Wounded in Battle: The Art of Listening to the Inner Voice
The French troops surrounded the town of Pamplona, part of the Kingdom of Castile. It was 1521A.D. and a 26 year-old young man named Inigo prepared for the battle. He and his fellow troops, although outnumbered, attempted to defend the town from the French attack. Inigo’s fight ended when a canonball ripped through the city walls and injured his legs. Taken by the French back to his native Loyola for treatment, Inigo would spend the next six months there convalecing.
It was during that time the young man who had been looking for a life of chivalry and glory, instead began to spend his time of healing reading about the life of Jesus Christ and various saints. As priest and author Kevin O’Brien writes, “Daydreams of serving the kind as a valiant kight and winning the love of a noble lady, though at first enticing, ultimately left him feeling inwared dry and disconnected. By contrast, when he imagined devoting his life to the serive of God and others, as had the saints he was reading about, Inigo experienced a deep sense of joy.” Upon healing, Inigo continued looking into this deep reflection of God and how He was moving in the young man’s life. As a result, “…he enountered a God who was not a tyrant waiting for him to slip up, but a helping God who wanted for him the fullness of life.”
That is so important: Time and discernment. They are interlinked.
Sometimes we may be forced, through illness, injury, assisting someone who is sick, etc… to become still and take time for deep reflection and discernment. Other times we may just be going along a certain pace of life and yet get a sense of the need for stillness. Such time for that type of meaningful reflection and discernment may mean sitting quietly in a room, hiking on a remote trail, or some other path that works best for you in your stage of life. It may include some time daily, with perhaps longer times one or two times a week. For me, shorter times can be accomplished in a quiet room, but for longer periods I do better during a hike. But again, that is just me. Likewise, one does not have to always be alone. Silence (maybe followed up with some discussion) with another follower of Christ can be a very healthy practice. Again, one should adapt that practice to what time and places work best for them.
So ask yourself, where and when do you connect best with God? How can you place yourself if that setting in a regular manner?
That is the time factor, but what about discernment? Discernment is recognizing where we are in our walk with Jesus on the journey. In an era of constantly available distractions, discernment can seem like a challenge, but it is also very rewarding. As Kevin O’Brien continues to write, “The ones who discerns is like the adventurers who test the winds or check the compass to make sure they’re heading in the right direciton.” The more we practice it, the more sensitive we become to the presence and moving of the Holy Spirit. As some have said, we “keep our sails up”.
Upon this spiritual awakening, Inigo went on to further his studies at the University of Paris, where he became known as Ignatius (of Loyola) and known for his experiences with God and his sense of a new type of adventure. His notes on his experiences and practices became the classic book, “The Exercises”, and it continues to help multitudes of Christians to this day.
Adventure well!
