Feast Of St. Ignatius Of Loyola

[Era Might]

Just read this book - "Finding God in All Things: A Companion to the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius". It goes through each "Week" of the Exercises and each chapter has questions for prayer and discussion. Truly amazing book and I definitely recommend it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Finding-God-All-Things-Companion/dp/0877934606

 

How can someone live Jesuit spirituality as a lay person?

[Apotheoun]

St. Ignatius, interestingly, was converted in the hospital, after a great life-threatening injury. The Great Physician is central to his story. :)

So does that mean he rejects the Tridentine teaching on grace as a created habitus in favor of the incarnational theology of the East, which sees the incarnation as occurring in all of Christ's followers? 

Edited July 31, 2013 by Apotheoun

[arfink]

So does that mean he rejects the Tridentine teaching on grace as a created habitus in favor of the incarnational theology of the East, which sees the incarnation as occurring in all of Christ's followers? 

 

This is all Greek to me. :|

 

 

Yes, sorry about that, couldn't resist. :hehe:

[Apotheoun]

This is all Greek to me. :|

 

 

Yes, sorry about that, couldn't resist. :hehe:

Greek, like this: ÎšÎ±á½¶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν.

[Era Might]

So does that mean he rejects the Tridentine teaching on grace as a created habitus in favor of the incarnational theology of the East, which sees the incarnation as occurring in all of Christ's followers? 

 

I'm not sure, but he did the work that Jesus commanded his disciples to do: love him.

[Apotheoun]

I'm not sure, but he did the work that Jesus commanded his disciples to do: love him.

That's cool. He still seems (and sounds) very Western to my ears.

[arfink]

That's because he is Western. It's no biggie. ;)

[Spem in alium]

How can someone live Jesuit spirituality as a lay person?

 

This book actually explains how. In the introduction, the author (William A. Barry, SJ) states that what concerns him is "the fact that many, if not most, people who have heard about the Spiritual Exercises think of them as something esoteric, something reserved for novices or vowed members of religious communities, for holy people, or at least for people who can get away to a retreat house for an extended period of time. Such an image has, unfortunately, kept a treasure from broad use in the church. This book will, I hope, dispel that image and invite readers to consider how they might use the Spiritual Exercises to benefit their relationship with God."

 

The book follows the Exercises in inviting people to: learn to trust God, and from this trust form the desire for God to reveal their sins and sinful tendencies so that they can repent; to realise that, in spite of their sin, Jesus loves them, and to use such a realisation to want to know Jesus better in the hope of following him more closely; to accompany Christ in the suffering and agony of his passion and death; to share the joy of his resurrection; and finally, to foster the deep desire in the person to know how much God loves them so they can return this love in some way and ultimately find God in all things.

 

Finding God in all things is something I believe both religious and lay people are capable of achieving. Though it does take commitment, certainly.

[Oremoose]

Greek, like this: ÎšÎ±á½¶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν.

 

I have not studied Greek in years  and I can still read this :|

Edited July 31, 2013 by Oremoose

[MithLuin]

St. Ignatius of Loyola has three famous prayers, and since it's still his feast day in California time, I thought I'd add them to this thread now.

 

The Suscipe

 

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, 
my memory, my understanding
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
 
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
 
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.

 

 

 

Anima Christi

 

Soul of Christ, sanctify me

Body of Christ, save me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
Good Jesus, hear me
Within the wounds, shelter me
from turning away, keep me
From the evil one, protect me
At the hour of my death, call me
Into your presence lead me
to praise you with all your saints
Forever and ever
Amen

 

 

And one that is known to Jesuit students everywhere, the Prayer for Generosity

 

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.

 

 

Of course, these were all translated from the Latin, so there are many possible variations. 

 

AMDG = Ad majorem Dei gloriam (For the Greater Glory of God) is the Jesuit's motto.

 

 

[Era Might]

This book actually explains how. In the introduction, the author (William A. Barry, SJ) states that what concerns him is "the fact that many, if not most, people who have heard about the Spiritual Exercises think of them as something esoteric, something reserved for novices or vowed members of religious communities, for holy people, or at least for people who can get away to a retreat house for an extended period of time. Such an image has, unfortunately, kept a treasure from broad use in the church. This book will, I hope, dispel that image and invite readers to consider how they might use the Spiritual Exercises to benefit their relationship with God."

 

The book follows the Exercises in inviting people to: learn to trust God, and from this trust form the desire for God to reveal their sins and sinful tendencies so that they can repent; to realise that, in spite of their sin, Jesus loves them, and to use such a realisation to want to know Jesus better in the hope of following him more closely; to accompany Christ in the suffering and agony of his passion and death; to share the joy of his resurrection; and finally, to foster the deep desire in the person to know how much God loves them so they can return this love in some way and ultimately find God in all things.

 

Finding God in all things is something I believe both religious and lay people are capable of achieving. Though it does take commitment, certainly.

 

 

St. Ignatius of Loyola has three famous prayers, and since it's still his feast day in California time, I thought I'd add them to this thread now.

 

The Suscipe

 

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, 
my memory, my understanding
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
 
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
 
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.

 

 

 

Anima Christi

 

Soul of Christ, sanctify me

Body of Christ, save me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
Good Jesus, hear me
Within the wounds, shelter me
from turning away, keep me
From the evil one, protect me
At the hour of my death, call me
Into your presence lead me
to praise you with all your saints
Forever and ever
Amen

 

 

And one that is known to Jesuit students everywhere, the Prayer for Generosity

 

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.

 

 

Of course, these were all translated from the Latin, so there are many possible variations. 

 

AMDG = Ad majorem Dei gloriam (For the Greater Glory of God) is the Jesuit's motto.

 

Thanks. :)

 

A good article on Blessed Pierre Favre, one of the original companions of St. Ignatius. Today is his Feast day:

 

http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/20130802_1.htm

 

Favre’s apostolic style was based around friendships, engaging in spiritual conversation, hearing confessions and giving the Exercises. He becomes that good shepherd, willing to go out, to travel the highways and byways in search of the ‘lost sheep’. He walks miles between cities, and within cities, seeking out conversation, trusting always that God is at work. He explains how, on journeys, he seeks to be alert to opportunities around him:

 

While staying in inns, I have always felt inspired to do good by instructing and encouraging people… it is very good to leave in the inns and houses where we happen to stay some trace of good and holy behaviour, for everywhere there is good to be done, everywhere there is something to be planted or harvested.

[Era Might]

I didn't know the Anima Christi was Jesuit, they pray that at my parish after Mass, I love that prayer.

[cmaD2006]

Era might: a bit more about the exercise

A) you can do a week (even 5 days ... IVE does men and women retreats based on the exercises in a 5 day format.
B) the full exercises take approx 30 days (can be up to 35 depending on the retreat house). You pray anywhere from 3-5 meditations for an hour daily.
C) you can also do the 19th annotation - exercises in everyday life. That's a commitment to pray daily for about an hour for about 9 months. This usually involves meeting with a director once a week, and it may involve a monthly group meeting. It can vary a bit
D) the exercises can be done in a preached (where the meditation is talked about to the whole group on retreat, and everyone is doing the same meditation) or in a directed format (where you meet one on one with the director and the director takes you through it). I prefer the 2nd format.

Two books to recommend:
A) the Jesuit guide to almost anything by Fr james martin sj
B) meditation and contemplation by Fr tim gallagher omv (and you can also pick up "an ignatian introduction to prayer" which takes you through a number of scropture passages)

[cmaD2006]

Pm me if you like .... I just finished the 30 days. :)

[Spem in alium]

Two books to recommend:
A) the Jesuit guide to almost anything by Fr james martin sj
 

 

Reading this right now. It's brilliant. :)