I am often asked what to do. Whether it is in what happens at Mass, or when things go crazy in life, people come to Father Kalombo and myself asking our thoughts. What is fascinating is that it is in those moments that I find God works miraculously. I am an extrovert, which means you never know what I am going to say. However, when it comes to advice to people who made some significant changes in their life, and things go awry in their relationship with God I say the same thing. Keep doing what you were doing before.

It is one of the rules of the spiritual life that there are moments more challenging than others when we move closer to God. This is part of the reason that I keep on saying greatly blessed, highly favored and deeply loved. I know that we don’t always feel this way; however, I also know that if we keep that thought before us, we are more open to receiving God’s grace in our lives. St. Ignatius of Loyola recognized that as we grow closer to God there are difficult times in prayer. To combat spiritual desolation, the first thing he recommends is to keep doing those good aspirations that we decided to do in a state of consolation.

In the fifth rule he states: “In time of desolation never to make a change; but to be firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which one was the day preceding such desolation, or in the determination in which he was in the preceding consolation. Because, as in consolation it is rather the good spirit who guides and counsels us, so in desolation it is the bad, with who counsels we cannot take a course to decide rightly.” As we spend this week preparing to receive God’s blessings, it is a good time to remind ourselves that we are to be filled with hope. For it is in our hope that we have the resolution to remain firmly in those good actions and our movement closer to God.