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March 22

Discernment

It is important to give ourselves to the wisdom of others. The church in its long journey has produced many saints,

teachers, prophets, pastors, and activists. From these we can learn much. But we must practice discernment, for these too must be subject to the wisdom of the gospel.

There are two extremes that must be avoided. The first is to live the

Christian life without tradition and assume Christianity can be wholly reinvented. The second, at the other extreme of the continuum, is to live the whole of one’s Christian life simply bounded by Christian tradition.

There are much more creative ways to live. These are: to be fully aware of the Spirit’s renewing and creative energy; to be deeply immersed in the biblical story; to respect the church’s long march in history; and to respond to the issues of our day. To integrate these various dimensions makes the Christian life sustainable, exiting, relevant, and orthodox.

St. Basil, in giving Christian advice, points out that it is important to listen to the wisdom of the past. But he goes on to say, “Do not surrender your mind as if it were a ship’s rudder answering to control. No; take what suits you, and learn to discard the rest.”81 Thus, he points us to a creative reappropriation of the past and not to a dull conformity.

Here is the call to discernment for which we need the Spirit’s

guidance to gain humility and courage. And courage is always needed when one seeks to be relevant.

Thought

Eat the fish but leave the bones. Hold fast to the good of the past and

daringly embrace the new.