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Saint Ignatius, a warrior in career transition, who launches a MOOC
We are in 1521, the city of Pamplona is besieged by the Kingdom of France. While the Spanish troops are considering surrender, a young man, today known as Ignatius of Loyola, urges the soldiers to continue the battle. Unfortunately, a cannonball wounds his leg.
Following this accident, he can no longer pursue his military career (#careerchange). He then devotes himself to reading chivalric romances, seeking an escape from reality.
However, he senses that his daydreams bring him only fleeting satisfaction. One day, he discovers the life of Christ and that of certain saints, whom he desires to imitate. This deepening of the Scriptures allows him to reread his story and make the right choices to bring order to his life.
Later, he will transcribe his spiritual journey in Exercitia spiritualia, the reference "MOOC" for spiritual exercises.
Why follow the Spiritual Exercises?
Although we are not all confronted with an accident as dramatic as that of Saint Ignatius, the question of the meaning of our existence arises for each of us at one time or another. The Spiritual Exercises address several types of questions we ask ourselves daily. Among the most common reasons:
1) Apparently, God speaks to me but I don't hear Him
The Exercises help us listen to this inner voice, often drowned out by the noise of daily life. They offer a space of silence and meditation to recenter ourselves
2) I have questions about my vocation
When it comes to major life choices (vocation, marriage, work...), the Exercises allow for deep introspection and help discern the path to take.
3) I am lost in my professional career
As Ignatius experienced, professional life can sometimes seem meaningless. The Exercises help us reread our life choices and discover a new direction, in line with our values.
4) Taking a look back at one's life
By meditating and contemplating the Gospels, we learn to look at our own existence in a new light, to identify the moments when God was present, even in our trials.
What are the Spiritual Exercises?
The Spiritual Exercises, designed by Ignatius of Loyola, are not simply a series of prayers, but a journey over several days (or even up to four weeks). The retreatant engages in contemplations of the life of Christ and specific meditations.
These moments are privileged opportunities to grow in familiarity with Christ, His life and His teaching. Each exercise is supervised by a spiritual director, ensuring a personalized experience, adapted to each person's needs.
The book of the Spiritual Exercises, designed by Saint Ignatius, is not limited to simple reading. It is a practical manual, designed to guide retreatants in a transformative experience. It contains advice on how to pray, meditate and reflect. Each step is designed to help order one's life.
Concretely, how does a retreat unfold?
The Ignatian retreat is characterized by its silence. It is often structured by four prayer times each day, where one meditates on a Gospel text, following a specific method prescribed by Saint Ignatius.
Spiritual guidance is a central pillar of the Exercises: a daily conversation with a spiritual director allows one to verbalize what one is living or feeling. Through these moments, Ignatius encourages listening to the interior movements that prayer awakens in us. This concept of spiritual movement, evoked by Ignatius, designates the deep desires that draw us toward God or distance us from Him.
The Exercises propose a particular method to enter into prayer: that of visualizing the Gospel scenes with all our senses. Ignatius encourages retreatants to see, smell, hear and even taste the Gospel scenes to make prayer as concrete and immersive as possible.
The four weeks of the Spiritual Exercises
In theory, the Exercises are designed to be lived over one month. The four weeks do not follow a strict calendar, but a spiritual journey that can vary in duration from one day to one week. Here is how they unfold:
1) First week: Recognition of evil and sin
This first step consists in becoming aware of sin in the world and in oneself, to finally open oneself to God's love. It is a deep purification that generally ends with the possibility of individual confession.
2) Second week: Following Christ in His mission
During this phase, the retreatant meditates on the Incarnation and the early years of Christ's public life. It is a moment of introspection on life choices.
3) Third week: Living Christ's Passion
The retreatant enters into the drama of the Passion, from Gethsemane to Golgotha. It is a time of contemplation and identification with Jesus' sufferings.
4) Fourth week: The Resurrection
This final phase is centered on the joy of the Resurrection. The retreatant meditates on the appearances of the risen Christ.
Where to do the Spiritual Exercises?
For those who wish to experience the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius, there are several Jesuit or Ignatian spiritual centers in France and Belgium:
- At the Châtelard spiritual center (near Lyon)
- Penboc'h spiritual center (near Vannes)
- Cénacle spiritual center (Versailles)
- Sablonceaux Abbey (with the Chemin Neuf community)
Conclusion: A path toward the light
The Jesuits, formed according to the teachings of Saint Ignatius, are the first to transmit these Exercises. Each Jesuit lives this foundational experience twice: first during the novitiate, then about fifteen years later. They are thus priests particularly accustomed to the experience of this retreat.
The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius are much more than a prayer method. They represent a path toward profound interior transformation, a spiritual conversion for those seeking to order their lives in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Whether in a spiritual center or at home, the Ignatian experience remains a powerful tool for encountering God.
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