In this episode of the Catholic Spiritual Warfare Podcast, Brother Justin continues the conversation on spiritual desolation. Earlier episodes explained why desolation comes and how God can use it to correct, test, and deepen our dependence on Him. This segment focuses on the practical response. Desolation is not a moment for passivity. If we stop, tepidity quickly takes over. The spiritual life requires movement, prayer, and active trust in the Lord, even when interior consolation is absent.
What to do when desolation comes
Saint Ignatius of Loyola takes a direct approach. When desolation comes, resist. Do more, not less. Reducing prayer is a mistake. Relaxing discipline is a mistake. Postponing spiritual practices is a mistake. Once a person begins to retreat, the decline often accelerates. Many have fallen far from where they once were and later cannot even remember the earlier clarity and fervour. Spiritual writers often describe this loss of orientation, even portraying souls as wandering because they have forgotten their prayers and forgotten where they were going.
Resist without breaking yourself
Alongside resistance, there is a crucial counsel that surprises many. Be patient with yourself. There are moments to be firm, but seasons of real spiritual weakness require prudence and balance. The enemy aims to break the soul through discouragement and scruples, pushing a person to believe that everything is sin until they collapse under the weight and abandon spiritual combat altogether. True patience is not self pity. It is a moral virtue that keeps the soul steady, prevents despair, and protects the interior life from unnecessary damage.
Spiritual warfare versus mindfulness
The episode contrasts Catholic spiritual warfare with modern mindfulness trends. Mindfulness often places the self at the centre. Catholic spiritual warfare places God at the centre, and from there the soul is anchored in the real presence of Jesus Christ, the Church, and the sacraments. The danger of self centred spirituality is that the self becomes an idol. Faults, failures, and sins can become identity markers, enslaving the person to what they should be overcoming. The remedy is a return to a God centred life, where the heart is formed by grace and strengthened by the sacramental life.
Practical priorities for spiritual combat
The practical applications are intentionally simple. Keep prayer times in order. Keep sacramental life in order. Keep spiritual commitments intact. Desolation can be compared to a siege. The soul is like a castle under pressure. If fear opens the gates, the fall can be immediate. The path forward is steady consistency. Keep the gates closed. Do not negotiate with discouragement. Remain faithful and continue.
Memory as a weapon in desolation
An essential tool in desolation is memory. The episode describes what formation sometimes calls the flash, like a camera flash in a dark cathedral. Consolation can illuminate where you are and what God has done, but it is not meant to last forever. It is given so that you can continue walking when the light fades. This is why Saint Ignatius recommends writing down spiritual consolations. In dark moments, these notes restore the reasons behind earlier resolutions, giving firm ground when everything feels uncertain. In that sense, good memories can be weaponized as spiritual self defence. They remind you that you are not abandoned and that grace has acted before and will act again.
Grace without feelings
The episode emphasizes a key spiritual principle. Grace is always sufficient. God never permits a trial stronger than His grace. Yet grace is not the same as sensation. Often the greatest graces come with no consoling feelings at all. They come through effort, difficulty, and perseverance. Desolation narrows the vision, while consolation expands it. When the vision narrows, memory and fidelity keep the soul moving forward, step by step, without surrendering to confusion.
Endurance without drama
Saint Ignatius also teaches patience in suffering with confidence that consolation will return. In modern terms, the goal is endurance without drama. Drama stiffens the soul and worsens the burden. The episode illustrates this with a simple scene of a child’s tantrum, where relaxation and calm suddenly make movement possible again. The same pattern appears in the spiritual life. The aim is not stoicism, which is ultimately self reliant and non religious. The aim is a truly Christian virtuous life, serious about eternity, yet balanced and healthy in its approach.
Daily fidelity for parents and lay people
In the questions segment, the episode applies desolation to family life and daily responsibilities. For parents, exhaustion can itself be a form of desolation. Prayer becomes difficult and silence is scarce, but the standard is not emotional intensity. The standard is fidelity. Parenthood has its own sanctity. Showing up, being faithful, and carrying out duties with love forms the soul. A legacy of prayer can shape generations, as seen in families who gather to pray because a parent or grandparent quietly lived that fidelity for years.
For lay people in the grind of daily life, the advice remains practical. Pray when you can. Offer difficulties and crosses. There is no perfect moment. What matters is showing up. Like physical training, the best spiritual practice is the one you actually do. Minimal but steady is foundational. Desolation is not disgrace. It can be an opportunity for growth and a sign of spiritual maturity.
Recommended reading and psalms for perseverance
The episode recommends The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest by Father John Gerard for a vivid account of courage, perseverance, and trust in God under persecution. It also recommends praying Psalm 42 and Psalm 66 as enduring prayers for perseverance under pressure.
