St ignatian of Loyola was inspired to create his famous "spiritual exercises" while convalescing from a battle wound. The exercises are divided into four movements, sometimes referred to as weeks, in which the participant moves from an experience of personal sinfulness to reflecting on the life and teachings of Christ to accompanying Christ in his passion to rising with him in the new life of Resurrection.
We are all engaged in these four movements, sometimes in one experience. This camino has given me the time to give more emphasis to each phase. Focusing on my sinfulness naturally leads to Christ and his sacrifice. We all suffer and know what it means to sacrifice. But Christ teaches us that suffering has meaning if connected with him and his Love. We can't run away from suffering or even pray it away. We live through the suffering and rise out of the experience renewed and stronger.
We live in a culture and time that wants to be rid of suffering and any reality that calls for self sacrifice. This is only possible if we are rooted in Christ and his gospel, which means we must know him and love him and let his love possess our hearts. A heart filled with Christ sees everything in a different manner from how we ordinarily see life.
TS Elliot poetically wrote about measuring out life with coffee spoons; I am measuring our life on footsteps,one after the other, moving from sins and wounds to Christ and gospel to passion, death and resurrection. Ignatian called this movement "exercises"...that much I am doing these days of camino: much exercising. Buen camino. Padre
Fr Frank - thx for the updates and insights from the road. As I read your blog I'm reminded so much of the things I've heard and learned and read. My Jesuit education stressed Ignatius's struggle, his exercises, and his A.M.D.G mantra. It's interesting to read how you're experiencing the teachings about suffering through the pain, not bypasssing/ignoring/praying it away, to become renewed and strong (Henri Loewen?).
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna buy to a Venti Starbucks when you get back as a bribe to hear your stories. Hope you're not in too much physical pain. The pics are awesome!
Buen Camino!
Hey- How about publishing a pic of yourself? Would like to see how your doing.
ReplyDeleteMM