The Irish Jesuits - Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2019

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, is famously known for wanting to find God in all things. Is that even possible? you might ask. He believed it was, but only as a gift from God and only as the fruit of our paying attention to our experience. Ignatius developed an optimistic spiritual practice that assumed the presence of God at every moment of our existence. While we tend to think of Gods presence as a sometimes thing, Ignatius came to believe that our perception of Gods presence as a sometimes occurrence is a major spiritual hindrance. Ignatius believed that God is always creating this universe, always keeping it in existence, always working to bring about Gods purpose in creation, and always trying to move us to join God in the great adventure of bringing about what Jesus called the kingdom of God.

In order to experience this ever-present God, we need to develop a regular spiritual practice, a practice Ignatius had learned from his experience as a relatively untutored layman. Ignatius began to teach people and to write down the spiritual practices that helped him move toward uniting himself with Gods purposes and thus toward finding God in all things. Spiritual Exercises is Ignatiuss manual for those who want to follow his example of helping others get in touch with our ever-present God. God wants a close personal relationship with each of us, and he wants each of us to join him in the great work of bringing about a world where peace and justice prevail. Over the almost five centuries since the time of Ignatius, Jesuits and many others have found through these spiritual practices the answer to their own deepest desires.

Over the centuries, the Spiritual Exercises have been adapted in many ways. Jesuits originally followed Ignatiuss own practice of giving the Exercises to individuals for thirty days. But they also used the methods of prayer suggested in the Exercises in their preaching, missions, and talks to larger groups. Eventually, houses were set aside for the giving of the Exercises to individuals and large groups. One of the adaptations suggested by Ignatius himself was to make the Exercises in daily life under the direction of someone trained in giving them. In this format, an individual maintained his or her regular daily life and work but promised to devote time every day to the spiritual practices suggested by Ignatius and to see the spiritual director once a week. In the past fifty years, this adaptation has seen a worldwide resurgence and has touched many lives. It has also been used with groups to great advantage. In modern times, the giving of the Spiritual Exercises has become something of a cottage industry in many countries.

Enter the age of the Internet. Could this new tool be used to help large numbers of people move toward finding God in all things? The answer is a resounding yes ! Many websites, in multiple languages, try to help people become more aware of Gods presence in their lives, using practices stemming from the Spiritual Exercises. One example is the book you have in your hands. In 1999 the Irish Jesuits began offering daily prompts for prayer based on Ignatiuss Exercises on the website Sacred Space ( www.sacredspace.ie ). The English edition was soon translated into other languages, and the site now features twenty-one languages that span the globe.

In my work as a spiritual director and in my travels, I have come across many, many people from various walks of life who use the daily prompts for prayer provided through Sacred Space. People find the site and the daily suggestions to be user-friendly, inviting, andin keeping with Ignatian spiritualityoptimistic. The suggestions help them pay attention to their experience, notice intimations of Gods presence in that experience, and engage in honest conversations with God.

For each week, there is an overarching suggested theme and a method for spending time with God every day. One of the methods is to turn to the Scripture and reflections suggested for each day of the week. Each days text is taken from the Gospel reading for Mass that day. Thus, someone who follows Sacred Space every day will, in the course of a year, work prayerfully through all four Gospels. No wonder that so many have been enthralled by this site!

In spite of the digital age, many of us still like the feel of a book in our hands. The book Sacred Space , which you now hold in your hands, was designed for the likes of us. I am very happy to introduce the book and even happier that Loyola Press, a Jesuit institution, is now the publisher. Ignatian spiritual practice has brought me closer to God, for which I am immensely grateful. Through Ignatiuss spiritual practices I have experienced Gods desire for my friendship, and I figure, if God wants my friendship, he wants everyones friendship. If you take this book seriously and engage in the relationship with God that it suggests, you will, Im sure, find as much joy in Gods friendship as I have. Try ityoull like it.