Spiritual exercises : according to the method of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Contents

PAGE

Translator's Preface, vii

Translator’s Preface to Second Edition, xi

Introduction to the Retreat, 5

§ I. Some motives for attending with diligence to the

Spiritual Exercises, - - - - 5

§ II. Counsels regarding the interior preparation of

the Soul, 13

§ HI. Counsels regarding the external arrangement of

our affairs, 15

§ IV. Counsels to be observed during the time of the

Exercises, 17

§ V. Plan of the Exercises, 22

First Day.

First Meditation. On the End of Man, 26

Lecture. On the First Meditation, which S. Ignatius

calls “ the Foundation,” .... 35

Second Meditation. On the End of the Religious Man, 48

(Imitation of Christ. Book III., ch. 10.) Consideration. On indifference to every place, every office, every degree, and every condition of

health, 58

Examen. On the impediments to indifference, - - 67

Third Meditation . Repetition of the two preceding

Meditations, - 69

IV

CONTENTS.

Second Day.

PACE

First Meditation. On Sin, punished in the Rebel Angels and in Adam, 78

Lecture . On Sorrow and Detestation for Sin, - - 90

Second Meditation. On our personal Sins, - - - 104

Consideration. On the Two-fold root of Sin, - - 114

Examen. On the defects which spring from Pride and

Sensuality, 121

Third Meditation. On Hell, 125

{Imitation of Christ. Book I, ch. 2, 4, §§ 3, 4, 6, 7.

Third Day.

- 157 . 166

{Imitation of Christ. Book I., ch. 24, §§ 1, 2, 4, 5.) Consideration . On the Manner of preparing for Death, 167 Third Meditation . On the Prodigal Son, - - - 171

( Imitation of Christ. Book IV., ch. 9, §§ 2, 3, 6.)

First Meditation. On Death, - Compendium of same, - {Imitation of Christ. Book /., ch. 23.) Lecture. On the Knowledge of Ourselves, - Second Meditation. On the particular Judgment, Compendium of same, -

Fourth Day.

First Meditation.. On the Kingdom of Christ, • - 183

{Imitation of Christ . Book I., ch, 1 . )

Lecture. On the Imitation of Christ, - - - 191

Second Meditation. On the Incarnation, - - - 200

( Imitation of Christ. Book II., ch. 13, §§ 5, 6.)

CONTENTS,

Consideration. On Humility, - Examen. On the Virtue of Humility,

Third Meditation. On the Nativity of Jesus Christ - Compendium of same, - {Imitation of Christ. Book III., ch. 18.)

Fifth Day.

First Meditation. On the flight of Jesus into Egypt, -

{Imitation of Christ. Book III., ch. 13.) Lecture. On the preparation of the soul for the choice of a state, -

Second Meditation . On the Hidden Life of J esus Christ,

Consideration. On Mortification, -

Examen. On the virtue of Mortification, -

Third Meditation. On the sojourn of Jesus in the

Temple,

Sixth Day.

First Meditation. On the two Standards of Christ and of Lucifer, ------

{Imitation of Christ. Book III, ch. 51.) Lecture. On the object of the Exercises of this day, - Second Meditation. On the Three Classes of Men,

{Imitation of Christ. Book III. , ch. 27. ) Consideration. On the Three Degrees of Humility, Practical Exercise on the election of a state,

Third Meditation. On the Prerogatives of the Third

Degree of Humility,

FACE

250 257

278 289

296 303

VI

CONTENTS.

PAOB

SEVENTH Day.

First Meditation. On what Jesus Christ suffered in his honour, and how much suffering tends to

instruct us, 314

Lecture. On the fruit of the Exercises of this day, - 321

Second Meditation. On what Christ suffered in his Body, and on the manner in which he suffered for our instruction, - - - 331

Compendium of same, ----- 337 {Imitation of Christ. Book III, ch. 10.) Consideration. On the happiness and glory of a soul

that is despised and afflicted, ... 338

Examen. On Patience and Obedience, - - - 343

Third Meditation . On the death of Christ upon the

{Imitation of Christ. Book II, ch. 12.)

Eighth Day.

First Meditation. On the Resurrection of Christ, - 355

( Imitation of Christ. Book I, ch. 49.)

Lecture for the last day of the Exercises, - - - 362

Second Meditation . On the Love of Christ, - - 371

( Imitation of Christ. Book II. , ch. 7, 8. ) Consideration. On comformity of our will with the will

of God, 379

Examen. On interior Recollection and on Prayer, - 385

Third Meditation. On the Love of God, - - - 389

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE.

The publication at Kome, in 1548, of the Book of Spiritual Exercises by the illustrious Founder of the Society of Jesus marks a new era in the History of Mystic Theology. Many saints before Ignatius had, no doubt, written works replete with the unction of the Holy Spirit, and admirably calculated to guide souls safely along the rugged path of Christian Perfection ; but we may, nevertheless, affirm without hesitation, that the ecstatic recluse of Manresa was the first to reduce the maxims of the Spiritual Life to a well-ordered and logically connected system, and to elevate Asceticism to the dignity of a science in the strict acceptance of the term.

The approving voice of the Christian Church, for more than three centuries, has borne ample testimony to the splendid success with which the saint accomplished his difficult task. Popes, and cardinals, and bishops; the cloistered religious and the man of the world ; great saints and great sinners ; bold soldiers and brilliant statesmen ; learned doctors viii translator’s preface.

and humble mechanics; persons of both sexes, of every age, and rank, and condition, and in all parts of Christendom, have experienced the salutary influence of the Exercises upon their souls, and bear testimony to their efficacy in terms which seem to border almost on the language of exaggeration (a).

Among the many holy and learned Jesuits who have expounded the Spiritual Exercises of the illustrious Founder of their Society, Father Aloysius .Bellecio deservedly holds a foremost place. His treatise has won the warm commendations of the most experienced masters of the spiritual life, for the clearness and logical precision of the method which he has adopted, for the weight and solidity of his sentences, for the appropriate and vigorous eloquence of his style, and for the pious unction which flows in every page, and which cannot fail to soften the heart even of the most obdurate sinner, if he only read the work attentively and with the proper dispositions.

Father Bellecio composed his treatise in Latin, and this circumstance made it, for most people, a sealed fountain ; owing, however, to the zeal and active industry of his brother Jesuits, it has been translated into many modern languages. Two Italian

(a) See “ Introduction,” pp. 5-10, infra , translator's preface.

IX translations have appeared, and of these I have chosen for presentation to the English-speaking public that which was published in 1842, from the pen of Father Anthony Bresciani — himself a child of S. Ignatius, and a man of European fame in the world of letters. Three reasons, principally, influenced me in making this choice. First, Father Bresciani has occasionally abridged the text of Bellecio where he considered it unnecessarily diffuse, and has thus made the work more suitable for the general use of the faithful. Secondly, he has added to each meditation a compendium of the same, so that the reader may take in with a single glance, as it were, all that he had been meditating. Finally, he has slightly modified some few opinions put forward by Father Bellecio, which seemed to him too rigid; his object being not to discourage souls, while inspiring them with a salutary fear of God’s judgments.

Of the English translation now offered to the public, little need be said. I have always considered that the chief excellence of a good translation consists in fidelit3r to the original. Wherefore, I have endeavoured to adhere to the text of Father Bresciani’s work as closely as the difference of idiom (and it is very marked, indeed), between the English and Italian languages would permit ; and I claim no

X

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

merit for this little volume beyond the modest one of faithfully reproducing in an English dress the admirable work of the great Italian Jesuit.

WILLIAM HUTCiL

St. Colman’s College, Fermoy,

Feast of the Holy Rosary , Oct. lst9 187t

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

TriE first edition of this translation, which consisted of three thousand copies, has been for some time out of print ; and, influenced by representations made to me from several quarters, I have judged it advisable to bring out a second edition. In preparing it for the Press, the book has been carefully revised throughout, so that I trust the present edition will be found an improvement on the former one, and will merit at least an equal share of public favour.

WILLIAM HUTCH.

St. Colman’s College, Fermoy,

AUTHOR’S PREFACE.

Although Spiritual Retreats are of very frequent occurrence in our days, nevertheless, that total change of life— the result of generous resolutions carried out with fortitude and constancy — which in times past almost invariably accompanied them, is by no means so common. Now-a-days people come out of Retreat pretty much the same as they entered it ; and even though they should gain some additional fervour, and manifest some improvement in their lives, the change is but of brief duration, and at the end of a month they return to their former failings and tepidity.

What is the cause of this ? Is it that the Exercises have lost that efficacy which formerly rendered them so powerful ? It is not so : but it happens because people do not perform the Exercises in the author’s preface.

manner which S. Ignatius requires. They do not endeavour to penetrate his spirit thoroughly ; they do not direct their resolutions into the proper channel ; they do not attend sufficiently to the connection between the different meditations ; they, for the most part, pass over the Exercise on the Choice of a State, around which, as a centre, all the others are grouped ; and they either omit, or but glance hurriedly at some fundamental meditations — such as those on The Kingdom of Christ , on The Two Standards , on The Three Classes of Men , on The Three Degrees of Humility — which, as it were, constitute the foundation that supports the entire of this spiritual edifice. Hence they fail to derive from the Exercises all the benefit that they ought.

It is my desire, therefore, to help you, if I car , by means of this little book, and to assist you in gathering all that fruit which the Exercises usually produce when they are well performed. But shall I be able to do this of myself ? May the Lord grant me His assisting grace, while on my part I shall leave nothing undone to ensure success. And that

AUTHOR'S preface

you may know, reader, that I am not about to place before you any theories of my own, I take the liberty of informing you that I will not lay down in the following pages any doctrine which may not be found either in the work of our holy Father, S. Ignatius, or in the Directory, or in the treatises of other approved interpreters. We shall see later on what weight attached itself to the book of the Exercises ; and the authority of the Directory may be inferred from the circumstances under which it was drawn up. This work was undertaken by command of the First General Congregation, and was by its advice forwarded to all the provinces of the Society, in order that the most experienced Fathers in all places might decide whether there was anything to add to, or take from it, or whether it might be otherwise improved. The judgments and opinions of all having been forwarded to Rome, and subjected in the Fifth General Congregation to a most exact and rigorous examination, by Fathers specially deputed for that task — an examination afterwards scrupulously repeated by the Father-General Claudius author’s preface.

Aquaviva and the Eathers-Assistant — such opinions as seem most opportune were adopted, arranged in regular order, and collected into this Directory. It is evident, then, that the authority of this hook is very great, and that you should attach very considerable importance to such extracts from it as you will find scattered through the pages of the present work.

If you only know how to avail yourself of this, and of the work of S. Ignatius, following the closely connected method in which I shall place everything before you, I, on my part, promise you the happiest results from your Retreat.

Introduction To The Retreat

The Spiritual Exercises of S. Ignatius consist in a Retreat of some days, during which the soul, removed from all intercourse with the world, and shut in from all worldly distractions and cares, is solely occupied in attending, after the method proposed by the saint, to the all-important business of salvation ; and while bewailing the transgressions of the past, studies to repair them by a more perfect life in the future. That you may accomplish this purpose the more successfully, I shall place before you, by way of preface, some motives and counsels for your encouragement and direction, so as to enable you to perform during these eight days all that is most necessary in order to derive solid benefit from your Retreat.

§. I. Some motives for attending with diligence to the Spiritual Exercises.

In the opinion of the most competent judges the qualities which mainly affect the value of any exercise may be reduced to these three, viz. — its excellence , which wins for it our esteem ; its utility , which creates within us a desire of it ; and its necessity , whereby the will is impelled to embrace that which the intellect has already recognised as being in itself both useful and excellent.

I. Now in the first place, the excellence of these

A