Soft eyes. (27.12.23) In his famous spiritual manual, The Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius Loyola includes several ‘additions’ to his instructions on prayer. The third of these, a small line, easily missed, has grown into a practice of great significance for those drawn into this tradition. In short, Ignatius encourages the person who prays to begin by […]
Living in a state of grace. (27.11.23) Grace is the condition of the human story, perhaps the condition that makes possible what we mean by humanity. Contrary to popular opinion and various forms of media (social and otherwise) the world is not going to hell in a handbasket. Grace does not deny the deep suffering,
The everyday invitation to soul-based living. (26.10.23) “What will it profit a person, if she gains the whole world and forfeits her life?” (Matthew 16:26) In his sharp edged and delightful small book, The way to love (1991), Anthony DeMello invites his readers to consider a series of contrasts between soul-based and worldly feelings and
This is the day. (01.10.23) What day is it? asked Pooh. ”It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. “My favourite day,” said Pooh (A.A. Milne) “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow … “ (Matthew 6:34a). There’s something magnificent about living in the day that we’re actually in and being fully present to it in a spirit of hospitality,
Strange Ideas of Perfection. (28.08.23) A wise man once said to me on the cusp of running a major public event about which I was feeling rather anxious: ‘never let the perfect become the enemy of the good’. He helped me to recognise and let go of an unhelpful compulsion and false image of the
Entering the eternal circle of love. (2.08.23) There is an idea in Ignatian spirituality that the love of God flows towards us through the whole of creation. The concept of creation includes all that we love in nature but also expands to the creation of the human family and its many works. So imagine, if
