Pizza and Discernment

Not so long ago as I enjoyed a pizza with a friend, I was struck by how good the base of this pizza was – just the right thickness, crispy and delicious. Without it, the toppings would have fallen everywhere and made a mess. As I ate, I began to realise that this was a great metaphor for discernment.

Whenever a young woman asks me how to discern their vocation, my first response, before talking about hints or strategies, is always to ask if they are praying every day. Prayer is a beautiful place of encounter with Jesus, and it is here that our intimacy with him can grow and we can learn to hear his voice, gently inviting us to follow him. It is really only in this relationship with Jesus, deeply nurtured by prayer, that authentic discernment can take place.

There are so many ways to pray and part of the adventure of a life with God is finding the ones that most enable us to connect in life-transforming ways.

So just as pizza toppings without a base would fall everywhere and make a mess, any hints or strategies we seek to use to discern have little value if they are unsupported by the base of prayer and a desire to grow in relationship with Jesus. Our choice of pizza toppings, or methods of discernment may vary depending on our personal preferences, but we all need a strong base, or regular prayer life to support them.      

Mel Edwards