From John F. Duggan
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Cathy's invitation to speak in Sunday's service about a moment of being graced leads me to think about a phrase -- "consolation without cause." What is meant by the phrase "consolation without cause"? It refers to a religious experience that goes beyond antecedent conditions. In other words, I feel deeply consoled and it's not because I had a good night's sleep, nor is it because a friend told me I was a fine person, nor is it because of listening to music nor eating a delicious meal. This graced moment is not something that I did. It is an experience that happened to me. I recall that when we trained as spiritual directors the question we were to ask of people in direction was what happened to them. We did not ask what they did during their time of prayer; we asked what happened to them.
Cathy's invitation to speak in Sunday's service about a moment of being graced leads me to think about a phrase -- "consolation without cause." What is meant by the phrase "consolation without cause"? It refers to a religious experience that goes beyond antecedent conditions. In other words, I feel deeply consoled and it's not because I had a good night's sleep, nor is it because a friend told me I was a fine person, nor is it because of listening to music nor eating a delicious meal. This graced moment is not something that I did. It is an experience that happened to me. I recall that when we trained as spiritual directors the question we were to ask of people in direction was what happened to them. We did not ask what they did during their time of prayer; we asked what happened to them.
For the person experiencing "consolation without cause," the experience can support the choice of a particular course of action. Of course, I have to take care to not read too much into the meaning of the "consolation" event. The idea is to keep watch for a pattern of consolation- and to ask what insight I can gain from this pattern.
In the service I spoke of a recent experience of a graced moment, an experience of "consolation without cause." The experience of being touched, consoled in the Holy Spirit, occurred at Bay of Quinte Conference Annual Meeting in the church in Lindsay last weekend. I was sitting in the upper balcony of the church at the edge of the group of young people attending the Youth Forum connected to the Conference. I had too little sleep the night before and was not particularly interested in the prolonged discussion taking place in the assembly below. Suddenly I felt a touch of peace and joy. I asked myself -- where did that come from?
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After the experience I asked myself whether it was a sign that I was in the right place? Did it mean that working with youth was a calling for me at this point in my life? Maybe? I will have to test out this possibility, and see whether there are further moments of consolation confirming decisions I make along this path.
After the experience I asked myself whether it was a sign that I was in the right place? Did it mean that working with youth was a calling for me at this point in my life? Maybe? I will have to test out this possibility, and see whether there are further moments of consolation confirming decisions I make along this path.
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