DISCERNMENT

St. Thomas Aquinas comes. He says: “Praise be to Jesus.”

“I have come to further describe to you the true gift of discernment. Many proclaim this gift, feign this gift, presume to have this gift. These are the ones to beware of. These are the ones who, in reality, have only spiritual pride.”

“True discernment is like a gourmet palate which, when introduced to a fine wine, recognizes and appreciates the depth and richness of it. The gourmet does not make a snap judgment. Rather, he savors the wine slowly, allowing it to interact with the sensitive taste buds–a gift God has given him. There is nothing superficial about the conclusion he draws concerning the wine. He does not base his conclusion on preconceived opinions, but on the experience of his own interaction with the wine.”

“How true this is in regard to spiritual discernment. So often pride is the judge, and the gift of discernment is not even present. Messages from Heaven must touch the soul. They must interact with the spirit. Like fine wine, they must be savored–their essence felt before a conclusion is drawn.”

“So much damage is done by those who proclaim faulty discernment. It is an important tool in the hands of Satan–a tool he uses freely to destroy much of Heaven's work. It is only through pride he can succeed in this.”

“Peoples' opinions are not the same as the gift of discernment, though they may be presented as such. Beware!”