Paths to Contemplation - 27

A note on Ignatian contemplation

One problem encountered in reading about prayer and spirituality is that different authors and schools of thought use the same word to refer to different things.  Two theologians, for example, may be discussing  “grace,” and seem to be in total disagreement, whereas the problem may be that they each are using different definitions of grace.  This certainly occurs frequently with regard to the subject matter of this book since authors and speakers will often use meditation and contemplation interchangeably, and they often do not distinguish between active and passive contemplation, which we will see shortly, is a critical distinction indeed.

Saint Ignatius Loyola was a Spanish nobleman, born toward the end of the 15th century, who founded the Roman Catholic religious order the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as the Jesuits.  When a Jesuit talks about contemplation, he is often referring to a form of meditation known as Ignatian meditation, but he may also be referring to the use of images or religious pictures to inspire active contemplation.

Thus, when a Jesuit author or retreat leader suggests that someone “contemplate” the face of Jesus, or contemplate Jesus on the cross, what he means is that we construct in our imaginations an image of the face of Christ or an image of Jesus hanging on the cross and simply dwell on that image.  The image may inspire us with feelings of joy or sorrow, or may lead to a spontaneous outpouring of verbal prayer, or it may provide the inspiration for quietly resting in God, active contemplation.

Let me mention again that active contemplation is a means, not an end.  If constructing say an image of the cross in our imaginations, or looking a picture of the crucifixion, leads to spontaneous verbal prayer or to deep emotions that enhance our resolve to serve God more faithfully, we ought not to scorn whatever form of prayer we find ourselves attracted to because it is the not the active contemplation we were expecting.  We must always be open to whatever form of prayer the Spirit leads us into.  The goal always is God, not prowess in a particular form of devotion.