Conclusion – The Joyful Mysteries – A guide for discernment – LeRoy’s Mirror
This is the conclusion to a short series on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary as a guide for discernment. The introduction and “index” are here. The previous mystery, The Finding in the Temple, is here.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.
Whatever we are discerning, this is key. Look upon Jesus. Ask his mother to show him to you ever more clearly.
O God, Whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech You, that meditating upon these Mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Whatever we receive, this is key. All is gift.
I hope this little series on the Joyful Mysteries as a guide for discernment has blessed you, and encouraged you to think on the mysteries of the life of Christ in a fresh way.
I also want to share two last items tangentially related. The first is to highly recommend the Ignation process and principles of decision making. These two resources are particularly helpful.
- Ignation Principles for Making Decisions: https://www.marquette.edu/faith/ignatian-principles-for-making-decisions.php
- An Ignatian Framework for making a decision: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/making-good-decisions/an-approach-to-good-choices/an-ignatian-framework-for-making-a-decision/
Finally, I want to leave you with what I’ve decided to call LeRoy’s Mirror.
Deacon LeRoy Behnke passed along a singularly helpful tool in discernment and decision making. It’s a tool I apply to every difficult decision, and one I hope you’ll find helpful.
When considering possible decisions, it is a good idea to list the Pros and Cons of each, and apply sound reason, without being overly swayed by emotion. This will, usually, result in a good decision.
If, however, a “good” decision is insufficient, and you are seeking the “best” decision, or if multiple options appear equally valid, you’ll need to go a little deeper.
Go deeper by asking the question: Why would I choose this option?
This is not simply a restatement of the Pros and Cons. This is asking “why would I choose this option? What motives of my heart would direct me to choose this option?”
Most of the time, an (honest) evaluation of my intrinsic motives for choosing a particular option or making a particular decision is the most valuable tool in my toolbox.
