to the Election; and it is such as these that the following notes and explanations have chiefly in view. At the same time it is quite legitimate to give the Exercises in part, and with suitable modifications to many others, e.g. those who merely wish to set their consciences in order by a good confession, and the acceptance of a simple rule of life which may help them to persevere in grace; or those, again, who, coming year by year into retreat, desire to make progress in spiritual life according to their several callings and circumstances. It is hoped that directors of retreats, having once learnt the deeper teachings of the book, which the notes are intended to emphasize and develop, will find themselves able to make the modifications and adaptations necessary to meet the needs of these different classes of retreatants, preserving nevertheless the essential features of the method. PRAYER Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. O good Jesu, hear me; Within Thy wounds hide me; Suffer me not to be separated from Thee; That with Thy Saints I may praise Thee THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES TEXT AND COMMENTARY The text of S. Ignatius, and all quotations from it in the commentary, are printed in italic type. ihs ANNOTATIONS (1) for obtaining some knowledge (2) of the spiritual Exercises which follow; and for the help as well of him who is to give, as of him who is to receive them (3). (1) These Annotations may be regarded as an introduction to the Exercises. They are intended for a twofold purpose: first, to give some preliminary notion of the nature of the Exercises, explaining briefly their scope and purpose, the means they employ, and their application to different classes of persons; and secondly, to offer some advice of a general character which may be helpful both to the director and the exercitant, and may make the fruits of the retreat more abundant and secure. (2) Some knowledge-for the knowledge of the Exercises to be gained from these preliminary Annotations, however valuable and important, falls very far short of a full and complete understanding of them. Indeed a real knowledge of them can only be obtained by experience. Hence it is that many persons find in this little book nothing but a dry and meagre outline. Actual use and experience are necessary if it is to yield up its secrets. Even more necessary is the light and unction of the Holy Spirit, which will be given only to those who are not merely readers or students, but exercitants as well. For the same reason S. Ignatius presupposes that the exercitant shall always be 3 guided and instructed by an experienced director, who shall give the Exercises by word of mouth, explaining and applying them as the needs of each may require. (3) And for the help as well of him who is to give, etc. These words make it plain that the book of the Exercises is not one to be merely read through, nor indeed to be put into the hands of any and every one to study and use by himself. S. Ignatius speaks at the outset of him who is to give as well as of him who is to receive the Exercises. The retreatant, unless he is himself experienced and well skilled in their use, has need of a director, otherwise he will miss much of their deeper teaching, and may even fall into dangerous errors. For the book is so brief and concise that it needs to be explained and applied by one who has both knowledge and experience. And even in the case of a retreatant who has these qualifications, the humility which submits to be guided by another is one of the surest conditions of reaping abundant fruit and blessing. All the twenty Annotations ought to be thoroughly familiar to him who gives the Exercises (cf. Directory, Chap. v. 7); but only a few of them need be explained to the retreatant, e.g. i, iii, v, xii, xiii, and in part xx; the rest the director will make use of as occasion may require. I. Under the name of spiritual Exercises is understood every method of examination of conscience, of meditation, of contemplation, of vocal and mental prayer, and of other spiritual operations, as shall hereafter be declared: for as to go for a walk, to take a journey (4), and to run, are bodily exercises, so in like manner all methods of preparing and disposing the soul to rid itself of all inordinate affections (5), and, after it has rid itself of them, to seek and to find the divine will in the ordering of one's life with a view to the salvation of one's soul, are called spiritual Exercises. (4) To walk, to take a journey-in the Spanish pasear, caminar, which Fr. Roothaan translates respectively, ambulare, ire. These words are not synonymous. Pasear (ambulare) means merely to walk to and fro, for the sake of exercise; caminar (ire, or, as the Vulgate version translates it, iter facere) points to a journey with a definite end in view. The ideas expressed in these words may easily be transferred from bodily to spiritual exercises. There are many, for example, who so walk in the way of the spiritual life as never to make any real progress, |