Who is involved in the apostolate of accompaniment? 41
An essential element of spiritual formation is the prayerful and
meditated reading of the word of God (lectio divina), a humble
and loving listening of him who speaks. It is in fact by the light
and with the strength of the word of God that one's own vocation
can be discovered and understood, loved and followed, and one's
own mission carried out. So true is this that the person's entire
existence finds its unifying and radical meaning in being the ter-
minus of God's word which calls man and the beginning of man's
word which answers God. Familiarity with the word of God will
make conversion easy, not only in the sense of detaching us from
evil so as to adhere to the good, but also in the sense of nourishing
our heart with the thoughts of God, so that the faith (as a response
to the word) becomes our new basis for judging and evaluating
persons and things, events and problems. (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 47)
Spiritual formation in the Word of God forms not only the mentor in their
apostolate, but also their inner life in which they meet Christ.
Discernment
Both for their own life and for their relationship with the one accom-
panied, the mentor must be formed in the practice of discernment. Dis-
cernment is a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit and useful in coming to
identify the movements and actions of God in daily life. For a person of
faith, discernment deepens the knowledge and love of God through the
large and small aspects of daily life. As Pope Francis writes:
Discernment is necessary not only at extraordinary times, when we
need to resolve grave problems and make crucial decisions. It is a
means of spiritual combat for helping us to follow the Lord more
faithfully. We need it at all times, to help us recognize God’s time-
table, lest we fail to heed the promptings of his grace and disregard
his invitation to grow. Often discernment is exercised in small and
apparently irrelevant things, since greatness of spirit is manifested
in simple everyday realities. (Gaudete et Exsultate, 169)
In addition to deepening the mentor's own spiritual growth, discernment
properly predisposes the mentor to assist the one accompanied in hearing
the voice of God through the situations, relationships, and events in their
human experience. Discernment is an all-encompassing gift that allows life