Nurturing your spirituality
For Mary Ward and Ignatius 'finding God in all things and all things in God' was central. Prayer led them to a place of peace, contentment and stillness of being, as they sought to live life to the full to the greater glory of God.
“We are nourished by daily meditation, where the message by the Scriptures comes into dialogue with our own lives”
IBVM Constitutions Vol ii 3.7
Just as we need food to nourish our bodies, we need food for the soul. For some, the assembled church is a place where architecture and music combined with ritual uplift the human spirit. Others find God in the cathedral of nature, where they delight in the freshness and daily-ness of regeneration in all created life; still others turn to sharing their gifts in acts of kindness and generosity manifesting the face of God in a practical Christianity. In each situation they are expressing a spirituality.
For Mary Ward and Ignatius 'finding God in all things and all things in God' was central. This spirituality brought joy and fulfilment to their own lives and at the same time to the lives of others. They treasured the wisdom of reflection and discernment as they sought to keep God at the centre of their lives. Prayer led them to a place of peace, contentment and stillness of being, as they sought to live life to the full to the greater glory of God.
Reflection
It is in the everyday that we find God. Ignatian spirituality emphasises pausing and considering the place where God speaks.
Discernment
To discern is to sift the good from the not so good that we may gain wisdom of heart. To ponder and discern means to listen in a deep way to what is going on in our lives.
Centering and stillness
To centre and be still is welcoming time spent in the quiet recesses of the heart where God may be found, and truth may be experienced.
Photo:
Maureen Burke ibvm
Prayers, retreats and resources