affect on Christian prayer and spirituality can’t be under-estimated. In my very own life, I’ve had Jesuit clergymen as my non secular director for greater than thirty years of my life – an ideal present and blessing!
To start our prayer, let’s spend a couple of minutes with Ignatius’ First Precept and Basis. Please, do not let the title scare you away! It is a lot less complicated than it sounds – and really deserving of our consideration and reflection…
The First Precept and Basis
The aim of our life is to reside with God endlessly.
God, who loves us and gave us life.
Our personal response of affection
permits God’s life to stream into us – with out restrict.
All of the issues on this world are presents from God,
offered to us in order that we will know God extra simply
and make a return of affection extra readily.
Because of this, we admire and use all these presents of God
insofar as they assist us to develop as loving individuals.
But when any of those presents grow to be the middle of our lives,
they displace God
and so hinder our development towards our aim.
In on a regular basis life, then,
we should maintain ourselves in stability earlier than all of those created presents
insofar as now we have a selection and usually are not certain by some obligation.
We should always not repair our wishes on well being or illness,
wealth or poverty, success or failure, an extended life or a brief one.
For every thing has the potential of calling forth in us
a deeper response to our life in God.
Our solely want and our one selection ought to be this:
I would like and I select what higher leads
to God’s deepening his life in me.
(A paraphrase of Ignatius’ phrases by David L. Fleming, S.J.)
Allow us to pray…
Assist me settle for every thing in my life, Lord,
my sorrows in addition to my joys,
as your present to me…
Grant me the knowledge
to carry all issues in stability and in perspective,
insofar as I’m in a position and your grace permits…
Let nothing in my life
overshadow the present of your mercy
or distract me out of your love…
Assist me discover in all issues
your invitation for me to attract nearer to you
the supply of my life and peace…
Let this be my one want, Lord:
to decide on, at all times, what leads me to
and deepens your life inside me…
Defend me, Lord, whereas I am awake
and watch over me whereas I sleep
that awake, I’d preserve watch with you
and asleep relaxation in your peace…
Amen.
Take my coronary heart, O Lord, take my hopes and goals.
Take my thoughts with all its plans and schemes.
Give me nothing greater than your love and charm.
These alone, O God, are sufficient for me.
Take my ideas, Oh Lord, and my reminiscence.
Take my tears, my joys, my liberty.
Give me nothing greater than your love and charm.
These alone, O God, are sufficient for me.
I give up, Lord, all I’ve and maintain.
I return to you your presents untold.
Give me nothing greater than your love and charm.
These alone, O God, are sufficient for me.
When the darkness falls on my closing days,
take the very breath that sang your reward.
Give me nothing greater than your love and charm.
