PRAYER: A. Isaiah 55:1-11 God lovingly invites me to come to Him. Psalm 63 I respond to God by expressing my holy desires to come to Him.

Transcription

1 Week 1 Introduction As I enter these months of grace, I desire to dispose myself to experience the loving God as He chooses to give Himself to me. To this end I recall His love and His grace in my own history and in my prehistory, and I determine to let Him love me anew. I ask God to give me a more profound experience of His love, a deeper awareness of how I can respond to it, and a joyous freedom which comes from dedication to God s greater glory. PRAYER: A. Isaiah 55:1-11 God lovingly invites me to come to Him. Psalm 63 I respond to God by expressing my holy desires to come to Him. Suggested Readings: B. Hosea 11:1-9 His love for me is a tender love. Isaiah 43:1-7 He wants me to be His own, for He has redeemed me. He calls me by name. C. Luke 12:22-31 I am not to worry. My Father knows all my needs. D. Psalm 139:1-18 In awe and reverence I remember how God has cared for me in times of joy and pain, in times of success and failure, in times of faithfulness and infidelity. E. Exercises 1 and 21 Lord, I want to find your will. Exercise 5 Lord, I want to be generous. F. Exercise 23 Lord, I want to be unbiased and free in my service of you and your people. G. A review of the days thus far Lord, show me again what your gifts to me have been during this week. SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #46, 1 & 21, 5, 22, #46. The Preparatory Prayer is ask to God our Lord for the grace that all my intentions, actions and operations may be ordered purely to the service and praise of his Divine Majesty. #1. The first Annotation is that by this name of Spiritual Exercises is meant every way of examining one's conscience, of meditating, of contemplating, of praying vocally and mentally, and of performing other spiritual actions, as will be said later. For as strolling, walking and running are bodily exercises, so every way of preparing and disposing the soul to rid itself of all the disordered tendencies, and, after it is rid, to seek and find the Divine Will as to the management of one's life for the salvation of the soul, is called a Spiritual Exercise. 1

2 #21. To overcome oneself, and to order one s life, without reaching a decision through some disordered tendency. #5. It is very helpful to him who is receiving the Exercises to enter into them with great courage and generosity towards his Creator and Lord, offering Him all his will and liberty, that His Divine Majesty may make use of his person and of all he has according to His most Holy Will. #23. PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION: Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created. From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it. For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things in all that is allowed to the choice of our free will and is not prohibited to it; so that, on our part, we want not health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, long rather than short life, and so in all the rest; desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created. 2

3 Week 2 Principle and Foundation Spiritual freedom is mine when I am seized so completely by the love of God that all the desires of my heart and all the actions, affections, thoughts and decisions which flow from them are directed to God my Father and His service and praise. I beseech you, Lord, to direct all my actions by your inspiration, to carry them on by Your gracious help, that every prayer and work of mine may always begin from You and through You be happily ended. PRAYER: A. Psalm 104 The God who invites me is the God who created me and who made all else because He loved me. B. Colossians 1:15-20 Christ my Redeemer is the head of all creation. Suggested Readings: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #23 C. Wisdom 11:21-27 You spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord and lover of souls. D. Genesis 22:1-18 The text of Abraham s faith and freedom questions my own faith and freedom. E. Philippians 1:21-26; 3:7-16; 4:10-13 Here and now, how closely can I identify with the attitude of Saint Paul? F. Repetition Pray Philippians again. Go more deeply into the passage. G. 1 Samuel 3:1-18 John 3:22-30 Do I accept whatever He thinks is good? Do I want Him to grow greater? PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION: Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created. From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it. For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things in all that is allowed to the choice of our free will and is not prohibited to it; so that, on our part, we want not health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, long rather than short life, and so in all the rest; desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created. 3

4 Week 3 Sin In the spiral movement of the Exercises you now examine your own sinfulness but you do it in a very personal way: praying with what Ignatius called the Triple Colloquy. In this part of the Exercises we move from the universal aspects of sin and its effects on the world to a very personal reflection by way of conversation with Mary, Jesus and the Father. Conscious of the end for which God created me and of the vocation to which God invites me, I beg Him for a deep-felt understanding of my sin and of the disordered tendencies in my life, that I may feel shame and confusion, and so turn to Him for healing and forgiveness. PRAYER: A. Spiritual Exercises The First Exercise on Sin. Suggested Readings: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #53 B. Spiritual Exercises The Second Exercise on Our Own Sins. C. Spiritual Exercises A Meditation on Hell D. Repetition. Select one exercise and repeat it in order to go deeper into the mystery of sin. E. Romans 5:1-11 Place yourself before Jesus on the cross, which is a reminder of God s faithfulness and mercy. Meditate on the illustration Christ crucified provided in the binder. Follow Ignatius instructions in SE #53 (see below) F. Repetition. Select one exercise and repeat it in order to go deeper into the mystery of sin. G. Review of the Week and the Triple Colloquy from Spiritual Exercises #62-63 Even in our real struggle with sin, Ignatius reminds us that we are surrounded by divine company and assistance. Pray with Mary, Jesus and God the Father directly for deep understanding of your sin and desire to amend your life. #53. Colloquy. Imagining Christ our Lord present and placed on the Cross, let me make a Colloquy, how from Creator He is come to making Himself man, and from life eternal is come to temporal death, and so to die for my sins. Likewise, looking at myself, what I have done for Christ? what I am doing for Christ? what I ought to do for Christ? And so, seeing Him such, and so nailed on the Cross, to go over that which will present itself. The Colloquy is made, properly speaking, as one friend speaks to another, or as a servant to his master; now asking some grace, now blaming oneself for some misdeed, now communicating one's affairs, and asking advice in them. And I conclude by saying an OUR FATHER. 4

5 SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #45-54 FIRST EXERCISE Prayer. The Preparatory Prayer is to ask grace of God our Lord that all my intentions, actions and operations may be directed purely to the service and praise of His Divine Majesty. First Prelude. The First Prelude is a composition, seeing the place. Here it is to be noted that, in a visible contemplation or meditation -- as, for instance, when one contemplates Christ our Lord, Who is visible -- the composition will be to see with the sight of the imagination the corporeal place where the thing is found which I want to contemplate. I say the corporeal place, as for instance, a Temple or Mountain where Jesus Christ or Our Lady is found, according to what I want to contemplate. In an invisible contemplation or meditation -- as here on the Sins -- the composition will be to see with the sight of the imagination and consider that my soul is imprisoned in this corruptible body, and all the compound in this valley, as exiled among brute beasts: I say all the compound of soul and body. Second Prelude. The second is to ask God our Lord for what I want and desire. Here it will be to ask shame and confusion at myself, seeing how many have been damned for only one mortal sin, and how many times I deserved to be condemned forever for my so many sins. First Point. The first Point will be to bring the memory on the First Sin, which was that of the Angels, and then to bring the intellect on the same, discussing it; then the will, wanting to recall and understand all this in order to make me more ashamed and confound me more, bringing into comparison with the one sin of the Angels my so many sins, and reflecting, while they for one sin were cast into Hell, how often I have deserved it for so many. I say to bring to memory the sin of the Angels, how they, being created in grace, not wanting to help themselves with their liberty to reverence and obey their Creator and Lord, coming to pride, were changed from grace to malice, and hurled from Heaven to Hell; and so then to discuss more in detail with the intellect: and then to move the feelings more with the will. Second Point. The second is to do the same -- that is, to bring the Three Powers -- on the sin of Adam and Eve, bringing to memory how on account of that sin they did penance for so long a time, and how much corruption came on the human race, so many people going the way to Hell. I say to bring to memory the Second Sin, that of our First Parents; how after Adam was created in the field of Damascus and placed in the Terrestrial Paradise, and Eve was created from his rib, being forbidden to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, they ate and so sinned, and afterwards clothed in tunics of skins and cast from Paradise, they lived, all their life, without the original justice which they had lost, and in many labors and much penance. And then to discuss with the understanding more in detail; and to use the will as has been said. Third Point. The third is likewise to do the same on the Third particular Sin of any one who for one mortal sin is gone to Hell -- and many others without number, for fewer sins than I have committed. I say to do the same on the Third particular Sin, bringing to memory the gravity and malice of the sin against one's Creator and Lord; to discuss with the understanding how in sinning and acting against the Infinite Goodness, he has been justly condemned forever; and to finish with the will as has been said. Colloquy. Imagining Christ our Lord present and placed on the Cross, let me make a Colloquy, how from Creator He is come to making Himself man, and from life eternal is come to temporal death, and so to die for my sins. 5

6 SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #55-61 Likewise, looking at myself asking: What I have done for Christ? What I am doing for Christ? What I ought to do for Christ. And so, seeing Him such, and so nailed on the Cross, to go over that which will present itself. The Colloquy is made, properly speaking, as one friend speaks to another, or as a servant to his master; now asking some grace, now blaming oneself for some misdeed, now communicating one's affairs, and asking advice in them. And let me say an OUR FATHER. Prayer. First Prelude. Second Prelude. First Point. Second Point. Third Point. Fourth Point. Fifth Point. Colloquy. SECOND EXERCISE Let the Preparatory Prayer be the same. The First Prelude will be the same composition. The second is to ask for what I want. It will be here to beg a great and intense sorrow and tears for my sins. The first Point is the statement of the sins; that is to say, to bring to memory all the sins of life, looking from year to year, or from period to period. For this three things are helpful: first, to look at the place and the house where I have lived; second, the relations I have had with others; third, the occupation in which I have lived. The second, to weigh the sins, looking at the foulness and the malice which any mortal sin committed has in it, even supposing it were not forbidden. The third, to look at who I am, lessening myself by examples: First, how much I am in comparison to all men; Second, what men are in comparison to all the Angels and Saints of Paradise; Third, what all Creation is in comparison to God: (--Then I alone, what can I be?) Fourth, to see all my bodily corruption and foulness; Fifth, to look at myself as a sore and ulcer, from which have sprung so many sins and so many iniquities and so very vile poison. The fourth, to consider what God is, against Whom I have sinned, according to His attributes; comparing them with their contraries in me -- His Wisdom with my ignorance; His Omnipotence with my weakness; His Justice with my iniquity; His Goodness with my malice. The fifth, an exclamation of wonder with deep feeling, going through all creatures, how they have left me in life and preserved me in it; the Angels, how, though they are the sword of the Divine Justice, they have endured me, and guarded me, and prayed for me; the Saints, how they have been engaged in interceding and praying for me; and the heavens, sun, moon, stars, and elements, fruits, birds, fishes and animals -- and the earth, how it has not opened to swallow me up, creating new Hells for me to suffer in them forever! Let me finish with a Colloquy of mercy, pondering and giving thanks to God our Lord that He has given me life up to now, proposing amendment, with His grace, for the future. I conclude by saying the OUR FATHER. 6

7 SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #65-71 A MEDITATION ON HELL Prayer. First Prelude. Second Prelude. First Point. Second Point. Third Point. Fourth Point. Fifth Point. Colloquy. Let the Preparatory Prayer be the usual one. The first Prelude is the composition, which is here to see with the sight of the imagination the length, breadth and depth of Hell. The second, to ask for what I want: it will be here to ask for interior sense of the pain which the damned suffer, in order that, if, through my faults, I should forget the love of the Eternal Lord, at least the fear of the pains may help me not to come into sin. The first Point will be to see with the sight of the imagination the great fires, and the souls as in bodies of fire. The second, to hear with the ears wailings, howlings, cries, blasphemies against Christ our Lord and against all His Saints. The third, to smell with the smell smoke, sulphur, dregs and putrid things. The fourth, to taste with the taste bitter things, like tears, sadness and the worm of conscience. The fifth, to touch with the touch; that is to say, how the fires touch and burn the souls. Making a Colloquy to Christ our Lord, I will bring to memory the souls that are in Hell, some because they did not believe the Coming, others because, believing, they did not act according to His Commandments; making three divisions: I will consider how up to now He has always had so great pity and mercy on me. I will end with an OUR FATHER. 7

8 Week 4 A Sinner Loved by God In this part of the First Week we will begin to gather some of the graces of the week and move toward concluding this very important phase of the Exercises. Aside from the usual exercises, we will learn more about prayer and different ways of praying. We will also look at penance and confession as a tradition in the Church. In the presence of my Father in heaven, Jesus my brother and companion, and the Holy Spirit my consolation and strength, I ask for the gift of knowing my sinfulness so well that I may experience a growing desire for conversion, a new insight into the tactics of God s enemy and a renewed enthusiasm to follow Jesus. PRAYER: A. Spiritual Exercises # Return to the matter from the previous week by repeating the Meditation on Hell found in #65-71 in the Exercises. Notice in particular how Ignatius wants us to apply each of our senses to the scene. This is an important method of prayer for him and is repeated in the Exercises. B. Spiritual Exercises #82; Catechism of the Catholic Church # , 1440; 1456 Prayerfully consider what place penance takes or you would like to have it take in your life. Make a sacramental confession as part of the retreat. C. Spiritual Exercises #43 Practice the Examination of Conscience as a way of growing in holiness each day. D. Matthew 25: As you consider the Last Judgment, call to mind the prayer you did last week called, Meditation on Your own death. Ask yourself, What would Jesus say to me? E. Psalm 51 Read this famous psalm of contrition, written by King David, as tradition holds, and prayed every Friday in the prayer of the church. Conclude with the Triple Colloquy (SE #62-63) F. Review of the Week and the Triple Colloquy from Spiritual Exercises #62-63 Even in our real struggle with sin, Ignatius reminds us that divine company and assistance surrounds us. Pray with Mary, Jesus and God the Father directly for deep understanding of your sin and desire to amend your life. Suggested Readings: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #43 First Point. To give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received. Second Point. To ask grace to know our sins and cast them out. Third Point. To ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen. Fourth Point. To ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults. Fifth Point. To resolve, with His grace, and to amend my life. CLOSE WITH AN OUR FATHER. 8

9 SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #82 This pertains to penance, which is divided into interior and exterior. Interior penance is grieving for one s sins with a firm intention not to commit those or any other sins again. Exterior penance, a fruit of the former is chastisement for the sins one has committed. (SE 82) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: , 1440, The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one's neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one's neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins." 1435 Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, by the admission of faults to one's brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one's cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins." 1437 Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father - every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church's penitential practice. These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary selfdenial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works) Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God's forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, which are expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: "All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly." SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #62-63 THE TRIPLE COLLOQUY After the Preparatory Prayer and two Preludes, it will be to repeat the First and Second Exercise, marking and dwelling on the Points in which I have felt greater consolation or desolation, or greater spiritual feeling. After this I will make three Colloquies in the following manner: First Colloquy. The first Colloquy to Our Lady, that she may get me grace from Her Son and Lord for three things: first, that I may feel an interior knowledge of my sins, and hatred of them; second, that I may feel the disorder of my actions, so that, hating them, I may correct myself and put myself in order; third, to ask knowledge of the world, in order that, hating it, I may put away from me worldly and vain things. And with that a HAIL MARY. Second Colloquy. The second: The same to the Son, begging Him to get it for me from the Father. And with that the SOUL OF CHRIST. Third Colloquy. The third: The same to the Father, that the Eternal Lord Himself may grant it to me. And with that an OUR FATHER. 9

10 Week 5 God s Merciful Love for Me You may have noticed already that the Exercises start out on a universal level and move to a personal level. First, we looked at sin in general, then in our world, then in myself. This week will continue that spiral movement. Having moved to the personal level, now Ignatius suggests a number of techniques to deeply reflect personally on sin and my sins. In the presence of my Father in heaven, Jesus my brother and companion, and the Holy Spirit my consolation and strength, I ask for the gift of insight into the tactics of God s enemy, a renewed enthusiasm to follow Jesus, and a heartfelt appreciation of God s merciful love for me. PRAYER: A. The Triple Colloquy from Spiritual Exercises #62-63 (see page 9) As you may have discovered already, this form of prayer can be very conversational and personal. Be sure not to forget to begin with the Preparatory Prayer and conclude each colloquy with a Hail Mary, the Soul of Christ, and the Our Father. B. Spiritual Exercises #43 Practice the Examination of Conscience as a way of growing in holiness each day. This a traditional way that the Church has always taught of coming before God and seeking to amend my life of sin with God. Try praying this way a couple of times today. It usually only takes a few minutes but as a prayer it carries a pretty big spiritual wallop if practiced regularly. C. Guidelines for the Discernment of Spirits. This is one of the most important spiritual documents ever written in the history of the Church, so pay attention. Here Ignatius presents certain norms which might be helpful in understanding different interior movements which happen in the heart of man... Answer the following questions in your journal: A. Unreflected Life and the Ways of the Good Spirit and Evil Spirit 1. When have I been caught up in slothful complacency and had no will or desire to change the evil direction of my life? 2. When have I felt the sting of conscience about what my life was like? B. The Good Life and the Ways of the Good Spirit and Evil Spirit 1. Have you ever considered how hard living a good life and thought its not worth it? Ever felt like its just too hard for you? The evil spirit discourages us from doing good. 2. Ever felt really good about doing some good deed or praying or helping someone else? The Good Spirit encourages us in that way of life. Jot your reflections in your journal. Try to understand how the Evil Spirit works in souls and in your soul. 10

11 D. Spiritual Consolation and Desolation. Consider whether you have had these experiences. A. Spiritual Consolation 1. Have you ever felt so on fire with God s love that everything made sense only as it related to God? 2. Ever felt so sad for having offended God that you ended up feeling thankful for forgiveness and you wanted to resolve to sin no more? 3. Have you ever felt so peaceful that you could hardly believe you d ever doubted God or failed to love others? B. Spiritual Desolation 1. Ever felt so weighed down by darkness you d never see the light again? 2. Have you ever just had a strong resistance or dislike of prayer, spiritual stuff or just doubted God? 3. Ever just been down, despairing of life, or just feeling like you re out for yourself? Try to come up with a couple of personal experiences that remind you of what Ignatius is talking about here. Jot them in your journal. E. Spiritual Consolation and Desolation (cont d) Be sure to begin with the Preparatory Prayer and call to mind the grace you seek: a deeper understanding my sins and sinfulness. A. Spiritual Consolation: Strategies 1. Savor this period because you will need to come back to it when you are in desolation. 2. BE GRATEFUL. Our response to God s gifts should be humble thanks. Just wanting more suggests that the consolation is not genuine. B. Spiritual Desolation: Three Ways the evil spirit works 1. Like a spoiled child. A firm response should bring the child around. 2. Like a false lover. Secrecy is key - the evil spirit wants his temptations to remain between you two. 3. Like a shrewd Army commander. He will attack your weak points so knowing what they are is critical. Beware and be vigilant. F. Repetition. Repeat one exercise to go deeper into the mystery of sin. G. Conclude with a Triple Colloquy from Spiritual Exercises #62-63 ( page. 9) Try to boil all of this prayer into a word or a phrase or an image that summarizes well what this week has meant for you. Offer that to Mary, Jesus and the Father. 11

12 Week 6 The Call and Coming of the King As we pass from the First Week to the Second Week, Saint Ignatius places for our consideration a very important meditation that he calls, The Call of the Temporal King, as an aid toward contemplating the Life of the Eternal King. So before we enter into the Second Week as such we pause for a moment to hear Christ s call to us. Remember that we began with the Christian vision of the world, how we are created to praise, reverence and serve God, seeking His will but indifferent to all things except what leads toward God. In the First Week we have seen how sin serves to block God s plan for us personally and for the world. Despite the sin however, you should have discovered that God loves you unconditionally and longs for you to come to Him. Now we turn our attention again to Christ. Notice that the grace for this week is different. We now ask, that I may not be deaf to his call, but ready and diligent to accomplish his most holy will. (SE #91) PRAYER: A. Spiritual Exercises # Pray the Preparatory Prayer to begin as usual and then follow the rest of the meditation. This time the image is of a human king. The offer is the same. How do you feel about it? (You literature buffs can read the speech from Shakespeare s Henry V in which King Henry calls his men to battle, to fight on St. Crispin s Day. We few, we happy few... ) B. Spiritual Exercises # Continue to pray the meditation using Ignatius text. Are you one of those interested in distinguishing himself in total service to their Eternal King and universal Lord...making offerings of greater worth and moment? C. Repetition. Repeat the whole exercise this time. Spend the bulk of your time on the second part and the Call of the Eternal King. Try to determine your response to the call of Christ. D. Exodus 3:4-22. Pray over Moses call. Notice that Moses hesitates and God reassures him. Have you ever felt the same way? Remember to keep asking for the grace of the Kingdom Meditation, that I may not be deaf to his call, but ready and diligent to accomplish his most holy will. (#91) E. 1 Samuel 3:1-18. Pray over Samuel s call. Though a young boy, God calls Samuel. Can you respond like Samuel saying, Here I am Lord.? Remember to keep asking for the grace of the Kingdom Meditation, that I may not be deaf to his call, but ready and diligent to accomplish his most holy will. (#91) F. Repetition and Review of the Week. Go back over any Call narrative and conclude this week with a Colloquy. Remember to keep asking for the grace of the Kingdom Meditation. Do you feel like you ve received it? 12

13 Suggested Readings: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #91-94; THE CALL OF THE TEMPORAL KING Preparatory Prayer: First Prelude. Second Prelude. First Point. Second Point. Third Point. First Point. Second Point. Third Point. Ask God our Lord for the grace that all my intentions, actions and operations may be ordered purely to the service and praise of his Divine Majesty. The first Prelude is a composition, seeing the place: it will be here to see with the sight of the imagination, the synagogues, villages and towns through which Christ our Lord preached. The second, to ask for the grace which I want: it will be here to ask grace of our Lord that I may not be deaf to His call, but ready and diligent to fulfill His most Holy Will. The first Point is, to put before me a human king chosen by God our Lord, whom all Christian princes and men reverence and obey. The second, to look how this king speaks to all his people, saying: "It is my Will to conquer all the land of unbelievers. Therefore, whoever would like to come with me is to be content to eat as I, and also to drink and dress, etc., as I: likewise he is to labor like me in the day and watch in the night, etc., that so afterwards he may have part with me in the victory, as he has had it in the labors." The third, to consider what the good subjects ought to answer to a King so liberal and so kind, and hence, if any one did not accept the appeal of such a king, how deserving he would be of being censured by all the world, and held for a meanspirited knight. PART 2 And as to the first Point, if we consider such a call of the temporal King to his subjects, how much more worthy of consideration is it to see Christ our Lord, King eternal, and before Him all the entire world, which and each one in particular He calls, and says: "It is My will to conquer all the world and all enemies and so to enter into the glory of My Father; therefore, whoever would like to come with Me is to labor with Me, that following Me in the pain, he may also follow Me in the glory." The second, to consider that all those who have judgment and reason will offer their entire selves to the labor. The third, those who will want to be more devoted and signalise themselves in all service of their King Eternal and universal Lord, not only will offer their persons to the labor, but even, acting against their own sensuality and against their carnal and worldly love, will make offerings of greater value and greater importance, saying: "Eternal Lord of all things, I make my oblation with Thy favor and help, in presence of Thy infinite Goodness and in presence of Thy glorious Mother and of all the Saints of the heavenly Court; that I want and desire, and it is my deliberate determination, if only it be Thy greater service and praise, to imitate Thee in bearing all injuries and all abuse and all poverty of spirit, and actual poverty, too, if Thy most Holy Majesty wants to choose and receive me to such life and state." 13

14 Week 7 The Contemplation on the Incarnation In this week we officially move into the Second of the Exercises. About this week Fr. George Ganss, S.J. writes, After having viewed the Fall of Adam and his descendants in the First Week, Ignatius here moves into the next great stage in the history of salvation: the Incarnation, the Nativity, and subsequent hidden life of Jesus. As we move deeper into the mystery of Christ the grace for which we ask becomes even more simple. Number 104 of the Exercises is, Here it will be to ask for an interior knowledge of our Lord, who became human for me, that I may love him more intensely and follow him more closely. We have heard the call in the Kingdom meditation and responded generously. Now we simply desire to deepen that which has already begun in us. To do that Ignatius instructs us to praying differently. We should begin using our imaginations more to contemplate the mysteries of our faith. Here it will be to ask for an interior knowledge of our Lord, who became human for me, that I may love him more intensely and follow him more closely. (SE #104) PRAYER: A. Contemplating the Incarnation (Spiritual Exercises ) Begin with the usual preparatory prayer (#46) and conclude with a colloquy and an Our Father. By the use of the imagination, Ignatius introduces us to a second way of praying. He wants us to use our imaginations as we attend to the persons, their words, and their actions in a particular scene. Contemplation in this sense is viewing or gazing. Its intention is to stimulate reflection and emotions. B. Repetition. Notice that you pray this contemplation from two different viewpoints: that of the Holy Trinity and that of Mary of Nazareth. You try to see the world from the cosmic perspective of the Three Divine Persons on the one hand and the utterly personal perspective of a humble, poor, young woman in a small town in the Middle East. C. Luke 1: Continue the movement of the Incarnation meditation by praying over the Annunciation scene. Keep ask for the same grace and continue to begin and conclude your prayer the same way that Ignatius suggests. D. John 1:1-18. Jesus Christ stands at the beginning of all creation. Though divine, he enters into our humanity fully. Having entered fully into human life he is able to transform it, transform me and all humanity. E. Philippians 2:6-11. Jesus chose to live among us. He chose littleness and weakness. He chose to embrace the darkness in us, even the final darkness of death. 14

15 Suggested Readings: F. Repetition. Go back over the Incarnation Contemplation or any scripture passage. Remember to keep asking for the grace of the second week. Do you feel like you ve received it? G. Repetition and Review of the Week. Go back over any incarnation narrative and conclude this week with a Colloquy. Remember to keep asking for the grace of the second week. Do you feel like you ve received it? SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: # Contemplation on the Incarnation Preparatory Prayer: First Prelude. Second Prelude. Third Prelude. Note. Ask God our Lord for the grace that all my intentions, actions and operations may be ordered purely to the service and praise of his Divine Majesty. The first Prelude is to bring up the narrative of the thing which I have to contemplate. Here, it is how the Three Divine Persons looked at all the plain or circuit of all the world, full of men, and how, seeing that all were going down to Hell, it is determined in Their Eternity, that the Second Person shall become man to save the human race, and so, the fullness of times being come, They sent the Angel St. Gabriel to Our Lady. The second, a composition, seeing the place: here it will be to see the great capacity and circuit of the world, in which are so many and such different people: then likewise, in particular, the house and rooms of Our Lady in the city of Nazareth, in the Province of Galilee. The third, to ask for what I want: it will be to ask for interior knowledge of the Lord, Who for me has become a human being, that I may more love and follow Him. It is well to note here that this same Preparatory Prayer, without changing it, as was said in the beginning, and the same three Preludes, are to be made in this Week and in the others following, changing the form according to the subject matter. First Point. 1. To see the various persons: and first those on the surface of the earth, in such variety, in dress as in actions: some white and others black; some in peace and others in war; some weeping and others laughing; some well, others ill; some being born and others dying, etc. 2. To see and consider the Three Divine Persons, as on their royal throne or seat of Their Divine Majesty, how They look on all the surface and circuit of the earth, and all the people in such blindness, and how they are dying and going down to Hell. 15

16 3. To see Our Lady, and the Angel who is saluting her, and to reflect in order to get profit from such a sight. Second Point. Third Point. Colloquy. To hear what the persons on the face of the earth are saying, that is, how they are talking with one another, how they swear and blaspheme, etc.; and likewise what the Divine Persons are saying, that is: "Let Us work the redemption of the Human race," etc.; and then what the Angel and Our Lady are saying; and to reflect then so as to draw profit from their words. To look then at what the persons on the face of the earth are doing, as, for instance, killing, going to Hell etc.; likewise what the Divine Persons are doing, namely, working out the most holy Incarnation, etc.; and likewise what the Angel and Our Lady are doing, namely, the Angel doing his duty as ambassador, and Our Lady humbling herself and giving thanks to the Divine Majesty; and then to reflect in order to draw some profit from each of these things. At the end a Colloquy is to be made, thinking what I ought to say to the Three Divine Persons, or to the Eternal Word incarnate, or to our Mother and Lady, asking according to what I feel in me, in order more to follow and imitate Our Lord, so lately incarnate. I will say an OUR FATHER. 16

17 Week 8 The Contemplation on the Nativity As with last week, we continue to contemplate the Incarnation. Even though we don t pray specifically about the moment when God became human, we continue to gaze upon Jesus, now human. Ignatius wants us to be plunged into the mystery of the Word Incarnate. The eternal God has become human, born of a Virgin, amid poverty and indifference in our world. In the Second Week you will place yourself progressively in God s School. Beginning with the Incarnation, you will contemplate Christ and be asked to submit to the slow action of grace. Here it will be to ask for an interior knowledge of our Lord, who became human for me, that I may love him more intensely and follow him more closely. (SE #104) PRAYER: A. Contemplating the Incarnation. (Spiritual Exercises ) Go back and repeat the exercise from the previous week. Don t forget to begin with the usual preparatory prayer (#46) and conclude with a colloquy and an Our Father. By the use of the imagination, Ignatius introduces us to a second way of praying. He wants us to use our imaginations as we attend to the persons, their words, and their actions in a particular scene. Contemplation in this sense is viewing or gazing. Its intention is to stimulate reflection and emotions. B. Matthew 1: This is the reading that you will hear at mass on Sunday, the Fourth week of Advent. Keep in mind that Jesus, like any of us was created in God s image, even though he was at the same time and equally the Son of God. Don t forget to begin with the preparatory prayer, repeat the grace of this week and conclude with a colloquy and an Our Father. C. The Birth of Jesus. Spiritual Exercises, # Pray over the same scene using Ignatius text. (see below) D. Luke 2:1-7. Enter into Luke s Nativity passage. E. Luke 2:8-20. The shepherds hear the angel s news. They hurry to find Mary, Joseph and the baby. Then they go back to their flocks glorifying and praising God. Doesn t this recall the Principle and Foundation (#23): to praise, honor and serve God our Lord? F. Matthew 2:1-12. The Three Kings follow the star to adore Jesus. They worship him, offering gifts. Warned in a dream, they go back another way. G. Application of the Senses, Sp. Ex. # (see page 18) Select any one of the passages from the preceding week or so. Follow Ignatius instructions by applying your senses to your prayer. 17

18 Suggested Readings: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: # ; CONTEMPLATION ON THE NATIVITY Prayer. The usual Preparatory Prayer. First Prelude. Second Prelude. Third Prelude. First Point. Second Point. Third Point. Colloquy. The first Prelude is the narrative and it will be here how Our Lady went forth from Nazareth, about nine months with child, as can be piously meditated, seated on an ass, and accompanied by Joseph and a maid, taking an ox, to go to Bethlehem to pay the tribute which Caesar imposed on all those lands. The second, a composition, seeing the place. It will be here to see with the sight of the imagination the road from Nazareth to Bethlehem; considering the length and the breadth, and whether such road is level or through valleys or over hills; likewise looking at the place or cave of the Nativity, how large, how small, how low, how high, and how it was prepared. I will be to ask for interior knowledge of the Lord, Who for me has become a human being, that I may more love and follow Him.. The first Point is to see the persons; that is, to see Our Lady and Joseph and the maid, and, after His Birth, the Child Jesus, I making myself a poor creature and a wretch of an unworthy slave, looking at them and serving them in their needs, with all possible respect and reverence, as if I found myself present; and then to reflect on myself in order to draw some profit. The second, to look, mark and contemplate what they are saying, and, reflecting on myself, to draw some profit. The third, to look and consider what they are doing, as going a journey and laboring, that the Lord may be born in the greatest poverty; and as a termination of so many labors -- of hunger, of thirst, of heat and of cold, of injuries and affronts -- that He may die on the Cross; and all this for me: then reflecting, to draw some spiritual profit. I will finish with a Colloquy as in the preceding Contemplation, and with an OUR FATHER. SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: # EXERCISE TO BRING THE FIVE SENSES ON A CONTEMPLATION Prayer. After the Preparatory Prayer and the three Preludes, it is helpful to pass the five senses of the imagination through the first and second Contemplation, in the following way: First Point. to see the persons with the sight of the imagination, meditating and contemplating in particular the details about them and drawing some profit from the sight. Second Point. to hear with the hearing what they are, or might be, talking about and, reflecting on oneself, to draw some profit from it. Third Point. To smell and to taste with the smell and the taste the infinite fragrance and sweetness of the Divinity, of the soul, and of its virtues, and of all, according to the person who is being contemplated; reflecting on oneself and drawing profit from it. Fourth Point. To touch with the touch, as for instance, to embrace and kiss the places where such persons put their feet and sit, always seeing to my drawing profit from it. Colloquy. One has to finish with one Colloquy as in the other Contemplations, and with an OUR FATHER. 18

19 Week 9 Gaze upon the Lord In this week we continue to contemplate the Incarnation. Even though we don t pray specifically about the moment when God became human, we continue to gaze upon Jesus, now human. Ignatius wants us to be plunged into the mystery of the Word Incarnate. The eternal God has become human, born of a Virgin, amid poverty and indifference in our world. In the Second Week you will place yourself progressively in God s School. Beginning with the Incarnation, you will contemplate Christ and be asked to submit to the slow action of grace. Here it will be to ask for an interior knowledge of our Lord, who became human for me, that I may love him more intensely and follow him more closely. (SE #104) PRAYER: A. Luke 2: Jesus is presented in the temple. His parents offer Jesus, the firstborn, and the offering of the poor. Ignatius focuses on three things: the offering, Simeon s prayer and Anna s prophecy. What God has promised has been fulfilled. Contemplate this scene. You are present at the fulfillment and consecration of the divine promises. B. Presentation in the Temple. (SE # 268) Follow Ignatius pattern for prayer of Contemplation on this matter. 1. Preparatory Prayer - #46 2. First Prelude - #102 to survey the history of the matter I am to contemplate. By history Ignatius means a narration and exposition of past events. 3. Second Prelude - #103 is a composition, by imagining the place. This word is used 13 times in the Exercises. For Ignatius it meant the mental act of putting things together. In this case, you put together the scene and your imagination. 4. Third Prelude - #104 will be to ask for what I desire. This is the moment when you ask for a particular grace. 5. First Point - #106 I will see various persons Ignatius first wants us to visualize the scene. 6. Second Point - #107 I will list to what the persons are saying Ignatius then directs us to use the faculty of listening or hearing. 7. Third Point - #108 I will consider what people are doing Ignatius finally leaves us to observe the actions of those involved. 8. Colloquy - #109 I will think over what I ought to say to the Divine Persons Finally, after having contemplated the scene, you respond in some way. This prayer can be a profound expression of faith, hope and love. C. Repetition. Repeat one of the two methods. If you liked using the Bible version do that again. If you liked Ignatius structured version then use that. Don t forget to stick to the new grace you are seeking in prayer. Ignatius suggests that you frequently call to mind from the Incarnation up to the place or mysteries I am presently contemplating. 19

20 Suggested Readings: D. Matthew 2: The Flight into Egypt. Contemplate this scene. Recognize the flurry of activity. Herod s decree, Joseph s dreaming, the flight of the Holy Family. Their exile. Notice that we move from the fulfillment of the promise to the mystery of division and persecution. Christ is offered to God and that is followed by persecution. Isn t this really what Jesus life is all about? E. Flight into Egypt. #269. Follow Ignatius pattern for prayer of contemplation on this scene as is outlined above in B. F. The Infancy Narratives, Matthew 1-2 or Luke 1-2. Select one of these gospel infancy narratives and prayerfully read through the first two chapters. Matthew and Luke present the infancy of Jesus in different ways but with the same purpose. Just like the universal vision of the Principle and Foundation becomes very personal in the Call of the King, so too the universal vision of the pre-existent Word becomes very personal in the baby Jesus. We want to welcome Christ coming to fulfill his mission and join in the work of his Kingdom. All of history is directed to the fulfillment of God s plan of salvation. Prophets tell us about it, all of creation hints at it. God is with us! G. Repetition. Go back over any incarnation narrative and conclude this week with a Colloquy. Remember to keep asking for the grace of the second week. SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: #268 & 269 OF THE PURIFICATION OF OUR LADY AND PRESENTATION OF THE CHILD JESUS St. Luke writes, Chapter 2 [23-39]. First Point. First: They bring the Child Jesus to the Temple, that He may be presented to the Lord as first-born; and they offer for Him "a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons." Second Point. Second: Simeon coming to the Temple "took Him into his arms" saying: "`Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, in peace!'" Third Point. Third: Anna "coming afterwards confessed to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all that were hoping for the redemption of Israel." OF THE FLIGHT TO EGYPT St. Matthew writes in the second Chapter [13-16]. First Point. First: Herod wanted to kill the Child Jesus, and so killed the Innocents, and before their death the Angel warned Joseph to fly into Egypt: "`Arise and take the Child and His Mother, and fly to Egypt.'" Second Point. Second: He departed for Egypt. "Who arising by night departed to Egypt." Third Point. Third: He was there until the death of Herod. 20

21 Week 10 The Hidden Life Following the joy of Jesus birth, the visit of the Magi, Jesus presentation in the Temple and the Holy Family s Flight to Egypt, we now turn our attention to a very important period of Jesus life, the hidden life. For the first thirty years of his life Jesus, God made man, lived an ordinary existence. In this part of the Exercises we will spend some time with Jesus of Nazareth. Here it will be to ask for an interior knowledge of our Lord, who became human for me, that I may love him more intensely and follow him more closely. (SE #104) PRAYER: A. Matthew 2: The Return from Egypt. Joseph is told to return home. He simply goes back, Mary with him. Circumstances force him to settle in Nazareth. Continue to try to refine the way you use scripture for prayer. Begin with the Prepartory Prayer #46, call to mind the grace you seek, in this case it is to know, love and follow Jesus Christ, conclude with a colloquy and an Our Father. You might find focusing on the figure of Joseph particularly fruitful. B. How Christ our Lord returned from Egypt. #270. (see below) Follow Ignatius pattern for prayer of contemplation on this scene as it is outlined above. You should be growing familiar with this. Simply plug in the three points Ignatius makes in #270 into numbers 5-7. Ignatius pattern for prayer of Contemplation: 1. Preparatory Prayer - #46 2. First Prelude - #102 to survey the history of the matter I am to contemplate. By history Ignatius means a narration and exposition of past events. 3. Second Prelude - #103 is a composition, by imagining the place. This word is used 13 times in the Exercises. For Ignatius it meant the mental act of putting things together. In this case, you put together the scene and your imagination. 4. Third Prelude - #104 will be to ask for what I desire. This is the moment when you ask for a particular grace. 5. First Point - #106 I will see various persons Ignatius first wants us to visualize the scene. 6. Second Point - #107 I will list to what the persons are saying Ignatius then directs us to use the faculty of listening or hearing. 7. Third Point - #108 I will consider what people are doing Ignatius finally leaves us to observe the actions of those involved. 8. Colloquy - #109 I will think over what I ought to say to the Divine Persons Finally, after having contemplated the scene, you respond in some way. This prayer can be a profound expression of faith, hope and love. 21