‘I have a good Master, that is God; it is to Him I look in everything and to none other’ (Saint Joan of Arc).
The Maid of Orleans made the right choice! “One is your Master”, the Lord tells us in Mt 23:8. Although we can receive help from people filled with the Holy Spirit, and should be grateful when we meet them, or even if we have someone to accompany us spiritually, this guidance only becomes a priceless gift when it is imbued with God’s wisdom.
St Joan, however, rightly appeals directly to God, who also gave her St Catherine of Alexandria as a spiritual advisor to accompany her to her death. The saints in heaven, as well as the angels of God, including our guardian angel, will always and unequivocally convey the counsels of God. By cultivating a conscious friendship with them and asking their advice, we become more receptive to heavenly instructions.
It is good to ask the Holy Spirit to be our master and guide, and to turn to Him with all our concerns. No doubt He is waiting to unfold His wonderful gifts in us to serve us in all situations of our earthly lives. He will never deny us His counsel, and He Himself will take care to remove all obstacles that prevent us from understanding Him. But it is important to enter into a concrete dialogue with Him and to know His way of leading us. We must obey Him in everything, as Saint Joan of Arc did, and with His help we will be able to discern the spirits. He will increasingly sharpen our spiritual sense to identify the counsels that come from Him and those that, on the contrary, would lead us astray from His path. If we have the Holy Spirit as our good teacher, we will be safe. In all situations, let us look to Him and to no one else.