Personal Discernment – getting in touch with the will of God.

Unrestricted Readiness to the Lord

VINCENTIAN SPIRITUALITY God is present in Everyone Every event Every thing

L ORD WHERE ARE YOU CALLING ME WITHIN THIS V INCENTIAN NETWORK WITHIN THIS YEAR ? W ITHIN THE NEXT 2 YEARS ? W ITHIN 5 YEARS ?

When God spoke your life into the world, He spoke that once and forever, never to be repeated. God has said something special in each of you and each person you serve and in each person who comes into your life. We begin to see that each person is unique and of immense value and importance. Hugh O’Donnell, C.M.

Process for Discernment 1) Write a clear, simple discernable statement: Examples might be: Good Example: I will make myself available to assume a leadership position in my conference/council. E.g. president, spiritual advisor, home visit coordinator etc. Poor Example: I will say “No” to the request of our council to assume the role of treasurer. “No special conditions!”

2.) Pray for freedom and make a list of pros. 3.) Clear your mind, pray for freedom and next to the pros, list the cons.now make a list of cons. 4.) Pray again for freedom and weigh the two columns. 5.) A sign of the Spirit in your decision is peace.

Pray together: Lord God, It is your will that I desire to follow. Lead me each and every day through the gift of your inspiration. I commit to have eyes to see and ears to hear the people and the events you may send me in my attempt to follow your holy will. I invite the intercession of our founding saints as I dedicate myself to have a listening Vincentian heart as I journey in Your kingdom. Amen.

Welcome back from your Sabbath of discernment.

DISCOVERIES?

1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a

“N O NEED IS FOREIGN TO THE S OCIETY,” BUT EVERY CONFERENCE IS NOT EXPECTED TO MEET EVERY NEED.

Your conference is distributing food to 500 families per month. Several conference members have suggested that you open Sunday afternoons to recruit additional volunteers, hopefully young people. Others are concerned because that is the “Sabbath” and this is considered servile work. Seek out your own pros and cons and then gather together to see what the group wisdom might be.

Mark 2:23-28 – The Disciples and the Sabbath It happened that he was walking through standing grain on the Sabbath, and his disciples began to pull off heads of grain as they went along. At this the Pharisees protested: “Look! Why do they do a thing not permitted on the Sabbath? He said to them: “have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his men were hungry? How he entered God’s house in the days of Abiathar the high priest and ate the holy bread which only the priests were permitted to eat? He even gave it to his men. Then he said to them: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

St. Vincent to St. Louise “….be careful not to do too much. It is a ruse of the devil, by which he deceives good people, to induce them to do more than they are able, so they end up not able to do anything. The spirit of God urges one gently to do the good that can be done reasonably, so it may be done perseveringly and for a long time. Act therefore in this way, Mademoiselle, and you will be acting in the spirit of God.

We will open our pantry on Sunday afternoons to better serve the poor

Now we’re inviting you to sit with this statement and discern your pros and cons. Then return to a group for discussion.

GROUP WISDOM

: Group Discernment 1. Quietly make a list of the pros for the opening of the pantry. 2. Come together and each member of the conference has the opportunity to express their most important pro for the opening of the pantry on Sunday. 3. Quietly make a list of the cons about opening the pantry. 4. Now the process is repeated with the most important con. 5. Any pro or con not covered – go around the group again if time allows. Everyone has an opportunity to express their thoughts.

Take a few minutes on your own to decide: I agree with the statement or I have reservations because…. Return to the group and go around giving your decision. Be sure that everyone is heard! Have a listening heart! Put your statement into the final decision of the group and read your statement aloud. Make a Decision

D ECISION Was a decision made in your group? Is everyone able to live with the decision of their group?

Q UESTIONS, C OMMENTS, F EEDBACK Did you feel the presence of the Spirit? How did you feel about listening without discussing?