During the Discernment of the Spirits Formation conducted on the 20th of July, Fr. Larry Tan drew upon the teachings of St Ignatius of Loyola to illustrate how God can be found in all aspects of life - the good and the bad; the miracles and the disasters.
Fr Larry, a Jesuit priest, shared about his experience as a cancer survivor. In 2020, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. But what began as a troubling and anxiety-filled situation led him closer to God. The Lord sought Fr Larry out and used this experience to teach him more about himself. His story had a parallel narrative to St Ignatius, who was bedridden for a year after his leg was crippled by a cannonball. This experience, though distressing, enabled him to read about the lives of saints which resulted in his own sainthood.
One of the activities which helped Fr Larry recover was laughter therapy. He shared the story of three monks, who would travel to communities, not saying a word but instead, sharing the gift of laughter. It provides a powerful way to relieve stress and replace it with joy.
During the talk, Fr Larry said that “everything can draw us closer to God or away from Him”. When discerning whether to keep a certain item, habit or lifestyle choice, it’s important to assess its impact on our relationship with God. Often, we see things through a “dualistic mindset” (also known as an ‘either or’ mentality). This prevents us from finding the goodness in what we label as ‘bad’ or the negative side of ‘good’. Instead, we must take a “holistic and inclusive approach” towards life, realizing that some events are preordained by God. To do this, Fr Larry introduced a new concept: Spiritual Snacking. This means reciting the Trinitarian Mantra twice a day for either three or five minutes as a reminder to invite the Spirit into our everyday lives.
He also introduced spiritual exercises, which would lead to freedom from and freedom for. This is built upon several principles by St Ignatius: we exist to love and serve God as best we can, we are the steward of creation, and we consciously choose who we will be in relation to His love. St Ignatius lived life as if everything was a miracle. We, too, should pray for the faith to share in this belief.
Lastly, he set out the guidelines for Discernment of the Spirits. For individuals who continuously struggle with sin, destructive elements will draw them away from God, providing a false sense of comfort. Yet, it is in the sting of conscience that God will attempt to call them back to the right path. On the other hand, for those who cleanse their sins and strive towards a holy life, the evil one places obstacles in their way. The messages that bring inner joy and peace are from God, whereas the evil spirit causes agitation and turmoil. Fr Larry also spoke about dealing with desolation. We must accept it as either a test or an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God, while remembering that the Holy Spirit is always there to help us. Patience, perseverance and prayer would help with this.
On behalf of the parish of St Francis of Assisi, Fr Paul Cheong expressed his gratitude to Fr Larry for his teachings. The participants left feeling enlightened and in anticipation of more similar events to come.
