Marian Servants of the Eucharist

Spiritual direction is primarily concerned with our personal relationship with God and His varied ways of communicating with us.

In spiritual direction God provides us with the assistance of a spiritual director through an ongoing process in which the directee and the director meet on a one-to-one basis. The spiritual director is a person to whom we can open our heart and who acts as a companion, a friend, a mentor in the things that pertain to God. The director listens prayerfully and attentively, not only to the words, but to what the person is really trying to convey. The director acts as a sounding board for the person who is relating their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. A spiritual director helps the person to reflect, clarify, formulate, and process all the workings of God in the directee’s life. The person seeking spiritual direction shares thoughts about his or her encounter and experiences of God, especially during the times of prayer.

The director points out to the directee possible obstacles, and in turn may question or confirm, advise or encourage, discuss or discern, confront or challenge the directee. A spiritual director does not give answers, and does not try to resolve any problem. The Holy Spirit is the spiritual director. The spiritual director rouses the directee to hunger and thirst for God, whereby replacing lukewarmness which quickly squelches the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, throughout the whole program of spiritual direction, the primary purpose must always be the spiritual growth and maturation of the person receiving direction. Also through spiritual direction, we learn how to identify our will with the divine will.

The Marian Servants of the Eucharist begin and end with prayer during the spiritual direction session. They depend on the scriptures, and use the Ignatian exercises as their primary foundation.

Spiritual direction has these five elements:

Process: Spiritual direction involves regular meetings between the director and the directee. These meetings are not crisis-dominated, but growth-oriented. Regularity and continuity of contact are essential.
One-to-one relationship: Spiritual direction does not involve group formation. It focuses on one person’s experience of God shared with a director.
Competent guide: A director should be a person of prayer. He or she should be competent for the age bracket and station in life of the directee.
Growth of the directee: The primary concern is the spiritual growth of the directee in his or her relationship with the Lord. The director never insists on a favorite method of prayer or a certain way of life. The director is alert to the inspirations and impulses of the Holy Spirit and sets no goals or standards. He or she never coerces nor unduly urges the directee to a specific form of prayer or a particular lifestyle.
Personal encounter: The interview is a face-to-face conversation.

Praying together almost always reveals something about the
directee and the working of God in his or her life.