The spiritual guide or spiritual director is a fundamental component in vocational discernment. It is necessary, therefore, know how to recognize the right person, so that this decision is the result not of merely human choice but of the response of God; otherwise the director might do more harm than good.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms,
“The Holy Spirit gives to certain of the faithful the gifts of wisdom, faith and discernment for the sake of this common good which is prayer ( spiritual direction). Men and women so endowed are true servants of the living tradition of prayer. According to St. John of the Cross, the person wishing to advance toward perfection should ‘take care into whose hands he entrusts himself, for as the master is, so will the disciple be, and as the father is so will be the son.’ and further: ‘In addition to being learned and discreet a director should be experienced.... If the spiritual director has no experience of the spiritual life, he will be incapable of leading into it the souls whom God is calling to it, and he will not even understand them.’” ( CCC 2690)
Since this is the case, how can we recognize the spiritual guide who should lead our soul? Here are some key points from the founder of our community, following the Word of God:
1. Through a life that is extremely consistent with the Word of God, distinguishing this person among others, given that it is written: “I understand more than my elders, because I obey your instructions” (Ps 119:100).
2. Through words which are firmly founded on the Gospels (cf. John 3:31, 34) and are particularly wise (cf. Luke 1:29), given that it is written: “ From the word one recognizes Wisdom” (Cf. Sir 4:24).
3. Through the fire in your heart – like the disciples at Emmaus… Amen!
(cf. Luke 24:32).
4. Through a (Gospel-style) insight, summed up in Christ and the experience of the Roman Church (cf. SLC), as the wife of Pontius Pilate (for instance) recognized the Just Man through “a dream” (Matt 27:19) and the disciples saw the vision on Mt. Tabor (Matt 17:9) where the Eternal Father told them who their spiritual guide
should be!
If all these characteristics are present in someone, and the Lord gives you a sign of confirmation, then you can entrust your heart into that person’s hands and allow yourself to be guided with docility, in order to reach – more rapidly and with certainty – the plan God has for you! As St. Josemaría Escrivá affirms, “Receive the advice you are given in spiritual guidance as though it came from Jesus Christ himself.”
(St. Josemaría Escrivá, The Forge, n. 125)
--Sr. CMC