See God Act

The Ministry of Spiritual Direction

Michael Drennan SJ

• Publisher: Messenger Publications
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781788124997
• Topic: Teologia e religione
• Subtopic: Istituzioni e organizzazioni religiose

This book is born out of a wide range of practical experience of more than 20 years in working with people training for the ministry of spiritual direction. Spiritual direction recognizes that there is an energy in life that moves a person outwards and influences the direction taken. The focus of the ministry is to help the person notice those movements and make good choices that enhance the Christ-like quality of life. It acknowledges that the Holy Spirit is the primary director. See God act. The book seeks to provide a broader vision of the ministry drawing on insights from spirituality, scripture and psychology. These bring a fuller understanding of the person created by God, capable of knowing and responding to God. It acknowledges that many of the difficulties that arise in the direction of life are at the human, not the faith, level. Patterns are laid down in early life and can continue into adulthood. This can be so without much awareness of their source, though their influence may be evident.Even in a prayerful reflective life, further help may be needed to bring greater freedom from unconscious influences. Moreover, freedom is a key mediator to facilitate moving on to accept the gifts God offers. Life is dynamic, not static, involving an inner and an outer journey. We live in relationships with God, self, others and all creation. Jesus is active in life and meets people where they are but does not leave them there. The invitation is onwards. Attention is drawn to, and there is an exploration of the dynamics involved in the different relationships to bring greater clarity to them.The experience of working with people has highlighted the need of this development. Prayer that comes out of life and flows back into life is key to this. May the book inspire you to navigate your ongoing journey in the Lord in an integrated way.

Chapter 1

Journey in Faith

Life begins in both an individual and communal manner. We come into family settings, localities and countries with different cultural, social and religious dimensions. Our background exercises significant influence on us, especially in the early stages of life, and this has implications for future development. In general, opportunities arise that facilitate our growth into a clearer sense of self, but responses to these opportunities vary for different reasons. Relationships are influential from the beginning and remain important as our story unfolds, but they can change over time and they vary as we go from being dependent to independent to interdependent. The reality of living with others entails being moulded or formed by significant relationships, whether in a positive or negative manner.

Dimensions of the Journey

The direction of one’s life can be affected by those who are seen as leaders, those who offer wisdom and direction. Leaders can teach, influence and challenge, as well as guide. Growing in inner freedom is an ideal, and can be realised to some degree, though there are always limits to human freedom. These can come from within or from without, or from both in combination. Nature and nurture are influential in human development, as is the interaction between them. The gifts and qualities we have by birth and from the environment in which we grow can have a constructive or less healthy influence. They can foster growth, they can impede it, or they can lead us to settle for the mediocre.

We can look at life as a journey. While attention can be given to the individual journey, and that is important, we do not travel in isolation. Our lives are intertwined. When we think of a journey, several things come to mind: our travelling companions, the mode of transport, the terrain and the route, as well as the goal of the journey. In the journey of life, there are many factors present that demand our attention, for example our understanding of the human person, the goals or ideals for life that are proclaimed, and the means chosen to attain these goals. There are many other aspects to be taken into account too, such as the private and public dimensions, the individual and communal elements, the internal and external components. Each life is unique, of course, but there are factors that are common to all lives in one way or another, as all of us are human with gifts and limitations.

In looking at any individual life, we can take note of the giftedness that is present, the degree of trust that is evident, the quality of significant relationships, the goals that are operative, the expectations of self and of others, the opportunities and challenges that arise. Sometimes, the external aspects of life – such as success or promotion at work, or living with others – can receive a lot of attention, but the internal aspects, such as growing in freedom, in trust and in peace with oneself, are important too. Dealing with success and failure can involve the internal and the external, and this is true of much of life. The overall harmony or balance in a person’s life says a lot about how that person experiences life. Freedom to listen to and learn from experience, as well as the ability to make good decisions, are significant indicators.

If the faith perspective is taken into account, another dimension is added which is interwoven with the human aspects of life. The place of God in a person’s life, and the kind of God that is acknowledged, have great significance. It should be noted that, even when God is not explicitly acknowledged, there is a ‘god’ of some kind present and influential in each life. If it is not the true God, there is another god – whether it be success, power, control or leisure – that exercises its influence and demands time for worship.

Travelling can be adventurous, creative and an opening to something new. It can remove restrictions, but it can be risky in some conditions. Travel can evoke tension until we have arrived at the desired destination, calling for patience and the willingness to wait. Travelling can be a formative experience, facilitating growth in freedom as we learn more about ourselves, but it can also be a frustrating experience.

Life can be compared to a journey from slavery to freedom. Slavery can have different forms, and external and internal dimensions can be present. Life begins in a self-centred way, and this pattern sometimes continues into adult life. We can remain slaves to our own needs. In that case, we are driven or pushed by factors within to exercise power or control, or to attain satisfaction. There is external slavery, too, such as that caused by a dictatorship or an excessively controlling regime. Such systems of governance allow little room for freedom or individual choice. There can also be a kind of slavery that contains elements of both the external and internal. For example, slavery to work can come from without or from within, or a combination of both.

This description of slavery and of journeying may seem somewhat theoretical, so it may be helpful to look at how some of it was lived out in a real-life situation. In this context, the story of the Israelites in Egypt and their travelling to the Promised Land (as narrated in the books of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua) is worthy of reflection. It is presented as the journey of a people from slavery to freedom. Clearly, external slavery was present in the Israelites’ exile in Egypt, but there was also internal slavery. Their journey to the Promised Land was both an internal and external journey into freedom.

First Phase in Egypt

As the story began, Egypt, under the new leadership of Pharaoh, was a place of abundance and material prosperity. At an earlier stage, in a time of famine, Egypt had been a place of refuge for the Israelites, and they had enjoyed favour while Joseph’s influence prevailed. Over time, however, the situation changed: the Israelites became numerous, and the Egyptians began to fear that they might gain too much control and power. Egypt became a place of fear, oppression and slavery for the Israelites. They were worked hard under strict overseers, and fear of the Egyptians was widespread among them. Power, wealth and control had taken over, and there was little time for God. The Israelites had become slaves, and their desire to worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord seemed to Pharaoh a waste of time, since it would take them away from their work. Hearing the cry of the Israelites, God remembered and was faithful to the covenant made with Abraham: ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed’ (Genesis 12:1–3).

God intervened by calling Moses, who had been rescued from the River Nile as an infant, to lead the people into freedom. Moses did not feel capable of this mission, but the Lord assured him, ‘I will be with you’ (Exodus 3:12). Later, Moses pleaded with God again, claiming that, since he was a poor speaker, Pharaoh would not listen to him (Exodus 6:30). Time and again, Moses’ requests to Pharaoh to set the people free were met with resistance, and Moses needed the Lord’s assurance to continue with his task. There ensued a long struggle between the two, with Pharaoh repeatedly refusing permission for Moses’ people to leave Egypt. Religious power in Egypt rested with the magicians, whom Pharaoh called upon to respond to the different plagues that befell the people.

There were many challenges for Moses and the people during this first phase of the story in Egypt. Moses was respected by Pharaoh’s officials and by his own people (Exodus 11:3), but the interventions of Moses and Aaron through the plagues did little to move Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh was obstinate because he did not want to lose his workforce. It was not until the Passover, when the firstborn of the Egyptians died, that Pharaoh had a change of heart. The Passover was a major event, and led to the freeing of the Israelites. It would become a feast to be remembered and celebrated each year.

The misery of the Israelites in Egypt was in sharp contrast to the power of Pharaoh. Work had become slavery. The expectation was that the Israelites, having known slavery, would appreciate the freedom the Lord offered them. God allowed them to experience slavery so that they might value freedom. The Israelites faced a great challenge when they arrived at the Red Sea with the Egyptians pursuing them. They complained to Moses for bringing them to this. Moses responded, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today’ (Exodus 14:13). They were invited to see what God would do, to see God act. (The title of the book draws on this image.)

Second Phase in the Wilderness

A new phase then began, with the Israelites spending a long time in the wilderness. This was a place of testing for them. They complained about the lack of water, the scarcity of food, the quality of leadership and the unclear direction. They resisted being led by the Lord (Exodus 14:11–12; 16:2–3), and experienced temptations to go back to Egypt, and even to rebel (Numbers 14:9). When new challenges arose, slavery sometimes seemed preferable to them.

The wilderness was a place of transition that found its meaning only in relation to the goal that God desired for the people. In Egypt, they had suffered enslavement – to work, to the Egyptians, to fear and to failure. Now, having been set free from that slavery, they were being set free from non-essentials. The desert was a time of purification where they were being set free to worship God in freedom. The journey was one of adventure, of discovery and of pilgrimage, for God was with them. It was a journey into poverty, where they would meet God in a new way, as Saviour. It had a goal, since they were the chosen people heading to a new land (Exodus 6:7–8). The goal of the journey was not just the land, however, but God (Exodus 19:4). The journey involved a deeper liberation. It meant taking a risk, involving the loss of security, but it opened the way to something greater.

The struggle and resistance of the Israelites was evident throughout the journey, even prompting them to make and worship a golden calf. God’s fidelity and support remained constant, however. God was providing for them, and continued to communicate with them through Moses. God was present to them in a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, guiding them day and night. God’s support was made manifest in various ways:

• The water that God provided for them as a gift (Exodus 15:17).

• The manna which, as food for the journey, was a sign of God’s care for them (Exodus 16).

• The ark, which was a promise of God’s presence among them (Exodus 40).

• The Covenant, which was a promise of God’s protection. (The Covenant gave the people an identity and implied shared values. Seeking security in God, they were God’s people.)

• The Ten Commandments, which gave direction to Israel’s response to God. (The basic Commandment was to love and trust God alone.)

The Israelites were challenged by having to face a new situation as they left Egypt and spent a long time in the wilderness. There was the tension of the journey itself, since the Promised Land was not attained as quickly as they would have liked. God was actively present with them, however. The people were led and carried. In the absence of any external signposts, God was the signpost indicating the way. The journey had a goal, but the final goal was more than the land; the final goal was God: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation’ (Exodus 19:4–6). The entry into the new land confirmed God’s choice of the Israelites. The delays on the way were caused by their lack of faith.

God provided what was needed for the Israelites, but they had to wait on God to be able to enter the new land, for it was God’s gift to them. On the way, their expectations were challenged and, at times, they were tempted to go back. However, the call was to march on, although they did go around in circles at times (Deuteronomy 2 and 3). Despite their resistance, God’s way prevailed in the end.

In the midst of many struggles, the people retained hope in Moses as their leader. Moses was a prophetic leader who taught, reassured, challenged and energised the people, a liberator who kept the vision of God to the fore. A spiritual and social leader, he had a significant role in the lives of the Israelites, as mediator between God and the people and between the people and God. His relationship with God was central to the mission he had received. Moses could intercede with God and pray in solidarity with his own people, even when they themselves had failed, as happened when they relapsed into idolatry (Exodus 32). Moses was able to interpret events for the people. He challenged them when they resisted, even though, at one point, they were almost ready to stone him (Exodus 17:4).

The Third Phase in the Promised Land

Their arrival in the new land under Joshua, Moses’ successor, heralded a new beginning for the people. In one sense the journey had ended, but it did not really end then, since the people were to live out their lives from now on as a covenant people whom God had rescued from slavery. On coming into the Promised Land an important new element emerged for them: the need to remember what God had done for them and to reflect on the journey. They were not just to repeat their story, but to learn from it. The people renewed their decision to serve God, and they affirmed their commitment to one another (Joshua 24:14–24). Ratifying choices made earlier helped them keep the commitment alive.

The chosen people were invited to recall how ‘in the wilderness, the Lord your God carried you, just as one carries a child, all the way you travelled until you reached this place’ (Deuteronomy 1:31). The Book of Deuteronomy many times counsels the people to remember and not to forget: ‘Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness’ (8:2). The temptation of their new prosperity was to forget, but this journey was too important to be forgotten. Recognising God’s goodness to them would help them live in a spirit of gratitude in God’s land. This land was not theirs; it was God’s gift. Having known external slavery, it was presumed they would value freedom. They were to express their gratitude by caring for the most vulnerable among them: the widow, the orphan and the stranger.

The people’s journey did not end with the crossing of the Jordan and their arrival in the Promised Land (Joshua 3). Their entry into the Promised Land confirmed God’s choice of Israel, reminding them that God was faithful to the promises made to them. They were urged to use this land, which was God’s gift to the whole community, well. It was to be a place of rest where work would no longer be a burden (Deuteronomy 5:15; 11:10–11). The land became a temptation, however, because the people tended to forget that it was a gift. Afraid of the demands made, they began to grasp and exploit it, seeking to eliminate the mystery by worshipping false gods. The call was to fidelity and justice, but the temptation was to forget once they had arrived. The land was a gift, but it could be lost, as would happen later at the time of exile. Even worse, by choosing to go their own way and by following false gods, the people could lose the inner gift of being God’s covenant people. By losing their freedom, a new form of slavery could take over.

A Reflection on Their Journey

The Exodus journey was made in stages, with particular milestones or crossing points. Some of these milestones were more evident externally. The Passover was one key moment that was to be remembered and celebrated. Other major moments were crossing the Red Sea as they escaped from Egypt, and crossing the River Jordan to enter the Promised Land. In between, there were times when the people were challenged by Moses to let God lead and guide them. When their own interests dominated, rebellion in various forms manifested itself in their responses. Situations of transition heightened their anxiety, and they became more concerned about themselves. There was an unwillingness on their part to wait, or to go at God’s pace. Waiting was seen as a waste of time, rather than something formative in preparing for a fuller reception of the gift on offer. Sometimes the people wanted to go back, and at other times they wanted to push forward prematurely. Eager to complete the journey in their own way, the delay in arriving proved a great challenge to them.

The people and Moses were changed through that journey, and their relationships were different as a result. The message that God was present on their journey was clear. God took the initiative and was committed to them. God made a covenant with them, giving them an identity as a people, so that a bond was formed with God and with each other. The covenant was broken and renewed many times, but God remained faithful to them. Their infidelities and failures were more evident than their successes on that journey, but God’s way prevailed and they did enter the land promised to them. What was clear was the desire of God to l...