Ignatian Insights 7: Consolation

Inigo was in touch with what was happening to himself, from the time of his convalescence at the castle of Loyola, after he was wounded at the battle of Pompalona. He could recognize two kinds of movements as he dreamed of the lady of high position, whom he desired to marry, and as he reflected about the life of Christ and of saints. In his ‘autobiography’ he states that some thoughts left him dry, while some others left him happy and peaceful. He was already sifting the movements of his heart, and that would become the foundation of his understanding on the movements of the spirit. But for now we shall concentrate on his understanding on consolation, the movement of the spirit which led him to inner peace and joy.

He goes on to explain this concept when he deals with Discernment of Spirits for Week I. The way he had given the title for this chapter in the Spiritual Exercises is quite interesting. He writes, ‘Rules to aid us toward perceiving and then understanding at least to some extent, the various motions which are caused in the soul: the good motions that they may be received, and the bad that they may be rejected’. The numbers that deal with consolation are 316, 323-24. First let us understand what he means by consolation.

By this kind of consolation I mean that which occurs when some interior motion is caused within the soul through which it comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord. As a result it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all (SpEx 316:1). It is important that we realize that consolation is an “interior motion” and therefore it cannot be associated with external experiences, and the result is the soul being inflamed with the love of God, leading to love him alone! It is a spiritual experience, which cannot be roused by ourselves. God is the origin of all consolation.

Inigo observes yet one more vital aspect to mean consolation : “every increase in hope, faith and charity, and every interior joy which calls and attracts one toward heavenly things and to the salvation of one’s soul, by bringing it tranquillity and peace in its Creator and Lord” (SpEx 316:4). Therefore when we experience an increase in the evangelical virtues of faith, hope and charity, we know that we are experiencing consolation, and the fruit of this experience will be evident in the interior joy, attraction towards heavenly things, tranquillity and peace. It is not that only spiritual persons experience consolation; at some time or other every one of us go through this kind of experience, though we may not realize that this is consolation.

Every consolation may lead us to desolation, and therefore while experiencing consolation, one should prepare to face desolation (SpEx 323), and one should conduct oneself humbly (324). It is a wonderful feeling to experience consolation, but one should not forget that there is no perpetual consolation; everyone has to go through dark nights of the soul, desolation in the terminology of Inigo. He goes on to show the origin of consolation: without a preceding cause (SpEx 330), by means of a preceding cause acting for the progress of the soul (SpEx 331). Therefore Inigo invites us to examine if the consolation actually proceeds from God, or if it actually comes from the evil one.

Business of Bothering

Walking down the prestigeous Park Street, now Mother Teresa Sarani, every day has made me realise that drug addiction is an open reality that no one bothers about today. On three locations on the pavement, I can see middle-aged men huddled together, sometimes partially covering themselves with a dirty towel around, experimenting with drugs to get one fine "kick". I also see often one very thin, skinny-looking lady doing it all by herself. Two days ago, I had seen this lady with another man, whom I am tempted to think her companion, initiating this noble art of taking drugs to a boy of about 12 years. As I passed by, I was tempted to stop there, and shout at the youngster sitting cozily between this man and the woman. The boy was far too young to enter into the world of drugs. But the very moment I realised, but what if they were to tell me, "What is your problem? Mind your own business!"

One of the main problems haunting the modern world is that we mind only our own business, and don't bother to look a little beyond our own selves. We are too afraid to cross the lakshman-rekha that we ourselves have drawn. No one can deny the fact that we have become far too individualistic today that a few years ago. We live in a world where what really matters is my family, my friends, my relatives, and my acquaintances. There are often deaths, suicides in flats just opposite to mine, and yet I may not even know who it is, what has happened to the persons, ... We are learning the art of insulating our lives, keeping a safe distance from others... and it will not take too long for us to realise that we have alienated ourselves from the rest of humanity, a mistake that will take centuries to correct.

Why should I bother about my neighbour? I have all the resons to, and it would be a grave "sin" against humanity and against the universe, if I fail to bother. It is true there are times when I am questioned by others, "but what is your problem? Why dont you mind your own business?" And the next time, I dont dare to repeat it. Why should I dirty my hands unnecessarily? Imagine, if all of us were to mind our own business, then the world will become one big factory, where each of the machines will do its part, and ... If we were to stretch the imagery, we will realise that problem with one part will affect the entire output.

We do not realise the fact that we live in a world where each one of us have a role to play, and in order to strike balance in the world, every one needs to be healthy. We often say, healthy persons make a healthy society. We are duty-bound at the welfare of each of our neighbours... This is what is so very unique to human beings... but what we see in reality is that we often behave worse than animals... hoarding, self-centredness, vengeance, jealousy, these are the vices not known to the animals. Care and concern for the neighbours is not necessarily a religious virtue, but a basic human virtue. It is time that we wake up from the slumber and look at the world around us, and do our part to show that we truly care for the world and the universe.

Today I would like to pause two or three times during the day at different situations, and ask myself this question : how can I show through my actions at this juncture that I care for the world and the people around me? I dont need to think of something heroic, or noble; it may be a silly act of charity or concern for the people or nature; what is more important is that I begin to educate my mind to make these things happen automatically, without consciously doing them. If at the end of the day, I can tell myself that I was able to do such and such act to show my concern for the world, then I can really be happy. For happiness is born when I go out of myself to stretch out my hand to reach out to the needy.