Newsletter Vol. 1 Issue 16

March 3, 2021

Good vs Evil: The Two Standards

“In interpreting and praying over events or trends in the light of the Gospel, we can detect movements that reflect the values of God’s Kingdom or their opposite.”

- Pope Francis, Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future

We are now nearing the halfway point in our journey together in this discernment series. We’ve wrestled with the reality that evil exists, but through it all, we are sinners loved by God. We’ve sat in the discomfort of learning how racism operates culturally and structurally. On Monday, we gained insight into how the narrative of white supremacy shaped our nation’s institutions.

We now come to the central meditation of the Spiritual Exercises, what are known as the Two Standards. As Dean Brackley writes in The Call to Discernment in Troubling Times:

“This meditation draws back the veil on the central drama of history, the struggle between good and evil. Christ leads the forces of light under his standard (in the old sense of the standard, or flag, that a king would use to lead his army in battle), and the enemy leads the forces of darkness. ‘Christ calls and desires all persons to come under his standard, and...Lucifer in opposition calls them under his’ [137]. We live and move within opposing force fields. The powers of egoism pull us backward to slavery unto death, while the diving Spirit draws us forward to freedom and life.”

In this meditation, we are asking for insight into how the Evil Spirit operates, and the wisdom and tactics to work against it under the banner of Christ. What we are looking for is patterns. Similar to the call of Ibram X. Kendi we examined earlier this week, we are looking to identify, define, and then dismantle the ways evil has manifested in the world. For our purposes, we are specifically looking for patterns of the ways the evil of racism has manifested over time. By identifying patterns of racism, we can better equip ourselves to respond in ways that lead to positive structural change for racial justice.

Resource: Breath and Fire: The Spirit Moves Us Toward Racial Justice

M. Shawn Copeland of Boston College asks in Commonweal Magazine if we can allow ourselves to be moved by the Spirit to understand what it would mean to be able to breathe freely in America.

READ HERE

Meditation: 20-30 Minutes

I ask for the grace to direct all of my actions, intentions, and thoughts to be in service and praise of God.

I imagine a great expanse before me. To one end, stands Christ our Lord. And on the other, Lucifer.

I desire to have insight into how the Evil Spirit works and deceives and to guard myself against it. And I desire further insight into the genuine life that comes from Christ and the grace to imitate him.

I imagine the enemy seated on a throne of fire and smoke as he sends countless devils into cities, provinces, states, and individual persons.

I consider what the enemy says to his devils, commanding them to set up snares and chains to tempt people to covet and hoard riches, to set up policies and procedures that ensure the riches of one person or a select few at the expense of countless others. Being tempted with riches, it becomes easier for one to esteem his or her self over others, particularly on the basis of race. The enemy instructs his devils to construct systems to prioritize those with lighter skin over those with darker skin. Having constructed these systems, those ensnared develop a sense of pride for the riches they have accumulated and the esteem they have built. The enemy, using the three temptations of riches, esteem, and pride, then leads people to all other vices.

Then, in contrast, I gaze upon the other end of the field and there stands the true leader, Christ our Lord.

I imagine how the Lord calls all peoples to be apostles and disciples, then sends them all over the world to spread the good news to all people in every state and condition.

I consider how Christ speaks lovingly to all his friends he is sending out on this expedition. He instructs them to aid all peoples. First attracting them to spiritual poverty, for “blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven” and a detachment from the trappings of wealth. Then if they so wish to serve the Divine Majesty, to material solidarity with the oppressed, to renounce wealth that comes at the expense of others. Secondly, he asks for those who wish to follow him to desire contempt and insults so as not to think of oneself as better than another, to desire for a spirit of persecution for the Kingdom. Then, having been freed from material wealth and false honor, Christ’s friends leads all peoples to humility, to seeing all of God’s creation imbued with dignity. Using these three steps, spiritual poverty, freedom to accept contempt and insults, and humility, the Spirit leads to all other virtues.

Having contemplated these two standards, I now picture sitting with Mary, Our Mother. I ask her for the grace to be taken under Christ’s standard. I talk with her about what I just contemplated. I listen for what she has to say. I ask for her help in following Christ. I listen for what area in my life she is calling me to reflect further. I end with a “Hail Mary.”

Post-Meditation Questions for Reflection

What were my strongest emotions during my prayer? What emotions have lingered?
What has stayed with me as I meditated on the forces of evil and good?
How have I seen the evil of racism manifest in my world and those around me?
How have I seen Christ working in the world? How have been those co-building the Kingdom of God?
Where do I feel called to stand?