The finale of the third season of The White Lotus aired last Sunday night, the fifth Sunday of Lent–that season in which Catholics reflect on our sinfulness and return to the mercy of God. Lent, it turns out, is the perfect theological backdrop for Mike White’s writing and character development. The third season of The White Lotus showcases plenty of examples of human sinfulness. But what struck me most of all in the story arc of the season was the way in which characters, in various ways, sought to understand their deepest desires and their purpose in life. I think St. Ignatius Loyola would have a lot to say about the way that the discernment of spirits features prominently in the unfolding drama of the season. And fair warning: this reflection contains spoilers. Read ahead only if you’ve seen it or don’t mind the spoilers.
The White Lotus is a satirical comedy-drama television series intended for mature audiences. The third season was set at an upscale resort and spa in Thailand, and like previous seasons it juxtaposes scenes of magnificent natural beauty with examples of human opulence tinged with melancholy and even misery. Each character is, in their own way, in a period of discernment. They are making choices that reinforce their understanding of who they are, what really matters in life, and what their future should hold.
Ignatius of Loyola (d. 1556) was a Spanish saint and the founder of the Society of Jesus. His Spiritual Exercises are a classic text in Christian spirituality because they have helped so many spiritual seekers across five centuries. The exercises lead a pilgrim through reflection across different thematic weeks and ever closer to a direct experience of God and to greater self-awareness. In this reflection I will focus only on a narrow slice of this wisdom tradition: Ignatius of Loyola’s account of the rules for discernment of spirits. There he talks about a “good angel” and an “evil one” who present competing narratives in our inner spiritual lives. The task of spiritual growth is a process of recognizing these competing narratives and choosing the good over the evil. Ignatius sees the human person on a journey to God, which involves increasing awareness of and acceptance of the good in one’s life. But “the enemy” provides constant disinformation, doubt, and distortions that make “bad” actions look “good.” Importantly, one need not believe in a “devil” to see the value of Ignatian reflections on discernment. If the language of “evil spirit” trips you up, consider the language of “inauthentic voice” or “lie” instead.
The enemy is accustomed ordinarily to propose apparent pleasure to those persons who go from mortal sin to mortal sin. He thus causes them to imagine sensual delights and pleasure in order to hold them more and more easily and to increase their vices and sins. The good spirit acts in these persons in a contrary way, awakening the conscience to a sense of remorse through the good judgment of their reason.
St. Ignatius Loyola
As viewers see the luxurious linens, gorgeous views, and fine dining of the resort & spa, it is easy to see how “sensual delights and pleasure” draw one in and distract from the proddings of conscience. Now, to be sure, a beautiful beach isn’t evil, nor is the enjoyment of a cocktail with one’s family while on vacation. But Mike White seems to enjoy poking fun at the ways that wealthy Americans like Veronica Ratliff (played by Parker Posey) can live in such a bubble of affluence and creature comforts that they become disconnected from the world around them and even from the signs of distress within their own family. “I just don’t think at this age, I’m meant to live an uncomfortable life. I don’t have the will,” she says. And what she doesn’t know is that she is not as wealthy as she thinks she is. Somehow this becomes both hilarious and deeply sad for the viewer. Since her entire identity is rooted in her social privilege, Veronica doesn’t seem to have the skills of navigating the difficult days in her future. “We’re lucky,” she tells her daughter in the final episode. “No one in the history of the world has lived better than we have.” And does this lead Veronica to recognize the injustice of economic inequalities and the wealth gap? Does she soften a bit and begin to recognize the dignity of each person, including those most poor? Does she ask how she can use her considerable power to make the world a better place? Nope. Ignatius might say that her vices only increase as she remains in the hold of the “evil spirit.” Instead, Veronica explains, “The least we can do, is enjoy it!” And she does enjoy it, until she gets her phone back.
The contrary to the first rule takes place in those who earnestly strive to purify themselves from their sins, and who advance from good to better in the service of God our Lord. Then it is common for the evil spirit to cause anxiety and sadness, and to create obstacles based on false reasoning, through preventing the soul from making further progress.
St. Ignatius Loyola
Here Ignatius suggests that when one begins to try to seek the good, one will experience inner confusion and turmoil in part because of the work of the “evil spirit” creating obstacles. As Piper seeks spiritual awakening and Gaitok seeks to be a pacifist, both of them find anxiety, sadness, and obstacles. They find themselves in situations of desolation. But they are not alone. Most of the characters of The White Lotus experience desolation as a constant in their lives. Rick has an identity crisis and is unhappy even though his girlfriend Chelsea loves him unconditionally; Kate, Laurie, and Jaclyn are supposed to be friends but can’t be honest with each other; Timothy repeatedly imagines suicide as a way out of his financial problems and keeps stealing his wife’s medicine to dull his senses. These are not happy people.
I call desolation all that is contrary to the third rule, as darkness of the soul, turmoil of the mind, inclination to low and earthy things, restlessness resulting from many disturbances and temptations which lead to loss of faith, loss of hope, and loss of love. It is also desolation when a soul finds itself completely apathetic, tepid, sad, and separated as it were…. One who is in desolation must strive to persevere in patience, which is contrary to the vexations that have come upon him.
St. Ignatius Loyola
If they had heeded the advice of Ignatius in these moments of desolation, they wouldn’t make any major changes but would rather proceed in further prayer, meditation, frequent examinations, and by increasing their penance in some suitable manner. If only Rick had just had patience, Ignatius says, he wouldn’t have set in motion his own downfall. But in The White Lotus, desolation is not a time to slow down and meditate. There are exceptions – Rick’s awareness when partying with Frank; Chelsea’s fidelity to Rick; Laurie’s tears; Amrita’s accompaniment of her clients; Belinda’s future planning with Mook. In these cases we see breakthrough moments of vulnerability and opportunities for authentic connection. But they are, within this fictional universe, very short-lived. The “good angels” are in a fierce spiritual battle.
Perhaps the wisest critique Ignatius offers pertains to the dangers of secrecy. Secrecy and shame function together in this third season—whether in regard to Jaclyn and Valentin’s hookup, Belinda’s negotiating with Greg via Zion, Saxon and Lochlan’s secret, Laurie and Gaitok’s discovery of Valentin’s friends’ exploits, or Timothy’s shame spiral. Ignatius describes the enemy as like a “false lover who wishes to remain hidden and does not want to be revealed.” The evil spirit is empowered by silence and secrecy but threatened by transparency because “he cannot succeed in his evil design once his obvious deceits have been discovered.”
As we sit on our couches watching the drama unfold, we may feel grateful if our own lives don’t seem so screwed up. But many viewers may nevertheless recognize aspects of the characters’ hopes, dreams, virtues, and vices in their own lived realities. I know I certainly saw the escape into such a luxurious resort as appealing. I found myself charmed by Chelsea and repulsed by Saxon. But then even Saxon begins a slow awakening. His former self would have been shocked to see him reading a book on vacation. The writing is clever and the pressure builds slowly as the season moves forward. While there is plenty of “sin” or “evil” to note, there is also growth and discernment.
Is there hope? As Belinda and Zion zoom away from the resort, is anyone better off than they were at the beginning? I won’t speak for Mike White or others – but I do see glimpses of our better angels in this season’s drama, although it is certainly not a happy ending. Kate, Laurie, and Jaclyn are finally able to be real with one another. Gary/Greg didn’t entirely escape responsibility for his wrongdoing in season two. Timothy doesn’t kill himself, and finally begins to come clean. We are left with the reality of consequences for past actions – and yet also glimpse that the past does not always define the future. We see that people are complicated and that decisions are rarely a decision between one purely evil option and one purely good option. The moral life is messy and complex, and our theological and pastoral vocabulary shoud make room for those realities.
When the enemy of our human nature has been detected and recognized by his deceptions and by the bad end to which he leads, it is well for the person who has been tempted to examine afterward the course of the good thoughts that were suggested to him. Let him consider their beginning and how they enemy contrived little by little to make him fall from the state of sweetness and spiritual light that he was enjoying, until he finally brought him to his perverse designs. With the experience and knowledge thus acquired and noted, one may better guard himself in the future against the customary deceits of the enemy.
St. Ignatius Loyola
Like Ignatius, I affirm a growth ethic. I want to believe that the characters, broken as they are, and in the midst of the messiness they have created, will be able to reflect in some way on what they can learn if they seek to grow in authenticity and true freedom in the future. Some won’t bother to try. But after watching the good angel in battle with the evil spirit throughout the course of the third season, maybe viewers can begin to think about how in our own lives we need to pay more careful attention to ways that we can guard ourselves in the future against those inner voices that confuse and undermine our ability to see the good. As Ignatius says, our inner spirits must “be very carefully examined before they are given full approval, and are put into action.”
