Monday, April 11 — “begin to pray from where you are”
The lives of Catherine McAuley, RSM and Ignatius Loyola, SJ, Detroit Mercy’s two foundational spirits, offer similar advice about beginnings: try to notice where I am and begin from there. “Where am I?” can make a subtle and revolutionary question. When I am frightened, I begin with that fear; when I am tender and accessible, begin there. Same with my sadness, my anger, my joy.
Here’s a favorite from Ignatius in The Spiritual Exercises; notice the place talk: “I will remain quietly meditating upon the point in which I found what I desire, without any eagerness to go on until I have been satisfied.” (Sp. Ex. #76) Catherine, an exceptional traveler, writes in 1840: “Amidst all this tripping about: our hearts can always be in the same place centered in God, for whom alone we go forward, or stay back.” Place matters. When I notice where I am the place awakens me.
David Whyte has made regular appearances on this list. Here’s one about beginnings and place that a friend pointed out this past weekend. It makes a good start to the new week for me. For you too, I hope.
Blessings on these days of spring, daffodils and baseball.
john sj
Today’s Post — “START CLOSE IN“
| Start close in, don’t take the second step or the third, start with the first thing close in, the step you don’t want to take. Start with Start with your own To find Start right now Start close in,
David Whyte in River Flow: New and Selected Poems This newly revised edition contains the most up to date versions of poems from David’s first five volumes of poetry: Songs for Coming Home, Where Many Rivers Meet, Fire in the Earth, The House of Belonging and Everything is Waiting for You, as well as the latest versions of the new poems that originally appeared in the first edition of River Flow. September 2012.
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