Mässa i Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, Isle of Wight, England. Läsningar: Jer 26:1–9; Matt 13:54–58.
Dear sisters and brothers,
The best-known writing of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, whom we celebrate today, is his Spiritual Exercises. They are primarily intended to be used as a guide for a 30-day retreat lead by a spiritual director. Such a retreat is usually only made once in a lifetime, and few people have the occasion to do it, other than Jesuits as a preparation for their final vows. However, the Spiritual Exercices also contain many gems that aree applicable for the spiritual life of every Christian, especially in the Introduction and the Supplement. So please allow me to share, or perhaps remind you of, some of these.
”Principle and foundation: Human beings are created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of doing this to save their souls. The other things on the face of the earth are created for the human beings, to help them in the pursuit of the end for which they are created.” (n. 23)
”Rules for the discernment of spirits: About spiritual desolation. By desolation I mean (…) for example, obtuseness of soul, turmoil within it, an impulsive motion toward low and earthly things, or disquiet from various agitations and temptations. These move one toward lack of faith and leave one without hope and without love. One is completely listless, tepid, and unhappy, and feels separated from our Creator and Lord.” (n. 317)
”During a time of desolation one should never make a change. Instead, one should remain firm and constant in the resolutions and in the decision which one had on the day before the desolation, or in a decision in which one was during a previous time of consolation. For just as the good spirit is chiefly the one who guides and counsels us in time of consolation, so it is the evil spirit who does this in time of desolation. By following his counsels we can never find the way to a right decision.” (n. 318)
”Although we ought not to change our former resolutions in time of desolation, it is very profitable to make vigorous changes in ourselves against the desolation, for example, by insisting more on prayer, meditation, earnest self-examination, and some suitable way of doing penance.” (n. 319)
”One who is in consolation should consider how he or she will act in future desolation, and store up new strength for that time.” (n. 323)
”Rules for thinking, judging, and feeling with the Church: With all judgment of our own put aside, we ought to keep our minds disposed and ready to be obedient in everything to the true Spouse of Christ our Lord, which is our holy Mother the hierarchical Church.” (n. 353)
”To keep ourselves right in all things, we ought to hold fast to this principle: What seems to me to be white, I will believe to be black if the hierarchical Church thus determines it.” (n. 365)
Let us ask for the intercession of Saint Ignatius, that we may wisely use the means at our disposal in order to attain our final end; that we may always find the right way to act in times of spiritual desolation; and that all the members of the Church may always obey and think with our holy Mother the hierarchical Church, for the greater glory of God. Amen.
Fader Gustavs predikningar 