The Spiritual Exercises ask us to look at Christ and what he stands for. We’re instructed to imagine him as a good king who brings his forces against the evil king. In today’s world, especially here in the West, we don’t think much in terms of kings and kingdoms. So this imagery can be difficult to integrate with our prayer.
But we can approach it this way. As we observe Jesus in the Gospel accounts, we can learn what was important to him. We can see the desires that drove him—desire to see people healed, whole, and free from the evil pressing in from all around, desire that people be fed, clothed, accepted into the community, loved.
Is this what you desire? Look with clear eyes at Jesus, at what he did in the Gospel accounts, what he said, what he taught. What were his priorities? What were his passions as he dealt with people day in and day out? Does the “kingdom” he brought into reality match in any way the reality you desire for your life and for the larger world?
In other words, is the kingdom of God worth your desire? Do your truest impulses take you toward that kind of reality?
These are not rhetorical questions. Jesus wanted people to consider quite soberly what he stood for and what following him would require—yet another reason for you and me to be in touch with our real desires. Otherwise, we might be saying that we want to follow Jesus when in reality our hearts really aren’t there, at least not yet.
What world did Jesus envision and work toward with his every word and act?
What world do you envision? What “kingdom” are you willing to work toward with everything you have?
This post is a part of An Ignatian Prayer Adventure, Week 5.
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I like the part when you say that our hearts might not be there yet. I want to work towards a kingdom of mankind working together as a community but often I find my grumbling and complainig get in the way. Thanks for reminding me it is a progress and to keep pushing my heart towards Jesus and his kingdom.
I find in my community of faith the very challenges that concerned Jesus. The challenge for me is: how do I reconcile these facts with my desire to work toward a world that has Jesus as king? I become cynical and I wonder…if the body of Christ is so flawed (I’m included) why should I even try? Then I remember the cross.
Well. Here goes my acerbic opinion again but I am convinced that the world will never straighten out. I think that’s pretty well a given. And I’ve learned that it isn’t what happens, it’s how the individual is with that happening. Do we buckle and give up or do we toss the cross and join the evildoers. Or do we hang onto the hem of Christ’s garment as if our life depended on it?
It does.
Amen.
Vinita, thank you for your reflections. I enjoy your page very much and I also enjoy the comments that follow. Imaginative prayer is quiet powerful in helping one see where the heart lies. In the imaginative call of an earthly king, since it spoke to me not at all, I substituted the call of a famous Biologist. I had no trouble at all picking up a Biology standard with a darling green glimmering protist (Paramecium with symbiotic algae) stamped on it. I anticipate have trouble putting this standard down for the second meditation The Call of Christ the King.
I admire your willingness to translate these theological thoughts/faith exercises into language that is close to you! Thanks for your post–Vinita