As Ash Wednesday is right around the corner, it is probably a good idea to think about how we will live that preparation time before the great Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! As you all know, the Church asks us to consider prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during the Season of Lent. To that end, Fasting and Almsgiving, in my opinion, are pretty self-explanatory. While most people know to step up their prayer life during Lent, it can often times be difficult to decide how to do that and exactly what to do. Since Lent is a time of penance, we may want to consider our form of prayer in light of penance. I’d like to visit that topic and offer some suggestions to consider beyond the usual devotions we are accustomed to during Lent.
“Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created. Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him. Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. Our one desire and choice should be what is most conducive to the end for which we are created.”
This quotation is usually referred to as the “First Principle” of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits.
The First Week of the Spiritual Exercises asks the retreatrant to consider sin, mercy, and freedom. That can be difficult. But the goal is not to weigh down with hopeless guilt and despair. “Mercy, then, is the dominant theme of the First Week Meditations, but there can be no profound sense of God’s mercy without a profound sense of sin. But, what better time to do that than during Lent! Saint Ignatius requests this “Examination of Conscience” be done at the foot of the Cross where Jesus’ feet are resting on our sins and the sins of the whole world. Sin is an offense against God; an offense of infinite consequences as God is infinite but I am finite. I cannot correct it on my own. As there is nothing that God owes me, anything I give Him He already has. As Psalm 51 says, “my sacrifice O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart God, you will not spurn.” This examination will no doubt result in the identification of our shortcomings or sins, where we’ve missed the mark…if we’re honest with ourselves. It will also result in what we should consider praying for to help us overcome ourselves, master our sinfulness, and become saints! That is the goal after all! The Sacrament of Confession will provide us with the other two areas of consideration in this first week; God’s Mercy and Freedom to live in His love. Regular Confession will be the liberating force behind focusing on your prayer life the entire Lenten Season.
Prayer to God can take many forms; Praise, Adoration, Thanksgiving, Contrition, and Petition. The first three should be a part of our daily prayer to Our Lord for all the many blessings He bestows on us. So, I’d like to consider Contrition and Petition as the focus this evening.
Colloquy referred to in the Spiritual Exercises is a conversation, a space in which conversations occur. In the First Week of the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius invites the retreatants into a prayer which involves three conversations: first with Mary, then with Jesus, and finally with God the Father (SpEx #62-63). Ignatius calls this prayer the Colloquy; or sometimes referred to as the, “Triple Colloquy.” In the colloquy, we speak and listen as the Spirit moves us: expressing ourselves, for example, as a friend speaks to a friend, or as a person speaks to one whom he or she has offended, or as a child speaks to a parent or mentor, or as a lover speaks to his or her beloved. Whatever the context, be “real,” speaking from the heart. As in any meaningful conversations, make sure to leave times of silence for listening.
These conversations entail delving into a greater understanding of my desires and needs as I speak first to Mary, then to Jesus, and then finally to God the Father. Just as a conversation repeated with different friends brings more and more clarity, the Colloquy brings us deeper and deeper into the desires of our hearts. Ignatius invites us to approach Mary, Jesus, and God the Father. As we approach each, we bring the desires of our heart and listen. Then, we ask three questions:
- What have I done for Christ?
- What am I doing for Christ?
- What will I do for Christ?
We listen for the answers that rise from our understanding. Then, ask, “What would the Lord say to me in response to these questions? These conversations open up our innermost desires for true intimacy with God. In our present chaotic culture, it is good to pray this prayer when things are muddy in our minds….when our souls are full of anxiety or clutter….when we need to make a decision….when there is a need or situation that is weighing heavy on our hearts, or we are seeking to lean in closer to God for greater intimacy; pausing long enough in each conversation to hear God, engage deliberately in each conversation, and allowing each to speak to us in their own unique way.
As we all know, the Mass is the source and summit of our faith; the highest form of worship to God. But in order to be “eligible” to worship, one must be morally righteous, or, as defined in Hebrew, not guilty, or innocent. The Triple Colloquy can be that form of prayer to aid us in identifying our sins during Lent, getting right with God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and thereby being disposed for better worship.
For Lent, I’d like you to consider reading the book, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brandt Pitre. I can honestly say it was a real game changer for me and those I’ve given it to, to be fully engaged in the Mass. You may even find after reading it that attending Mass multiple times during the week may become the norm for you. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention taking advantage of Eucharistic Adoration whenever possible during this Lenten Season. Spending time with Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament is one of the best things you can do for your prayer life.
Let us pray…….
Lord, teach me to be generous
Teach me to serve you as you deserve
To give and not to count the cost
To fight and not to heed the wounds
To toil and not to seek for rest
To labor and not to ask for reward,
Except that of knowing I am doing Your holy will.
Amen.
References:
Listening for God in Colloquy – Ignatian Spirituality
https://www.ignatianspiritualexercises.com/first-week-sin-mercy-and-freedom