Diviniation
I'm still pondering how to know know what's God's Desire (for me), how to simply ask him questions (and get answers) about the things that matter.
The scripture blog to which I belong is now reading Acts. Near the beginning of that book, there was a time when the disciples (minus Judas) had to choose a new member so that they would once again be twelve. The way they determined twhat to do was through a kind of divniation ...
Then they prayed, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place." Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.
- Acts 1:24-26
According to what I've read, casting lots was an accepted MO for discerning God's Will, though more often in the Old Testament than in the New (example - In Joshua 18:10, Joshua casts lots to determine what portion of the promised land each tribe is to receive.). Yet, Paragraph # 2116 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says diviniation is wrong.
Confusing. And it makes me wonder about one of the old books gathering dustbunnies in my book box ... Tarot - The Handbook for the Journeyman, by Eileen Connolly :-)
If we disreguard the various forms of lot casting, I can think of two ways to get an answer, which are realted ...
One is the discernement of spirits. John Veltri SJ has a page on decision making through discernment ... Decision-Making: A More Useful Format For Discerning. It offers a number of different methods and helpful hints drawn from or based on Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. All require a committment to honesty and spiritual freedom. The Boston College page I mentioned in my last post defines spiritual freedom this way .... spiritual freedom, the power to act-not out of social pressure or personal compulsion and fear--but out of the promptings of God's spirit in the deepest, truest core of one's being--to act ultimately out of love. (no pressure :-)
The other way is to ask the question in imaginatice prayer, and wait for the answer. This is the simplest and yet the hardest way, at least for me, because it involves a trust in the process, in the relationship, and in oneself.
Yikes! Where are my tarot cards? :-)
The scripture blog to which I belong is now reading Acts. Near the beginning of that book, there was a time when the disciples (minus Judas) had to choose a new member so that they would once again be twelve. The way they determined twhat to do was through a kind of divniation ...
Then they prayed, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place." Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.
- Acts 1:24-26
According to what I've read, casting lots was an accepted MO for discerning God's Will, though more often in the Old Testament than in the New (example - In Joshua 18:10, Joshua casts lots to determine what portion of the promised land each tribe is to receive.). Yet, Paragraph # 2116 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says diviniation is wrong.
Confusing. And it makes me wonder about one of the old books gathering dustbunnies in my book box ... Tarot - The Handbook for the Journeyman, by Eileen Connolly :-)
If we disreguard the various forms of lot casting, I can think of two ways to get an answer, which are realted ...
One is the discernement of spirits. John Veltri SJ has a page on decision making through discernment ... Decision-Making: A More Useful Format For Discerning. It offers a number of different methods and helpful hints drawn from or based on Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. All require a committment to honesty and spiritual freedom. The Boston College page I mentioned in my last post defines spiritual freedom this way .... spiritual freedom, the power to act-not out of social pressure or personal compulsion and fear--but out of the promptings of God's spirit in the deepest, truest core of one's being--to act ultimately out of love. (no pressure :-)
The other way is to ask the question in imaginatice prayer, and wait for the answer. This is the simplest and yet the hardest way, at least for me, because it involves a trust in the process, in the relationship, and in oneself.
Yikes! Where are my tarot cards? :-)
posted by crystal | 8:17 PM
8 Comments:
Yeah, I had some tarot cards a long time ago.
It's interesting how trial by ordeal was in the Middle Ages both justified (by some) as a way of knowing God's will and condemned (by others, who finally won the fight) as a way of tempting God. Sometimes when I have a bunch of exams I feel like grading by ordeal. It's very simple: throw the lot into the fire and the ones that jump out get a passing grade.
I think the other ways you suggest are probably better.
I also am always amused by the Church's condemnation of astrology, and then use the three astrologers known as the Magi as proof of Jesus' divinity. The fact that they were using the stars as a means of divination seems to be minor when compared to the results.
Sometimes the "logic" of the Church eludes me, sigh.
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Liam,
right, I forgot about trials by ordeal. Not only a good way to grade papers, but to pick a mate :-)
Mike,
the Church does seem kind of inconsistant on this topic, but the whole thing is such a can of worms, it would probably be hard to well define the parameters of ok-ness.
Sherri,
I know how you feel. I ask for signs too and then wonder if I'm not being answered or if the sign is just too subtle for dumb me. And as for as the "let it be your will" part, I've degenerated to "this is what I really want!" :-)
I like the way William Barry SJ talks about prayer. He sees it as a relationship, and as in all relationships, it's best to be transparent with the other person, so it's ok to be honest with God about what you want.
I'm not sure why getting the answer to a question seems so difficult, but I'm guessing it has something to do with me. To ask an imagined Jesus a question and let him answer seems too easy and I have trouble trusting it (maybe I'm putting words in his mouth). But I actually think this is the best way (for me), and sometimes I get surprised.
I think there's a difference between a sign of God (the Magi) and using astrology to predeict the future. The latter would contradict the idea that we have free will.
Of course it is messy, since astrology was part of science up through Newton.
That's intersting about the free will idea and astrology. How do some christians reconcile free will and predestination? Is predestination different from predicting the future? And what about the idea of the multiverse where everything that can happen is happening (elsewhere)... any prediction you make will be true :-).
This brings up questions of what it means for God to be omniscient and also, I think, immutable.
I think it was Augustine who said we can have free will although God knows what we will do, because he's outside of time. He can know what we'll do in the future, as an obsrver, but that doesn't mean he will cause it, anymore than the fact that I know the sun will rise tomorrow means that I'm causing it to happen. Does that make sense?
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