Do You Speak Ignatian?

     The term spirituality lacks a common definition, although that doesn’t stop us from trying to describe it as a presence in our lives.  For some, it is simply “the search for the sacred”; for Catholics, however, it is more narrowly defined as the way in which we live out our relationship with God and with the world.  That said, our personal spirituality can take many forms, defined by such things as how we view God, our basic personality, our worldview, and the particular cultural or religious influences in our lives.  Although all Catholics are expected to pray together at Mass and have certain devotions in common such as the Rosary, there are many different forms of Catholic spirituality and private prayer which have developed over the centuries. Each of the major religious orders of the Catholic Church and other lay groupings have their own unique spirituality - its own way of approaching God in prayer and in living out the Gospel.

     The very heart of Ignatian Spirituality can be summed up in the phrase: “Finding God in All Things”.  We do this through attentiveness to the movement of God in our lives, attentiveness to our response to God’s constant invitation, and through reverencing God, the earth, all of humanity and ourselves. We do this through honoring the role of emotion and imagination as well as intellect in our lives.   And finally, we do this through discernment and responsible action: learning how to serve God by serving one another, especially those on the margins who need our care.  The founder of the Society of Jesus, St Ignatius of Loyola, put together some spiritual exercises which came out of his own experiences and those of his companions, and invited exercitants to work with a spiritual guide to meditate on central aspects of our faith and to contemplate (imaginatively enter into) the life of Jesus.  A trained spiritual director can help each directee along her spiritual journey, help him to notice God’s presence, and to help her discern God’s voice among all the voices within and outside herself.   Discernment helps each of us to resolve to make no significant decision without considering its effects on others, especially the lowest of society.

A particularly “Ignatian” form of personal meditation, one that each of us can enter into on our own, is called “an “Examen”.   It is a simple daily spiritual practice that can do in a few minutes of quiet reflection at the end of each day. Fr. Dennis Hamm, SJ, a scripture professor at Creighton University, calls the practice “rummaging for God.” He likens it to “going through a drawer full of stuff, feeling around, looking for something that you are sure must be there.” “That’s an accurate description of what it’s like to pray the Daily Examen,” he says. “We look back on the previous day, rummaging through the ‘stuff’, and finding God in it.  We know he is there. “   How have we responded to God his day?

     Ignatian spirituality also recommends a structured and orderly method of reflecting on scripture.  Using our native sensory skills and our imagination we look at a particular event from scripture, and enter into that event, placing ourselves at the feet of Jesus, with his companions, with his listeners, or even in his shoes.  Perhaps we remember a time when we were in a similar situation and recall how we reacted.  Have we learned anything about God or about ourselves from this reflection? What can we do to reflection more nearly the message of Jesus?  What do we have to say to Jesus?   It is relatively easy to learn the technique of imaginative prayer. 

For example:      Let us look at the reading for today from Luke 9: 11b-17:  Imagine that you are one of the crowd who has followed Jesus and his friends to Bethsaida. What does this bleak spot in the middle of a desert look like?  How far is it from “civilization”?  How far have you walked to get here? Why did you come?  Are you in need of help or a cure for an illness, or are you just curious? What are you looking for?  What do you hear/see?  As evening approaches and you find yourself stranded in this desolate place, both tired and hungry, how do you feel about your decision to come out to hear Jesus today?  Are you apprehensive when you see Jesus conferring earnestly with those of his closest followers?  Are you beginning to get restless and irritated?  How do you react when you are told to sit down?  As the Twelve begin to hand out bread and fish, is there a concern in the large mass of people that there will not be enough to go around?  Do people grab for their share, or do they wait patiently for the food to come to them at the hands of others?  How do you feel when it is your turn to receive something to eat?  Do you sense that it was the concern of Jesus and his disciples for the well being of each of you that prompted this miraculous outpouring of generosity and care?  Do you sense that generosity and care in your real life right now?  Do you sense that Jesus feeds you with what you need to go the distance, to grow, to thrive and to flourish?  What does it mean to you to receive the body and blood of Jesus each time you attend Mass?  Do you leave the church feeling nourished?  Does this story encourage you to look around at those in our community who are hungry or lonely and see them with the eyes of compassion?  What can you do this week to be like Jesus?

(For more on Ignatian Spirituality see James Martin S.J.: The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything)