MORNING FACE TO FACE WITH GOD:
Begin with Prayer to the Holy Spirit Additional Directions #73-81
Read each # from The Spiritual Exercises first, and then the reflection:
(After pondering each bullet point, express your sentiments in a short prayer)
• #73. In the nine Additional Directions, St. Ignatius offers us helpful tips for the retreat and after. In #73, he is asking us, for the space of a Hail Mary, and just before we fall asleep, to develop the habit of thinking when we will rise, why we will rise, and briefly sum up the exercise that we will go through. Through this practice we are using our memory to help our mind and Unconscious focus on our relationship with God during our sleep.
There is purpose in preparing for rising the next morning with God, as you fall asleep with God helping you get ready. In this conscious effort, it is renewing the mind and giving back to the creator what is a gift from him - free will.
• #74. In this spiritual discipline, St. Ignatius is asking us to express our commitment to our covenant relationship with God in deeds. On our part, therefore, from the first moment upon awakening we will prepare ourselves for our Morning Face to Face with God. We will use our memory, mind, and imagination to place ourselves in the context of our
morning prayer while we get ready for the day.
The day begins as it should, with God. The first words or thoughts become of God. Our first action become with the intent of God and over time all your actions are with the intent of God. You become aware of your sinful nature in the smallest of ways.
• #75. Here, St. Ignatius is suggesting how we are to engage in our Preparatory Prayer. We enter into prayer knowing that it is a relationship and both parties are personally invested in it: "... with my mind raised on high, consider that God our Lord beholds me, etc." Make the effort to mean what you say and say what you mean when you ask the Holy Spirit to dispose you for prayer.
Will we stand before our creator in the space of an Our Father and just be before God as He gazes upon us and we gaze upon him. In these moments God speaks and you listen.
• #76. For St. Ignatius, our different postures in prayer are to be used for the sole purpose of "seeking what I desire." Hence, if in a particular posture, like kneeling, we find what we desire, then we will not seek to change our posture. Conversely, we will change our posture if we are not finding what we desire. Secondly, and this is very important advice, if we have found what we desire, then, we will proceed "without any eagerness to go on till I have been satisfied." In other words, you don't have to cover all the material each day.
Can you subdue your restless nature by finding the proper posture that it no longer distracts the mind but creates the space where you and God are together.
• #77. St. Ignatius asks that we do a review of our prayer each day. Reviewing our prayer on a daily basis is one way of expressing the seriousness of our commitment to our relationship with God. Each day you are doing a review by answering the three questions, 'What is God saying to me;' 'For what am I grateful;' 'For what am I contrite.'
Creating space for God is the most important task one has in life. Over time you will be able to create this space in the midst of all kinds of distractions for you have learned to be attentive to God as He is always attentive to you.
• #78. Stay on task and don't allow yourself to be distracted. Staying on task means giving your undivided attention to what is asked of you each day. In the First Week the theme is "pain, sorrow, and tears for my sins. It is not appropriate to engage in any consideration promoting joy and happiness."
In the first week of the retreat the task has been to focus upon my sinful nature. "Hence it would be better to call to mend death and judgement." I have repetition this week to focus upon the pain and sorrow which goes against a enthusiastic outlook.
• #79. Darkness is appropriate for the First and Third Week of the Exercises because of their themes; light, for the Fourth Week which focuses on the Resurrection. It is important to experiment with creating an appropriate atmosphere for your prayer.
• #80 & 81: These two numbers highlight the need for creating an atmosphere conducive
for your prayer.
The desire this week is to see myself before God in judgement, even though I am loved what price will I pay for my grievous sins? Will I continue living as though they do not matter or will I make amends for them with my life, giving to the One that gave all for me.
What is God saying to you?
Dear Father, You have revealed things this morning as I prepared for the day. In these practices, guide my thoughts and memories to produce the fruit that You desire. I thank You for the gift of St Ignatius and his writings as well as the writings of God's Embrace. Prayers for a friend just diagnosed with cancer, prayers for another getting his knee operated on this morning, be with both of them and their medical staff. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
Mary, Queen of Heaven, Pray for us.
St Joesph, Pray for us.
Viva Cristo Rey
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4b
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