Talking with our friend and colleague Nick Helm we were reminded of his devotion to Ignatian spiritual practice. In our own practice we’d found ourselves in the doldrums, so revisiting Nick’s excellent short introductory guide to Ignatius of Loyola has been very helpful indeed.
How do we grow and develop into courageous and faithful disciples of Christ? How do we recognise God’s touches in prayer without deluding ourselves? How do we best help others grow in faith and discipleship? Nick sets out some clear thinking here, and it’s a great taster before a deeper dive.
The original Spiritual Exercises, composed and published in the early 1500s, set out a series of Christian meditations, contemplations, and prayers written by Ignatius of Loyola. As a 16th-century Spanish Catholic priest and founder of the Jesuits he’s not warmly thought of by all, but we find his meditations and prayer practice terrifically helpful. Adherence to the programme is not easy, and so we’re perhaps influenced rather than religious in our observance.
It’s available from the excellent Grove Books here.
