euphemos

Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’

Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 435, Luke 5:33-39

The thing I perhaps most look forward to experiencing with ordination, is the ontological change I’ve seen as a result of the grace of ordination in other lives around me. I don’t know how God will change me, but I know I’ll be changed. Meditating upon this, and pondering how I can recognize and cooperate with this grace, I was particularly struck by this gospel passage.

We know the Bible points to wine as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and of joy. I’d never stopped to think on this passage in that context, however. Joy resides in the heart. We might, then, re-read this scripture without utterly corrupting it as:

Likewise, no one pours new joy into old hearts. Otherwise, the new joy will burst the heart, and it will be ruined, and the heart will be ruined. Rather, new joy must be poured into fresh hearts. And no one who has been appreciating old joys desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’

God gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26) in baptism, when we receive the Holy Spirit, and in ordination. As a child of God, I am called to serve, but as a deacon, I am a servant. I don’t mean to over-state or misrepresent the degree or nature of change, but it’s somewhere on the spectrum between the entirely new heart we receive with the grace of baptism, and the renewed heart (“Create in me a clean heart…” Psalm 51:10) we pray for in the process of continual conversion.

My point, then – God has new joys for us. These joys will stretch our hearts, and simply won’t fit in a dried up and rigid old hearts, so God’s given us new hearts. But likewise, if we cling too tightly to the joys we previously celebrated, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to receive, embrace, and share the new joys God has in store for us.

What joys am I called to let go, so I have room in my heart for the new joys God offers? Where am I rigid, and need to become more flexible, so God can stretch my heart to make room for something new?

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.