Patience & Love

I am slowly (and I mean slowly!) making my way through Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises. The Spiritual Exercises were, originally, designed as a month-long spiritual retreat back in the 1500’s. They served as a foundation for the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. However, since then, the process of the Exercises has taken many shapes and forms. I am using the guide, Sacred Listening: Discovering the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola by James L. Wakefield. The introduction of this guide describes the Exercises in this way….

“…the Spiritual Exercises are an invitation to renew and deepen our relationship with Christ…primarily a series of meditations on the Gospels that help us clarify and deepen our commitments to Jesus Christ…The Spiritual Exercises often facilitate an intense examination of the disciple’s motives for ministry, and so prove to be an excellent tool for making vocational choices.”

All of these themes have proven beneficial during this season of life. I am grateful for the many ways Ignatian spirituality has impacted my life and helped me make space to listen and be attentive.

Now, back to the “Patience & Love” title of this post. Each unit in the Exercises has a theme and grace for contemplation and meditation. This last unit’s theme was, “Christ is patient with his disciples in the midst of growing adversity.” The grace to pray for was, “Lord, give me deep confidence in your patience and love.”

While not always realizing it this past month, this theme and grace of patience and love was just what I needed! When I experience discouragement with Spanish and living fully into my vocation here, God has given me deeper confidence in his patience and love for me. I am grateful for how that patience and love encourages and sustains me!