Category: Ignatian Spirituality

Balancing Act

Do you ever feel like this donkey? You’re plugging away, doing the best you can to keep your balance, and then…

It seems like life is just one big balancing act. Whether it’s trying to balance work and family, good eating and unhealthy eating, exercising too much and not exercising at all, watching your spending and putting everything on a credit card. Whatever the situation may be for you, I know the balancing act isn’t easy.

But when our bodies start talking to us, reminding us that we’re not taking care of ourselves, we have to pay attention. When we change our diets, we have to be sure we’re getting balanced nutrition.

This morning, I was reading an online article in the Los Angeles Times about a vegan couple. On the surface, you would think that they were paying attention to what they were eating, and that they were choosing the right blend of foods to keep themselves in peak shape. But they weren’t, as the article tells us (be sure to read it). Yes, a bag of potato chips might be considered vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean that’s all you have for lunch. Or that you’re taking care of yourself by just eating bean burritos from Taco Bell. Dumb.

So, keeping ourselves in proper balance, body, mind and spirit can make all the difference. You have to work on it, every day. If you messed up yesterday, get yourself back on track. Whatever you do, don’t give up! What needs to get balanced out in your life?

Catholic Church Ignatian Spirituality Prayer Spirit

Finding God In All Things

Post author By seedthrower1
Post date 07/15/2010
No Comments on Finding God In All Things

When I was first introduced to Ignatian Spirituality, I spent a fair amount of time pondering one of its key components, that being “finding God in all things.” For most of us, we’re used to finding God in our church buildings. We can also find Him when we look into the eyes of a loved one, or when we have a great day and everything seems to be just right.

For some of us, it’s a bit harder to find God when we’re confronted with some major issue, like the death of a child, the loss of a job, or it could be a terrible and unjust war, or maybe a devastating earthquake. The list goes on and on.

But St. Ignatius taught us that our God is active, personal, and, above all, present to us. His DNA is everywhere, in our family and friends, in our joys and sorrows, in nature, and also in the daily rhythm of life. He’s right there when we want Him to be with us, and He’s waiting for us to return after we reject Him. He’s always present, in the good and the bad.

Over the next few days, be open to God’s presence around you. Even if you feel distant from Him, it doesn’t change things. He made a promise a long time ago to be with us (Matthew 28:20), and He continues to keep it. Yes, we really can find God in all things. But you have to look 🙂

Ignatian Spirituality Inspiration Prayer

God’s Well Tended Flock

“For this is our God,

whose people we are,

God’s well-tended flock.” Psalm 95:7

I know they might be a bit hard to make out, but there eight little ducklings in the photo above. They were really small, about half the size of my fist. I want to share with you the story behind the photo. I think it’s a good one.

On the last day of my retreat last week, I drove over to Patapsco State Park, about a ten minute drive from the retreat center. I’ve been to the park and was impressed with its size and the fact that, during the week, there’s hardly anyone there.

As I walked the trails, trying to get my thoughts together about my retreat, I saw a trail sign pointing to McKeldin Rapids. It looked like the trail wasn’t especially arduous, so I decided to take it. It was a good call.

The trail led to the rapids, which fed into a large pool of water. The rapids weren’t especially large, but there was a lot of water flowing through them. As I started climbing the rocks leading to the top of the rapids, an adult female duck took flight and flew just above the water, landing in the pool some distance down river. The duck seemed out of sorts to me, and I was thinking maybe it was injured. As I turned to look back up-stream, I saw the coolest thing.

In front of me was a little group of ducklings trying to go up the rapids, and, due to their size, they were having a very hard time of it. As they struggled, the force of the water kept tossing them back down. One by one, however, they made it up, much to my amazement.

As I settled down on a rock, I began thinking/praying, and writing in my journal. After about five minutes, I heard all this quacking coming upstream. I stood up just in time to see the eight little ducklings who had struggled so greatly to get away from me, begin to race down the swift water.

It was really pretty awesome to see them try to make it down. I’ve been whitewater rafting several times, and it can be pretty scary at times. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be a little duckling tumbling down, some getting caught up in the turbulent, swirling water. In the end, they all made it to the peaceful pool at the end of the rapids, and I watched them wade out one by one on the opposite bank.

As soon as this experience was over, I began to ask God what He wanted to teach me in this. I just happened upon this scene, and I knew there was something God wanted to say to me in it. Here’s what I figured out:

We’re living in some pretty turbulent times right now. Personally, the transfer of my pastor at the church where I work will force us to go through some major changes soon. Change is never easy. This will be major for me and my parish community. Other people reading this might be going through health problems, unemployment concerns, relationship or financial problems.

I think God allowed me to watch this scene unfold because He wanted to remind me that there was no need to be afraid. I’m part of a well-tended flock, and although we might be very apprehensive about what the future might hold, He’s in control and has a plan.

The future might include some turbulent times,and I might have a sense of being tossed about like one of those little ducklings. But we, like them, will make it through. The trip might not be easy, but we’ll reach the prize, just as St. Paul reminds us.

If you’re worried about something today, say a quick prayer, asking God to give you some wisdom and peace. Ask God to show you the way. Remember that you are special in His eyes, and you are part of His well-tended flock.

Ignatian Spirituality Main Course Vegetarian

Food Habits

When I began changing my eating habits, I was encouraged by the line in Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus asked, “isn’t life more than food..?” (5:25). So much of our lives today revolve around eating and drinking. In and of itself, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it seems to me that many of us have taken it to the extreme.

On the NBC evening news last night (6/21/10), I happened to catch a segment on overeating. They pointed out that 70% of Americans are overweight, mainly because we’re eating lots and lots of cheap food. According to NBC, one of many reasons why we are eating so much is because our plate sizes have increased over the last fifty years. In 1960, we ate our dinner on 9 inch plates. In 2010, our plate size averages 12 inches, representing more than a 30% increase!

Over 400 years ago, St. Ignatius wrote his spiritual exercises. While I was on retreat this past week, I learned that within the exercises, Ignatius wrote several paragraphs about food (#210-217). As I read the passages, I was amazed at how his words have so much relevance today. Here’s some key points,

It is good to discover a proper mean for myself in my eating habits. (In other words, don’t overeat) #213

If the whole focus of my attention at meals is upon food itself, I can find that I am carried away by my appetites. I may also discover that I am bolting my food so hurriedly that there is little evidence of a Christ-behavior in my activity of eating a meal. Both in the amount of food eaten and in the way it is eaten, I should be ordering my life in Christ. (In other words, if all I am doing is savoring the food, without thinking of anything/anyone else, then I will more than likely overeat. In everything, including what we eat and how we eat it, should have God as a focus) #217

Maybe for some, we love food, drink or something else, more than we love God. For the vast majority of us, excess food isn’t making us stronger, it’s making us weaker. In place of happiness, overeating is giving us increasing misery. Can that really be what God wants for us?

So, what should we do? Get our lives in order. Not just the physical, but also the spiritual and mental/emotional. We need to be asking ourselves if our lives are balanced. Upon prayerful examination, if the answer is no, then now is the time to start. Don’t worry about yesterday. Start fresh tomorrow. Since summer is here and the heat is on, here’s a great recipe to get you started. By using Dreamfields Pasta, you reduce the total number of carbs per serving by nearly 70%.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing

Ingredients:

1 box uncooked Dreamfields Elbows
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts (packed in water; quarter if whole)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, diced
1/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata or black olives
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise (more if desired)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain again.
In large bowl combine pasta, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, tomatoes, red peppers and olives.
In medium bowl combine mayonnaise, herbs and vinegar. Stir to combine. Add to pasta mixture; toss until well coated (add extra vinegar if necessary for consistency). Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Refrigerate, covered, 4 hours or overnight to chill completely.

Makes 6 main dish servings.

Nutrition information (1/6 of recipe): 365 calories; 12 g protein; 18 g digestible carbohydrates*; 11 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 20 mg cholesterol; 863 mg sodium; 8 g total dietary fiber. (information provided by Dreamfields Pasta)

For those of you who can’t cook, here’s a video link to the Dreamfields website that will help get impressive results. Enjoy!

I almost forgot one last thing… Get some smaller plates 🙂

Ignatian Spirituality Inspiration Spirit

Post Retreat I

There’s a lot of thoughts floating through my head today, having just made an eight day silent retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I’m planning one writing about several key insights over the next couple of weeks, and I thought I just as well might start today.

During the past three retreats, my director has been a man named Stephen. On the surface, one might assume that he and I would approach things differently. The main reason is that Stephen is a retired Episcopal priest. As I filled out the questionnaire for my first retreat, I had four options to choose from for director. The first was a Jesuit priest, the second was a laywoman from Georgetown University, the third was Stephen, and the fourth was whoever was available.

Those who know me well would never have guessed that I would have checked off the box marked “whoever was available.” I like to be in more control than that, but on that particular day, I had the sense that I needed to be more Spirit-led, so, that’s what I checked. I ended up with Stephen, and it turned out that God knew what He was doing. It was also a great validation of my instinct to trust more. Now when we get together, it’s as if I’m greeting an old friend. All the groundwork has been laid in the previous years. Each session now leads me deeper into my friendship with not only Stephen, but more importantly, God.

Sometimes, we have to think outside the box, be a bit more trusting, a little more prayerful. It would not have been the end of the world had I gotten one of the other folks leading that first silent retreat. But I’m glad I ended up with Stephen, who although he is from a different denomination, loves the Spiritual Exercises in a very deep and rich way, and he wants to share his wisdom with others. He’s helped me learn a wonderful new way to pray, and the ability to embrace a spirituality that reminds each of us to “find God in all things.” How can those not be great things? Where have you found God today? Have you looked?

Ignatian Spirituality Inspiration Prayer Spirit

Three Minute Retreat

I’m an early riser, and have been since I was a kid. Praying first thing in the morning comes easily to me, and it’s part of my daily rhythm. But some days, it’s hard to focus, even with my cup of coffee, so I began visiting Loyola Press’ website and using their three minute retreat. Is that all it takes? Yes, and I’ve actually found that on some crazy days, I have to slow myself down or I would have it done in two. Of course, you could also stretch it out to, say, five minutes if you wanted to.

Following Ignatian Spirituality, these short refections begin with a beautiful image. With some instrumental music if you like, you’ll scroll through a Scripture passage, a brief reflection, and them some challenging questions. The retreat ends with a short prayer that generally asks the Lord’s help in integrating the day’s theme into our daily lives.

You can do your retreat in the morning, like I do, or at any other time that suits you. So many of us don’t find time for God in the business of our daily living. If that sounds like you, why don’t you try doing these little retreats for the next week. See what a difference it can make.

Ignatian Spirituality Prayer Spirit

Retreat Day Four

Well, my retreat is half-way over. It’s hard to believe how fast time flies. Last year, my retreat director told me an interesting statistic. Steve said that a survey had been given to a large group of those who direct eight day Ignatian retreats. While there were lots of insights to be gleaned from the results, one jumped out. On average, it’s taking people four to five days to unwind enough to fully engage in the retreat. Imagine.

We are so stressed out that we spend half our retreat time just calming down enough to hear what God wants to say to us. The funny thing is, I know a lot of people who think they are too busy to go on retreat 🙂

So far, my retreat has been good. Right before I left, my pastor (and good friend of fifteen years) announced that he was leaving our parish to become the Rector of the Basilica in downtown Baltimore. This major change has given me a lot to think/pray about while I’m away.

Having a new employee starting tomorrow is high on my list too. And this blog. And then there’s…. Maybe the fifth day will be the charm for me this year.

Please know that I’m praying for you while I’m away. One of the best ways to become less distracted with your own life is to focus on the needs of others. There are many, many needs. Let’s lift one another up during these days, and become a blessing to each other.

Ignatian Spirituality Inspiration Prayer Spirit

Retreat in Silence

This afternoon, I’ll be heading out for my annual silent retreat. The retreat center where I go generally has these Ignatian retreats in August, but this year, it was moved to the middle of June. As I noted in my post yesterday, I know that God always has a plan. I’m wondering if He knew how much I would need a retreat at the beginning of the summer, instead of at the end. Maybe it will be made clear to me. I’ll let you know how it goes 😉

Usually, I bring a ton of spiritual reading with me, most of which I carry back home unread. I tend to try and “fill” the silence, but not this year. I’m only bringing a couple of things to read, along with my journal. I want to really be able to “hear.”

My traveling companions this year will be Chris Lowney, who wrote Heroic Living. St. Ignatius will be joining us, along with St. Phillip Neri, who has only recently come back on my radar. Together, we’ll be walking, thinking, praying, and relaxing. Together, we’ll be traveling along the path that leads to the One who calls our name, reminding us that we are His, and all is well.

Ignatian Spirituality Inspiration Mind Spirit

Heroic Living

The title of the book, Heroic Living, intrigued me, so I picked it up. Written by Chris Lowney, the book uses Ignatian Spirituality as a tool for developing a personal life strategy to achieve your “mighty purpose” in life.

Lowney was a high-powered investment banker for JP Morgan. He got out in time. I don’t even know if JP Morgan exists anymore. Well, before he was an investment banker, the author was a Jesuit seminarian for a time. While he was in formation, he developed a love for the Ignatian Spirituality which reminds us to “find God in all things.”

So, Lowney combined the leadership skills he learned at JP Morgan with his passion for this centuries old spiritual way of living, and presto, this book was born. I’m not sure if you can get it at your local library, but maybe. If not, it came out in paperback not that long ago, and I think it can be a helpful tool for anyone who is desiring to make changes in their lives.

This comes from the introduction,

You were born to change the world.

You can make the most of this unique opportunity by mastering three vital skills:

Articulate a purpose worth the rest of your life.

Make wise career and relationship choices in this changing, uncertain world.

Make every day matter by mindful attention to your thoughts, actions, and results.

Is that a great teaser, or what? I know many people who are in my life, some reading these words, who want to make changes so they can begin to be the person God is calling them to be. Whether it be this book, or one like it on your shelf, the time to start making these changes is now. We have to get moving.

As Pope John Paul II reminded us so often, quoting from the words of the angels found throughout the Bible, “do not be afraid.”

Ignatian Spirituality Mind Spirit

Examen Prayer

Sorry, this post is a bit longer than my usual. But as I was thinking about it early this morning, I wanted to spell this powerful prayer out to you. I hope you find it beneficial.

When I began making the Spiritual Exercises, I began working on the discipline of the Daily Examen. I can’t say I was always faithful to it, but it was very beneficial when I did. I continue to strive to make it a part of my daily life.

Developed by St. Ignatius Loyola, this practice seeks to grow followers of Jesus in their capacity to discern God’s will, find God in all things, and enhance their understanding of God’s good creation.

The prayer takes between ten and twenty minutes. The majority of that time will be spent reviewing your day. Try not to dwell too long on thoughts. Instead, allow yourself to become aware and move on.

Begin by finding a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Then sit comfortably, with good posture and both feet on the floor. Allow yourself to relax. Close your eyes if you like.

1. Recall you are in the presence of God

As you sit in silence, focus on God’s deep and abiding love for you. We are always in the presence of God. Try to become aware of God’s presence in an attentive way. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you recall your day with love.

2. Recall your day with gratitude

After a few moments, remember the small pleasures of your day; things like a good night’s sleep, a great conversation with a friend or co-worker, or a beautiful sunrise. These are all gifts from God. As you remember these small gifts from God, take a moment to reflect on the gifts that you gave today, whether to God or to others. How did you bring your strengths, your sense of humor, your abilities, your encouragement, your patience to others today? When you have finished, pause briefly and thank God for these things.

3. Ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit

In a moment you will begin to retrace the steps of your day. Before you do, ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct your mind. The Spirit will lead and guide you into the truth and mystery of your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit for the capacity to recall your day with clarity and an understanding of your limitations.

4. Review your day

This is the central and longest step of the prayer. Go back to the start of your day and allow it to play like a short movie in your mind. Pay attention to the details. What were your feelings? What motivated you to respond to certain situations in the way that you did? The purpose of this is to draw out the positive and the negative aspects of your day.

As you are reviewing your day, ask the question, “Where did I fail today?”

Was there a moment when you lived out of anger or bitterness? Were there things that you avoided? Don’t allow yourself to dwell on these things or seek to resolve them. Simply allow yourself to identify them and move on.

Next, ask the question, “When did I love?” Was there a moment, or several moments, in which you made the choice to live out of love. Perhaps it was a kind act like holding the door or spending intentional time with your family. Remember the ways that you chose to love this day.

Next, search for any patterns or habits during the course of the day. Do you make coffee at the same time? Do you chat for a few minutes with a co-worker? Are you always staying late at work? As you detect these patterns, what emotions do you sense coming to the surface for each habit? Do these habits help you face your day with love? Do they hinder you from facing your day with love?

5. Reconcile and Resolve

Finally, picture yourself seated next to Jesus, talking as you would with a friend. Maybe there was something in your day that you don’t feel good about. Tell Jesus about this and express your disappointment and ask him to be with you when you face that moment again. Allow yourself to feel the sorrow in your heart as you share this, but also remember and give thanks for Christ’s continual restoration of your heart. Remember all of the good moments of your day and thank Jesus for His presence with you in those moments.

6. End with the Lord’s Prayer

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Amen