The Three Types of Persons from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola:
The Setting: Consider the three types of persons. Each one of them has taken in quite a few possessions - not always with the best of motives, and in fact sometimes quite selfishly. In general, each one is a good person, and each would serve God, even to the extent that if these possessions were to come in the way of salvation, each would like to be free of them.
The First Type keeps saying that he would like to stop being so dependent on all the things which he possesses and which seem to get in the way of his giving his life unreservedly to God. This type talks about the importance of saving his soul, but when death comes, he is too busy about his possessions to have taken any steps toward serving God.
The Second Type would like to be free of all attachments which get in the way of his relationship with God. But this type would rather work harder or fast or pray more - really do just about anything but face the problem which he feels holds him back in his relationship with God. He acts as if he is negotiating with God, trying to buy God off. So though this type may do many good things, he keeps running from the better and more honest way to face the issue.
The Third Type would like to be free of any attachment which gets in the way of God's call to further life. This one's whole effort is to be in balance, ready to move in any direction that the call from God may take him. Whatever seems better for the service and praise of God our Lord is his whole desire and choice. Meanwhile, this one strives to act in such a way that he seemingly is free of any attachments. He makes efforts neither to want to retain his possessions nor to want to give them away, unless the service and praise of God our Lord is the God-given motivation for his action. As a result, the graced desire to be better able to serve God our Lord is the cause of his accepting or letting go of anything.
This meditation has a way of stripping layer after layer of self-deceptions :-)
ReplyDeleteIt excels in pointing to its intentions.
DeleteVery good meditation. Somewhat confusing since I never know what category I ever fit in and seem to belong to all at once! As an artist and historian, I am a hoarder and preserver - I think of the people in Gaza who have lost all their possessions. I am humbled by their faith and persistence. I cannot imagine what that would be like. By the way, I am really enjoying using the small tables you gave me. They were wonderful for my last BBQ on the terrace, and a help for someplace to put stuff when I paint. Your art is growing - I look forward to what you produce after months in art school! When do you begin? The artist is in a unique world of using the material world of possessions to manifest the Holy Spirit through his/her creativity. It is a type of Incarnation - the ancient icon painters in Egypt prayed over their brushes, paints, etc African sculptors prayed to the wood to ask forgiveness for cutting it to make sculpture and explained why they were doing it. When I did printmaking, I always felt my work was a collaboration between the spirit of the materials and me - and I was never sure what would happen! One can easily become an animist if you are an artist! I think the psychological throw-away of our mental possessions about who we are, and what defines us is the best. To be willing to give up our ideas about ourselves, our accomplishments, status, reputation, and separate to get to our pure core of being is a difficult but important task. I think aging and loss is a good process of purification, but painful. I always admire the Muslims for their total acceptance of God's will in our lives, and have been deeply influenced by their faith. Thanks for this wonderful insight! Eid Mubarak!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jacqui. You wrote a very nice reflection. I like that you prayed to the wood to ask for forgiveness and to explain what you were doing. That must have helped. It is a very gentle approach. (Speaking of wood, I'm glad the tables worked out well. It just seemed right to give them to you - maybe because you prayed to the wood.) Classes begin in September, but I'm doing a few light Adult Education classes this summer. One is called Watercolor Boot Camp - a daylong event. I'm just enjoying the process of seeing images emerge for me to paint. Eid al Fitr, Jacqui. It must be a fun weekend, but stay off the roads.
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