Contemplation - Godfrey O'Donell

7/27/2019 Contemplation - Godfrey O'Donell

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C O N T EM P L A T I O NB y G O D F R E Y O ' D O N N E L L

I N T H E A F TE R TH O U G H T S t o t h e s e c o n d e d i t i o n o f D o m C u t h b e r tB u t l e r ' s b o o k o n Western Mys t ic i sm t h e r e is a c u r i o u s , y e ti l l u m i n a t in g f o o t n o t e o n i gn a ti an c o n t e m p l a t i o n . R e m a r k i n gt h a t I g n a ti u sl s u s e o f th e w o r d ' c o n t e m p l a t i o n ' i s d i f f e re n t f r o mt h e t r a d i t i o n a l o n e , h e g o e s o n t o s a y :

Th e f ace tha t S t Igna tius in the Exerc ises i s si l en t concern ing co n tem pla t ionand con t em p l a t ive p r aye r has been , p r obab l y , t he p r i nc ipa l r e as on wh ys o m any o f t he s p i r i t ua l wr i t e r s o f t he S oc i e t y have l ooked onm edi ta t ion as the no rm al l i f e - long praye r o f devo ut sou ls . 1I g n at iu s d i d i n t e r p r e t c o n t e m p l a t i o n i n a n e w w a y , b u t b l i t h e l y toa s se r t t h a t h e h a d n o c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t r a d i t io n a l t e a c h i n g is f ar t o os w e e p i n g . A b b o t B u t l er w a s u n d o u b t e d l y r ig h t w h e n h e s aid th a t' m a n y o f t h e s p i r it u a l w r i t e r s o f t h e S o c i e ty h a v e l o o k e d o nm e d i t a t i o n a s t h e n o r m a l l if e - l o n g p r a y e r o f d e v o u t so u l s '. T o b l a m eI g na ti us w o u l d b e m o r e t h a n m i s le a d i n g ; i t w o u l d b e i n a c c u ra t e . T h ec h a n g e s o f e m p h a s is a ft e r I g n a ti u s ' s o w n l i fe - t im e a r e d e s c r i b e d i nF r V e a le 'S p a p e r i n t h is s u p p l e m e n t . 2 H n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e c o n s e q u e n c e sa r e s t i l l w i t h u s : r e t r e a t d i r e c t o r s f i n d t h a t i g n a t i a n c o n t e m p l a t i o n i sb a d l y u n d e r s t o o d , a l m o s t a l ie n to o u r c u l t u r e . T h e p u r p o s e o f t h isa r t i c l e i s t o c o u n t e r a c t t h i s d e f i c i e n c y b y s t re s s in g t h e p l a c e o f i g n a ti a nc o n t e m p l a t i o n in t h e w e s t e r n t ra d i t io n o f c o n t e m p l a t iv e p ra y e r . T h i sa p p r o a c h w i l l , I h o p e , h e l p t o c l a r i f y t h e c o n t e m p l a t i o n o f ' C h r i s t ' sl i f e w i t h i n t h e E x e r c i s e s t h e m s e l v e s .

Contemp la tion an d Contem pla tionL u d o l p h o f S a x o n y , a f o u r t e e n t h - c e n t u r y C a r t h u s ia n , is I g n a ti u s 's

i m m e d i a t e S o u r ce f o r h is m e t h o d o f c o n t e m p l a t i n g t h e m y s t e ri e s o ft h e l if e o f C h r i s t. 3 H i s Vita Chris t i is n o t a l i fe o f C h r i s t i n t h e m o d e r ns e n se . I t is r a t h e r a se r ie s o f m e d i t a t i o n s t a k e n f r o m t h e b i b l e , t h eF a t h e rs a n d t h e l it u rg y , c o n c e n t r a t i n g o n t h e p e r s o n o f C h r i s t a n dx B u t l e r , D o rn C u t h b e r t : WesternMysticism ( L o n d o n , i 9 2 6 ) , p l i i .g Supra,pp 3 - x 4 .8 R a h n e r , H . : The Spiri tuaB~ of St Ignat ius Loyola ( C h i c a g o , 1 9 5 3 ) , p p 2 4- 2~ ;; R a i t zy o n F r e n t z , E . : ' L u d o l p h e l e e h a r t r e u x ' , i n R AM 2~; ( 1 9 4 9 ) , p p 3 7 5 - 8 8 .


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2 8 P R A Y E R I N T H E S P I R I T U A L E X E R C I S E S

i n t e n d i n g t o b r i n g t h e r e a d e r t o a d e e p e r k n o w l e d g e a n d i m i t a t i o no f his L o r d . M u c h o f t h e b o o k w a s c o p i e d w i t h o u t a c k n o w l e d g m e n t ua s w a s t h e c u s t o m o f t h e d a y - - f r o m a n o t h e r f o u r t e e n t h - c e n t u r yw o r k , M e d i t a t i o n s o n t h e L i f e o f C h r i s t b y P s e u d o - B o n a v e n t u r e . I n s p i t eo f h is f r a n c i s c a n b a c k g r o u n d , P s e u d o - B o n a v e n t u r e is i n a d i r e c t l i n e o fs u c c e s s i o n f r o m t h e e a r l y C is t e rc i a n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y B e r n a r d ; h is w h o l ef l av o u r i s a f fec t iv e , sc r ip tu ra l an d ch r i s to cen t r i c .

W e m o s t c l e a r l y S ee L u d o l p h 's d i r e c t i n fl u e n c e o n I g na t iu s 's s t yl eo f c o n t e m p l a t io n i n t h e p r o l o g u e t o t h e V i t a C h r i s t i :

If you w ant to draw fru i t from these scenes (of the mysteries of C hrist'sl ife), you m ust offer yourse lf as prese nt to w hat w as said or done throughour Lord Jesus Christ with the w hole affective pow er o f you r m ind, w ithloving care, with lingering delight; thus laying aside all other worriesand cares..(Hear and see) thes e things being narrated, as though you we rehearing with your own ears and seeing with your own eyes, for thesethings are mo st sweet to h im w ho thinks on them w ith desire (cos i tant iex des ider io ) , and even more so to him who tastes them (gus tan t i ) . A ndthough many of these are narrated as past events, you must meditate(medi te r i s ) them all as though they we re happen ing in the p resen t m om ent ;because in this w ay you will ce rtainly taste a gre ater sweetness (suar i tatemgus tab is ) . Read ( lese) then o f what has been done as though they w erehappening no w. Bring bef ore you r eyes past actions as thoug h they w er epresen t. Then y ou wi l l fee l (sent ies) how ful l of wisdom and del ight theya r e , 4

Bes id es th e o b v io u s s e n t i r y g u s t a r o f t h e s e c o n d a n n o ta t io n , e c h o e s o fL u d o l p h i n t h e E x e r c i se s r e a d i l y s p ri n g to m i n d . T h e r e is Ig n a ti u s' sr e f e re n c e i n t h e co l loquy o f t h e f i rs t c o n t e m p l a t i o n o f t h e s e c o n d w e e kt o t h e W o r d I n c ar n a te ' w h o h a s j u s t b e c o m e m a n f o r m e ' . a : I n t h es e c o n d c o n t e m p l a t io n o f t h e s e c on d w e e k W e f i n d : ' I w i ll m a k e m y s e l fa p o o r l i t t l e u n w o r t h y s l a v e a n d a s t h o u g h p r e s e n t l o o k u p o n t h e m ,c o n t e m p l a t e t h e m a n d s e r v e t h e m i n t h e i r n e e d s w i t h a l l p o s s i b l eh o m a g e a n d r e v e r e n c e ' . ~ I g n a t i u s w a s n o t s i m p l y r e p e a t i n g L u d o l p h ' se x h o r t a t i o n t o m a k e o n e s e l f p r e s e n t t o t h e m y s t e r y . B o th t h e p a t t e r no f s e e i n g , h e a r i n g a n d w a t c h in g 7 a n d t h e i n s t r u c t i o n t o d r a w f r u i tf r o m t h e c o n t e m p l a t i o ns a r e t a k e n f r o m L u d o l p h .4 Vita Jesu Christi e quatuor evangdiis e t scriptoribus orthodoxis condnn ata per Lu dolphum deSaxonia, e d . B o l a r d , R i g o l l o t a n d C a r n a n d e t ( P a r is , 1 8 6 5 ), p 4 . M y t h a n k s t o F r J a m e s W a l s hf o r h i s tr a n s l a t i o n o f t h e b u l k o f t h i s p as s ag e a n d h e l p w i t h t h i s p a r t o f t h e a r t i c l e .5 E x x I o 9 . 6 E x x I I 4 .

E x x l O 6 - O 8 ; I I 4 - 1 6 .8 E . g . , E x x ~ o 8, ~ 3 , I t S , ~ x 6 , ~ 2 4 , t 2 ~ .


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C O N T E M P L A T I O N 2 9

I n t h e p a ss ag e I h a v e q u o t e d L u d o l p h w a s n o t o r ig i n a l. H e t o o k i to v e r i n t a c t f r o m P s e u d o - B o n a v e n t u r e ( p e r h a p s a t u s c a n F r a n c i s c a nc a ll ed J o h n d e C a u li bu s , w h o l iv e d to w a r d s t h e e n d o f t h e t h i r t e e n t hc e n t u r y ) , w h o h a d b o r r o w e d i t i n h i s t u r n f r o m a c o n t e m p o r a r yC a r t h u s ia n ; G u i g es d u P o n t ( d i e d I 2 9 7 ) . P s e u d o - B o n a v e n t u r e ' sp r o l o g u e , w h i c h i n c l u d e s o u r p a ss ag e f r o m L u d o l p h , c o n s is ts m a i n l yo f a q u o t a t i o n f r o m G u i g es , r e c o m m e n d i n g a n a r d e n t d e v o t i o n t o t h eh u m a n i t y o f C h r i s t a n d m e d i t a t i o n o n h is l i f e. 9 T h e t e r m i n o l o g yc o m m o n t o I gn a tiu s , L u d o l p h , P s e u d o - B o n a v e n t u r e a n d G u i ge s ca nb e t r a c e d b a c k t o t h e C i s te r c ia n s .

I n hi s a rt ic l e o n t h e ' A p p l i c a t io n o f t h e S e n s es ' i n t h is s u p p l e m e n t 10F r J a m e s W a l s h h a s a n a ly s ed t h e v o c a b u l a r y u s e d b y L u d o l p h t o d e s c r i b eh is m e t h o d o f p r a y e r. H e b e li ev e s t h a t L u d o l p h w a s w r i t i n g a b o u t t h em o n a s t i c l e ct io d i v in a : ' t h e c o n t e m p l a t i v e p r o c e s s a s a w h o l e - - r e a d in g ,t h i n k i n g , p r a y i n g , c o n t e m p l a t i n g ' . 1 1 T h i s f o u r f o l d s y s t e m a t i z a t i o n c a nb e f o u n d i n y e t a n o t h e r C a r th u s i a n , G u i g o II , w h o w a s n i n t h p r i o r o ft h e G r a n d e C h a r t re u s e a n d w h o d i e d in x 1 88 . T h e r e a re t h r e e g o o dr e a so n s f o r l o o k i n g m o r e c l o se l y a t h is e x p o s i t i o n o f th e lect io: f i r s t lyh i s Let t er on the In ter ior L i fe o r Sca la Clau s t ra l ium a2 is o n e o f th e c l e a re s ta c c o u n t s i n m e d i e v a l s o u r c e s ; s e c o n d l y h i s l a n g u a g e i s s o m u c h l i k et h a t o f t h e C i s te r c ia n s t h a t h i s w o r k h a s b e e n a t t r i b u t e d t o B e r n a r d ;t h i r d l y b e c a u s e w e c a n g a i n a n i n s ig h t in t o t h e t r a d i t i o n t o w h i c hI g n a t i u s b e l o n g e d .

F o r G u i g o t h e r e a r e f o u r ru n g s o r s ta g es i n t h e c o n t e m p l a t i v e li fe :r e a d i n g , m e d i t a t i o n , p r a y e r a n d c o n t e m p l a t i o n . R e a d i n g i s a c a r e f u l ,c o n c e n t r a t e d s tu d y o f t h e s c r ip t u re s . I t p u ts f o o d in t o t h e m o u t h ;o n c e t h e r e , m ed i t a t i o n h a s to i n t e r i o r i z e t h e p r o c e s s ju s t a s t h e g r a p e isc h e w e d t o e x t r a c t i t s j u i c e . G u i g o a ls o u s es t h e i m a g e s o f th e s p a r k t h a tl ig h t s t h e f ire a n d t h e p e r f u m e b o x t h a t h as to b e b r o k e n i n o r d e r t or e le a s e i ts s w e e t s m e l l. T h e i n it ia l s te p s o f r e a d i n g a n d m e d i t a t i o n o n l ys e rv e t o i n c re a se o u r lo n g i n g ; t h e m o r e w e s e a r ch t h e m o r e w e t h ir s t .G o o d a n d h a d p e o p l e a l ik e , e v e n p a g a n s, c a n g o s o f a r ; t h e y c a n c a t c hg l im p s e s o f t h e h i g h e s t a n d t r u e s t g o o d . G o d m u s t g i v e t h e f u l l e r

9 C f G r a u s e m , j . P . : ' L e " D e C o n t e m p l a t i o n e " d e G u ig e s d u P o n t ' , R A M 1 o ( i 9 2 9 ) ,p p 2 69 -7 1 : e s p e c , p 2 7 o , n 3 o ; A r t . ' G u i g e s d u P o n t ' , D S 6 , c o l x i 7 6 - 9 .lo In f ra , pp ~;9-68.11 Ib i d . , p 62 .a2 C f Let tre sur ]a vie contemplat ive, e d . E . C o l l e d g e a n d J . W a l s h , Sources chretiennes I6 3(Par i s , 197 o ) , pp 82- x2 3 . F o r a n e n g l i sh t r a n s l a t i o n , c f T he W a y, ~ ( O c t o b e r 196 S) , pp 333-4 2 .


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3 P R A Y E R IN T H E SP IRITUAL E X E R C I S E S

u n d e r s ta n d i n g f o r w h i c h w e y e a r n 3 3 R e c o g n i t i o n t h a t o u r i n t e l l e c t isi n c a p a b le o f ' t r u e w i s d o m , t h a t s w e e t t as ti n g k n o w l e d g e w h i c hr e j o i c e s an d r e f r e s h e s t h e s o u l ' , l e a d s t o a h u m b l e a n d i n t e n s e p r a y e r o fd e s i re . P r a y e r e x p re s se s w h a t w e d o n o t p o s se ss an d w h a t w e l o n g f o r .W i t h c o n t e m p l a t i o n G o d b e g in s to c o - o p e r a t e i n o u r w o r k . T h e L o r db e c o m e s p r e s e n t , i n t e r r u p t i n g o u r p r a y e r . T h e S p o us e r u n s t o m e e t u s ,t o r e s t o r e u s i n o u r w e a r i n e s s , t o s l a k e o u r t h i r s t , t o e n d o u r h u n g e r ,t o m a k e u s f o r g e t e a rt h l y t hi ng s . C o n t e m p l a t i o n , f o r G u i g o , is ' w h e nt h e m i n d is i n s o m e s o r t l i f te d u p t o G o d a n d h e l d a b o v e i t se l f s o th a ti t t a s t es t h e j o y s o f e v e r l a s t i n g s w e e t n e s s '. 1 4

I n c h a p t e r t w e l v e G u i g o s u m m a r i z e s t h e f o u r s t e p s a n d s h o w s h o wt h e y d e p e n d o n o n e a n o t h e r :

Reading comes f i r s t and i s a s i t we re t he founda t i on ; i t p rov ides t hes ub j e c t m a t t e r w h i c h w e m us t u s e f o r m e d i t a t ion . M e d i ta t ion c ons i der sm or e ca re fu l l y wh a t is t o be soug ht a f t e r ; i t d igs (Prov 2 , 4 ) a s i t we re fo rt reasu re wh ich i t f inds (Mr i 3 , 44) and revea ls , bu t s ince i t is n o t inm e d i t a t i on ' s pow e r t o s e i z e upon t he t r e a s u r e i t d i r e c t s u s t o p r a ye r .P ray e r li ft s i t s e lf up t o G od w i th a l l it s s t r eng th an d beg s fo r t he t r ea su rew h i c h i t l ongs f o r , w h i c h is t he s w e e t nes s o f c on t e m p l a t i on . C on t e m p l a t i onw he n i t c om e s r e w a r ds t he l a bou rs o f t he o t h e r t h r e e : i t i n eb r i at e s theth i r s t ing sou l wi th t he dew of heavenly swee tness . Read ing is an exe rc i seo f t he o u t w a r d s e ns es , m e d i t a t ion i s c onc e r ne d w i t h t he i nw a r dunde r s ta nd i ng , p r a ye r i s c on c e r ne d w i t h de s ir e , c o n t e m p l a t ion ou t s t r ip seve ry facu l ty . Th e f i rs t degree i s p r op e r t o b eg inne rs , t he second t oprof i c i en ts , t he t h i rd t o devo t ees , t he fo ur th t o t h e b l e s sed . 15

T h i s is t h e t r a d i t i o n t o w h i c h I g na ti us b e l o n g e d . I t d o e s n o t m a t t e rw h e t h e r h e k n e w t h a t h e w a s i n d e b t e d t o m e n l ik e P s e u d o - B o n a v e n t u r e ,G u i g e s d u P o n t o r G u i g o . W h a t m a t t e r s is f o r us to r e a l i z e t h a t t h el e c t i o d i v i n a t o w h i c h I g n a t i u s w a s i n t r o d u c e d b y L u d o l p h a t L o y o l ab e c a m e p a r t o f h is o w n e x p e r i e n c e a n d s o fo u n d i ts w a y i n t o t h eE x e r c i se s . T h e s ig ns a re t h e r e f o r u s to r e a d t h e m . T h e s e c o n d a n n o t a t i o nt el ls u s t h a t th e a i m o f t h e e x e r c i t a n t ' s p r a y e r is t o p r o d u c e ' g r e a t e rs p i r i t u a l r e l i s h a n d f r u i t ( g u s t o y f r u c t o s p i r i tu a l ) . . . a n i n t i m a t e

la Here can be seen Guigo's mo st original contribution to medieval spirituality. He is th efirst to wo rk out the roles grace and free will play in man 's ascent of the traditional ladderto the contemplativeheights. Cf Introduction to 'A Letter on the Interior Life', The Way ,art. cir., p 333.14 Ibid., p 334.x5 Ibid., p 339. Cf art. 'Contemp lation', DS 2 , col 196o -6I and art. 'Guiges II', D S 6 ,col i *7~-6.


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u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d r e li s h o f t h e t r u t h (sentir y gu star d e Ias cosasi n t e r n a m e n t e ) : s T h i s is p r e c i s e l y t h e a i m o f t h e lect io divina. A n n o t a t i o nf if te e n s p e a k s o f I g n a ti u s ' s c e r t a i n ty t h a t G o d w i l l c o m m u n i c a t eh i m s e l f t o t h e r e t r e a t a n t an d i n f l ame h i m w i t h h i s lo v e . 17 A n n o t a t i o nt w e n t y te l l s u s t h a t t h e m o r e c lo s e ly t h e s o u l i s u n i t e d t o G o d ' t h em o r e i t i s d i s p o s e d t o r e c e i v e g r a c e s a n d g i ft s f r o m t h e i n fi n i teg o o d n e s s o f i ts G o d ' . i s I g n a ti u s i s c l e a rl y s p e a k i n g a b o u t t h e a s c e n tt o c o n t e m p l a t i o n i n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l s e n s e .

I g n a t i u s f i r s t m e n t i o n s c o n t e m p l a t i o n i n t h e c o l l o q u y o f t h e f i r s te x e r c i s e o f t h e f ir s t w e e k . ' Im a g i n e o u r L o r d p r e s e n t b e f o r e y o u o n t h ec r o ss a n d b e g i n t o s p e a k w i t h h i m ' . 19 T h e p o i n t is a n o b v i o u s o n e :I g n a ti u s w a n t s th e e x e r c i t a n t t o m o v e t o w a r d s a m o r e p e r s o n a l r e s p o n s et o C h r i s t a n d a c lo s e r u n i o n w i t h h i m . T h e c o n t e m p l a t io n s o f t h es e c o n d , t h i r d a n d f o u r t h w e e k s p r o v i d e o p p o r t u n i t i e s fo r t h is m o v e m e n tt o b e c o m e d e e p e r . E a c h d ay t h e r e a r e t o b e f iv e c o n t e m p l a t i o n s i n t h es e c o n d a n d t h i r d w e e k s , z0 f o u r i n t h e f o u r t h : l T h e t w o s c r ip t u r ep a ss ag e s a r e fo l l o w e d b y tw o r e p e t i t io n s , w h i c h a r e s i m p l e r a n d m o r ep e r so n a l e n c o u n t e r s w i t h C h r is t . T h e d a y e n d s w i t h t h e m o r e i n tu i t iv ea n d p a s si ve p r a y e r c a l l e d t h e a p p l i c a t io n o f t h e s e ns es . T h e p a t t e r no f th e s e d ay s s p e ak s to u s e l o q u e n t l y o f a p r a y e r t h a t i s c e n t r e d o n C h r i s t;l o n g i n g f o r C h r i s t, a c o n f i d e n c e t h a t h e w i l l c o m m u n i c a t e h i m s e l fm o r e i n t im a t e l y , a n a w a r e n e s s o f h i s p r e s e n c e . W e h a v e a r r iv e d a t t h ei g n at ia n d e s c r i p t io n o f c o n s o l a t i o n : c o n t e m p l a t i o n is a c c o m p a n i e d b yc o n s o l a t io n ; w h e r e t h e r e is c o n s o la t io n t h e r e is c o n t e m p l a t i o n : 2

A l t h o u g h I g n a ti u s a n d t h e m e d i e v a l w r i t e r s w e r e d e s c r i b in g t h es a m e l ec t io div in a, i t is i m p o r t a n t t o r e m e m b e r t h a t Ig n at iu s w a s p r o v i d i n gu s i n h i s S p i r it u a l E x e r c i s e s w i t h a d i r e c t o r ' s m a n u a l . I t i s u n d e r s t a n d a b l et h a t h e e m p h a s iz e s h o w c o n t e m p l a t i o n i s t o b e a c h i e v e d a n d o n l y gi ve su s g l i m p s e s o f t h e i n f i n i t e v a r i a t i o n s a n d p o s s i b i l i t i e s w h i c h l i e a h e a do f e a c h re t r e a ta n t . O n e s u c h h i n t i s c o n t a in e d i n t h e n o t e t o t h e d i r e c t o ra b o u t a d a p t in g t h e l e n g t h o f t h e s e c o n d w e e k : ' I f h e w i sh e s to S h o r t e nt h e w e e k h e m a y o m i t e v e n so m e o f t h e m y s t e r ie s th a t h a v e b e e n a ss ig n ed .F o r t h e y s e r v e h e r e t o a f f o r d a n i n t r o d u c t i o n a n d m e t h o d f o r b e t t e r

10 EX~ 2. 17 EXX I ~ . 1 8 l~ido, 2 0 . 1 9 EXX ~3"~0 Exx I 0 1 - 2 6 , I58-63, I 9 0 - 2 0 9 .~x E x x 2 2 7 .z2 W . P e t e r s i s u n d o u b t e d l y r i g h t w h e n h e s a y s t h a t ' c o n t e m p l a t i o n i s e s se n t ia l ly a n dc l o s e ly l in k e d w i t h c o n s o l a t i o n . . . T h e l i n k i s s o c l o s e t h a t a s s o o n a s t h e r e i s t r u ec o n s o la t io n , m e d i t a t i o n t u r n s i n t o c o n t e m p l a t i o n , e v e n t h o u g h t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r r e m a i n sth e s a m e ' . T h e Spiritual Exercises o f S t Ignatius. Exposition a n d Interpretation ( P A S E , N e wJ e r s e y , x 9 6 8 ) , p 3 8 .


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a n d m o r e c o m p l e t e c o n t e m p l a t i o n l a t e r ' .2~ I n t h e E x e r c i s e s a n d i n l i fei ts e l f w e a r e c o n t in u o u s l y c a ll e d t o f u r t h e r a n d m o r e i n t i m a t e m e e t i n g sw i t h C h r i st .Ignatian Co ntem plation in the Exercises

A n e x a m i n a t i o n o f i g na ti an c o n t e m p l a t i o n l e a d s u s to t h e s a m ec o n cl us io n . I n c o n t e m p l a t i o n t h e i m a g in a ti on c r e a te s f a n t a s i e s - as y m b o l , a s c e n e , a s t o r y - - t o h e l p u s t o e n t e r s o m e o n e e l se 's w o r l d .A s f a r a s p o s si b le w e s h a r e i n t h e o t h e r p e r s o n ' s e x p e r i e n c e ; w e a t t e m p tt o s e e th i n gs a s h e d o e s , t o f e e l a s h e d o e s . W e b e c o r n e a s s i m i la t e d i n t ot h e o t h e r p e r s o n ' s l i f e a n d s o e s t a b l i s h a n e m p a t h e t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p .F r o m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f h u m a n t a le n ts e m p a t h e t i c a n d c o n t e m p l a t i v ef a c u lt ie s a r e i d e n t i c a l . T h e t a s k o f b o t h is u n i o n , a n d f o r t h e m t o b ee f f ec t iv e t h e y m u s t r e c r u i t a w h o l e r a n g e o f h u m a n q u a li ti es a n dfeel ings .A g o o d e x a m p l e o f e m p a t h y a n d c o n t e m p l a t i o n i s t o b e f o u n d i njourney to Ixtlan, b y t h e a n t h r o p o l o g i s t C a r lo s C a s t e n ad a . H e d e s c r i b e sh o w t h e o l d Y aq ui I n d ia n w i s e m a n , D o n J u a n , t a k es h i m o n a t r e kt h r o u g h t h e d e s e r t c h a p a rr a l. D u r i n g t h e j o u r n e y D o n J u a n c o m e s t ot h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t C a s t en a d a i s t a k in g h i m s e l f a n d h i s q u e s t f o rk n o w l e d g e t o o s e r io u s ly . D o n J u a n g o es o n :

' N o w w e a r e c o n c e r n e d w i t h lo s in g s e l f - i m p o r t an c e . A s long a s y o u f e e ltha t you are the most im por tan t th ing in the wo r ld you cannot apprecia tethe w orld around you. You are l ike a horse with bl inkers. All you see isyourse l f apar t from every th ing e lse '. He examined m e fo r a m om ent .' I a m going to talk to m y l i t t le fr iend he re ' , he said , point ing to a smallp lan t. ' . . . I t doesn ' t m at ter what you say to a p lan t ', he sa id . 'You canjust as we ll m ake up w ords ; w hat 's im portant is the feeling o f l ik ing i t andtreat ing i t as an equal ' . ' . . . From now on talk to l i t t le p lants ', he said.'Talk unti l you lose all sense of importance. Talk to the m unti l you cando it in fron t o f others'.a

F a n ta s y c o u l d h a v e h e l p e d C a s t e na d a t o s e e t h in g s a s t h e y r e a l l y a r eb y e f fe c ti n g a c o m m u n i o n b e t w e e n h i s w h o l e p e r s o n , b o d y a n d m i n d ,f ee li ng s a n d ju d g m e n t , a n d t h e c r e a t u r e s a r o u n d h i m .

R e f l e c t io n s o n i m a g i n a t i o n , f a n ta s y a n d e m p a t h y w i l l u n l o c k p a r t o ft h e t r u t h a b o u t i g n a t i a n c o n t e m p l a t i o n . T o g r a s p t h e w h o l e t r u t h w eh a r e t o u n d e r s t a n d t h a t c o n t e m p l a t i o n i s a g r o w i n g f a i t h i n C h r i s t,2a Ex x 162.~4 Jo u r n ey t o I x t l a n (London, I97~; ) , pp 39-4o .


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w h i c h is c o m m u n i o n in t h e f u ll e st p o ss ib le s e n se fo r t h e c h r i s ti a nb e l i e v e r . I b e l i e v e t h a t t h is p a r t ic u l a r f o r m o f p r a y e r o w e s m u c h t o t h ej o h a n n i n e t h e o l o g y o f s ig n s. ~n T h e s t o r y o f t h e r e s t o r a t i o n o f s i g h t t ot h e m a n b o r n b l i n d i s a g o o d e x a m p l e . ~ A m i r a c l e is r e c o u n t e d w h i c hr e s e m b l e s m i r a c l e s i n o t h e r g o s p e ls . 27 B u t w h e r e t h e s y n o p t ic s r e l a t e ds u c h m i r a c l e s f o r t h e i r o w n s a k e o r a s a r e v e l a t i o n o f J e s u s ' s m e s s i a n icp o w e r , J o h n w a s i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e i r s y m b o l i s m , t h e i r s a c r a m e n t a l i t ya n d s i g n i f i c a n c e . F o r h i m t h e g i v i n g o f s i g h t t o t h e b l i n d m a n w a s ap o i n t e r t o t h e m o r e i m p o r t a n t t r u t h t h a t J e s u s i s the l i g h t , my l ig h t .T h e s t o r y o f h o w t h e b l i n d m a n c a m e to f a it h is u s e d b y J o h n t o h e l pt h e g o s p e l r e a d e r t o c o m e t o f a i th , ' t o c o m e t o t h e l i g h t '. 2s

F o r J o h n ' f a i th ' is a m a n y - s i d e d c o n c e p t . I t in c l u d e s r e c o g n i t i o n ,m e e t i n g , s ig h t, h e a r i n g , l i s t e n i n g , p e r s o n a l c o n t a c t w i t h C h r i s t 29 a n do b e d i e n c e t o t h e S p i ri t. s I n s o m a n y d i f f e r e n t w a y s is m a n p r e p a r e d f o rt h e c o m i n g o f G o d i n C h r i s t a n d t h e S p i r it . D o n a t i e n M o l la t w r i t e si n a n a r t i c l e o n S t J o h n :

A firm synthesis of sight and faith seem s at the basis of this saying to th egali leans : ' suc h is m y Father 's wil l that w hoe ver sees the Son and believesin him w il l have eternal l i fe ' (6, 40). This is the only tex t in Joh n w he reone f inds the expression ' to se e the S on ' . B. F. W estc ott notes that thetw o actions, sight and faith (the a ct ofcon templat ionand faith), ar e describe das continuous actions. 81 'T o s ee the Son' is realized in 'faith ' an d 'faith 'inclu des ' to see the Son ' . In g , 24, th e form ula is paral lel ~ proposo fhear ing :'He wh o hears m y wo rd and bel ieves in h im w ho sen t m e has e ternallife'.Sz

M o l la t c o n c l u d e s t h a t a t t h e h e a r t o f j o h a n n i n e f a i th t h e r e is a c o n t i n u o u sg r o w t h o f si g h t a n d h e a r i n g . B o t h a r e b e i n g d e e p e n e d a n d a f fi rm e d a st h e i n t i m a c y a n d u n i o n b e t w e e n t h e b e l i e v e r a n d C h r i st m a t u r e a n dd e v e l o p t h r o u g h t h e a c t i o n o f t h e S p i ri t. a3 I g n a ti a n c o n t e m p l a t i o n ist h e f o r m o f p r a y e r t h a t s e e ks t o f o s t e r th is s e e in g a nd h e a r i n g .25 C f C u s s o n , G i l l e s : PMagogie de l 'exp~rlence spiri tuel l personnelle ( P a r i s , i 9 6 8 ) , p 3 2 4 ,n o I w h e r e h e c o n n e c t s I g n a ti u s 's r e li g i o u s e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h e j o h a n n i n e p e r s p e c t i v e .B u t m u c h m o r e w o r k r e m a i n s t o b e d o n e o n t h is s u b je c t .~ J n 9 , I - 4 I .27 C f M t 9 , 2 7 - 3 I .S 8 J n 3~ 2 1 .20 I Jn I , 3-8 0 j n 3 ~ 8 ; 2 o , 2 2 .sx The Gosped according to St John ( L o n d o n , I 8 8 z ) .8a A r t . ' S . J e a n 1 ' E v a n g 6 1 i s t e ', D S 8 , c o l . 2 2 6 .aa Ibid. , c o l . 2 2 g -6 . I w i s h t o a c k n o w l e d g e m y d e b t t o D . M o l l a t f o r m u c h o f t h i s s e c t i o n .


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Contemplat ion and discernmentI a m w e l l a w a r e t h a t a n e ssay o n c o n t e m p l a t i o n d o e s n o t c a p t u r e t h e

fu l l fo rce and o r ig ina l i t y o f t he Exe rc i se s . Igna t iu s ' s gen ius wa~ toh a v e t r a n s p o s e d t h e b e s t o f m e d i e v a l t e a c h i n g a n d t e r m i n o l o g y o nc o n t e m p l a t i o n a n d t o h a v e r e - p r e s e n t e d i t f o r t h o s e w h o s e c a ll in g w i t h i nt h e C h u r c h w a s t o a n a c ti v e ap o s to l ic l if e. T h e c o n t e x t o f c o n t e m p l a t i o nw a s n o l o n g e r t h e m o n a s t e r y ; i t w a s r a t h e r t h e d e c is io n s a n d a c ti o n so f c o m p a n i o n s o f C h r is t s e n t to s e rv e t h e i r f e l l o w - m e n .

I t is o n l y w h e n c o n t e m p l a t i n g C h r i s t 's l if e th a t t h e p e r s o n m a k i n gt h e E x e r c i s e s i s a l l o w e d t o b e g i n t o f i n d o u t w h a t t h e L o r d w a n t s o fh i m . 3 4 H e m u s t k n o w a n d l o v e C h r i s t b e f o r e h e c a n d o h i s w i l l . Ag r o w i n g a s s i m i la t io n i n t o a n d i d e n t i f i c a ti o n w i t h C h r i s t w i ll g i v e h i mt h e l i g h t a n d t h e s t r e n g t h w i t h w h i c h t o d i s c e r n . A s H e n r i H o l s t e i nh as r e m a r k e d : ' W h e n t h e h o u r c o m e s t o m a k e a ch o i c e , th e r e t r e a t a n tw i l l b e r e a d y t o c h o o s e t h a t w h i c h w i l l g i v e h i m t h e c e r t a i n t y o fr e m a i n i n g with Christ ' .05 T h e s e c u r e k n o w l e d g e o f b e in g w i t h C h r i s t- - i n c o n te m p l at io n a nd c o n s o l a t i o n - m u s t g uid e o u r d is c e rn m e n td u r i n g t h e E x e r c is e s a n d t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e s t o f l if e

8~ E x x i 3 ~ .s5 ' C o n t e m p l a t i o n o f t h e M y s t e r ie s o f C h r i s t ' , i n Fin d in g Go d in A l l Th in ss t r . W . J . Y o u n g( C h i c a g o , ~ 9 ~ 8 ) , p 9 ~ - .

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