Reviews

Two reviews:
1. The Island. A Russian foreign film about a Orthodox monk who lives an intense hermetical and pentitenial life in a remote monastery. He's gifted with many Charismatic gifts (healing, prophesy, exorcism, and discernment) and is a real prankster. It has a great ending (I was surprised and felt a sense of relief for the main character). The combination of the Charismatic and Orthodox spirituality was very intriguing to me.
If you have netflix you can watch in instantly online (depending of the type of subscription)
Objective: 7.75
Subjective: 8.5
MC: 9

2. Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment by Thomas Dubay. I've read some of his other stuff and he is one of the foremost experts in spiritual direction in the tradition of St. John of the Cross. Two words that I would use to describe his writings are "grounded" and "sober". His writings are very straight forward and deeply rooted in Scripture and Tradition. This book is not referring to "discerning a vocation" but to "discernment" in terms of knowing whether or not I'm making spiritual progress, whether or not I'm truly following/being lead by the Spirit. He addresses many of the cautions, including "illuminism", the word he uses to describe what we typically think of when someone thinks that they are receiving personal revelation. I found these quotes to be very valuable as a measuring stick for spiritual progress

St John of the Cross explains that "communications which are truly from God have this trait: they simultaneousy exault and humble the soul". One who is genuinely of God is gradually enriched with the divine abundance, and at the some time he grows in humility. He knows God better and is therefor exalted; he knows himself better and is consequently humbled.

Also:
Humility is both a preparation for the Spirit and a result of the Spirit. Not only does the Paraclete choose to enlighten those who are not inflated with their own importance, but it is his very light that enables one to be humble. When God beings to pour his dark contemplation into our mind and heart, we begin to perceive more and more clearly both his purity and our sinfulness, his limitlessness and our finitude.

Kenny, I think you'll like the book, I'll pass it on.

Objective: 8.5
Subjective: 7.75
MC: 9