Ignatian Spirituality and Leadership Unit Nine

08 Fall

Unit 1.9 The Spiritual Exercises

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Ignatian Spirituality and Leadership Unit Nine

THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

A. INTRODUCTION

Thus far you have gained an overview of Ignatian Spirituality, and you have a grasp of Ignatius’ life, both through his biography and autobiography. You know too that Ignatian spirituality is situated within the mainstream of Christian spirituality. We now move forward to consider the Spiritual Exercises, a book that ‘changed the world’ as Tellechea Idigoras remarks (Alone and on Foot, ch 60), and then the Spiritual Diary and the Letters. The Jesuit Constitutions will be dealt with in the Unit titled ‘Ignatian Spirituality as lived by Jesuits’. The common thread linking all of Ignatius’ writings is the desire to ‘find God’.

B. UNIT CONTENT

The Exercises We all tend to keep notes and jottings of things that strike us as helpful. Ignatius did likewise. ‘Things that he used to find useful for himself, could, it seemed to him, be useful also for others, and so he used to write them down’ (Autobiography n.99). He started this practice in Manresa in 1522, and so began the book of Spiritual Exercises. However, it only saw the light of day in 1548, twenty-six years later. Ignatius composed the bulk of the Exercises as a layman between 1522 and 1537 and made additions and redacted the text after his ordination. Ideally the Exercises are made in the 30-day form where the retreating can be given over totally to them. However, the Exercises in Daily Life are popular: a day in the Exercises corresponds roughly to a week in the Exercises in Daily Life. Guide and retreatant meet weekly, and the total process may take from six months to a year. There are innumerable other forms of retreats based on the Exercises and they vary in length and style. Like any set of physical exercises, the Spiritual Exercises are meant to be done rather than simply read or talked about. Thus the book of the Exercises is for the guide rather than for the person making the Exercises (‘exercitant’ ‘retreatant’ or ‘directee’): it is not a DIY manual! Given that context, we shall say something about the origin, structure and history of the Exercises. You will not be asked to read the text but to reflect on the connections between Ignatius’ own story and certain elements of the Exercises. While the Exercises are often made in group form, they were originally thought of as one-to-one experiences. Ignatius does not use the term ‘director’ but simply speaks of ‘the one

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giving the Exercises’ which infers a humble role of helping rather than a dominant role of power. Goal: The purpose of the Exercises is conversion to God, resulting in a new, divine direction in the retreatant’s life. The conversion is from disordered desires and blindnesses that curtail a person’s availability to God's project.

Dynamic: A one-to-one relationship develops between the person giving and the person receiving the Exercises. The giver is to be attentive to where the directee is being led by God, and is to follow the track of the Holy Spirit in guiding them. Ignatius believes that God wishes to deal directly with the retreatant, so the guide is to be unobtrusive. However, the guide should note the movements of consolation and desolation, which indicate how a person is moving toward or away from God. God is portrayed as loving, caring, interested, engaging: the Lover who wishes to give all to the beloved. The Exercises are Christo-centric: much is made of the ‘colloquy’ or conversation between the Lord and the retreatant, through the image of two friends in deep conversation with one another. And a great deal of time is spent in contemplating the mysteries of the Lord’s life, death and resurrection. Much too is made of the desires of the retreatant: the more generous the heart, the greater the progress a retreating can make. The desire to do great things for Christ gradually translates into an awareness of how God wishes to be served. ‘I will do this and that for you, Lord’ shifts to ‘Lord, what would you have me do?’ Ideally a retreatant is won over to the Lord, in mind and will, in heart and affectivity and emotion. He or she also becomes keenly aware of the subtle ways in which one can be drawn away from God. Ignatius speaks of himself in one of his letters as being a great obstacle to the calls of grace in his life. As they end the retreat, retreatants show a high sense of gratitude for all that God has

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done and is doing for them. What they now intend is to seek and find God in everything, especially in their decision-making. ‘In all things to love and serve’ is the goal. Structure: The Exercises are divided into four stages or ‘Weeks’. In the first, the goal of life is set out, leading to awareness of levels of personal sin and selfishness, over against which is set the limitless mercy of God. In the second stage the retreatant, moved by repentant gratitude, contemplates the life of Jesus in order to love him more and grow in intimacy with him. Key Exercises give an inner awareness of the ways in which good persons can be deceived under the appearance of good. This sets the scene for making a wise choice of a way of life, or a reordering of one’s current life. As with the whole of the Exercises, the choice is made in a relational framework: ‘What would you have me do?’ ‘How can I find you in my choices?’ The third phase brings the retreatant into the mystery of the Lord’s passion and death, and the fourth moves to the resurrection of Jesus. A final exercise recapitulates the goodness of God ‘in creation, redemption and particular gifts’, leading to great gratitude and the unrestricted desire ‘to love and serve in all things’. God is portrayed as the great Lover, who wishes to give himself to us, his beloveds. He is imaged as a God who labours in the same world as that to which the retreatant is now returning.

C. REFLECTION

Reflect on the desire you have to serve God. D. RECOMMENDED READING

The Penguin Classics edition of Ignatius’ Personal Writings (2004) by J Munitiz and P Endean, SJ, contains an Introduction to the Exercises Tetlow, J A: Making Choices in Christ: The Foundations of Ignatian Spirituality. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2008. Traub, G W., SJ: An Ignatian Spirituality Reader. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2008, especially the articles on the Spiritual Exercises, pp 116-151. E. LINKS F. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES - Understanding the origins of the Exercises - Grasping what the Exercises are about G. ASSIGNMENT Write a page on why you would or would not wish to make the Exercises in some form

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Select Bibliography on the Spiritual Exercises (up to 1991)

The following bibliography is not intended to be daunting: it is included here only to indicate that no matter what aspect of the Exercises you might wish to read up, there is good material available.

See: Philip Sheldrake (ed.), The Way of Ignatius Loyola:

Contemporary Approaches to The Spiritual Exercises (St. Louis,

Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1991).

GENERAL STUDIES

A classic but controversial study is:

William A.M. Peters, The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius: exposition and interpretation

(Rome, Centrum Ignatianum Spiritualitatis, 1978 edition).

A critical study from the perspective of liberation theology is:

Juan Luis Segundo, The Christ of the Ignatian Exercises (ET. London, Sheed & Ward, 1988).

Gilles Cusson, Biblical Theology and the Spiritual Exercises, translated by Mary Angela Roduit and

George E. Ganss (St Louis, Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1988). This is an authorized translation of

Cusson's Pédagogie de l'expérience spirituelle personelle: Bible et Exercises Spirituels.

Other recent short studies and essays include:

Brian McDermott, "With him, in him: the graces of the Spiritual Exercises", Studies in the Spirituality

of Jesuits 19, 4 (September 1986).

John Padberg, "Personal experience and the Spiritual Exercises: the example of St Ignatius", Studies in

the Spirituality of Jesuits 10, 5 (November 1978).

Peter Schinneller, "The approaches to Christology and their use in the Spiritual Exercises", Studies in

the Spirituality of Jesuits 12, 4-5 (September/November 1980).

Jon Sobrino, The Christ of the Ignatian Exercises, Appendix in Christology at the Crossroads

(ET.London, SCM, 1978).

Although dated, a useful bibliography of works in English prior to 1981 is:

Paul Begheyn, "A bibliography of St Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises", Studies in the Spirituality of Jesuits

13, 2 (March 1981). This bibliography is updated to 1991 by Paul Begheyn and Kenneth Bogart in

Studies in the Spirituality of Jesuits 23, 3 (May 1991).

PRESENTING THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

Three of the best-known general aids for retreat directors are:

Marian Cowan and John Futrell, The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola: a handbook for

direction (Denver, Ministry Training Services, 1981).

John English, Spiritual Freedom (Guelph, Loyola House, 1982).

David L. Fleming (ed.), Notes on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola (St Louis,

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Review for Religious, 1981).

On presenting the 'Exercises in daily life' see:

Maurice Giuliani, "The Exercises in Daily Life", English edition of Progressio, Supplement 18-19,

November 1981 (Christian Life Communities, Rome).

John Veltri, Orientations, volumes 1 & 2 (Guelph, Loyola House, 1979 & 1981).

Joseph Tetlow, Choosing Christ in the World (St Louis, Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1989).

Gilles Cusson, The Spiritual Exercises Made in Everyday Life: A Method and a Biblical

Interpretation, translated by Mary Angela Roduit and George E. Ganns (St Louis, Institute of Jesuit

Sources, 1989). This is an authorized translation of Cusson's Conduis-mois sur le chemin

d'éternité.

Also essays in:

"The Spiritual Exercises in daily life", The Way Supplement 49 (Spring 1984).

SPECIFIC ELEMENTS in THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES:

See the essays in Fleming, Notes, above. What follows is a selection of useful sources to complement

the present volume:

Overall dynamic

Alexander Lefrank, "The Spiritual Exercises as a way of liberation: the social dimension" in The Way

Supplement 46 (Spring 1983).

Joseph Veale, 'The Dynamic of the Exercises' in The Way Supplement 52 (Spring 1985).

Principle and Foundation

Andrew Hamilton, 'The right use of creatures' in The Way 26, 3 (July 1986).

Philip Sheldrake, 'The Principle and Foundation and images of God' in The Way Supplement 48 (Autumn

1983).

Joseph Tetlow, 'The fundamentum: creation in the Principle and Foundation', Studies in the Spirituality of

Jesuits 21, 4 (September 1989).

First Week

Other essays in 'Presenting the First Week', The Way Supplement 48 (Autumn 1983).

And:

Joseph Hitter, 'The First Week and the love of God' in The Way Supplement 34 (Autumn 1978).

Gerard W. Hughes, 'The First Week and the formation of conscience' in The Way Supplement 24 (Spring

1975).

Seamus Murphy, 'The mission to justice and giving the Exercises' in The Way Supplement 55 (Spring 1986).

The Kingdom

Robert L. Schmitt, 'The Christ-experience and relationship fostered in the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius

of Loyola', Studies in the Spirituality of Jesuits 6, 5 (October 1974).

Robert L. Schmitt, 'Presenting the Call of the King' in The Way Supplement 52 (Spring 1985).

Second Week

Other essays in 'Aspects of the Second Week', in The Way Supplement 52 (Spring 1985).

The Two Standards

Dean Brackley, 'Downward mobility: social implications of St Ignatius' Two Standards', Studies in the

Spirituality of Jesuits 20, 1 (January 1988).

Dermot Mansfield, 'Presenting the Two Standards' in The Way Supplement 55 (Spring 1986).

James McPolin, 'The Two Standards in Scripture' in The Way Supplement 55 (Spring 1986).

Aloysius Pieris, 'To be poor as Jesus was poor?' in The Way 24, 3 (July 1984).

Third and Fourth Weeks

Other essays in 'The Spiritual Exercises: Weeks Three and Four' The Way Supplement 58 (Spring 1987).

And:

Peter Fennessey, 'The Third Week of the Exercises' in The Way Supplement 34 (Autumn 1978).

Brian McNamara, 'Prayer in Gethsemane' in The Way Supplement 27 (Spring 1976).

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The Contemplatio

Michael Buckley, 'The Contemplation to Attain Love' in The Way Supplement 24 (Spring 1975).

Olga Warnke, 'The Contemplation to Attain Love' in The Way Supplement 58( Spring 1987).

Prayer in the Exercises

Essays in 'Prayer in the Spiritual Exercises', The Way Supplement 27 (Spring 1976).

And:

George Aschenbrenner, 'Becoming whom we contemplate' in The Way Supplement 52 (Spring 1985).

George Aschenbrenner, 'Consciousness Examen' in Review for Religious 31 (1972), pp. 14-21.

John Ashton, 'The Imitation of Christ' in The Way Supplement 16 (Summer 1972).

Philip Sheldrake, Imagination and Prayer, Ch. 8 in Images of Holiness (Darton, Longman and Tood,

London/Ave Maria, Notre Dame, 1987).

David Townsend, 'The Examen and the Exercises: a reappraisal' in The Way Supplement 52 (Spring 1985).

Discernment, Election and Choice

The most comprehensive contemporary study is:

Jules J. Toner, A commentary on St Ignatius' Rules for the Discernment of Spirits (St. Louis,

Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1981).

Toner's latest work on the subject of discernment is Discerning God's Will: Ignatius of Loyola's

Teaching on Christian Decision Making (St. Louis, Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1991).

A recent attempt to reassess the origins of the Rules for Discernment is:

Philip Endean, 'Discerning behind the Rules: Ignatius' first letter to Teresa Rejadell' in The Way Supplement

64 (Spring 1989).

A readable introduction is:

Thomas Green, Weeds among the Wheat (Notre Dame, Ave Maria, 1983).

Other useful essays include:

Lavinia Byrne, 'Asking for the grace' in The Way Supplement 64 (Spring 1989).

Nicholas King, 'Ignatius Loyola and decision-making' in The Way Supplement 24 (Spring 1975).

Michael Kyne, 'Discernment of spirits and Christian growth' in The Way Supplement 6 (May 1968).

Laurence Murphy, 'Psychological problems of Christian choice' in The Way Supplement 24 (Spring 1975).

Michael O'Sullivan, 'Trust your feelings but use your head: Discernment and the psychology of decision

making', Studies in the Spirituality of Jesuits 22, 4 (September 1990).

Spiritual Direction and the Exercises

Paul Begheyn, 'Soul friend: the director in the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola' in The Way 29, 2

(April 1989).

Philip Sheldrake, St Ignatius Loyola and spiritual direction in Lavinia Byrne (ed.), Traditions of Spiritual

Guidance (London, Geoffrey Chapman, 1990).

David Townsend, 'The counsellor, the director and the Annotations' in The Way Supplement 42 (Autumn

1981).

Contributions from 1991-2009 (to follow)

END OF MODULE ONE, UNIT NINE Thank you!