Ignatian Spirituality is closely associated with the Roman
Catholic Church and dates back to medieval times. Coming
from the life experiences of Ignatius of Loyola, a lay man,
It took some of the great traditions of cloistered
communities (lectio divina, meditation, contemplation) and
adapted them for use in everyday life, outside the
cloister.
Once it had been thoroughly tried and accepted, it was then
applied to an ordered community, the Society of Jesus,
known as the Jesuits. Even then, it was not intended for
exclusive community use, but to be offered to laity who,
like Ignatius, were seeking a deeper relationship with
Christ while still involved in earning a living, bringing
up families, studying, etc.
Considering it dates back to the 16th century, Ignatian
Spirituality is coming into its own and perfectly adapted
to modern times. It is not only a spirituality of the
“real” world but also a radical lay spirituality, meant to
empower a dynamic service of God both inside and outside
the Church. Through the use of Scripture, meditation and
contemplation and the ability to share one’s experiences
with a good listener, this spirituality helps us find how
we are to work along with God to bring a more
Christ-centered focus in all areas of our human lives.
Ignatian Spirituality guides those who seek God, who is
always at work in the world and within the heart of each
person. This spirituality is helpful not only to Roman
Catholics, but to people of many other faiths. It takes
life in its entirety, as it really is, good and bad. It
offers a way to find how best to use all that God has given
us, so that we may partner with Him in bringing about
healing in the world through the promotion of Peace,
Justice, Truth and Love.
It offers a way to discern what God desires for us. It
becomes a way to make effective choices concerning our true
purpose in life as well as in the many decisions we are
called to make on a daily basis.
The Ignatian approach to discernment is particularly
relevant now in our rapidly changing world. We know, from
Ignatius’ notes, that the judicious use of certain
materials and methods of prayer helped him to sort through
the effects of sin in his life and to discover and cherish
God’s love. These insights he shared with others; and using
these experiences further developed what later became known
as the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: a way of
seeking, finding and acting along with our active God,
here/now/or wherever we are being led.
The bottom line in Ignatian Spirituality is “Finding God in
All Things”.
(Adapted from an article by Joseph A. Tetlow SJ)
