Ano Ba Ang Bakit Mo?
On a rainy afternoon at the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service, the usual rhythm of work continued. There were upcoming activities to prepare, responsibilities to fulfill, and many things waiting for the attention of the PJPS staff.
Yet, in the middle of the busyness, everyone was invited to do something that is often difficult to make time for: pause.
On September 23, 2026, PJPS staff gathered for a Staff Formation session on Ignatian Discernment, led by John Paul “Lance” A. Bolano, a theology instructor at Ateneo de Manila University.
The afternoon became an opportunity to slow down, listen, reflect, and learn how Ignatian spirituality can guide us when we are faced with important decisions.
Lance shared that discernment is not simply about asking, “What should I choose?” It is about learning to recognize where God may be leading us.
Through stories, lectures, prayer, and activities, the staff was introduced to two ways of approaching discernment: reason and imagination.
Choosing with Reason
Discernment through reason invites us to approach a decision prayerfully and intentionally.
First, we bring the decision into prayer. We allow ourselves to become aware of what is happening within us and ask God for guidance.
Then, we state the decision clearly.
We ask for indifference, not in the sense of not caring, but as an inner freedom that allows us to choose what is truly for the greater good rather than simply what is easiest, most comfortable, or most familiar.
We then consider the reasons for and against each choice. We weigh the possibilities honestly and carefully. After this reflection, we make a choice and, finally, return to the Lord in prayer to seek confirmation.
It is a reminder that faith does not ask us to stop thinking. Rather, faith invites us to bring our minds, hearts, experiences, and desires before God.
Seeing Through Imagination
The second way of discernment invites us to use imagination to see our choices from a different perspective.
One activity was the Stranger Test.
Imagine that a stranger comes to you and asks for advice about the exact same decision you are facing. What wise, compassionate, and objective advice would you give that person?
Then, perhaps most importantly, ask yourself whether you are willing to follow that same advice in your own life.
Another perspective is the Deathbed Perspective.
Imagine yourself at the end of your life. Looking back at this particular moment, which choice would you wish you had made?
Then there is the Judgment Day Scenario.
Imagine standing before God at the end of your life. Looking back on the decision you are making today, which choice would give you the deepest sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment in God's presence?
These exercises remind us that some decisions become clearer when we step away from the noise of the present moment and look at our lives with greater depth.
Two Good Choices
Perhaps one of the most meaningful reminders from the session was that discernment is often about choosing between two good choices.
Sometimes, we think that making a decision means proving that one option is good while the other is bad.
But that is not always the case.
There are moments when both paths can hold goodness, purpose, and possibility. Choosing one does not make the other worthless. Instead, choosing one allows us to give ourselves more fully to the good that God is inviting us to pursue.
The other good remains good.
But our responsibility is to recognize where we are being called to place our time, energy, gifts, and love.
This is especially meaningful for those who serve in prison ministry.
At PJPS, our work is filled with decisions. We accompany persons deprived of liberty and their families. We walk alongside people who are rebuilding their lives. We support education, formation, rehabilitation, spiritual growth, and opportunities for transformation.
Behind every program and activity are people who are also discerning how best to serve.
And service itself requires a listening heart.
Finding the Why
During the session, a familiar line attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche offered another point for reflection:
“He/she who has a why to live for can go through almost any how.”
A strong sense of purpose can sustain us through difficult and uncertain moments.
For the PJPS community, that “why” is rooted in a mission of dignity, compassion, justice, and hope.
It is the belief that no person should be reduced to a mistake or defined only by a difficult chapter in life.
It is the conviction that people can change, families can heal, and new beginnings are possible.
It is the call to continue serving even when the work becomes demanding.
And sometimes, discovering or remembering our “why” begins simply by pausing long enough to listen.
A Moment to Pause
The rainy afternoon became more than another formation activity on the calendar.
It became a reminder that even people who spend their days accompanying others need moments of accompaniment themselves.
Those who serve also need space to reflect.
Those who listen to others also need time to listen.
Those who help others find hope also need to return to the source of their own hope.
Through Ignatian discernment, the PJPS staff were reminded that God's presence can be found not only in extraordinary moments, but also in the ordinary decisions that shape our daily lives.
As we continue the mission of prison ministry, may we learn to pause amid the busyness, listen amid the noise, and choose with greater freedom, wisdom, and love.
May our decisions always lead us closer to the people we are called to serve and closer to the God who calls us.
And may our work continue to become a path where dignity is restored, hope is renewed, and lives are transformed.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
If you believe in a future where people are given opportunities to heal, grow, and begin again, you can become part of this mission. Your support helps PJPS continue its programs of accompaniment, formation, education, and service for persons deprived of liberty and their families.
Together, let us keep choosing hope.
Comments