Spiritual Exercises
St. Ignatius of Loyola
THE PRAYER: SOUL OF CHRiST
SOUL OF CHRIST, SANCTIFY ME
BODY OF CHRIST, SAVE ME
BLOOD OF CHRIST, INEBRIATE ME
WATER FROM THE SIDE OF CHRIST, WASH ME
PASSION OF CHRIST, STRENGTHEN ME
O GOOD JESUS, HEAR ME
WITHIN THY WOUNDS HIDE ME
PERMIT ME NOT TO BE SEPARATED FROM THEE
FROM THE WICKED FOE DEFEND ME
AT THE HOUR OF MY DEATH CALL ME
AND BID ME COME TO THEE
THAT WITH THY SAINTS I MAY PRAISE THEE
FOR EVER AND EVER.
AMEN.
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Third Week
First day
[190]
The First Contemplation at Midnight
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Christ our Lord goes from Bethany to Jerusalem and the Last Supper. # 289. It contains the preparatory prayer, three preludes, six points, and a colloquy
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Prayer
The usual preparatory prayer.
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[191]
First Prelude
This is the history. Here it will be to recall that Christ our Lord sent two of His disciples from Bethany to Jerusalem to prepare the Supper, and afterwards, He himself went there with His disciples. After they had eaten the Paschal Lamb and supped, He washed their feet, and gave His most Sacred Body and Precious Blood to His disciples. When Judas had gone out to sell his Lord, Christ addressed His disciples.
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[192]
Second Prelude
This is a mental representation of the place. Here it will be to consider the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, whether narrow or broad, whether level, etc.; also the place of the Supper, whether great or small, whether of this or that appearance.
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Third Prelude
This is to ask for what I desire. Here it will be to ask for sorrow, compassion, and shame because the Lord is going to His suffering for my sins.
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First Point
This is to see the persons at the Supper, and to reflect upon myself, and strive to draw some profit from them.
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Second Point
This is to listen to their conversation, and likewise seek to draw fruit from it.
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Third Point
This is to see what they are doing, and to seek to draw some fruit from it.
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[195]
Fourth Point
This will be to consider what Christ our Lord suffers in His human nature, or according to the passage contemplated, what he desires to suffer. Then I will begin with great effort to strive to grieve, be sad, and weep. In this way I will labour through all the points that follow.
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[196]
Fifth Point
This is to consider how the divinity hides itself; for example, it could destroy its enemies and does not do so, but leaves the most sacred humanity to suffer so cruelly.
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Sixth Point
This is to consider that Christ suffers all this for my sins, and what I ought to do and suffer for Him.
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[198]
Colloquy
Close with a colloquy to Christ our Lord, and at the end, say the Our Father.
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[199]
Note
Attention must be called to the following point which was mentioned before and in part explained. In the colloquy, one should talk over motives and present petitions according to circumstances. Thus he may be tempted or he may enjoy consolation, may desire to have this virtue or another, may want to dispose himself in this or that way, may seek to grieve or rejoice according to the matter that he is contemplating. Finally, he should ask what he more earnestly desires with regard to some particular interests.
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Following this advice, he may engage in only one colloquy with Christ our Lord, or, if the matter and his devotion prompt him to do so, he may use three colloquies, one with the Mother of our Lord, one with her Son, and one with the Father. If three colloquies are used, the same form should be followed that was given in the meditation on Two Standards, and the note that follows after the Three Classes of Men should be observed.
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[200]
Second Contemplation
In the morning. From the Last Supper to the Agony in the Garden inclusive
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Prayer
The usual preparatory prayer.
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[201]
First Prelude
This is the history of the mystery. Here it will be as follows: Christ our Lord descended with the eleven disciples from Mt. Sion, where the Supper was held, to the Valley of Josaphat. Eight of the disciples were left at a place in the valley, and the other three in a part of the garden. Then Jesus began His prayer, and His sweat became as drops of blood. Three times He prayed to His Father and went to rouse His disciples from sleep. After His enemies had fallen to the ground at His word, and Judas had given Him the kiss, after St. Peter had cut off the ear of Malchus, and Christ had healed it, Jesus was seized as a malefactor, and led down through the valley and again up the slope to the house of Annas.
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[202]
Second Prelude
This is to see the place. It will be here to consider the way from Mt. Sion to the Valley of Josaphat, likewise the garden, its breadth, its length, and appearance.
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[203]
Third Prelude
This is to ask for what I desire. In the Passion it is proper to ask for sorrow with Christ in sorrow, anguish with Christ in anguish, tears and deep grief because of the great affliction Christ endures for me.
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Notes
[204]
I. In this second contemplation, after the preparatory prayer and the three preludes given above, the same way of proceeding in the points and colloquies is to be observed as was followed in the first contemplation on the Supper.
About the time of Mass and Vespers, two repetitions are to be made of the first and second contemplations. Before supper the Application of the Senses should be made on the subject matter of the two contemplations. The preparatory prayer, and the preludes, adapted to the subject of the exercise, are always to precede. The form to be observed is the same as that given and explained in the Second Week.
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[205]
II. As far as age, health, and physical constitution permit the exercitant to do so, he will use five exercises each day, or fewer.
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III. In the Third Week some modification of the second and sixth Additional Directions is necessary.
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The second will be that as soon as I awake I will call to mind where I am going and the purpose. I will briefly summarise the contemplation on which I am about to enter. According to the subject matter, I will make an effort while rising and dressing to be sad and grieve because of the great sorrow and suffering of Christ our Lord.
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The sixth Additional Direction will be changed as follows. I will take care not to bring up pleasing thoughts, even though they are good and holy, for example, of the Resurrection and the glory of heaven. Rather I will rouse myself to sorrow, suffering, and anguish by frequently calling to mind the labours, fatigue, and suffering which Christ our Lord endured from the time of His birth down to the mystery of the passion upon which I am engaged at present.
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[207]
NOTE IV. The Particular Examination of Conscience should be made on the Exercises and the Additional Directions as applied to this Week, as was done in the past Week.
Second through sixth days
[208]
Second Day
At midnight the contemplation will be on the events from the Garden to the house of Annas inclusive. Cf. # 291.
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In the morning, from the house of Annas to the house of Caiaphas inclusive. Cf. # 292.
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There will be two repetitions and the Application of the Senses as explained above.
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Third Day
At midnight, from the house of Caiaphas to the house of Pilate inclusive. Cf. # 293.
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In the morning, from Pilate to Herod inclusive. Cf. # 294.
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Then the repetitions and the Application of the Senses in the same way as has been noted.
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Fourth Day
At midnight, from Herod to Pilate, # 295, using for this contemplation only the first half of what occurred in the house of Pilate, and afterwards in the morning, the remaining part.
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There will be the two repetitions and the Application of the Senses as explained.
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Fifth Day
At midnight, from the house of Pilate to the Crucifixion, # 296, and in the morning, from the raising of the cross to His death, # 297.
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Thereafter the repetitions and the Application of the Senses.
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Sixth Day
At midnight from the taking down from the cross to the burial exclusive, # 298, and in the morning from the burial inclusive to the house to which our Lady retired after the burial of her Son.
Seventh day
The contemplation of the whole passion in one exercise at midnight, and again in the morning.
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In place of the two repetitions and the Application of the Senses, one should consider as frequently as possible throughout this whole day that the most Sacred Body of Christ our Lord remained separated from the soul, and the place and manner of burial. Let him consider, likewise, the desolation of our Lady, her great sorrow and weariness, and also that of the disciples.
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Note
If one wishes to spend more time on the passion, he should use fewer mysteries in each contemplation, thus, in the first, only the Supper; in the second, only the washing of feet; in the third, the institution of the Blessed Sacrament; in the fourth, Christ’s parting address, and so on for the other contemplations and mysteries.
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In like manner, after the passion is finished, he may devote one whole day to the consideration of the first half of the passion, and a second day to the other half, and a third day to the whole passion.
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On the other hand, if he should wish to spend less time on the passion, he may take the Supper at midnight, the Agony in the Garden in the morning; about the time of Mass, Jesus before Annas; about the time of Vespers, Jesus before Caiaphas; and instead of the Application of the Senses at the hour before supper, Jesus before Pilate. In this way, without repetitions or Applications of the Senses, there should be five exercises each day, using for each one a distinct mystery of the life of Christ our Lord. After he has finished the whole passion in this way, he may use another day to go through the entire passion, either in one exercise or in several, as is deemed best for his greater profit.
Rules with Regard to Eating
[210]
To secure for the future due order in the use of food
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First Rule
There is less need of abstinence from bread, since it is not a food concerning which the appetite is wont to be so inordinate and temptation so insistent as with other kinds of food.
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[211]
Second Rule
As to drink, abstinence seems to be more necessary than in eating bread. Hence, one should consider carefully what would be helpful, and therefore to be permitted; and what would be harmful, and to be avoided.
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[212]
Third Rule
As to foods, greater and more complete abstinence is to be observed. For with regard to them the appetite tends more readily to be excessive, and temptation to be insistent. To avoid disorder concerning foods, abstinence may be practices in two ways:
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First, by accustoming oneself to eat coarser foods;
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Secondly, if delicacies are taken, to eat of them only sparingly.
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[213]
Fourth Rule
Provided care is taken not to fall sick, the more one retrenches from a sufficient diet, the more speedily he will arrive at the mean he should observe in the matter of food and drink. There are two reasons for this:
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First, by thus using the means to dispose himself, he will often experience more abundantly within the soul lights, consolations, and divine inspirations by which the proper mean will become evident to him.
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Secondly, if he perceives that with such abstinence he has not sufficient strength and health for the Spiritual Exercises, he will easily come to understand what is more suitable to sustain his body.
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[214]
Fifth Rule
While one is eating, let him imagine he sees Christ our Lord and His disciples at table, and consider how He eats and drinks, how He looks, how He speaks, and then strive to imitate Him. In this way, his mind will be occupied principally with our Lord, and less with the provision for the body. Thus he will come to greater harmony and order in the way he ought to conduct himself.
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[215]
Sixth Rule
While eating, one may also occupy himself with some other consideration, either of the life of the saints, or of some pious reflection, or of a spiritual work he has on hand. For when a person is attentive to anything of this kind, there will be less sensible gratification in the nourishment of the body.
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[216]
Seventh Rule
Above all, let him be on his guard against being wholly intent upon what he is eating, and against being carried away by his appetite so as to eat hurriedly. Let him always be master of himself, both in the manner of eating and in the amount, he eats.
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[217]
Eighth Rule
To do away with what is inordinate, it will be very helpful after dinner or after supper, or at any time when one does not feel a desire for food, to arrange for the next dinner or supper, and so every day to fix the amount that is proper for him to eat. Let him not exceed this, no matter what his appetite or the temptation. Rather, to overcome better every disorderly appetite and temptation of the enemy, if he is tempted to eat more let him eat less.