Examen of Consciousness

We received this small card with the Examen of Consciousness on it at our silent retreat in Arnprior. I have reproduced front and back below.

For more information on the Examen you can go here.

The Tumbler of God - Chesterton as Mystic

Fr. Bob Wild talked about his new book Tumbler of God last night at St. Paul's University.

He writes about Chesterton's friendship with God and believes that Chesterton received a mystical grace from God.

Fr. Wild's hope was that his talk would help us to deepen our own relationship with God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSoY9ljnveQ

A primer in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Here is the first talk we received on our retreat last weekend, at the Galilee retreat Centre in Arnprior. It was given by Jason who is a Jesuit seminarian. 

Jason gives a great personal example of how to pray by using the structure of St. Ignatius's Spiritual Exercises.

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Retreat: 17-19 January 2014 at Arnprior, ON

At my parents’ house in Scarborough, ON, there is in an album an old, sepia photograph that I am very fond of. It was taken the year I was born and it shows my grandmother cradling me in her arms. In her bedroom, she is lying on a bed in that floral dress she loved so much. Her head rests on a pillow and she holds the new born me, swaddling clothes and all, literally close to her heart. My fleshy face, in the photo, crinkles with confusion. The sun blazes through an open window and, just as my grandmother cradles me, the sunlight cradles both of us. In the photograph, my grandmother holds me so close to her that both of us seem to be one being. She smiles broadly and proudly, and her eyes sing songs of tenderness and gratitude. As you can tell, this picture evokes strong feelings in me. When I look at it, I feel comfort, gratitude and tender love for my late grandmother, who raised me. I miss her. Even my senses react to the photograph. I actually feel the softness of her skin against my cheek. I smell acutely her homely scent. I feel her soft bosom in which I am ensconced. I see her smiling eyes. There is no doubt that images exact great power over us. Which image do you find evocative? It could be a photograph, a scene from a film, a painting, or a picture in a newspaper or magazine.

Ignatius of Loyola knew that images are powerful. He, therefore, popularized imaginative prayer, which we call Ignatian Contemplation. Ignatian Contemplation means prayerfully imagining yourself as a character in a scriptural story. To properly explain how to go about this, I would like to elaborate on the following three points. Ignatius, firstly, believed that the Holy Spirit, through prayerful imagination, directs us into deeper companionship or friendship with the Triune God and, in particular, with Jesus. This deepening friendship, secondly, entails desiring and discovering what it means to be more like Jesus. I will, thirdly, briefly outline the structure of a typical Ignatian Contemplation.

Firstly, the Holy Spirit guides our prayer. This is no less true when we do Ignatian Contemplation. Since God made us to desire deeper intimacy with Him, He gives us the grace to be intimate. Jesus says in the gospel of John, “the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things” (14:26). When we pray, the Holy Spirit uses our imaginations to teach us what it means to be Jesus’ friends and companions. Trusting the Spirit is, then, very important. Remember, it is not we who control the dynamic of our prayer even though we might sometimes like to do so. “We do not invite God into prayer rather God invites us into prayer.” Our Ignatian Contemplations may not always unfold as we like, but we must still trust that the Holy Spirit guides us. This is the key.

Secondly, the whole point of Ignatian Contemplation is to accompany Jesus, and in accompanying him, to learn how to imitate him in our daily lives. In fact, the word “image” comes from the Latin word imitari, which means to copy or imitate. Ignatius believed that if we imagine ourselves accompanying Jesus through his birth, ministry, crucifixion, death and resurrection, we will not only grow closer to Jesus but also have a better idea of what it means to imitate him daily. If this is the whole point of Ignatian contemplation, then we need two more key elements. One of these is desire. During each prayer period we must tell God what grace we desire from the contemplation. The grace we ask for, naturally, depends on the scripture passage we are praying with, and we decide on this grace with our spiritual director’s help. The grace usually comes out of our desire to know more deeply Jesus’ mind and heart. The other element is discovery. Ignatian Contemplation is all about following Jesus like a pilgrim on a journey of discovery. We discover ourselves as loved by God, which transforms us into more arduous messengers of that love.

Thirdly, a typical Ignatian Contemplation has the following structure:

I. CHOOSE an appropriate place

• Find a place that will best enable you to be quiet and prayerful. Remember that, just like Moses in front of the burning bush, this place is holy ground because it is where you will encounter Jesus in prayer.
• After you have settled yourself, take a couple of minutes to become aware of God’s presence with you in that room and in your heart.

II. SEE: Imagine the Scene

• Imagine the setting (topographical and social) of the scripture story. For example, imagine you are actually with the baby Jesus in the manger. What do you see, hear, smell and feel? What does the manger look like? How does it smell? Etc.
• If it were a movie, what would this scriptural scene look like?
• Who else is in the scene with you? For example, the Virgin Mary and Joseph might be present in the manger. The shepherds might be there as well. Or perhaps you are alone with the baby Jesus.

III. ASK for a grace that leads to greater intimacy with Jesus

• For example, “Jesus draw me into the mystery of your birth”
• Desiring a grace helps you to become more involved in the story.

IV. LISTEN to what the characters in the story are saying

• Before entering into dialogue with Jesus, listen to the dialogue between the characters in the story. How does the conversation affect you?
• For example, what is the Virgin Mary saying to Joseph and the baby Jesus? What are the Shepherds discussing about? Perhaps, there is only silence on that holy night, and that’s okay.

V. SPEAK: confide in Jesus

• Since you are trying to become closer friends with Jesus, have a heart to heart conversation with Him.
• What do you talk about with Jesus? Tell him about what moved you during your prayer. What did you like and/or dislike about your prayer? What were your thoughts and feelings during the prayer? Ask Jesus what he was feeling and thinking.
• If absolutely nothing moved you during prayer, this is okay. Tell Jesus that nothing moved you and then imagine what his reply would be.
• In addition to this, you may speak to other characters in the story.

VI. SILENCE with Jesus

• Now take some time to enter into grateful silence with Jesus. Enjoying being with Jesus your friend. Rest in HIS presence. This isn’t an awkward silence. Very close friends are usually quite comfortable being silent with each other.

VII. CONCLUSION

• Thank Jesus for the time you have spent with him.

The above structure is not meant to stifle your prayer. It is meant, rather, to help you encounter God. An Ignatian Contemplation could last from 30 to 60 minutes. With your director’s help, decide on how long each of your prayer periods should be. The Jesuit Anthony De Mello once said that prayer is “all about the fire. Where is the fire?” When I look at that photograph of my grandmother cradling me, the fire is in my love for her and in my gratitude for her life. It is in my sensual reaction to the photograph - the feel of my grandmother’s skin, and her scent. The above structure is supposed to surface these fiery movements. In Ignatian Contemplation, Jesus plays the same role for you that my grandmother plays for me in that photograph. As you pray with Luke 2:1-19 (found at the top left hand corner of your sheets), I wish and pray that you may experience God’s fiery presence not only in your prayer and during this retreat but throughout your lives. Thank You.

Silent retreat at the Galilee Retreat Centre in Arnprior

This past weekend I went on a silent retreat in Arnprior at the Galilee retreat centre.

The retreat was awesome. It was given by three Jesuits, Father Hasina, Jason and Boniface.

The grounds were fantastic. It would be amazing to be able to go there in the summer when there is no snow. But I have to admit that it was beautiful with the snow. Very quiet. Very peaceful. Perfect for being with God.

On one of my walks outside some chickadees nudged my hands. I think they must have been used to people feeding them. Alas, I had no food to give them. Instead I just asked them, along with the squirrels, to praise and thank God with me. They did.

I will write more about it later. For now, here is a video that my sister Maureen put together of some of the pictures I took while there.

A Christmas Poem

'Twas the night after Christmas

by Barbara Maloney McAdorey

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the town
Traffic congested the streets up and down.
Shopping mall parking spots soon became rare
From too many shoppers; that made tempers flare.
Joy to the World at this time is forgot
As you curse at the driver who took the last spot.

The kid now starts screaming he wants this new toy
Your stress levels rise in this season of joy.
But what's one more toy when you're out on a binge
So you pull out your card and you try not to cringe.

Then there's more gifts to buy for Heaven knows who
Is this gift ok? Did they buy for me too?
Still more things to buy and cards to send out
But then panic and debt's what this season's about.

'Twas the night before Christmas, not much more you could do
Thankful there was just one more day to get through.

'Twas the night after Christmas in Heaven above
The Devil was speaking to God about love:
You have to admit that my plan is quite fine
You don't see much love in the world at this time.
They talk about Peace, Love, Hope and Joy
But their actions sure show they don't care for Your Boy.
Christmas is becoming what I want it to be
Causing those humans such anxiety.
Sure there's some fun with the candies and toys
But that is short lived for most girls and boys.
The true things that last as You, God, best know
Are no longer valued on Earth down below.
And talking of Christ has become incorrect
I've made them all feel that it shows disrespect
For others who may not worship your Son,
You must admit with this scheme I have won!
And I laugh at these humans, for my trick they all fall
For your Son is why Christmas existed at all!
If these things continue, my work's almost done
In another few years, they'll have forgotten Your Son!
When that great day comes, Your humans will buy,
Buy more and more, and not even know why!
So their stress will increase and they'll try all the more
To find some of that joy they gave up years before!

God spoke not a word and as calm as could be
He pointed to Earth for the Devil to see.
The boy with the gizmo was bored now, it's true
But the boy had a plan of what he should do.
He went to the house of a neighbourhood boy
Who was poor, had no friends, he was bringing the toy!
And he didn't just go there to give it away
He gave him the toy and he stayed there to play!

And the Devil stopped laughing, thought, Maybe I'm wrong,
Perhaps they were good deep down all along,
Maybe there is some love left, what a fright!
Well, there's always next year. I'm exhausted. Good night!

Copyright © 1998 by Barbara Maloney McAdorey

Barbara Maloney McAdorey is the author of the children's storybook, Icicles to Miracles.

This poem was first published in the December 1999 issue of Our Family magazine.

Picture from original painting by Paula E. Maloney
From the children's storybook, Icicles to Miracles 

 

 

Praying for the dying

Before our friend Jack died, I spent a lot of time praying for him. I would wake in the middle of the night, and I would pray. During the day whenever I thought of Jack, I prayed. I offered up Masses for him.

I was worried for his soul. Jack was raised a Catholic but was not a practicing Catholic in any way.

About 10 days before he died I asked my spiritual director, a priest, to visit Jack. They had a good talk. Shortly before he died Jack received the Sacrament of the sick.

I prayed at his bedside as he lay dying. I asked my sisters to pray for Jack as well. Sort of like a little prayer committee to get Jack to Heaven.

A funny thing happened to me during this time. I felt good about this praying I was doing. Way more praying than usual. It made me feel at peace, like I was doing something concrete for Jack--when there is so little one can do for another person who is dying of a terminal illness.

After Jack died, I wasn't praying as much. The urgency was gone. And I missed the feeling of peace that had become a part of me as a result of this prayer.

Recently I read The Trial of Faith of Saint Therese of Lisieux. St Therese felt it was her vocation to pray and suffer for souls who had lost their faith. I have also read St. Faustina's diary, another amazing story of a soul close to God. Faustina also prayed for souls.

Putting all this together I knew that I too could pray for souls like these two great saints. I could offer up prayers whenever I thought about it, so that souls who are dying could make it to Heaven. Especially those souls who have nobody to pray for them. Like Jack.

And then it hit me. Jack probably did have others praying for him too. And they would be those other souls, who also felt it was their calling to pray for souls that nobody prayed for. And now Jack can pray for all us here as well.

The Communion of Saints. Awesome.

What man is looking for

I am always puzzled at the passing of a great person and the large amounts of adulation that ensues.

Like Nelson Mandela in South Africa now, or when Jack Layton, leader of the NDP party in Canada, died two years ago.

I understand that in some cases, the people who died have done great things. We feel sorry that they are no longer with us here on earth.

I could take a day or two or three of hearing about what people perceived as their good works. And yes we need to mourn them. I understand all this.

What I am talking about is not the normal mourning we all must pass through at a death of a loved one. It is this seeming need to put them on par with a deity. To adore them, to worship them, to make them something that they never were and never could be.

All of us on earth are mere humans. With virtues yes, but we are frail and imperfect. It is normal upon a death to ignore those imperfections. We all do it because we need to remember our loved ones for their goodness. And when an average person dies we mourn them in a healthy way. I don't think we do this well when the person is famous.

We make them out to be something they are not. I think people do this because they are looking for something to believe in. And they can't find it. I don't think they even know they are looking for something to believe in. When someone great dies, people feel they have permission to publicly mourn even if they never knew the person or if that person made no difference to their lives.

Often times the public person who dies has values that are far different from our own. Do the public mourners think about this? I don't know.

So many people have given up on God. It is tragic that this is true. God is pure Goodness, and pure Love. He is the one that people are looking for. They just don't seem to know it.