Ignatian Prayer Overview

  • Purpose of Ignatian Prayer is to try to make the Gospels and the Scripture scenes become so alive and real to us that we can make a personal application of the teaching or message contained therein
  • We use projection – we attempt to project ourselves into the original events so that we become part of them
  • Ignatius suggests that we try to use all five senses during our imaginary journey back to the events of the life of Jesus
  • Try to imagine not only what we see, but also what each of the characters involved would say, what we feel – the wood of the cross, the whiff of a breeze off Lake Galilee; the smells that are present and even the tastes
  • The purpose is to try to make the event as real as possible
  • We project ourself back into the event and become part of it
  • This does not mean that we necessarily project ourselves into the original characters, but simply imagine ourselves as we now are but a part of the original event
  • Or we may put ourselves in the place of different people who encountered Jesus , perhaps those who came to be healed
  • Instead of thinking of physical ailments, we might think of ourselves as being spiritually blind, spiritually deaf, spiritually paralyzed and so on
  • Ignatius suggested the following steps:
    • Choice of  topic
    • Preparatory prayer
    • Composition of place
    • Petition for special grace needed
    • See and reflect
    • Listen and reflect
    • Consider and reflect
    • Draw some practical point
    • Colloquy with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Mother
    • Close with the Our Father
  • After the meditation our feelings are aroused to make a proper response to the presence of Jesus (this corresponds to the Oratio part of Lectio Divina)
  • Take time to be quiet and experience any new insights that might present to you