Loree and Ignation Prayer - Easter Season

Ignatian Prayer - Easter Season

One of the things we are taught in Ignatian Prayer is to ask for a particular grace when we begin our prayer. This can be as simple as asking for the grace to love Christ more dearly, or to see Christ in people.

In the 4th week of the exercises, we are asked to pray for a very special grace: "the grace to be glad and to rejoice intensely because of the great glory and joy of Christ our Lord." (Kevin O'Brien: The Ignatian Adventure)

It may seem like there is no joy right now - this is week 4 for many of us, week 3 for some others, of this ongoing social isolation. But one of the things we are encouraged to learn in our spiritual journey is that, joy is different from happiness. One can have joy in the midst of difficult circumstances, because our joy is found in our relationship with Christ. Our Joy during Easter Week is based in the resurrection of Christ, in his overcoming death, and the hope that we have through his work of reconciliation - we are reconciled to God through Christ. We can be glad and rejoice intensely, not because life is so good right now, but because in spite of the huge things we are dealing with, Jesus is with us. Jesus is risen. Jesus enables us to be part of a worldwide family who are learning to love one another as he loves us.

I invite you to pray a prayer written by Jesuit Jean Vanier:

We will never win the Olympics of humanity,
racing for perfection
but we can walk together in hope,
celebrating that we are loved in our brokenness:
helping each other,
growing in trust,
living in thanksgiving,
learning to forgive,
opening up to others and welcoming them,
and striving to bring peace and hope to the world.

Faithfully,
Loree