A Holy "Supernatural Gift:" The Divine Discernment of Intuition
intuition has deep roots in traditional religions around the world.
But I did not expect Pope Francis to dedicate the entire FINAL chapter of his recent book “Gaudete et Exsultate” to Intuition. When my husband (who nearly became a Benedictine Monk ~ and who is a big fan of Pope Francis) showed me the book, I was excited….
I thought it would be wonderful to discover a quote from the Vatican endorsing Intuition.
But what I discovered was so much more than a quote endorsing Intuition ~ it was a volume endorsing it.
Explaining it.
Shining light upon it.
HE CALLS INTUITION “SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT.”
I get it.
We need new terminology. There is so much baggage that comes with words like Intuition or Psychic. And he explains this ‘spiritual discernment’ as:
“…an authentic process of leaving ourselves behind in order to approach the mystery of God, who helps us carry out the mission to which he has called us.” —Pope Francis, 2018
At first I wasn’t sure he was talking about Intuition….then I read on.
There is was.
Both the Intuition that we know and love AND “spiritual discernment” are:
receptive, divine inspiration
a spiritual gift to be developed through introspective practice
a tool we can use every day to make the best choices in our life
an innate connection to God that all people have
an inner guidance system that directs us to Gods plan and our life purpose
a calling to get our of our comfort zone and live our truth
an all-knowing wisdom beyond our personal ego and subjective perspective
more important now than ever in a culture of moral confusion and deception
And the best part…it’s all good.
More than good, actually.
It’s extraordinary.
It’s necessary.
It is required of us to follow our Intuition….to discern the right life path in each moment based on our divine inner connection.
So, if you can’t take it from me, take it from the divine inspiration of the Pope himself ~ at this moment in time ~ when Intuition is truly becoming the Holy Grail ~ the most sought after “supernatural gift” ~ of our era:
AN EXCERPT FROM “REJOICE + BE GLAD”
BY POPE FRANCIS
“DISCERNMENT
166. How can we know if something comes from the Holy Spirit or if it stems from the spirit of the world…? The only way is through discernment, which calls for something more than intelligence or common sense. It is a gift which we must implore. If we ask with confidence that the Holy Spirit grant us this gift, and then seek to develop it through prayer, reflection, reading and good counsel, then surely we will grow in this spiritual endowment.
167. The gift of discernment has become all the more necessary today, since contemporary life offers immense possibilities for action and distraction, and the world presents them as valid and good…
169. Discernment is necessary not only at extraordinary times, when we need to resolve grave problems and make crucial decisions. It is a means of spiritual combat for helping us to follow the Lord more faithfully. We need it at all times…
A SUPERNATURAL GIFT
170. …We should always remember that discernment is a grace. Even though it includes reason and prudence, it goes beyond them, for it seeks a glimpse of that unique and mysterious plan that God has for each of us…it has to do with the real purpose of my life…Ultimately discernment leads to the wellspring of undying life: to know the Father, the only true God…it requires no special abilities, nor is it only for the more intelligent or better educated…
171. The Lord speaks to us in a variety of ways, at work, through others and at every moment. Yet we simply cannot do without the silence of prolonged prayer, which enables us to perceive God’s language, to interpret the real meaning of the inspirations we believe we have received, to calm our anxieties and to see the whole of our existence in his own light. In this way, we allow the birth of a new synthesis that springs from a life inspired by the Spirit.
172….We must remember that prayerful discernment must be born of a readiness to listen: to the Lord and to others, and to reality itself, which always challenges us in new ways. Only if we are prepared to listen, do we have the freedom to set aside our own partial or insufficient ideas, our usual habits and ways of seeing things. In this way, we become truly open to accepting the call that can shatter our security, but lead us to a better life.
173…The discernment of the spirit liberates us from rigidity….the Spirit alone can penetrate what is obscure and hidden in every situation, and grasp its every nuance.
175….Discernment, then, is not a solipsistic self-analysis or a form of egotistical introspection, but an authentic process of leaving ourselves behind in order to approach the mystery of God, who helps us carry out the mission to which he has called us, for the good of our brothers and sisters.”
Pope Francis, St. Peters, Rome, March 19, 2018
Amen.
If this isn’t a sign of the times, I don’t know what is.
Isn’t it time that we all come together and FINALLY honor the power this innate gift?
It’s not a myth anymore.
It’s not unscientific. (Tell it to Einstein or Stephen Hawking)
It’s not against God (Tell it to Joan of Arc or the Pope)
It’s not crazy. (Carl Jung will tell you that)
It’s real.
And it is this extraordinary, powerful thing that is just waiting for us to pay attention to it.
And it can make all the difference…
…in your life…
…and in the world.
Photo by Lisandro Garcia on Unsplash
Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash