In traveling with St Ignatius on this retreat there are a series of guides and exercises we are given. I will share these from the Mold me program and offer my insights followed by a short prayer. It is once again through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and being patient with oneself that we make progress.
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4b
"1. Spiritual Exercises: Here, St. Ignatius captures the essence of discipleship. He describes Spiritual Exercises as a life style that is based on a single-minded purpose of offering oneself to God in a covenant relationship. Throughout the day, every activity is done with this purpose in mind. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the disciple hopes to achieve this goal. Finding and doing God's will is the only purpose of one's life. The description of 'Spiritual Exercises,' makes it clear that discipleship is akin to a spousal relationship, where one lives only for the praise and service of the Beloved: "seeking and finding the will of God."
Life is a spiritual exercise that will require our conscious effort. Being an active willing participant with God opens up a whole new world that we didn't see before. This other world that we used to live in, produces fruit that rots and drags us down. doing God's will is the only purpose of one's life!
"2. Tasting and Relishing the Truth: St. Ignatius is of the opinion that we benefit more when we invest our personal time and energy into our relationship with God rather than being spoon fed. There is a big difference between knowing God and knowing about God. It is very helpful to have a mentor for guidance. However, not much happens without a serious personal commitment to discipleship. Discipleship is built on a personal experience of God. If change is to take place, the intimate understanding and relish of the truth is what matters. Knowing God is far more important that knowing much about God."
Our perspective and understanding changes when we have experienced when we have tasted this fruit. It can not be explained until you along with the Holy Spirit have been given these insights. It is heart knowledge, not head knowledge.
"3. Reverence: St. Ignatius was adamant about addressing God with great reverence when we speak to Him directly. Reverence is the awareness of who God is, and who we are as created in God's image and likeness. St. Ignatius always took God seriously, giving God the reverence and creaturely obeisance that was due to Him. Many disciples have noticed a qualitative difference when they made reverence a key disposition in their relationship with God!"
A trap we can fall into is making God familiar, we can develop our relationship and friendship with Him but we can not define Him with our finite minds. With this in mind God is so much more, reverence is key in developing a proper relationship with God, familiarity breeds contempt
4. Four Weeks of the Retreat: You will become familiar with the Four Weeks into which the Spiritual Exercises are divided. A week is not necessarily seven days when you are making a Thirty Day retreat. When making the retreat over an extended period of time such as we are, the four weeks correspond to the four parts into which the process of the Spiritual Exercises is divided: the First Week is about the consideration and contemplation of sin; the Second Week takes up the life of Christ till Palm Sunday; the Third Week is on the Passion of Christ our Lord; the Fourth Week deals with the Resurrection and Ascension and Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Anticipation is my thought here as I better understand what is coming. The life of Christ is our example and our own lives are our reflection back to God. We need this picture as we move closer to God, in these weeks there will be much fruit to relish so be prepared.
5. Magnanimity and Generosity: In this Observation, St. Ignatius emphasizes the need for a spirit of magnanimity (large heartedness) and generosity in our relationship with God. Only vast horizons will do. This attitude is made feasible and attractive, because in the first place, our Creator and God is exceedingly magnanimous and generous towards us. The disciple is never going to make much headway in the spiritual life if their sense of God's generosity and loving kindness is shaky and seasonal.
God is so much more than we can fathom, just look at the night sky or the clouds, and He is available to us not only available, He seeks us out personally. Give to Him generously with our time and our talent, you will never out give God.
Dear Father, it is a blessing to journey with You as even in the simplicity of life You reveal these lessons. Our first trip may have seemed confusing but it produced the fruit You desired. This time will be different for I am different. I thank You with my whole heart and being for being my Creator and Savior. I look forward to this journey and will take it as it comes. Prayers for a friend who's wife is on a ventilator and can not be with her. May they be held in Your embrace. Prayers for the arrival of a new nephew or niece on the way into this world, May they be held in Your embrace. I thank You Father for another day to be with You, Amen.
Mary, Queen of Peace, Pray for us.
St Joesph, Pray for us.
Viva Christo Rey.
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4b
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