Ignatian discernment depends on the assumption that God seeks to make his plans (or parts of them) known. That is not something God needs to do, by the way. It is possible that we could live holy lives led along blindly by faithful observance, only to realize at the end what it was all for. Some people think that is the Christian life, but they would be wrong.
Now, I don’t intend to say that the Lord reveals to us his plan for our life as if it were drawn out on a divine blueprint where every doorknob and floor tile are laid out according to his exact specifications. That isn’t the Christian life either.
Discipleship falls somewhere between knowing and not knowing. Indeed, it moves back and forth between these two poles, such that I sometimes know with utter clarity what Jesus wants from me and sometimes I haven’t the slightest clue.
It is obvious from the Gospel today, though, that Jesus expects that we will know something about what he is up to. He wants us to know what he is doing. If we know what he is up to, then we can show how much he means to us by collaborating in his work. To work side by side with the Lord brings a sense of dignity and friendship, but it can only happen if we are willing to do the work he commands.
That starts by simply asking him, “What do you want from me, Lord? What is your plan today?” The art of discernment is learning how, then, to hear what he says, put everything down, and follow him.