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I have written before about some different aspects of Ignatian Spirituality.

Here is a quick resume:

Ignatian spirituality is the spirituality of the Jesuits - it was Ignatius of Loyola and nine of his companions who founded the Jesuit order (The Society of Jesus) in 1540. Today, many people - not all in the Roman Catholic church and not all belonging to the Society of Jesus (well, you can't if you're a woman!) - use Ignatian spirituality to enhance their own walk with God.

I have written about two different aspects of Ignatian prayer:
The Examen
Using our imagination in prayer

I'd like to explore more about Ignatian spirituality with you.

When Ignatius was developing his way of Christian living and Christian prayer, he devised a series of spiritual prayer exercises designed to draw those who use them more closely to God and to increase understanding of how to serve God and follow God's guiding. As part of this, he established what he called the First Principle and Foundation of the Spiritual Exercises.

This is how it was described to me by my spiritual director at that time - with a few modifications(!):

We are created to praise, reverence and serve God.
All other things on the face of the earth are created to help us to fulfil this purpose.
It follows that we are to use all other things in as much as they help us fulfil our purpose and we ought to refrain from using these things insofar as they are a hindrance.

Therefore, with respect to all things in which we have some influence or control, it is necessary to become indifferent (not the 21st century definition of indifferent but meaning - free, detached). Consequently, for our part, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, a long life to a short one, status to rejection; and so for all other things.

Our constant desire and our consequent choices should always be harmonious with the goal for which we are created.

Easier said than done, of course, but a good principle for leading a life which is God-centred and Spirit-motivated.

My own preference would be to have the word 'love' in the first line. For me, wanting to reverence and serve God spring from my love for God.

Any thoughts on the First Princple?

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A stunning truth from the father of Methodism:

Beware you are not swallowed up in books!
An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.

John Wesley

I suppose we could also now retranslate that as:

Beware you are not swallowed up by the Internet!
An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge/Facebook.

John Wesley for the twenty-first century!

I am, of course, largely speaking to myself here!

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Love the way Jesus taught it...

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

from Luke 9

To reflect on...

I am called to show Jesus’ immense love to those around me – even to those who consider themselves my ‘enemies’.

Let’s pray...

Lord Jesus Christ, even on the cross you said, ‘Father, forgive.’ As we have been forgiven, so teach us to be gracious and generous in forgiving others when they upset or hurt us. Amen.

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Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

"It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching." -St. Francis of Assisi

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I have just had a very busy week - but my mind kept coming back to my blog - even when it should have been on other things! I think I am getting addicted!

But busyness has its penalties and, as a result, I am a little short on material at the moment. So I thought I would share with you a poem I have recently read. I love the writings of Edwina Gateley. My previous spiritual director pointed me in her direction, so I'm 'passing it on'.

This poem, called Train, can be found in her book Growing into God
ISBN 1-58051-080-9.

Train

Sitting on the subway train
shuddering its way
through the city of Chicago,
I saw the gang graffiti,
defiant and bold,
painted on the warehouse walls -
words of anger and violence -
screaming at the blank eyes
of innocent passengers
mindlessly staring out
through grubby windows.
And there,
in bright red,
surrounded by gang symbols,
four words stood large and bold:
"I LOVE YOU, MAMA."
My heart grieved
for unspoken story,
for the angry son who,
in the midst
of an act of rage,
remembered he loved him mama
and needed to tell
the world.
I hurt for his mama
the other woman,
who wept and prayed
that her son, so well beloved,
would be safe,
that her God,
ridiculously,
miraculously,
would raise him up
whole and healed.
And in the train, rocking,
I dreamed with her,
that God slipped through
graffitied walls and,
hot with a mother's love,
plucked up
and raised so high,
so gloriously,
the son
she loved so well.

 
 

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... be there, sitting beside Jesus.

Matthew 11:28-30
‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Just for a moment…
…allow yourself to be there, sitting beside Jesus. He turns to you – yes - to you – and he says, ‘Come to me you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest’.
As you look at Jesus, allow yourself to rest in his presence, knowing that you are held safely in his strong gaze, in his love and in his constancy.
You are held,
you are safe,
you are precious.

Whatever is going on in your life, Jesus knows and he is there.
Whatever is going on in your life, you are ultimately safe in his care.
Held safely in his strong gaze, in his love and in his constancy.
You are held,
you are safe,
you are precious.
Allow yourself to be: held, safe and precious.

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