How should we respond to times of consolation? There are times when we strongly perceive the
presence of God and we feel energised, free, creative, and generous. What should we do in these times? Again let us turn to the wisdom of St. Ignatius.
Remember that the seeds of the good spirit are faith, hope and love. They give us peace and courage. They are movements towards God that may or may not feel good.
The basic advice of Ignatius for times of consolation is to harvest these graces. This means that we should take time to be aware of them. We should take time each day to look out for signs of God’s presence in our lives. How often has God been at work in our lives, and we
didn’t notice, simply because we neglected to look for God?
We should try to “store” or “bottle up” these
consolations. The gifts that God grants us are special. We should find ways to remember them and keep them close to our hearts. This can help us to become aware of God’s consistent call in our lives and to follow this call. It helps us to remain strong in times of desolation.
It is also important in times of consolation to remember that the good movements we are experiencing are gifts from God. It may be tempting in times of consolation to become proud of ourselves. The antidote to this pride is gratitude. Giving thanks for the gifts we receive
reminds us that they are indeed gifts.
How have you responded to times of consolation in the past? Have you remembered to look out
for God’s presence in your life? Have you harvested these graces? Have you given thanks for them? Look for them now and make an act of gratitude.
Reflections by Sean van Staden
SJ
