Title: The First Principle and Foundation
1The First Principle and Foundation
2The Spiritual ExercisesOf St. Ignatius Of Loyola
- THE FIRST PRINCIPLE
- AND
- FOUNDATION
3The goal of our life is to live with God
forever.God, who loves us, gave us life.Our own
response of love allows Gods lifeto flow into
us without limit.
Principle and Foundation
4To Know,Love,and Serve Godin this
worldandin the next!
5All the things in this world are gifts of
God,presented to us so that we can know God more
easilyand make a return of love more readily.
Principle and Foundation
6From Ivory Towertohands-on in the real world
7We are challenged to know reality, to know each
person and each situation.In knowing, we are
able to see God in all things!
8As a result, we appreciate and use all these
gifts of God insofar as they us develop as
loving persons.But if any of these gifts become
the center of our lives, they displace God and so
hinder our growth toward our goal.
Principle and Foundation
9Discernment
- Mode of evaluating Christian discipleship
- Requires openness to growth
- Ends - The call of God in your life.
- Means - How you choose in your life.
10Discernment
- Should ask the haunting question.What is the
greater good that I can do at this particular
moment in my life?
11In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in
balance before all of these created gifts insofar
as we have a choice and are not bound by some
obligation.We should not fix our desires on
health or sickness, wealth or poverty, success or
failure, a long life or short one. For
everything has the potential of calling forth in
us a deeper response to our life in God.
Principle and Foundation
12Ignatian Indifference
- Key Ignatian spiritual concept which means
- Undetermined to one thing or another
- Unbiased
- Impartial
- With decision suspended until the reasons for a
wise choice are learned
13Ignatian Indifference
- If we are indifferent, then we have real freedom
because we are able to choose those things which
will lead us to serve the Lord best. - Indifference leads to making choices for the
greater good, the magis.
More
Magis
14Our only desire and our one choice should be
thisI want and I choose what better leads to
Gods deepening his life in me.
Principle and Foundation
Paraphrased by David L. Fleming, SJ
15Choices affectively lead to consolation or
desolation.
- Consolation - a sense of being at peace and in
harmony with God, others and oneself - Desolation - a sense of being at odds with God,
others and/or with oneself
16Choice and effect
- Neither among men, nor among angels, is there a
more noble activity than to glorify your Creator,
and to lead to Him as many other creatures as you
can. - Ignatius of Loyola
- May 7, 1547.
- To the scholastics at Coimbra.
17Leaders in Service
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam