Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola

Coming up on July 31st is the Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola and to get in the mood there is a  feast of links to be found  here

Loads of stuff from here

Click here to link to the Jesuit Vocations site for the UK with videos, reflections etc etc.


Don't forget to check the side bar of my blog for 31 Days of St. Ignatius A month-long celebration of Ignatian spirituality.


The Spanish saint is known for founding the Society of Jesus,  the Jesuits. He  devised the “Spiritual Exercises” often used today for retreats and individual discernment.
St. Ignatius was born into a noble family in 1491 in Guipuzcoa, Spain. He served as a page in the Spanish court of Ferdinand and Isabella

He then became a soldier in the Spanish army and wounded his leg during the siege of Pamplona in 1521. During his recuperation, he read “Lives of the Saints.” 

The experience led him to undergo a profound conversion, and he dedicated himself to the Catholic faith.
After making a general confession in a monastery in Montserrat, St. Ignatius proceeded to spend almost a year in solitude. 









St Ignatius at Pamplona Seattle University
He wrote his famous “Spiritual Exercises” and then made a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land, where he worked to convert Muslims.
St. Ignatius returned to complete his studies in Spain and then France, where he received his theology degree. While many held him in contempt because of his holy lifestyle, his wisdom and virtue attracted others and The Society of Jesus was born.

The Society was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, and it grew rapidly. St. Ignatius remained in Rome, where he governed the Society and became friends with St. Philip Neri.
St. Ignatius died peacefully on July 31, 1556. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.
The Jesuits remain numerous today, particularly in several hundred universities and colleges worldwide.




David L. Fleming, S.J., from the preface of  his book What is Ignatian Spirituality ? has this to say :

“Ignatian spirituality is not captured in a rule or set of practices or a certain method of praying or devotional exercises.  It is a spiritual ‘way of proceeding’ that offers a vision of life, an understanding of God, a reflective approach to living, a contemplative form of praying, a reverential attitude to our world, and an expectation of finding God daily.”

Finding God is All Things was a core theme for Ignatius. His belief was that God is always at work and to be found in the events and experiences of the day.


St Ignatius is particularly well known for his Daily Examen----

The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience. 

St. Ignatius thought that the Examen was a gift that came direct from God, and that God wanted it to be shared as widely as possible.

One of the few rules of prayer that Ignatius made for the Jesuit order was the requirement that Jesuits practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It’s a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.

I need God - and I need God every instance of every day that I am conscious and as I sleep. So all the time...........
 
We can surely find God anywhere and we need God all the time. 
But isn't it the same with the air we breathe ?
We can find it anywhere and we need it all the time, but we take it for granted.
That is why this is called a prayer (examen) of consciousness. God is everywhere and anywhere - but the problem is that we are not always aware and this is what this daily practice aims to bring - AWARENESS: 

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.

2. Review the day with gratitude.

3. Pay attention to your emotions.

4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.

5. Look toward tomorrow.

Try it and let me know how it worked for you.


May you be inspired - everyday!



IgnatianSpirituality.com

dotMagis, the blog of IgnatianSpirituality.com
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1 comment:

claire bangasser said...

Next week, I will be spending eight days in silence and prayer with Ignatius. I am very much looking forward to this.

Great post again, Phil!