Raw Material for Discernment

 I continue to go through the Ignatian Lenten Retreat that I shared about in my previous post below. If nothing else, you might like to check out Week Two of the retreat that serves as an excellent foundation for the Examen. Here is the link: Week Two.

My retreat reflection this morning included this quote, which was a good reminder for me today.

Ignatius’s Great Discovery
The point has often been made that the Christian Gospel is a story of strength and triumph arising from weakness and defeat. The Savior is a poor man in a provincial, backwater land. Salvation comes about through suffering and death. In the words of Mary’s Magnificat prayer: “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”

We’re afflicted with divided hearts that cause us to be burdened by angst, uncertainty, and fear when making important decisions. But this very confusion of thoughts and feelings is the place where we find God’s footprints. It’s the raw material for discernment.

This was Ignatius’s great discovery.

— J. Michael Sparough, SJ; Jim Manney; Tim Hipskind, SJ,
What’s Your Decision?

Examination of Conscience – A Prayer Practice for Lent

This Lent I am going through an adapted version of the Spiritual Exercises, called “An Ignatian Prayer Adventure.” I just completed Week One and I recommend this eight-week retreat for prayer and reflection. It also serves as an excellent introduction to Ignatian spirituality. You can check it out by clicking: HERE.

Alongside this retreat, I am using a prayer book I recently purchased, Hearts on Fire: Praying with the Jesuits. I am discovering lots of new prayers and practices that compliment and speak into my formation at this time. The book includes a prayer practice appropriate for Lent called, “Examination of Conscience” based on the examen that Ignatius included in the Spiritual Exercises and urged his friends to do daily. I plan to utilize this practice during Lent and I thought I would pass it on for those who want to check it out. I have posted it on my other blog, “Quotations & Stuff.”

You can find it by clicking here:
Examination of Conscience

Examen

While I consider myself very much a newbie to all things Ignatian, the themes and posture of Ignatian spirituality have impacted my life in significant ways these past several years. Ignatian themes of attentiveness, finding God in all things, contemplative activism, imagination, discernment and gratitude have all shaped and deepened my formation and vocation. I have often shared and reflected on these themes here on my blog. I have also posted regular reflections on This Ignatian Life blog. My recent TIL post, “Begin with Gratitude,” can be found HERE.

Recently I have given renewed intentionality in practicing the examen. Here is how I described examen in a reflection last year...The Ignatian practice of examen has been especially helpful, as I seek to listen and discern God’s at work in my feelings and experiences. The idea behind the examen is to open oneself to how God has been moving throughout a specific period of time, as well as allow the Lord to search your heart in a time of self-examination and confession. Pausing to regularly recognize both the beautiful and the difficult in my life has been a meaningful discipline.

A helpful introduction to the examen, including a five-step method of examen that I often use can be found here… "Rummaging for God: Praying Backwards through Your Day."

Photo Above: “Examen” statue of Saint Ignatius recently dedicated at Fairfield University. (http://ignatianspirituality.com/11175/the-examen-set-in-stone/)

Breath Prayer

Our WMF Staff Gathering begins in just one week in Nebraska. Whoo hooo! I am packing up and getting ready to head to the U.S. tomorrow night. Looking forward to some sweet times with WMF friends serving around the world. Following the Gathering, I will head to Toronto to visit my sister, bro-in-law, nieces, and nephew. Then a final few weeks in California enjoying time with family and friends.

In addition to organizing a prayer room space at our WMF Gathering, I will be facilitating a few directed times of meditative prayer, like Lectio Divina and Examen. It was also suggested that I introduce Breath Prayer. A month ago I was unfamiliar with the prayer practice of Breath Prayer. So, I decided to learn more and put it into practice in my own life these recent weeks. I’m glad I did!

I highly recommend the book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun as a helpful starting place to learn more about specific spiritual practices and exercises. It is an excellent resource. It’s usually where I go first. The Handbook introduces Breath Prayer in this way….

"Breath prayer is a form of contemplative prayer linked to the rhythms of breathing: (1) breathe in, calling on a biblical name or image of God, and (2) breathe out a simple God-given desire.” ~Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

To practice breath prayer, ponder the nearness of God. Settle deeply into the truth that Christ is in you. Deeply breathe in, repeating any name of God that is dear to you. As you exhale, voice a deep desire of your heart. When you exhale offer up the desire of your heart. You may also breathe in and out a beloved phrase of scripture. The brevity of the prayer allows it to be repeated over and over again throughout the day.

Just a few examples of Breath Prayers:

• breathe in “Abba,” breathe out “I belong to you.”

• breathe in “Holy One,” breathe out “keep me true.”

• breathe in Lord,” breathe out “here is am.”

• breathe in “Jesus,” breathe out “have mercy on me.”

I recently discovered the blog, Soul Shepherding. Here is a helpful link to more background and suggestions to practice Breath Prayer.

http://www.soulshepherding.org/articles/spiritual-disciplines/breath-prayers/

During these busy weeks, I have found Breath Prayer very helpful in quieting my often distracted and anxious mind and spirit, as well as praying my heart’s desires as I go throughout the day. I trust it will continue to serve as a helpful prayer practice during my full days in the U.S. I am, especially, interested in praying the Psalms and scriptures in this way.

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!