It was wonderful to be together again last night to kick off the next season of The Practice. For the majority of this year, we will be walking through the themes of Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. Ignatian spirituality has had a significant influence on The Practice from the beginning, so we are really excited to dive in more intentionally this year.
I cannot think of anyone I would rather have launch us into this season than Father Michael. Last night, he introduced us to the themes of the Spiritual Exercises. The Exercises begin, Father Michael explained, with an understanding that we are loved simply because we are God’s children. I find it so interesting that Ignatius would wait to guide someone through the Exercises until they had an abiding sense of their belovedness.
Father Michael then led us in a practice to help us rest in God’s love. We began with a reflection on the sign of the cross, and then practiced a simple breath prayer, “be-loved.”
Kingdom Practice
Because this foundation of being grounded in our belovedness was so important to Ignatius, we want to really sink into this prayer. Our kingdom practice for the entire journey through the first movement of the Spiritual Exercises will be to pray the simple breath prayer Father Michael taught us last night. As you inhale, “be,” and as you exhale, “loved.” As we journey through this first movement of the Spiritual Exercises, let’s commit to practicing this prayer at least fifteen minutes each day.
If you would find it helpful to begin your daily prayer time with the reflection Father Michael led last night, you can find it here.
Additional Resources
Putting on the Heart of Christ by Gerald M. Fagin, SJ
The Ignatian Adventure by Kevin O’Brien, SJ
Inner Compass by Margaret Silf