8. The Joseph Cycle and Ignatian Elections

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing themes of chosenness, favoritism, Ignatian election, and biblical narratives in Genesis from Abraham to Joseph.

Chosenness

Being elected by God to cooperate with Him in restoring relationships; it is unexpected and unmerited (favoring the second-born: Able, Jacob, Rachel) and requires sacrifice to bless others.

Favoritism

The sinful distortion of chosenness, defined as choosing to benefit persons or oneself at the expense of other relationships.

Election

Deciding what actions or way of life to take in order to participate in God's choice of us and build right relationships.

Presuppositions for Making an Election

The foundational practices required for Ignatian election: choosing between good options, regular prayer, community (spiritual direction), and indifference to things unrelated to the goal.

The First Time for Making an Election

A mode of election where God directly moves the will and desires such that a person carries out what God wants without doubting the movement (e.g., St. Paul's conversion).

The Second Time for Making an Election

A mode of election where clarity is reached by recognizing a consistent pattern of attraction toward a specific choice alongside spiritual consolation.

The Third Time for Making an Election

A mode of election made in a state of tranquility, where one uses reason to decide which choice best serves the end for which human beings were made.