This past month I had the humbling responsibility of serving on a jury for a criminal trial. The case centered on whether the accused acted in self-defense or committed murder, along with a secondary charge. The experience proved both challenging and transformative, as we were tasked with deliberating strictly according to court rules—not our personal beliefs.

Our duty required radical adherence to principles like “innocent until proven guilty,” reliance solely on courtroom evidence, and excluding any consideration of sentencing or consequences. We were entrusted to reach a verdict through intellect, reason, and consensus, guided by the judge’s interpretation of the law, not our own moral compass.

I emerged with a deep respect for this structured pursuit of justice and the trust placed in 12 strangers to act in honesty and good faith. The experience also underscored for me how prayerful discernment differs from and undergirds intellectual deliberation alone. 

Here are three takeaways for discernment, inspired by my time in the jury box:

1. Whole-Self Awareness: Unlike courtroom deliberation, discernment means engaging our whole person—thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. St. Benedict reminds us, “the divine presence is everywhere” (RB 19). Our bodies, along with their emotions, are incarnational tools for perceiving God’s presence every bit as important as our intellects.
   

2. Prayerful Immersion: In Christian discernment, we remain open to the inbreaking of divine wisdom. Prayer isn’t just a step to get through before we start deliberating; prayer sustains us through the process of discernment as we listen, reflect, and act.
   

3. Community Counsel: Discerning in community means trusting that God's wisdom might be made known through others and through us. We are called, then, to lean into shared reflection and practice listening for that wisdom and truth.

I encourage you to practice these principles of discernment. I'm more convinced than ever that whole-self discernment, rooted in prayer and community, equips us for everyday and extraordinary calls to deliberation.