25 June 2021
Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
In many cultures, the first-born son tends to receive a greater share of attention, resources and power than his siblings. He tends to be the one expected to carry on his family’s legacy. However, it was not so for the sons of Abraham. His first-born son was Ishmael, and his second-born son was Isaac, and yet God chose Isaac to inherit the covenant. What comes first is not always what’s best. Sometimes better things come to those who wait for them. Hasty decisions and impulse buys are often regretted later. We can’t let our first impulse carry us through an important decision. Should I get married? Should I enter religious life? Should I make a career change? Should I move? Should I make a large donation or investment? These are important decisions and we have to make them with clarity, free from the obfuscations of disordered attachments. The first option is not always the best choice.
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola contain concrete methods for making important choices. Yet, it is not a self-help book. It is, rather, a set of guidelines for a retreat director. To learn the methods of The Spiritual Exercises, you must find a retreat director who is willing to use them while guiding you. A good director will not make the decision for you, but rather help you to see whether God himself might be willing to shed some light on the matter.