Consolation vs Desolation
Moving back to a home office after 11 years have triggered a sort of ‘Easter cleaning’, even before Lent. There in an envelope, in a dusty box, Sandee came across a letter to me, written by our daughter, Simone, when she was in Form 5 (16yrs old) preparing for her exams. In it she thanked me for all the love and effort I gave during her 5 years at secondary school. Reading the letter, I experienced a deep consolation with feelings of love, joy and upliftment.
That word, consolation, and its opposite in meaning, desolation, have become popular in church circles, as we navigate the Synodal journey. They were used by St Ignatius of Loyola in his treatise on the rules for the discerning of spirits. The ability to tell whether one is being influenced by bad spirits or The Holy Spirit.
St. Ignatius describes desolation as, “darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to low and earthly things, disquiet from various agitations and temptations, moving to a lack of confidence, without hope, without love, finding oneself totally slothful, tepid, sad as if separated from one's Creator and Lord.”
When someone is experiencing spiritual consolation, they can also be described as “living the fruits of the Holy Spirit:” joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
We live in one of the two states, at different times of our lives, like seasons. So we can speak of going through a season of desolation. As we grow closer to God we spend more time in a season of consolation.
When we find ourselves in a season of desolation we must be very careful, as it can be very dangerous. During these times do not make big life decisions except those that help you grow closer to God. St. Ignatius says that when someone is in a season of desolation they must not trust themselves to make correct decisions. The best course of action is to make a determined effort to pray regularly throughout the day.
The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is often considered a powerful illustration of consolation versus desolation. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a father with two sons. The younger son asks for his share of the inheritance, goes away, and squanders it in reckless living. When he finds himself in a state of desperation and famine, he decides to return home, hoping to be treated as a hired servant.
The father, however, sees his son from a distance and runs to embrace him, showing extravagant love and forgiveness. This parable illustrates the theme of consolation as the father's response reflects mercy, compassion, and the joy of reconciliation.
On the other hand, the elder son, who stayed loyal to his father, becomes resentful and refuses to join the celebration. This highlights a sense of desolation in the elder son's heart as he struggles with feelings of bitterness, self-righteousness, and a lack of forgiveness.
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