The Value of Interiority
‘there is one especially salient message Ignatius can give us: the great value of interiority. I mean by this everything that has to do with the sphere of the heart, of deep intentionality, of decisions made from within.’
Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini SJ
…interiority is the antidote to much that is insidiously destructive in our contemporary society. The secularisation of culture, the frantic pace of life, the pressures of competition, the seductiveness of consumerism…these and other influences mould our way of living. Even the quality of our most precious relationships is frequently put at risk. We are drawn to live superficially, on the surface of things, losing touch with our deeper and more authentic selves.
Excerpted from Sacred Space The Companion By The Irish Jesuits (pp.14-15)
Read more
Reflection and Learning
The philosopher Socrates spoke about living reflectively. It got him into trouble. It’s easier to go with the flow and make no waves. However, without reflection, we don’t grow. Ignatius of Loyola proposes reflection as a way of life. Learning from experience was essential for him, but applying that learning was even more important. Without reflection there’s no way forward. We get stuck in a rut. We get trapped in a rigid world-view both personally and communally, which inspires poor decisions that impact negatively on ourselves and our world. Sooner or later we get stuck in our ways, unable to adapt to change. Ignatius has given us helpful strategies for structured reflection to cover all areas of life. For Ignatius, the Cartesian slogan ‘I think, therefore I am’ could be better adapted to ‘I learn, therefore I am’.
Excerpted from Reimagining Religion: A Jesuit Vision by Jim Maher SJ (p.12)
Read more
Finding God in All Things
By taking your cues from a spirituality which helps you to find God in everything, you will see God hidden under many disguises. Your searching and finding can go on forever. Life then becomes an exciting adventure, which carries great joy. Christian faith comes to life, and the Church grows. We are made, after all, for God, so in finding God, we experience a rich depth of joy which does not fade. And since we reveal or hide God from one another by the depth of our appreciation of God, every finding of God can help others to grow.
Excerpted from Finding God in All Things by Brian Grogan SJ (p.10)
Read more
Trust in God
Ignatius followed the Spirit, without passing him by; thus, he was gently led to the unknown; and slowly the path opened up for him, along which he wisely went ignorantly, his heart simply focussed on Christ.
One of the most striking fruits of that way is trust. People who believe in an active, loving God have nothing to fear. They desire simply to consciously hand over their life and entrust it to God, not least out of the belief that this great God knows much better than limited humankind what is the best way to walk.
Excerpted from Living with Ignatius: On the Compass of Joy by Nikolaas Sintobin SJ (pp.28-29)
Read more
The Glory of Our Being
So many fail to see the glory and beauty of their inner being. Many people get caught up in the messiness and imperfection encountered in life and in themselves. That messiness and imperfection can be mistaken for failure, ugliness or even a reason to hate.
When we’re in that mode, we fail to see how complex, well-ordered and smooth we are at our heart and core. We have been created and are being created daily as well. Not only that, but the One who creates us loves us and wants to be in dialogue with us. It is possible to take our feelings of messiness and imperfection to our Creator and to understand that our Creator is with us even, and maybe especially, in those times.
Excerpted from Deeper Into The Mess: Praying Through Tough Times by Brendan McManus SJ and Jim Deeds (p.15)
Read more
Bad times are not evidence that God is punishing me
In Jesus’ day there was a common belief that whatever misfortunes people experienced were a punishment for sin. The more a person suffered, the greater his or her sin must have been! Jesus rejected this simplistic notion. Instead, he emphasised repentance, which means a turning towards God and toward one’s neighbour. As always, Jesus tells us not only to look outward, but also to look in; he is concerned with what is going on in our heads and in our hearts. He wants us to ask ourselves how God is opening us to compassion, prompting us to repentance, and leading us to life.
Excerpted from Sacred Space: A Little Book of Encouragement edited by Vinita Hampton Wright (p. 136)
Read more
Discernment: Like Sailing a Boat
Discernment is like sailing a boat on a large body of water when the wind is strong. Success depends on the wind, the sailor and the rudder.
The direction of the wind is like the voice of the heart. It expresses what sets them in motion and moves them forward.
The sailor is like the mind. She judges the direction and strength of the wind so as to respond optimally. Without a sailor, the ship has no direction and is at risk of rapid damage. She has to constantly take the direction of the wind into account. Without the wind, the sailor can do nothing.
The rudder, finally, is like the will. It gives the ability to make concrete decisions and choices. The rudder allows you to take to the open sea and sail further and further, instead of staying by the shore or bobbing about aimlessly.
Excerpted from Trust Your Feelings: Learning how to make choices with Ignatius of Loyola by Nikolaas Sintobin SJ (p.58)
Read more
Watch and Pray
If we don’t make the effort to renew our love for God daily, we will become more and more lukewarm. And the more we sink into the slumber of mediocrity, the more fearful we will be of meeting Jesus on the way of the Cross. We need the vigilance of prayer to regain our spiritual consciousness. Prayer rouses us from the triviality of an existence that is centred upon ourselves. Prayer reminds us that we cannot dream our way to the truth and in the process, prayer gives us the courage to fight the good fight and finish the race.
Father, I’d love for you to find me fully awake. But so often I’m drowsy and discouraged, a mixture of good intentions and constant distractions. Take me as I am Lord, but don’t let me stay as I am. Raise me above my mediocrity and make of me everything that you want me to be.
Excerpted from The Mindful Our Father by Thomas G Casey SJ (p.120)
Read more
Jesus Calls Me A Friend
It’s profound to think of myself as a friend of Jesus, one to whom he reveals spiritual truth. A friend listens to me, stays with me when life is hard and when I’m not doing well. Jesus’ friendship–my connection to him–will make it possible for my life to be fruitful, even though I am not perfect and have many lessons to learn. What kind of fruit am I called to bear?
Excerpted from Sacred Space: A Little Book of Encouragement edited by Vinita Hampton Wright (p. 114)
Read more
You Belong to Me
Dear God, the image of the divine that I mostly live with is the image of Jesus. You make yourself accessible to me through your Son. He belongs to the human race: he’s one of us, as we say! So when I want to know what you are like, I can go to the Gospels and watch you in action in the person of Jesus. I learn how you relate to me by watching how Jesus relates to those he met. He is the face of the divine: the Father’s face shines on him because he always has you in view. I might shine a bit better if I were to keep you in view in the same way.
Excerpted from I Am Infinitely Loved: A Month of Meditations by Brian Grogan SJ (p.12)
Read more