Video Series - Discernment of Spirits with Father Tim Gallagher OMV

Just prior to Christmas I stumbled across the most amazing video series being offered through CatholicTV.com, a 26 - episode series simply titled "Discernment of Spirits". What is this 'Discernment of Spirits' you ask. The answer is both simple, and sublime.

St. Ignatuius, through the course of his own journey of conversion and spiritual growth realized that he was caught in the grip of a series of upward and downward movements in his relationship with God. Perhaps you've experienced something similar? In fact, Ignatius guarantees you have...he realized quickly that this was a spiritual cycle every human being went through, whether they were aware of it own not!

Here's a situation; Moved by the celebrations of Christmas, I make a personal resolution to attend Mass more regularly in the New Year. It feels so good when i make that decision! I feel energized, filled with joy I find myself feeling excited about going next Sunday. Maybe I even find myself keeping track of the days. I'm in a really good space, and at times it feels like I'm walking on air...you know what I mean, this is such a natural human experience that you've certainly felt it too.

As the week goes on, that 'glow' begins to fade. I start to question whether I'll really be able to stay consistent with my resolution. I'm always doing that you know. I get excited about things, I think 'This is it...I'm going to make a change!' and then I get distracted. Oh...it's going to be cold this weekend, maybe snow. I'll have to blow out the driveway. Boy, it's been a crazy week at work! I'm so tired, and Sundays are really the only day I get to sleep in. I start to feel discouraged, maybe I even begin to doubt how good I felt at those Christmas celebrations. I was probably just exaggerating things (I do that too!).

You've just witnessed the movement of two spirits, Ignatius calls them 'good' spirits and 'bad' spirits. They are those dispositions, ideas, imaginations and emotions that move us towards a deeper relationship with God, or further away. They are ALWAYS active and ALWAYS in flux and the first step for us is to simply become aware that it is going on.

Over the next 26 weeks we invite you to journey with Fr. Tim as he opens up this spiritual dialogue that we are embroiled in, turning our eyes inward and outward as a means of discerning how and where God is moving and living and breathing in our lives.

This first episode identifies the dialogue, talks about how Ignatius himself was made suddenly aware of these movements in his own life and identify what this process of discernment is, and what it is not. Enjoy!




Peace and God Bless