This week I have a few pictures that describe the four weeks of Ignatian exercises in keen detail, but to perhaps relay my perspective I will add to the thousand words in the picture with just a few words of my own.
Week I:
This week is the contemplation on one's past sins and life, knowing that they are heading into a change in their future. The light through the curtains represents the fact that while going through this contemplation, the person thinking should come to the realization that they are forgiven, by God, for all of their sins.
Week II:
I LOVE this picture! Week II is all about relating to Jesus the human! Who would he be today? How was he back then? can we imagine ourselves in relation to him both ways? Would he and I be friends? Jesus would probably be philanthropic, politically incorrect, bad-ass hipster if he were to be of this era. I can vibe with that!
Week III:
This picture says so much about Week III because it invites you to imagine, immediately, the fear and courage and resilience that this rock-climber must have in order to endeavor on this journey! This is exactly what Week III is all about. Putting yourself in Jesus's shoes at the Last Supper, on the Cross, and even in Mary's shoes when God ask her to have his Son! You want to talk about COURAGE!!!
Week IV:
I'm not a fan of the quoted picture, but I'll make an exception. Not only is Martin Luther King one of my biggest role models, but he is also a great example of Week IV in the Ignatian Exercises. They are describes as a contemplation on God's love, but we all know that you can't really do that without just wanting to get up and SET THE WORLD ON FIRE!!!! My man MARTIN did that! In this picture he shares a little of his own, perhaps unintentional, Ignatian wisdom.