Discernment as Journey, Not Destination

Discernment is not a discussion, a debate on an argument, a study, a reflection, the deepening of a biblical text or a task which is separated from faith and love. It consists in our making together an experience of faith. It requires an attitude of listening and of paying attention that helps us to discover in our personal, community, provincial or Institute journey ~ what God expects of us today. All this requires on our part great availability and willingness to be converted.

Discernment is a disposition of the spirit that allows us to listen to God's voice in the midst of so many voices that distract us, to discover the signs of God's presence and of his project in our concrete situation. We are talking about a personal and community journey which entails learning to read our personal history and that of the Institute in an evangelical light, without leaving out its moments of fragility and defeats, but also its moments of fidelity in the midst of persecutions and the many testimonials ~ including martyrdom. Both histories, then, appear as the places where God reveals himself to us.

We strive to deepen our discernment in difficult times, knowing it helps us develop the ability of paying attention, of reciprocal love, co-responsibility and insertion into reality!

In the end, discernment is less about finding the right answer and more about becoming the kind of people who can hear the question God is asking.