AMDG

To the Greater Glory of God

There are certain phrases that run throughout the Jesuit literature and these phrases capture and express the deepest values of ignatius and his company of friends.

One of the most important is repeated in many of the 6000 letters he wrote. In the Latin it is:

ad majorem Dei gloriam

which means:

to the greater glory of God.

The abbreviation is A.M.D.G. and it appears on many Jesuit institutions, both colleges and churches.

It is difficult to communicate how core this defining idea was for Ignatius. He dedicated his life to the greater glory of God.

He used the Spiritual Exercises to help "exercitants" make choices that would help them work and serve in a way for the greater glory of God.

This was his passion and his mission. This was one way Ignatius' love for God was manifest. He who had received everything from God, his Creator and Savior and Lord, would do anything for the greater glory of that God.

This is just one of the many reasons I am drawn to Ignatius and his way. On my best days I too long for the greater glory of God and I am willing to dream, dare and do much for God's greater glory. On y worst days, I fall back into selfish pursuits of my own glory.

And so my regular practice is to daily ask God to strengthen my desire for his greater glory.

The Jesuits are always seeking "mas," magis," "more" because of their desire for the greater glory of God.

Brian K. Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com

Desires: A Devotional

As you begin to work through the Spiritual Exercises, you quickly notice that Ignatius has a repeated refrain for the retreatant. "Ask for what you desire."

Ignatius wants the retreatant to be in touch with his or her deepest desires and to ask Christ for what they desire.

In this post, I am giving you a devotional exercise to help you get in touch with your desires.

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Here is a collage of passages from the Psalms.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart…

I desire to do your will O my God…

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing…

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him…

Psalms 37:4-5; 40:8; 145:16,19

Read this collage several times.

What do you feel, sense, think, discern as you read these passages?

Spend time on this, journal your discoveries.

Offer up a prayer to Christ in light of your feelings and thoughts.

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Now you are ready for a reflection on Luke 18:35-47, the encounter of a blind beggar who receives his sight. I'll guide you through this exercise.

Read the text, and try to imagine you being in the crowd who witnesses this experience. What do you see?

The question Jesus asked the blind beggar, “What do you want Me to do for you?” is the question Jesus is asking you right now.

As a New Year is upon you, as Jesus asks, “what do you want Me to do for you?” he is asking - what are your desires? You can (and do) have many desires and you should feel full freedom to name whatever desires come to mind. But also pay attention to those desires that seem stronger. What do you "most" want Jesus to do for you in the year ahead?

As you did with the Psalm collage, let your heart and mind range over this question and if you can, imagine Jesus sitting with you, asking you this question. Also, pay attention to what is going on inside you as you ask for your desires. Journal your thoughts and prayer.

While this exercise I provided is not an actual Ignatian exercise, it is an exercise that has the spirit of the Ignatian Exercises all through it.

Suscipe and the Contemplation to Attain God's Love

There is a beginning and an end… and hopefully everything in-between is congruent and in harmony with what is said first and last.

In the previous post, I told you what the beginning of the Exercises is all about. That was the First Principle and Foundation which ground the retreatant in the very meaning of creation and the purpose of life. All things are created for our well being and to aid us in the pursuit of the glory of God.

The final reflection of Ignatius' Exercises is found in Notes 230-237. It is titled:

Contemplation to Attain the Love of God.

(By the way, there are many things that are contained as supplemental resources after this, but they are not the Exercises themselves.)

The First Principle and the Contemplation are the Bookends for the Exercises and are deeply intertwined and supportive of each other.

By the time a retreatant has come to this final reflection, Ignatius' assumption is that the retreatant is full of gratitude, having gained awareness of the Presence, Work and Word of Christ (or having Found God in All Things), has consecrated desires to know, love and serve God, and a generosity of spirit that desires to do more for the greater glory of God.

This final reflection invites the retreatant to consider the great love and grace of God for her or him. It is called the contemplation to ATTAIN God's love. But the word - attain - is not used in the sense of "learn" but rathe rin the sense of "awareness" or "the experience of" God's love.

There are four movements in this reflection. The retreatant reflects on:

God's gift to them (all the retreatant is and has is from God), #234

God's self-giving, #235

God's ongoing labors and works on their behalf, #236

God's unceasing self-giving love, #237

In the center of these reflections is a beautiful and profound prayer. It is sometimes referred to as the "Suscipe" which is simply the first Latin word of the prayer, which begins, "Take, Lord, and receive…" "Suscipe" is "take."

Here is the prayer:

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory,

my understanding,

and my entire will,

all that I have and possess.

Thou hast given all to me.

To Thee, O Lord, I return it.

All is Thine,

dispose of it wholly according to Thy will.

Give me Thy love and Thy grace,

for this is sufficient for me.

Ignatius of Loyola

This is a prayer of loving surrender and trust in response to the deep awareness of the enormous love and grace of God for us.

I recommend that you write out this prayer and pray it daily for the week to come. You may also want to reflect several times on these words from the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:17-21

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions
International www.lci.typepad.com

Some Names and Titles

If you are new to the Jesuits, you may be a little confused about the variety of names and titles used for them. Here is a brief explanation.

The Spanish words do not have the proper accents or markings.

Inigo: The name of Ignatius given to him by his family.

Ignatius: The name Inigo took, in part, after the Ignatius of Antioch, one of the church fathers.

Companeros: The Spanish word for companions, which is how the first group of "amigos/brothers" saw themselves.

Compagnia: The Spanish word for company. Put some companions together and they are a Company.

Compagnia de Jesu (or Gesu): The Spanish phrase for Company of Jesus.

Societas Jesus: This is the Latin translation of Compangnia de Gesu.

Company of Jesus and Society of Jesus: The English equivalents.

Jesuits: A term first used by their critics to describe the members of the Society of Jesus.

Jebs: A nickname for the Jesuits that American students began to use.

Jays: A nickname for the Jesuits that British students began to use.

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com

First Principle and Foundation

Here is the First Principle and Foundation as it is found in The Spiritual Exercises.

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23. FIRST PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION

Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.

The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created.

Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him in the attainment of his end, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him.

Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds for all other things.

Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.

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It is difficult to emphasize how significant this First Principle and Foundation are for Ignatius theology and spirituality. Even the words used by Ignatius, tell us how significant it is. It is the First Principle, not just in terms of order of appearance, but in terms of priority. And it is the foundation or support for what Ignatius will now begin to teach.

In stead of a full essay on the meaning of this Text, I'll just provide several brief comments and observations.

ONE:
I am struck by the similarity of this First Principle and the language used by the Reformers in their catechisms. And one in particular, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which asks:

Q: What is the chief end of man?

A: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

(Here is the Westminster Assembly which produced the Confession and Catechisms.)

Ignatius is of the same spirit as were the Protestant Reformers in their desire to glorify God above all else.

This is also seen in the Baltimore Confession, question six.

Q: Why did God make me?

A: God made me to know him, to love him, and to serve him, and to be happy with him forever in heaven.

TWO:
I stand in the stream of "Reformational Worldview" thinking. Ignatius has, at least, this same approach in an incipient form. By a Reformational Worldview, I mean, understanding the Grand Biblical Narrative in terms of this framework:

Creation - Fall - Redemption (Israel, Christ, Church) - Renewal of All Things / Consummation.

While the Exercises will mainly focus on Fall (Week One) and Redemption (Weeks Two-Four), Ignatius front loads the Exercises with this Creational theme. The First Principle and Foundation are exactly that for what follows. And "Creation" will appear at various points throughout the Exercises.

THREE:
Ignatius, is once again, robustly biblical in his First Principle. Since I have spent a fair amount of time studying and teaching through Ephesians in the last number of months, a number of texts from that letter of Paul come to mind.

I won't write them out here, but I suggest you turn to Ephesians and read:

1:3-14 for how we have received every spiritual blessing, to the praise of His glory and the complete salvation of our lives.

Then...

2:8-10 with its strong emphasis on our very creational DNA is for a missional purpose, which is also created by God. We are created for a purpose and our "works of service' are also planned out for us.

FOUR:
And then, all other things in creation, are created for our blessing, our benefit, our use and our stewarding care. All things on earth are designed to be the context and occasion of our "imitation of Christ" and our glorifying of God. All things are either useful (or not) toward this end. Ignatius is going to help us learn how to be passionate about what is MOST conducive toward the end for which we are created.

And this will lead to two of the CORE CONTRIBUTIONS of Ignatius, and that is histheme of freedom from any attachments that keep us from the BEST pursuit of the end for which we are created, and a genuine "indifference" toward all things. Indifference, not in the sense of not caring, but indifference in the sense of not bound to them. And the second theme being "more for the greater glory of God."But more on this part of the First Principle and Foundation next week.

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And tomorrow, a very brief post explaining a few of the names and titles for the Jesuits.

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com

Anima Christ of Ignatius by Puhl, Fleming and Tetlow versions

Here is the Anima Christi prayer in three versions. Each one is moving and useful. I encourage you to pray these prayers this coming week.

By the way, I recommend to you, a little book on payer, Hearts on Fire: Praying With the Jesuits, edited by Michael Harter, SJ, published by Loyola Press.

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Ignatius

Anima Christi (Soul of Christ)

Source: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, trans. Louis J. Puhl, S.J.

Soul of Christ, sanctify Me

Body of Christ, save Me

Blood of Christ, inebriate Me

Water from the side of Christ, wash me

Passion of Christ, strengthen me

O Good Jesus, hear me

Within Thy wounds hide me

Permit me not to be separated from Thee

From the wicked foe defend me

At the hour of my death call me

And bid me come to Thee

That with Thy saints I may praise Thee

For ever and ever.

Amen

David Fleming, S.J.

Soul of Christ Prayer

Source: Hearts on Fire: Praying With the Jesuits (pp. 3-4)

Jesus, may all that is in you flow into me.

May your body and blood be my food and drink.

May your passion and death be my strength and life.

Jesus, with you by my side enough has been given.

May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your cross.

Let me not run from the love which you offer.

But hold me safe from the forces of evil.

On each of my dyings shed your light and your love.

Keep calling to me until that day comes.

When with our saints, I may praise you forever.

Amen

Joseph Tetlow,S.J. (pictured)

I Choose to Breathe the Breath of Christ

Source: Hearts on Fire: Praying With the Jesuits (pp. 5-6)

I choose to breathe the breath of Christ that makes all life holy.

I choose to live the flesh of Christ that outlasts sin's corrosion and decry.

I choose the blood of Christ along my veins and in my hearts that dizzies me with joy.

I choose the living waters flowing from his side to wash clean my own self and the world itself.

I choose the awful agony of Chrsit to charge my senseless sorrows with meaning and to make my pain pregnant with power.

I choose you, good Jesus, you know.

I choose you, good Lord; count me among the victories that you have won in bitter roundedness.

Never number me among those alien to you.

Make me safe from all ha seeks to destroy me.

Summon me to come to you.

Stand me solid among angels and saints chanting yes to all you have done, exulting in all you mean to do forever and ever.

The for this time, Father of all, keep me, from the core of my self, choosing Christ in the world.

Amen

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com

Anima Christi

In January I will start to blog on key themes that are essential to the Spiritual Exercises. These are the spiritual, theological and biblical perspectives that are woven throughout the Exercises.

For this first post in January, I am introducing you to the Prequel Prayer of Ignatius that is provided before the Exercises begin. (I know I said I would do the First Principle and Foundation today, I'll do that next week.)

I have provided the Ignatian text as it appears in the Puhl translation. Tomorrow I will have another post providing the Puhl text along with two more contemporary renditions of this prayer. One by David Fleming and the other by Joseph Tetlow, both outstanding Jesuit spiritual directors, authors and interpreters/translators of Ignatius and his Spiritual Exercises

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Anima Christi (Soul of Christ)

Soul of Christ, sanctify Me

Body of Christ, save Me

Blood of Christ, inebriate Me

Water from the side of Christ, wash me

Passion of Christ, strengthen me

O Good Jesus, hear me

Within Thy wounds hide me

Permit me not to be separated from Thee

From the wicked foe defend me

At the hour of my death call me

And bid me come to Thee

That with Thy saints I may praise Thee

For ever and ever.

Amen

I love to read some of the great and "famous' prayers that have been written and prayed by followers of Christ through the centuries. Some of them are so powerful in their wording, they have sustained their place amid the devotional literature of our heritage.

The Anima Christi by Ignatius is one of them.

I pray this prayer often.

I am moved by how this prayer is so Christ-centered. Ignatius had a strong Trinitarian spirituality AND at the same time, his Spiritual Exercises are Christo-centric. Christ is supreme throughout the Exercises.

One way to describe the DESIRED OUTCOMES of going through the Exercises is that the retreating will come to know, love and follow Christ with great desire and surrender, wanting only what Christ wants, and therefore, fully devoted to Christ and dedicated to the mission of Christ in the world.

The Anima Christi prayer is the foretaste of what is to come in the Exercises.

I am also struck by how this prayer is so Christ-dependent.Sometimes, evangelicals make a careless and unfortunate mistake in ascribing to Roman Catholicism, a works oriented spirituality.

Well, yes, there are strong works that are a part of (for our example) Ignatian spirituality. But these works are absolutely grounded in dependence on Christ and His empowering grace that makes all things possible.

Ignatius is utterly dependent on Christ. Ignatius knows he cannot even desire Christ fully and rightly, unless Christ first gives Ignatius this desire. This will be seen all throughout the Exercises. And it is a wonderful corrective to some of our own self-focused, pragmatic, "get'er done" evangelical practices.

Ignatius has captured the spiritual balance of the Apostle Paul:

". . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:12-13

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." 1 Corinthians 15:10

Finally, I notice how devotion to Christ is in this prayer. Ignatius loves Jesus. Ignatius wants to love Jesus more. Ignatius does not merely have good theological notions about Christ. Ignatius wants to experience Christ, and this prayer if for the Person of Jesus in all His splendor, to be with Ignatius in all his need.

As I said above, this prayer is the foretaste of what is to come.

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com