Discernment: When God asks us to choose between two good paths

By Fr Kenwyn Sylvester

Director of the Office of Vocations

Lent often leads us into the desert. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we step away from the noise of ordinary life. In that quieter space, many people begin to ask a deeper question: “Lord, what are You asking of me?”

For some, that question leads to a surprising discovery.

After one of my Lenten talks, someone approached me and said something that stayed with me. “Father, I feel relieved,” they said. “For the longest while, I thought discerning God’s will meant choosing between something good and something bad. I didn’t realise it could be choosing between two good things.”

That simple realisation brought them peace. In many ways, it captures one of the most important truths about discernment.

Many people assume that if they are truly listening to God, the right decision should be obvious—one option clearly good and the other clearly wrong. Yet the spiritual wisdom of the Church tells us something different.

Discernment is not simply choosing between good and bad. Very often it is choosing between two good paths and asking which one God desires for me.

Therefore, Lent can be such a powerful time for discernment.

Lent invites us into 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These practices are not simply religious observances for a few weeks. They create space in our lives so that we can hear God more clearly.

In the rush of daily life, it is easy to move from one decision to another without pausing to ask what God might be asking of us. Work, responsibilities, relationships, and endless distractions fill our days. Lent interrupts that rhythm. It slows us down and invites us into the desert with Christ—where the voice of God often becomes clearer.

The spiritual tradition of St Ignatius of Loyola offers helpful guidance for this journey. Ignatius observed that the decisions people face are often not between something clearly sinful and something clearly virtuous. More often, the choice is between two good possibilities.

Marriage is good.

Priesthood is good.

Religious life is good.

Service in many professions is good.

Discernment asks a deeper question: which of these good paths is the one God is inviting me to walk?

Something may be good but still not be the good God is calling a particular person to embrace. Discernment helps us discover not just what is good, but what is God’s will for our own lives.

The practices of Lent help create the interior freedom needed for this listening. Prayer opens space for conversation with God. In silence—especially before the Blessed Sacrament—we notice the deeper desires of the heart. Some desires fade when everything becomes quiet. Others grow stronger. Discernment often begins by paying attention to the desires that remain in the presence of God.

Fasting also helps clarify our hearts. By stepping back from certain comforts, we begin to see what truly influences our choices. Attachments that once seemed small become visible. Fasting restores the interior freedom needed to listen honestly.

Almsgiving shifts our attention outward. It turns us away from self-absorption and toward love of others. Many people discover the direction of their vocation precisely through generous service.

Ignatius also taught that God often guides us through the movements of the heart.

When we place different possibilities before God in prayer, we may notice different interior responses. One option may bring a deep sense of peace and freedom, while another may leave us restless or unsettled, even if it appears attractive on the surface.

Ignatius called these movements consolation and desolation. Consolation draws us toward God—toward faith, hope, and love. Desolation often leads toward confusion, discouragement, or fear. Learning to recognise these movements over time can help us see where the Spirit may be leading.

Discernment, then, is less like solving a problem and more like learning to recognise a familiar voice in a crowded room.

That kind of listening cannot happen in a hurried life. It requires patience, prayer, and honesty before God. Lent provides exactly that kind of environment.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation also plays an important role in this journey. Sin clouds our vision; grace restores clarity. When we return to Confession, the heart becomes freer to listen again.

For those discerning a vocation—whether priesthood, Religious life, marriage, or another path of generous service—Lent can be a particularly meaningful season. It invites us to move beyond simply asking what seems attractive or comfortable and instead ask the deeper question: Where is God calling me to give my life?

God continues to call men and women today—to priesthood, Religious life, marriage, and lives of faithful service in the world. Discernment is the process of learning to recognise that call.

Holy Hour for Vocations

If Lent is a time for listening, Eucharistic Adoration is one of the best places to begin. To encourage this spirit of prayer, the Office of Vocations is beginning a monthly Holy Hour for Vocations that will move from parish to parish across the Archdiocese.

The first Holy Hour will take place at St Benedict’s RC Church, La Romaine, on Friday, March 20, at 10 a.m. We will gather before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for vocations and ask the Lord to help us hear His call more clearly.

Look out for details of future Holy Hours and join us whenever the gathering is near your parish.

Those who would like accompaniment in discernment, or who would like to learn more about vocation, may contact the Vocations Office at 499-0302 or email vocations@catholictt.org