Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts
Episode 3 -The First Rule:
In the persons who go from mortal sin to mortal sin, the enemy is commonly used to propose to them apparent pleasures, making them imagine sensual delights and pleasures in order to hold them more and make them grow in their vices and sins. In these persons the good spirit uses the opposite method, pricking them and biting their consciences through the process of reason.
Fr. Timothy Gallagher highlights the spiritual journey of St. Augustine as an example of the first rule of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Augustine’s story illustrates the battle between sensual temptations and moral conscience. As a young man, Augustine indulged in sensual pleasures, leading a life far from God. This period was marked by restlessness and moral conflict.
Fr. Gallagher points out that the “enemy” tempts with apparent pleasures, while the “good spirit” strikes back by stirring the conscience. Augustine’s moment of conversion in a garden, influenced by the Holy Spirit and the words of Scripture, exemplifies this struggle and transformation. Fr. Gallagher stresses that understanding this spiritual dynamic is essential to recognizing and overcoming temptations, leading to deeper communion with God. The dialogue underscores the importance of awareness and action in the spiritual life, especially in today’s media-saturated culture.
The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”.
For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org
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