WHAT ARE THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES ABOUT?

They have a precedent

The journey of the heart

The physical journey of what God wants to show me can be understood in light of the fact that all the major figures in the Bible were called and led by God from where they were to another destination

·      Abraham – go to the land where I will show you…

·      Isaac

·      Jacob

·      Joseph

·      The journey of Moses

·      The Hebrew slaves – the Exodus

·      The 40 years in the wilderness

·      The Exile

·      The return

·      Elijah journeys

·      Jesus’ journeys

·      Mary’s journeys – to her kinswoman Elizabeth, to Bethlehem, to Jerusalem, accompanying Jesus as a disciple from Cana, at Calvary, at the Upper room, to heavenly glory.

·      The disciples’ journey with Jesus and go on mission

·      Jesus tells them to follow – there is physical movement – why not stationary teaching?

·      They must also journey to be apart

·      Jesus moves apart – to the desert, to Cana, to Nazareth, ‘as he was walking’, at Tabor, at Gethsemane in the hills at night to pray, across the Sea of Galilee, ‘Jesus is passing by’, ‘as he made His way’ and so on.

·      The road to Emmaus

·      Philip and the Ethiopian

·      The Acts of the Apostles – Philip, Peter, Paul, Barnabas

All these journeys must mean something! they were both journeys involving pilgrimage and mission.

Camino pilgrimages – 6,000 Irish people will be among the hundreds of thousands of people who make the Camino each year.

These journeys have the potential to mirror the interior journey of the heart

Inner restlessness? Escapism? Distance? Exile? Elopement?

On the negative side the people distance (dissociate) themselves from God in the Promised Land - these people have gone astray! 'This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me!' Their hearts grow cold, they become self-sufficient, they have no felt need or desire for God.

The interior journey of the heart is that journey - from where I am now to where God desires me to be.

I may not have journeyed far geographically, or people retire to their roots e.g., retired missionaries, there is a desire and longing for home and for roots and for settling down as well. I live only 10 miles from where I was born, but how much travelling I have been able to do – as many of us have been able to do – but there is that always that longing for home, and there is that change within my heart- I have changed, I have grown up,  grown a little wiser through mistakes and experiences and meeting others, through hardships and joys.

People journey in marriage and career choices, go to Australia for example for a year or longer. While young there is a sense of adventure!

I had the experience at the airport of arriving a little early for arrival of friends – I was trying not to stare too much at other’s arrivals and reunions but I could see the love and affection of many people hugging each other after what appeared to be long absences – a mother and her grown up son, a couple -they embraced for a long time, who knows what if any words were exchanged in that embrace? How much that teaches me about reconciliation and God’s welcoming me back like the Prodigal Son?

All this points to us – we are all pilgrims on the earthly pilgrimage of the People of God, sometimes through a valley of tears, at other times at lofty heights, to the Promised Land of heaven!

The Spiritual Exercises are a journey of the heart – of looking back to the things that have brought me to this point of my journey – where God has been leading, where I have strayed at times, where God has held me up, where God has lead me back to the path from which I have strayed, and where I am sitting down looking a the map with God. I am being given as it were an up to date map – of new directions, by someone who has walked before me. We must make the journey – the guide makes suggestions. The path and the destination and the purpose of the journey is made clearer to us. We are given a clearer set of instructions and help and emergency contacts as it were when things get difficult. Things are in better focus. We jettison dead weight and bring all and only what we need.

At the beginning as we proceed we are given some warm-up Spiritual Exercises – to get us into the spirit of the journey – to pique our interest, we are given an overview of what to expect, without too many spoilers!

The journey is a journey of the heart – that organ of the body that is mentioned over 1000 times in the Catechism!

Who can do them?

Everybody and anybody can do these Exercises – all that is required is that you are wiling and ready to commit to more time praying – from ½ to 1 ½ hours a day with Scripture and reflection as the Scriptures speak to you in your present circumstances – not as how you would like things to be but in your routines, in the everyday moments – the laundry the school run ,the children, the taking of medication, the shopping, the news, the moments of relaxation the drudgery

Through the Exercises we come to realise that God is in all things

When can I do them?

Where can I do them?

As you see fit – whatever works – do the dishes reflectively! Take time apart as possible for you, find a time and place where you can be alone and silent!  Turn of phones and gadgets. Pray about this. Ask God to help you if this is for you and allow Him to take the lead!