Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

POMPTON LAKES  Among the faithful at St. Mary’s Parish here, Charles Carreras has turned to the 489-year-old Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola — a personal retreat that consists of a series of Scripture readings, prayers, meditations and spiritual exercises — to find God in his busy life, deepen his relationship with Jesus, integrate his faith life with his everyday experiences, discover the Lord’s graces and find inner peace.

Yet, in prayerful silence, this retired professor from Ramapo College and other parishioners have discovered the Spiritual Exercises’ life-transforming power. They have been able to experience the joy of the Resurrection, discern God’s plan for their lives and be inspired to “set the world on fire:” spreading God’s love and mercy to the world during this Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Church.

Over the past few years, Beverly Delleart, certified spiritual director at St. Mary’s, has been guiding several parishioners and other local Catholics, including Carreras, through the Spiritual Exercises — presented in three, four-week sections — which they undertake on their own private retreat. A retreatant for only nine months, Carreras, who lives in Ringwood, said that he already feels inspired to get more involved in the Passaic County faith community’s Hispanic Ministry.

“The Spiritual Exercises aren’t to be read but to be encountered and experienced. They take us deeper [into the heart of Jesus and Scripture] by encouraging us to pray with imagination. We can imagine ourselves as a character in the story of Jesus with the woman at the well,” said Delleart, who noted that retreatants have been reading through “The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life” by Jesuit Father Kevin O’Brien. “God can speak to through our emotions. We can ask in times of quiet reflection, ‘How did the story make me feel?’ or ‘How does it relate to my life?’ It’s also about our developing a generous spirit of service and love by asking, ‘For what purpose did God create me?’ ”she said.

The first week urges retreatants to reflect on God’s limitless love for us; know that he wants to liberate us from anything that obstructs our loving response to him, including sin; and meditate on Christ’s call to follow him. The second week features meditations and prayers that encourages participants to follow Jesus as his disciples; reflections on Scripture stories, such as Christ’s healing and teaching ministry; and the challenge for them to change their lives to love Christ more deeply, she said.

The third week encourages them to meditate on the Last Supper, Passion and death of Jesus with a greater understanding of his agony and giving us the Eucharist as the ultimate expression of his love for us, Delleart said.

“We want to feel the weight of the Cross and be at the foot of the Cross as we journey into Christ’s suffering and to his unconditional love and mercy. It makes us ask, ‘What ought I do for Jesus?’ ” Delleart said. “It’s also about our responsibility in spreading that love and mercy. It’s about saying, ‘I’m about reconciliation and forgiveness.’ ”

The fourth week of the Spiritual Exercises invites participants to reflect on the Christ’s Resurrection and prepares to love and serve Christ, Delleart said.

“It’s about the conversion of our hearts — knowing the joy of the Resurrection in our lives. The Spirit leads us to action, such as performing the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy like feeding the hungry or consoling a friend. God’s grace helps us answer that call,” said Delleart, noting that retreatants write in a journal.

In retirement, Carreras has been asking, ‘What is the rest of my life going to look like?” He previously had been involved in Hispanic outreach in Bergen County and has attended Spanish-language Masses at St. Mary’s.

“The Spiritual Exercises have been challenging. It’s been combination of things — the readings, reflections and commentary — that have helped. I want to be more useful in the parish,” Carreras said.

The Spiritual Exercises helps retreatants to integrate their faith life with their daily life. It also engages them two forms of prayer: meditation — pondering basic guiding principles — and contemplation — imaging their place in the Gospel stories and allowing their deep desires and emotions to get stirred up, Delleart said.

Another major part of the Exercise involves the Examen of Consciousness: praying for God’s help, giving thanks for gifts of the day, praying over feelings that arise with a replay of the day, rejoicing and seeking forgiveness and looking to tomorrow, she said.

Each “week” might take a retreatant longer than seven days to complete in a process that has no time limit. Participants can revisit any section of the text at any time. They complete the pilgrimage privately and accompanied by a spiritual director.

Delleart said that the Spiritual Exercises — created in the 1500s by St. Ignatius, who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) religious order — fits perfectly at the Franciscan-run St. Mary’s, which encourage sparishioners to get more involved in one of the strongest aspects of the parish’s life: community service, she said.

“We let God burst open [in the Spiritual Exercises]. There is a point of no return; we will never by the same,” Delleart said. “When we have a heart of gratitude, we want to do God’s will. It’s then that we do as St. Ignatius directed: ‘Go and set the world on fire.’ ”

Information: (973) 835-0374, ext. 709.