The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life

For Martin, the hardest decision he made as a Jesuit was deciding whether he would stay or leave after his theology studies were delayed. Discernment helped him decision to stay. Discernment is a decision-making process that Ignatius included in the Spiritual Exercises. Jesuit superiors are supposed to be adept at discernment. Engaging in this process can help answer the question “What should I do?” (306).

Before starting, Ignatius says to be “indifferent,” meaning to approach the process freely and without bias. Then, discernment is centered around the idea that a sense of peace—or consolation—will occur when one acts in line with God’s desires for them. The alternative—the feeling of distance from God’s desires—refers to desolation. The two terms are key in understanding discernment.

Martin takes a section to note that the Spiritual Exercises is full of lists, including the Two Standards, The Three Degrees of Humility, and, relevant for this chapter, the Three Times of Making a Decision. In the First Time, there is little doubt about which path one should choose. The Second Time takes more consideration, and Ignatian spirituality recommends meditation to discover which option will provide the greatest consolation.