Viktor Frankl mentions in his "Recollections" a lesser-known technique of Logotherapy, the so-called "common denominator". He describes the case of Ilse Alchinger, an Austrian writer who at that time faced a dilemma whether finishing the book she was writing or continue her medical studies. The "common denominator" for the decision was "Which is more at risk if interrupted?" - and she chose to interrupt her studies and finish the book (that made her later famous) (page 67 of the 2000 Basic Books edition of "Recollections" ).

This “technique” for decision reminds me of the choice posed by Jesus to his listeners: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Lk 9:25; cf. Mt 16:26; Mk 8:36). Seems like Jesus uses the “common denominator technique” to show the way, how to choose the most important, what really matters. The choice is between the value system represented by Jesus and that of the “world”: the latter promising all the success, wealth and fame but maybe at the risk of something greater, the person’s “very self”, that is maybe at the cost his/her unique and irreplaceable call or mission for which he/she was created. One should choose the option that involves the lesser risk, the possible loss of material goods, but the promise of realizing his/her personal potentialities and human vocation (1).

Again, Jesus brings up a sort of calculation of risks in the sayings in Luke’s gospel about the “cost” of discipleship. First we read: “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple’” (Lk 14:25-27). To illustrate how to calculate this risk, the “common denominator” suggesting that the best choice is to follow him he uses two similitudes: "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:29-33)

In my opinion we can see a similar type of decision process at the end of the Second Phase of the Spiritual Exercises (Conforming) in the chapter “Arriving to a Decision” [169-189] especially in connection with the third method of the decision which we called “reasoning” (Finding Our Way Together, 2006 pp. 187-196 or see the entire chapter at http://www.geocities.com/ourladyofthegraces/169.htm ). Shortly, this method requires the recognition of the alternatives to choose from and then weighing the advantages and disadvantages of choosing each particular option – we might say bring them to a common denominator - in order to choose the best.

(1) Already Robert C. Leslie have shown in his little book “Jesus as Counselor,” (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1968) that it is possible to discover in the ministry of Jesus elements of Logotherapy. My approach is similar here to show how Jesus the Logotherapist might have applied the technique of “common denominator”.

See the rest of this writing here: http://www.geocities.com/ourladyofthegraces/jesuslogotherapist.htm 

K--