Christian spirituality in general and Ignatian spirituality in particular operate from an overarching assumption. We believe that humanity has inherent purpose.
That purpose fueled our very creation. God desires our existence, and so . . . we are. In traditional Judeo-Christian language, God created humanity. And because we are generated from that Divine energy and desire, we are imbued with honor and beauty and a reason to exist.
Don’t mistake me for a theologian, but allow me to state my opinion. It’s not terribly important what name or image you use for the Divine. And it doesn’t matter how God “created” us—this has nothing to do with creationism or evolution or anything along the spectrum between those philosophies. The only important fact is that we are because God desired us. And continues to desire us.
If we believe that, then it follows that human beings do not realize their fullest joy and potential until they engage with the desire that created them. There is an entity we call God, because language cannot capture that presence. Christians, Jews, and Muslims (and undoubtedly other faiths about which I’m not knowledgeable enough to comment) believe that God is love and mercy and whole and true. Out of love God created us, and God desires that we receive that love daily.
Not only that, God desires that we respond to that love. And what that response looks like, from day to day and hour to hour, is a mystery, a deepening wisdom—and an adventure.
During Lent of 2012, I invite you to explore the adventure of God’s love and what you and I will do with it.
Peace,
Vinita
This post is a part of An Ignatian Prayer Adventure, Week 1.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks so much Vinita. What an adventure it will be too! Vera
I have been telling my catechism class that God loves them, each of them, yet I wasn’t listening to myself. Reading your reflection of God’s love for His creation puts the words the way I should have been speaking them to myself, so that what I tell the children is acceptable to me too. How can I know that it is vital that these kids understand how much God loves them, when I never realized that it applies to me too? The Good News? I am that much closer to believing with all my heart. I know intellectually that God loves me as He loves all his children. But my faith in that belief is getting stronger all the time. Thanks. You’ve helped enormously. You put the words where I needed to see them.
I think we spend our whole lives learning to believe that we are loved. Fortunately, God counts the entire journey as faith–Vinita
Ready, Set, Go Lent!
My first thought in response to your comments, Vinita, is that God will SO value our responses to his love, God will SO understand our intentions, even when people close to us do not, or our family does not, or our society and community at large does not. I find that thought inspiring, because we won’t have to worry every minute about whether our response to God is changing the world, whether we are having some huge impact. We just have to respond out of our LOVE reflex. Sounds like an exciting Lent to me.
Glad you’re with us! Peace–Vinita
Yes, this is a great way to start: God wants us to receive his/her love each day and wants us to respond to that love daily. When it is sometimes hard to remember that it applies to ourselves, it may be partly related to a punitive philosophy inculcated in many (most?) of us from very young, at home, school, work, our justice system, etc. Restorative, healing, and supportive love is not always evident in our public places. Thank you for reminding us today (and often) of the basic purpose of our existence (God desires it and continues to desire it). And thanks for the very clear 2 points that follow from this: God wants us to receive his/her love each day and wants us to respond to that love daily. These 2 points are good to be conscious of throughout the day, every day, as we share this love in our relationships with others — family, friends, strangers, poor, homeless, and especially those we find hardest to love. This is one response we can remember and strive for, every day.
Thanks for your post. I’m glad you’re on this Lenten journey with us. Peace–Vinita
Not sure why, but “desire” is a word that has been popping up again and again recently in my relationship with God….need to pay attention to why that is!!
Marlee
I’ve learned that it’s wise to pay attention to the words, images, thoughts, etc. that “pop up”–often that’s the Holy Spirit’s way of getting our attention!
God’s desire for us is a well at which I am drinking deeply at the moment. It is interesting that, following a difficult time spiritually I ‘woke up’ to discover God waiting for me. Over Advent I began to think that the desire I have for God is a reflection and a response to the stronger desire he has for me. In the last week I have begun to see a different side. A friend today was talking about something she had read, where God looking for Adam and Eve in the garden, after the fall is like a parent looking for their child lost in the supermarket or park. “Where are you?” Was it this desire, with almost a desperate tone that was part of the Incarnation? It makes me nervous thinking like this. I am never very good at looking at the fact that God loves me. Lots to sort out I think! Thank you for this post.
Vinita,
Reading this wonderful post the word ‘desire’ caught my attention – I’m not the only one for what I read. This ‘desire’ reminded me of an article I read during our last Advent retreat on prayer…. WE have to want to be in God’s presence for HE is always there for us and loves us and wants us…as we read yesterday in Is 43 – “Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you” …
We find it so difficult to engage in a deeper relationship with Him, we can’t fully experience His love for us except when we expose ourselves to Him without formulas or excuses, honestly and openly wanting Him, letting ourselves be guided by the Spirit, finding His grace in each and every moment, in others, and within us…I know there’s a lot I need to discern still and that I have a long way to go, but I know that what matters is the journey and not the destination….and knowing that God loves me no matter what, as I am, ‘warts and all’ gives me a deep sense of peace in my heart….I’m very happy I decided to participate in this Lent retreat….thank you Vinita…God bless!
Thanks! Good to balance detachment with desire.
We are because God desires us. This is so beautiful and healing yet incomprehensible, a mystery. Like Mother Angelica says ” Thank God for allowing us to be in existence. I feel this is a deep truth we maybe never can fully understand until we are face to face with Him? Thanks for the insight. God Bless you on your journey.