3. In whole, as to both matter and form, i.e. according to the precise method and order laid down in the book. Annotation xx. Cf. Constitutiones Soc. Jesu, P. vii. c. iv. litt. F., where it is said, the spiritual Exercises should be given in their completeness only to a few, to those, namely, from whom a large measure of fruit to the glory of God may be hoped for. But the Exercises of the First Week may be given to many; and the methods of examination of conscience, both particular and general, together with the three methods of prayer (p. 159), especially the first of them, to many more.' See also Directory i. 7; ix ; xviii. 4, 5, 6. Additional Note A; and Ferrusola, Commentaria, Part I, Section ix. De varia ratione tradendi ac peragendi Exercitia. XIX. He who is occupied with public affairs or necessary business, if he is learned or of good ability, may take every day an hour and a half for the Exercises, having it explained to him for what end man was created; and also he may be given the particular examination for the space of half an hour, and afterwards the general, and also the method of confessing and of receiving Communion; and let him during three days each morning for an hour make the meditation on the first, second, and third sins; then at the same hour on three other days the meditation on the review of sins, and afterwards for three other days at the same hour on the punishments corresponding to sins, and in all these meditations let the ten Additions be given him; and let him observe the same method with regard to the Mysteries of Christ our Lord, as is set forth at large later on in the Exercises (26). (26) In this way Father Antonius Possevinus made the Exercises when he was secretary of the Society, spending forty-seven days on the Exercises of the First Week alone. XX. To him who is more free, and who desires to profit to the utmost, let all the spiritual Exercises be given in the same order in which they follow; and in these he will generally derive the more profit in proportion as he separates himself from all friends and relations, and from all earthly cares, as, for example, by leaving the house in which he dwells and choosing another house or room (27), in order to lodge there in as great privacy as possible, in such a way that it may be in his power to go daily to Mass and Vespers, without fear that his acquaintances will put any obstacle in his way. From this seclusion three principal advantages follow, among many others. The first is that when a person separates himself from friends and acquaintances, and likewise from many not well ordered (28) affairs, in order to serve and praise God our Lord (29), he gains no little merit before His Divine Majesty. The second, that when a person has thus withdrawn himself, as his understanding is not divided on many subjects, but all his solicitude is placed on one thing only, namely, on the service of his Creator and the profit of his own soul, he enjoys a freer use of his natural powers in seeking diligently what he so much desires. The third, that the more our soul finds itself alone and in solitude, the fitter it renders itself to approach and unite itself to its Creator and Lord; and the closer it thus draws near to Him (30), the more it disposes itself to receive graces and gifts from His Divine and Supreme Goodness (31). (27) Concerning a suitable place for retreat see Directory ii. 2 and iv. 1. And for the times and manner of visiting the retreatant, vi and xxi. 3. (28) Not well ordered, i.e. from the point of view of the Exercises, affairs which are a hindrance to the spirit of retreat. (29) In order to serve and praise God our Lord. Notice the reason S. Ignatius gives for seeking the solitude of retreat. It is not so much our own needs or spiritual profit, as the service and praise of God. And in truth it is wonderful how this generosity and purity of motive will win for the retreatant an abundant outpouring of divine grace, and will help and strengthen him to bear aridity and desolations if they should come. Whatever he may have to go through, he will be able to say: I came not to seek my own consolation, but the service and glory of God, and so in spite of aridity and desolation I will go on with trust and confidence. So long as I am faithful to God, that is all I need to care about. S. Ignatius does indeed mention the profit of the retreatant's soul a few lines farther on; but still he gives the first place here, as always, to the thought of God and His service and glory. It may be added that this is also the disposition and intention with which we ought to come to our daily meditation. (30) The closer it draws near to Him, etc. This is again (see Note 19) one of the many places in the Exercises where S. Ignatius hints at the higher ways of passive prayer and mystical communion with God. Notice especially the words to receive graces and gifts, not ordinary graces only, but gifts, i.e., super natural favours. Indeed it might be said that in this one sentence he has summed up all that S. Teresa has so admirably expounded at length in her immortal treatise, The Interior Castle. (31) The following analysis of the twenty Annotations may be found useful: I. Nature and object of the Exercises. Ann. 1. II. General instructions: 1. Concerning the points of the meditations. Anu. 2. 2. Concerning the use of the understanding and will. Ann. 3. 3. Concerning the plan of the Exercises, and the time to be occupied in each of the four Weeks. Ann. 4. 4. Concerning the need of generous dispositions. Ann. 5. III. Instructions for the director in dealing with the exercitant: 1. If he experiences no spiritual movements. Ann. 6. 2. If he is in desolation and temptation. Ann. 7. 3. Of explaining the rules for the discernment of spirits. Ann. 8. (a) Those of the First Week. Ann. 9. (b) Those of the Second Week. Ann. 10. 4. During the First Week the exercitant should not be told what he will have to do in the Second and following Weeks. Ann. 11. IV. Instructions partly for the exercitant and partly for the director. 1. A full hour to be spent in each exercise. Ann. 12. 2. In desolation the time should be prolonged. Ann. 13. 3. In consolation: (a) No vow is to be made by the exercitant. Ann. 14. (b) Nor should the director impel him thereto. Ann. 15. 4. How to combat inordinate affections which hinder the work of God in the soul. Ann. 16. 5. The exercitant should be frank and open with the director. Ann. 17. V. Instructions concerning the various ways in which the Exercises should be given to different classes of persons. They may be given : 1. In part, to those who are not capable of receiving all. Ann. 18. 2. In whole: (a) To those who are capable, but hindered by external duties. Ann. 19. (b) To those who are both capable and unhindered. Ann. 20. In corporate retreats it may be sometimes useful to give the substance of some of these Annotations in one or more instructions, e.g.: 1. The nature and end of the Exercises. 2. The dispositions which the retreatant should bring to them, and the means of making them well. 3. The motives which should urge him to make them as well as possible. SPIRITUAL EXERCISES by any inordinate affection (1). (1) Every word of this title should be noted and considered. It expresses the whole character and end of the Exercises. They are to help a man (1) to conquer himself; (2) to order his life; (3) to make his decision as to the state or ordering of his life, in complete freedom from the influence of any inordinate affection. In this last particular we may note the wisdom and prudence of S. Ignatius. He had first written ordenar su vida sin affeccion alguna que desordenada sea, i.e. to order his life without any inordinate affection. But afterwards, thinking the expression indiscreet and liable to be misunderstood, he corrected it with his own hand in the margin, so as to restrain the necessity of the absence of any inordinate affection to the time and act of making the decision, sin determinarse por afeccion alguna que desordenada sea, i.e. without allowing any inordinate affection to bias his decision. By an inordinate affection is meant an attachment to, or desire for, something which conflicts with the end for which man was created, viz. the love and service of God and his own salvation (see the Principle and Foundation, p. 26). The spiritual Exercises are to help us so to conquer ourselves that we may be able to choose a state of life, or to regulate our life in a state already chosen, solely with a view to this end. In order that he who gives as well as he who receives the spiritual Exercises may the more help and profit one another, it should be presupposed that every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a good sense to the doubtful proposition of another than to condemn it; and if he cannot give a good sense to it, let him inquire how the other understands it, and if he is in error, let him correct |