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.
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