Saturday, September 9, 2017

Seeking God In All Things

Ignatius of Loyola
Saint Paul, in his letter to the Christian community in Rome, wrote, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Yes, we love God to the extent we care for one another. And who is my neighbor? The person next to me at home, in the workplace, in the shopping mall, in the parish community. Simply look around. Paul may ask us: do we offer a helping hand to others?

I have been reflecting on the guidance of some of the great movers and shakers in Christianity. Today I highlight Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. His “Spiritual Exercises,” the masterpiece of his own search for God in all things, can guide us, in stormy times and even in the midst of a hurricane.

Ignatius and his companions vowed to live in the midst of the world with their eyes focused on God, with Jesus as their companion, and with a mission to dedicate themselves “Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam.” (to the greater glory of God).

Jesuit spirituality emphasizes discernment of the presence of God within our own selves, and also analyzing social situations in light of Gospel values. Deepening our life with God through the Spiritual Exercises, we can become missionary disciples to others, bearers of the good news, transforming this universe into a new heaven and a new earth.

The Exercises themselves are an organized process of spiritual growth with a variety of tools: rules for discernment of the Spirit and for “thinking with the Church,” an examination of conscience, meditations, and various prayer forms. Their purpose is to free us from earthly worries so as to find God in all things and recommit ourselves to Jesus and to service.

The meditations in the first stage aim to free us from self-centered attitudes and behaviors that get in the way of following Jesus. The second stage meditates on the life of Jesus, so that we can model ourselves after Jesus. The third stage focuses on the last supper, the passion and death of Jesus, signs of his tremendous love for us. The fourth stage concentrates on the risen Jesus so that we can become his hands and feet and voice and eyes in the world, finding God in all things.

A seasoned guide is indispensable in this process. I close with a prayer of Ignatius that could well be our own:
Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me; to you, O Lord, I return it. All is yours; dispose of it wholly according to your will. Give me your love and your grace; for this is enough for me. Amen.