Jesuit Center of Ignatian Spirituality, Malta



CIS Newsletter N.32 March 2006 Ignatius Learns the Art of Discernment From his Autobiography In the Autobiography Ignatius says that God has dealt with him as a teacher a child, (Auto 27). Ignatius wrote the Autobiography on the insistence of his early companions. He did not exactly write it down himself. He used to spend some time dictating to his secretary Fr Concalves de Camara. In recounting his life history Ignatius was not simply interested in giving a narration of the external events of his life. Principally, Ignatius wanted to show how God dealt with him from the moment of his conversion at Loyola. He wanted his own story to serve as a testimony and "paternal spiritual instruction" to his fellow early companions and Jesuits. The Autobiography shows how God worked in Ignatius' soul. From that moment onwards, God coached Ignatius spiritually because he wanted him to found the Society of Jesus. This is clear with hindsight. The Autobiography is a retelling of a very profound spiritual journey. This interior journey became known as spiritual discernment. This inner process of harmonising one's own human freedom with the eternal and salvific will of God is at the heart of Ignatian Spirituality. Ignatius explains that when he gave up his previous life to follow God, initially he was still profoundly his own man… still at the helm of his life-events. This is Ignatius the chivalrous leader and zealous motivator on the walls of the castle at Pamplona. Even when he became a casualty he dictated to the medics the cure notwithstanding the atrocious pain he endured to heal his leg wound. His conversion to understand God's will was gradual. He did not understand at first how to leave all the initiative in God's hands. The time of his conversion was the beginning of a long interior journey of purification. The "new man" Ignatius was still planning his own future. Ignatius decided that the best way to imitate and be close to his Saviour was by embarking for Jerusalem and there live permanently as a penitent whilst serving souls. This is what he says retrospectively in the Autobiography: And on this journey (to Jerusalem) something happened to him (Ignatius) which it will be good to have written, so that people can understand how Our Lord used to deal with this soul: a soul that was still blind, though with great desires to serve him as far as its knowledge went…. And in these thoughts (to please God) he had all his consolation, not considering anything within himself, nor knowing what humility was, or charity, or patience, or discernment in regulating and balancing these virtues. Rather, his whole purpose was to do these great exterior deeds…. (Auto 14). Ignatius built an ideal to become a poor and penitent pilgrim in Jerusalem… only he did not realise that God was not calling him for this. The project itself was consoling and good. God had other plans for him and God acted through the authority of the Franciscan Provincial of the Holy Land who on holy obedience ordered Ignatius to leave and return home. This episode became important for Ignatius as he became aware that God can act vicariously, through the guidance of proper superiors, to make clear his designs. Ignatius perceived how God is present and acts through the Church and its superiors. Later on in the Spiritual Exercise Ignatius will refer to obedience to the Church and superiors as important criteria for spiritual discernment… the Rules to follow in view of the true attitude of mind that we ought to maintain [as members] with the Church militant, Sp. Ex. 352ss. In the Autobiography Ignatius describes many instances in his life when he felt that he was at a crossroad. These experiences taught him more and more how to interiorise the process of discernment and to reach the best possible "elections"… i.e. decisions according to God's will. He learned how to be open to God's action as it manifests itself in the everyday life situations. He cultivated attitudes which helped him to "feel and taste" things interiorly. He nurtured a "new" heart that embraced attitudes which helped him to see and value everything in Domino. Fr Vincent Magri SJ For personal or group reflection: Can you recall an experience in your life that you consider it as a special moment of conversion…when God touched you deeply? What criteria, values, inner attitudes come into play when you are faced with a serious decision? Are you aware of what spiritual discernment is and how important it is in decision-taking and decision-implementing? Do you trust God enough with your life decisions?

Book Review: The Soul of the Apostolate Dom Jean -Baptiste Chautard, O.C.S.O. ISBN 0 89555 031 8 TAN I strongly believe that prayer is no petty duty, put into a corner; no piecemeal performance made out of fragments of time which have been snatched from the daily chores and engagements of life; but it means the best and the heart of our time. But most of all, for those engaged in any apostolic ministry, be it religious or lay, prayer is the heart and lifeblood of all exterior activity. Dom Chautard, a French Cistercian abbot, shows in The Soul of the Apostolate that the essence of every apostolic work undertaken for Our Lord is the interior life of grace within the individual apostle's soul - a life that is fed by prayer and conformity to the will of God. This beautiful work by Chautard focuses on the need to convert oneself to Christ first to become a "living reservoir of the Holy Ghost" and not simply a "channel". The true ministry is God-touched, God-enabled and God-made. The Spirit of God is an anointing power which vitalises the apostle and the word. Isn't it impossible for the apostle to keep his spirit in harmony with the divine nature of his high calling without much prayer? For the work of any true apostolate is really God's work, not that of the individual apostle. The apostle of Jesus Christ is helping to communicate the divine life of God to others; and this activity, of its very nature, is totally beyond his capability. By prayer, meditation and cultivation of the interior life, the apostle will come to understand his own insignificance and his true role in his apostolic work - as that of an instrument of God. I am not surprised of Pope St. Pius X comments on this book "I warmly recommend this book to you, as I value it very highly and have myself made it my bedside book." Gordon Vassallo
At the Foot of the Cross Lord Jesus, during your passion you took upon yourself my suffering and pain and have suffered and wept before me. Turn to me now, O Lord, and have mercy on me. Console me Jesus, in this moment of bitterness and anguish. You also Jesus, experienced the pain of poverty, of humiliation and physical fatigue. You felt profound sadness in your soul when you heard of the death of Lazarus who was your intimate friend. Jesus you also wept bitterly for the ingratitude of mankind. As your sorrowful passion was approaching you were filled with fear and during your agony in the Garden you felt sorrowful unto death. You were afflicted Jesus when your apostles abandoned you in that moment when you needed them the most - those who were your intimate friends. The denial of Peter and betrayal of Judas, caused you anguish in your heart and most of all being left alone at the moment of death caused you the greatest grief of all. In this present moment the cross weighs heavily upon me, but it is this very cross, which you carried before me. You, who became man and suffered before me, can understand the pain that I am now going through. Jesus, no one can console me more then you. I know that for now you are close to me and can see my pain and hear my cries. I beg you Lord console me in this present affliction and draw me even closer to you through this cross. Help me to understand the great value of every tear that falls from my eyes and grant me the grace to abandon myself completely to your will. Draw me always closer to you, so that you may fill the emptiness I am feeling in my heart. Most holy Mary, in union with Jesus you tasted the bitterness and pain of the cross. Grant me, O Mother of God the strength and the courage to accept this cup of suffering especially in moments when my weak nature trembles with fear. You remained faithful to the end with Jesus during his sorrowful passion on the road to Calvary. Remain with me Mary, in this suffering that I am now going through. Lord, please help me not to be discouraged in this present suffering which burdens my soul and fills me with fear. Rather, let me raise myself above this pain and look to the joys of eternal life, which awaits the faithful in heaven. Fr Alfred Pitré SJ From the CIS Programme “Kif nghix Dejjem fil-Paci ta’ Kristu” Seminar nhar l-Erbgha qabel il-festa tad-Duluri. Ghaliex nitilfu daqshekk malajr il-paci tal-qalb, meta mhux ukoll il-paci ma’ l-ohrajn? F’dan is-Seminar infittxu l-gheruq tal-vera paci u naraw x’rabta hemm bejn dil-paci u l-verita’ fuqna nfusna u fuq l-ohrajn. Post: Mt St Joseph Retreat House - Mosta Dati: l-Erbgha 5 ta’ April 2006 Jiggwidaw: Fr Arthur Vella SJ Guest Retreat Director from Ireland Retreat for Professional Men in English Lent is a time of preparation for the solemn celebration of the Lord’s victory over sin and death. It is a special time of grace and reconciliation. Every year Manresa House offers a 5-day retreat in English to members of the professions. On the last day the retreatants go on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu. Dates: The retreat starts on 7 April 2006 at 7.00 pm and finishes on Tuesday 11 after lunch. Director: Fr Paul Andrews SJ Place: Manresa House – Gozo Fr Andrews is an Irish Jesuit and the superior of Manresa Retreat House in Dublin, Ireland. Fr Andrews is a psychologist, a counsellor and a writer, with a long experience in the giving of the Spiritual Exercises. Irtiri ta’ Weekend ghall-Mizzewgin Dan il-Weekend huwa okkaz.joni ghall-dawk il-koppji mizzewgga li jixtiequ jgeddu u jiccelebraw il-weghediet taz-zwieg taghhom. Din hija esperjenza spiritwali b’differenza. Il-Weekend huwa mfassal li jkun kreattiv u jghin lill-partners jirriflettu u jitolbu flimkien. Ikun hemm hin ta’ sharing fi grupp maghmul minn 8 koppji. Dan il-Weekend joffri lill-koppji partecipanti opportunita’ sabiex jiskopru dejjem aktar l-imhabba li Alla ghandu ghall-mizzewgin u l-familji taghhom. Post: Mount St. Joseph Retreat House – Mosta Dati: Mill-Gimgha 28 ta’ April, fis-6.00pm sal-Hadd 30, fil-5.00pm Jiggwidaw: Il-Koppja Carmen u Karm Conti u Fr. Vince Magri S.J. We would like to remind you that the Centre for Ignatian Spirituality offers personal spiritual direction to all those who would like to have any kind of spiritual experience like Ignatian retreats in every day life. Retreats can be tailored according to the needs and circumstances of the retreatant. CIS can call on experienced Jesuits, other religious and trained lay people to accompany retreatants through these experiences. Anyone interested can contact the Director on 21344349 or 99864561 or email vince@maltajesuitretreats.com.