Ignatian Spirituality

Ignatius Loyola wrote his Spiritual Exercises, as a guide for discernment. Through them, we are encouraged to interpret our feelings, before God, to detect signs of whether we are moving towards, or away from, him.

Over a period of time, we examine our responses of consolation and desolation. Consolation is given by the Good Spirit, as an encouragement as we make intentions towards God. Desolation comes from the Bad Spirit, to discourage us, and make us move away from God. 

Contemplation and Combat

When I arrived in the inner city for ministry, it was common to recommend contemplative spirituality, the cultivation of silence, as a spiritual discipline. Digging into the works of Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen, would offer greater deeper resources for dealing with the stresses of urban mission. So, I built a practice, in my 20s and 30s, of regular retreats, and personal meditation. 

The Mysticism of Covid

This week, I cycled through the deserted streets and squares of London’s central university district. The recently opening stores, with their queues, had made me forget how abandoned the city still is. I talked with one coffee shop worker, fearing closure; with their usual clientele absent – professors, students and office workers.