                    scourged, the soldiers
                    crowned Jesus with thorns
                    and gave Him a dirty purple robe —

                They laughed at Him and said
                    "Hail, King of the Jews!"

                They hit the face of Christ!!

                They dressed Christ in the purple
                    garment and brought Him
                    out in a crown of thorns
                    and said
                    "Here is the man"

                They then hollered

                    "Crucify Him, crucify Him"

                The Jews said "We have no king but
                    Caesar"

                Christ carried the cross with our
                    sins of deception, the lies
                    we tell, when we need to be
                    humble and say we are sorry
                    for our sins. Christ knows
                    the way we have treated others
                    today because of our wounded
                    past. Christ paid for our lies
                    to save face, to be right,
                    to be dominant for dominant
                    sake, to be prideful, to be
                    angry, envious, possessive,
                    blocking His plan because of
                    jealousy, fear of abandonment,
                    punishing others for wounds
                    inflicted on us years ago.

                Christ was hung between two thieves.
                Over Christ - hung on the cross —
                    it said

                    "Jesus, the Nazarene, King of
                        the Jews"

                From the cross
                    Jesus was blasphemed on the cross —
                    Jesus prayed for those crucifying Him on
                        the cross
                    Jesus forgave the thief
                    Jesus gave us His Mother
                    Jesus said He was thirsty

Matthew 27: 46

... ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’

                Jesus said

                    "It's done"

                Jesus said

Luke 23: 46

...‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’

                After the resurrection

                    I believe Jesus first appeared to Mary
                    Then to Mary Magdalene
                    The stone was removed

                Next Apparition

And suddenly, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings,’ he said. And the women came up to him and, clasping his feet, they did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; there they will see me.’

  

                Next Apparition

 Luke 24: 34

who said to them, ‘The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon.’

                Next Apparition

                    Jesus appeared to the disciples
                        on the way to Emmaus and
                        He talked to them

                Next Apparition

                    Appeared to the disciples through
                        closed doors —
                        Thomas was not there

John 20: 19

 ... 'Peace be with you,'

John 20: 22-23

... Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone's sins,
they are forgiven;
if you retain anyone's sins,
they are retained.

   

                Next Apparition

                Next Apparition

John 21: 1-19

Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.

When it was already light, there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Haven’t you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No,’ he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they threw the net out and could not haul it in because of the quantity of fish. The disciple who Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words, ‘It is the Lord,’ Simon Peter tied his outer garment round him (for he had nothing on) and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net with the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.

As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’ They knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.

    When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

                Next Apparition

                Next Apparition

1 Corinthians 15: 6

and next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still with us, though some have fallen asleep;

                Next Apparition

1 Corinthians 15: 7

then he appeared to James, ...

                Next Apparition

                    May have appeared to
                    Joseph of Arimathaea

                Next Apparition

1 Corinthians 15: 8

Last of all he appeared to me too, as though I was a child born abnormally.

                      He also appeared in different
                        places to the disciples

                The Ascension

                We must discern the spirits —
                    Those from the good ones accepted
                    Those from the bad ones rejected

Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, 
by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. pp. 141-146

313. RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
I

Rules for understanding to some extent the different movements produced in the soul and for recognizing those that are good to admit them, and those that are bad, to reject them. These rules are more suited to the first week
  

314.  I.  In the case of those who go from one mortal sin to another, the enemy is ordinarily accustomed to propose apparent pleasures. He fills their imagination with sensual delights and gratifications, the more readily to keep them in their vices and increase the number of their sins.

    With such persons the good spirit uses a method which is the reverse of the above. Making use of the light of reason, he will rouse the sting of conscience and fill them with remorse.

315.  2.  In the case of those who go on earnestly striving to cleanse their souls from sin and who seek to rise in the service of God our Lord to greater perfection, the method pursued is the opposite of that mentioned in the first rule.

    Then it is characteristic of the evil spirit to harass with anxiety, to afflict with sadness, to raise obstacles backed by fallacious reasonings that disturb the soul. Thus he seeks to prevent the soul from advancing.

    It is characteristic of the good spirit, however, to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations, and peace. This He does by making all easy, by removing all obstacles so that the soul goes forward in doing good.

316.  3.  SPIRITUAL CONSOLATION.  I call it consolation when an interior movement is aroused in the soul, by which it is inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and as a consequence, can love no creature on the face of the earth for its own sake, but only in the Creator of them all. It is likewise consolation when one sheds tears that move to the love of God, whether it be because of sorrow for sins, or because of the sufferings of Christ our Lord, or for any other reason that is immediately directed to the praise and service of God. Finally, I call consolation every increase of faith, hope, and love, and all interior joy that invites and attracts to what is heavenly and to the salvation of one's soul by filling it with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord.

317.  4.  SPIRITUAL DESOLATION.  I call desolation what is entirely the opposite of what is described in the third rule, as darkness of soul, turmoil of spirit, inclination to what is low and earthly, restlessness rising from many disturbances and temptations which lead to want of faith, want of hope, want of love. The soul is wholly slothful, tepid, sad, and separated, as it were, from its Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is the opposite of desolation, so the thoughts that spring from consolation are the opposite of those that spring from desolation.

318.  5.  In time of desolation we should never make any change, but remain firm and constant in the resolution and decision which guided us the day before the desolation, or in the decision to which we adhered in the preceding consolation. For just as in consolation the good spirit guides and counsels us, so in desolation the evil spirit guides and counsels. Following his counsels we can never find the way to a right decision.

319.  6.  Though in desolation we must never change our former resolutions, it will be very advantageous to intensify our activity against the desolation. We can insist more upon prayer, upon meditation, and on much examination of ourselves. We can make an effort in a suitable way to do some penance.

320.  7.  When one is in desolation, he should be mindful that God has left him to his natural powers to resist the different agitations and temptations of the enemy in order to try him. He can resist with the help of God, which always remains, though he may not clearly perceive it. For though God has taken from him the abundance of fervor and overflowing love and the intensity of His favors, nevertheless, he has sufficient grace for eternal salvation.

321.  8.  When one is in desolation, he should strive to persevere in patience. This reacts against the vexations that have overtaken him. Let him consider, too, that consolation will soon return, and in the meantime, he must diligently use the means against desolation which have been given in the sixth rule.

322.  9.  The principal reasons why we suffer from desolation are three:

    The first is because we have been tepid and slothful or negligent in our exercises of piety, and so through our own fault spiritual consolation has been taken away from us.

    The second reason is because God wishes to try us, to see how much we are worth, and how much we will advance in His service and praise when left without the generous reward of consolations and signal favors.

    The third reason is because God wishes to give us a true knowledge and understanding of ourselves, so that we may have an intimate perception of the fact that it is not within our power to acquire and attain great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation; but that all this is the gift and grace of God our Lord. God does not wish us to build on the property of another, to rise up in spirit in a certain pride and vainglory and attribute to ourselves the devotion and other effects of spiritual consolation.

323.  10.  When one enjoys consolation, let him consider how he will conduct himself during the time of ensuing desolation, and store up a supply of strength as defense against that day.

324.  11.  He who enjoys consolation should take care to humble himself and lower himself as much as possible. Let him recall how little he is able to do in time of desolation, when he is left without such grace or consolation.

    On the other hand, one who suffers desolation should remember that by making use of the sufficient grace offered him, he can do much to withstand all his enemies. Let him find his strength in his Creator and Lord.

325.  12.  The enemy conducts himself as a woman. He is a weakling before a show of strength, and a tyrant if he has his will. It is characteristic of a woman in a quarrel with a man to lose courage and take to flight if the man shows that he is determined and fearless. However, if the man loses courage and begins to flee, the anger, vindictiveness, and rage of the woman surge up and know no bounds. In the same way, the enemy becomes weak, loses courage, and turns to flight with his seductions as soon as one leading a spiritual life faces his temptations boldly, and does exactly the opposite of what he suggests. However, if one begins to be afraid and to lose courage in temptations, no wild animal on earth can be more fierce than the enemy of our human nature. He will carry out his perverse intentions with consummate malice.

326.  13.  Our enemy may also be compared in his manner of acting to a false lover. He seeks to remain hidden and does not want to be discovered. If such a lover speaks with evil intention to the daughter of a good father, or to the wife of a good husband, and seeks to seduce them, he wants his words and solicitations kept secret. He is greatly displeased if his evil suggestions and depraved intentions are revealed by the daughter to her father, or by the wife to her husband. Then he readily sees he will not succeed in what he has begun. In the same way, when the enemy of our human nature tempts a just soul with his wiles and seductions, he earnestly desires that they be received secretly and kept secret. But if one manifests them to a confessor, or to some other spiritual person who understands his deceits and malicious designs, the evil one is very much vexed. For he knows that he cannot succeed in his evil undertaking, once his evident deceits have been revealed.

327.  14.  The conduct of our enemy may also be compared to the tactics of a leader intent upon seizing and plundering a position he desires. A commander and leader of an army will encamp, explore the fortifications and defenses of the stronghold, and attack at the weakest point. In the same way, the enemy of our human nature investigates from every side all our virtues, theological, cardinal, and moral. Where he finds the defenses of eternal salvation weakest and most deficient, there he attacks and tries to take us by storm.

end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, by Louis J. Puhl, S.J.
    

328. RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
II

Further rules for understanding the different movements produced in the soul. They serve for a more accurate discernment of spirits and are more suitable for the second week
  

329.  1.  It is characteristic of God and His Angels, when they act upon the soul, to give true happiness and spiritual joy, and to banish all the sadness and disturbances which are caused by the enemy.
   It is characteristic of the evil one to fight against such happiness and consolation by proposing fallacious reasonings, subtilties, and continual deceptions.

330.  2.  God alone can give consolation to the soul without any previous cause. It belongs solely to the Creator to come into a soul, to leave it, to act upon it, to draw it wholly to the love of His Divine Majesty. I said without previous cause, that is, without any preceding perception or knowledge of any subject by which a soul might be led to such a consolation through its own acts of intellect and will.

331.  3.  If a cause precedes, both the good angel and the evil spirit can give consolation to a soul, but for a quite different purpose. The good angel consoles for the progress of the soul, that it may advance and rise to what is more perfect. The evil spirit consoles for purposes that are the contrary, and that afterwards he might draw the soul to his own perverse intentions and wickedness.

332.  4.  It is a mark of the evil spirit to assume the appearance of an angel of light. He begins by suggesting thoughts that are suited to a devout soul, and ends by suggesting his own. For example, he will suggest holy and pious thoughts that are wholly in conformity with the sanctity of the soul. Afterwards, he will endeavor little by little to end by drawing the soul into his hidden snares and evil designs.

333.  5.  We must carefully observe the whole course of our thoughts. If the beginning and middle and end of the course of thoughts are wholly good and directed to what is entirely right, it is a sign that they are from the good angel. But the course of thoughts suggested to us may terminate in something evil, or distracting, or less good than the soul had formerly proposed to do. Again, it may end in what weakens the soul, or disquiets it; or by destroying the peace, tranquility, and quiet which it had before, it may cause disturbance to the soul. These things are a clear sign that the thoughts are proceeding from the evil spirit, the enemy of our progress and eternal salvation.

334.  6.  When the enemy of our human nature has been detected and recognized by the trail of evil marking his course and by the wicked end to which he leads us, it will be profitable for one who has been tempted to review immediately the whole course of the temptation. Let him consider the series of good thoughts, how they arose, how the evil one gradually attempted to make him step down from the state of spiritual delight and joy in which he was, till finally he drew him to his wicked designs. The purpose of this review is that once such an experience has been understood and carefully observed, we may guard ourselves for the future against the customary deceits of the enemy.

335.  7.  In souls that are progressing to greater perfection, the action of the good angel is delicate, gentle, delightful. It may be compared to a drop of water penetrating a sponge.
    The action of the evil spirit upon such souls is violent, noisy, and disturbing. It may be compared to a drop of water falling upon a stone.
    In souls that are going from bad to worse, the action of the spirits mentioned above is just the reverse. The reason for this is to be sought in the opposition or similarity of these souls to the different kinds of spirits. When the disposition is contrary to that of the spirits, they enter with noise and commotion that are easily perceived. When the disposition is similar to that of the spirits, they enter silently, as one coming into his own house when the doors are open.

336.  8.  When consolation is without previous cause, as was said, there can be no deception in it, since it can proceed from God our Lord only. But a spiritual person who has received such a consolation must consider it very attentively, and must cautiously distinguish the actual time of the consolation from the period which follows it. At such a time the soul is still fervent and favored with the grace and aftereffects of the consolation which has passed. In this second period the soul frequently forms various resolutions and plans which are not granted directly by God our Lord. They may come from our own reasoning on the relations of our concepts and on the consequences of our judgments, or they may come from the good or evil spirit. Hence, they must be carefully examined before they are given full approval and put into execution.

end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

                We are to constantly cleanse ourselves
                    of our sins to serve God better —
                    the evil spirit wants us with
                    troubles, fears, sadness, false
                    reasoning, scruples

                The good Spirit gives us courage and
                    strength

                We are to focus on the love of God
                    focus on His Divine Mysteries

                    have joy in our vocation
                    meditate on our salvation
                    have peace
                    rest in God

                We are not to give into desolation.
                    Instead we are to focus on God — the light.
                    We are not to focus on the darkness, division, but
                    love and service of God

                We must discern where our thoughts
                    come from, not give into
                    impulses from the devil —

                We must have discipline and self control
                Ask for help to control dark,
                    destructive ways,
                    disobedience to superiors —
                    changing directions

                Be patient — pray in desolation —
                    do not act for relief

                We may be tested — must pray —
                Wait for God's favors — comforts —
                    pray in patience

                Don't give into desolation

                We depend on God's grace in desolation —
                    pray, read the Blue Book

                We must put our trust in God's power

                When satan is attacking us — He wants
                    us to give in —
                    He presses down —
                    Why give in when being attacked
                        by satan

                A spiritual advisor can see a person
                    in desolation —
                    Satan wants the person to oppose
                        a spiritual direction so
                        he can keep them under
                        his mask of trying to get
                        them to give into him.

                Satan attacks the weakest place of
                    our human nature — his
                    enemy is one who can spiritually
                    advise us

                God fills a soul with spiritual gladness.

                The devil is at war for a soul filled
                    with God — he presses in and
                    in and tries to get us to get
                    away from this spiritual
                    gladness to darkness, anger,
                    depression, lack of love,
                    no productivity, crippling.
                    hatred, division

                God wants us to love
                God wants us to have harmony

                A person who is disobedient to the
                    authority makes disharmony,
                    division with the authority —
                    then the devil tempts them through
                    pride, seeking dominance,
                    to deny their error, lie to themselves
                    and cause further disharmony through
                    their lie about their disobedience.

                Satan tempts men in their weakness
                    to act for dominance over
                    women authority rather
                    then obey the rules.

                God wants to act on our soul with His
                    favors if we ask Him —
                    God will not act
                        in a dark, sinful,
                        selfish, disobedient heart.

                We seek God and beg for grace and receive
                    Him with a humble spirit —
                    unless He chooses to do
                    something to us like He did
                    in St. Paul's blindness
                    with a special grace.

                The Holy Spirit acts in light and doing
                    good, forgiveness, harmony,
                    peace, obedience —

                    the devil wants the soul to
                    do evil and to perish and be dark.

                The devil comes at first as an
                    angel of light (a good idea)
                    then he works later in his
                    evil ways to try to deceive
                    the soul and lead them to evil.

                    In the beginning the evil one lures
                through acting like it is for a good
                deed — then lures the soul into
                disobedience and darkness once he
                can get them to give into his
                crafty scheme.

                    We MUST see the action —
                beginning, middle and end —
                Not get on automatic pilot and
                say —

                    "Oh a good work — lets go and
                then disobey as we commit
                sin and give into an evil act or
                one against God's will"

                    We must discern our thoughts
                beginning, middle and end —
                All 3 must be right to be from
                the Holy Spirit — but if dark
                in the middle then it is from
                the evil spirit.

                    Look at our reasoning —
                How we were to do something,
                but the devil came said
                "Oh do this good act" but
                    in the end we didn't do
                    what we were told to do or
                    needed to do and instead didn't
                    do God's will —

                We were lead astray by a good
                    deed that was not what
                    God wanted us to do.

                The good Spirit moves like water
                    on a sponge — the bad one
                    is harsh, violent, sneaky,
                    lying, deceptive —
                    Rain on a stone

                Some go from bad to worse, day after
                    day — they keep control that
                    is not theirs — they won't
                    let go. They rationalize incorrectly
                    "I'm right" "I disobey authority"

                The devil can come looking like it is
                    consolation from the Holy Spirit,
                    and in fact it is from the angel of darkness —
                    the person may rationalize
                    "oh now I am seeing lights,
                    getting messages" —
                    just because lights are present,
                    the devil can lure through false signs and messages.

                If signs and messages have error or are
                    opposed to God's way, the commandments, the Word,
                    the Church, we know they are not from God.
                    We must discern messages and lights.

                Lights and messages are never opposed to God's ways,
                    the commandments, the Word, the basic teachings
                    of the Church (Catechism etc.)