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Jesuit Scholastics Share Insights on Prayer

As they moved from novices to scholastics in the Society of Jesus after taking First Vows, these men shared tips and thoughts on prayer from their young lives. They reflected on classic tools available to all religious traditions - rhythm, time, space and silence - as well as traditional Jesuit tools like the Examen and Ignatian Contemplation. They also re-envisioned the more abstract - art, music, poetry, lyrics, journaling, friendships, relationships, and even chaos - as prayer.

Why Pray "Every person, even those very far along in their spiritual life have worries - ‘I don’t pray enough. I don’t pray the right way’, said Michael Rossmann. "Those concerns are really natural. Prayer is something we can always get, but we must also always strive to go deeper."

Vietnam native Tho Vu, recalled a fellow Jesuit’s wisdom on prayer’s value. "A Jesuit told me once: ‘Things are only possible when you pray.’ And it really has stayed with me, that saying. No matter where I am, when I am in need, when I am helpless, I come to God. He is a security; a firmness that presses against me that is good, anywhere. When I come to God, I live in a more meaningful way. I do things differently, and commit to things I think are right. That is why prayer is important."

Forms of prayer For Shawn Powers, "Finding a quiet place and time to pray is very important. If you don’t have a scheduled time to pray during your day, you don’t pray," he said. "If you don’t find that spot where you can pray - if it’s not fully engaging - you’re not fully giving yourself to the Lord."

Making time for silence is essential, agreed Rossmann, "to simply rest in the loving presence of God; to go beyond thoughts and images and hear His quiet voice. There is an invaluable role for silence, particularly in society today. There is simply a lot of noise - especially for younger people in my generation. It’s noticeable in how popular silent retreats are. People have a craving, a hunger for that silence. Sometimes we all need to shut up and listen."

But once engrossed in silence, what then? Several methods were mentioned for "getting into" prayer. For instance, Powers - an artist - recommended "an icon or crucifix or even photographs" as aids for starting.

"Praying the rosary, or daily prayers, or office, gets you into prayer," agreed Vu. The key realization "is that when you are in prayer, nothing else matters. When you speak with your mind and your heart prayer comes to you in a special way."

"I love getting up in the morning and sitting with a cup of tea, before anything starts. It is the most relaxed time of day for me," said Ben Anderson. "I think Ignatius had a lot of wisdom in recommending a formal starting point - something written, or a gospel passage - something that tells you: You are in prayer."

From there Anderson addresses his concerns. "What is the desire I am seeking here? Naming that right away is a really good starting point," he said. "I’m seeking trust for instance, or I want strength to get through this ministry today. I pray for people and all sorts of intentions. It is great to come to God in need and know that He will provide."

The Examen As young Jesuits, all the novices hold a special place in their hearts for the Examen of Consciousness, a reflective prayer for finding the movement of the Spirit in daily life. The prayer came naturally to St. Louis’ Shane Mulligan, who "moved away" from more traditional prayers, and ended up at the Examen.

As traditional formulated prayer moved to the back burner, Mulligan began reflecting on God’s role in his daily life. "That turned out to be Ignatius’ Examen," he said, "connecting everything in a person’s life at the center. And the center, of course, is how I relate with Christ."

Powers agreed, "The key prayer for me is the Examen," he said. It is the perfect way "to examine and discern my desires. Do they lead me away from myself? Are they focused on giving others life, love, peace, and (building) better community? It is foolish to say all my desires are good. We all have negative desires. If my desires are personal gains, ending up on top - those are desires to reconsider."

In either case, "The Examen becomes the very context of my day," Powers said. "Everything mundane or ordinary, every side note to my day - it brings that all to the altar, to the Lord. You present all that, and God takes that. He takes the things that weren’t so great, the desires that weren’t so pure, and he makes them something beautiful. And the things that were good, the things that were for Him - God takes them and celebrates them. And because you present yourself to the Lord, He will grace your whole being. There is that great saying: ‘Live life as a prayer,’ with the Examen, my whole day becomes prayer."

Joseph Wotawa also values daily examination of conscience and consciousness. "A deeper relationship with God requires awareness," he said. "Keeping my eyes open, trying to see, first of all, everything as a gift. Being receptive is difficult, it can be very difficult. How is God present in things that inevitably bother me? It might not necessarily feel good. It might make me question myself, and challenge myself, but those moments of tension are where I find the most life in my prayer."

A Little Imagination Another classic form of Jesuit prayer is Ignatian Contemplation, an in-depth envisioning or recreation of key Scripture passages. Rossmann considers it "bringing imagination and life into my prayer, and into the life of Jesus. It’s an opportunity to go beyond my original inclinations."

Mulligan offered a guide for Ignatian contemplation. "Start off with a passage from the Gospels and slowly pray over the passage," he said. "Who is Jesus talking to? What is he trying to convey; his messages? Imagine yourself in the scene. What you would do? How you would respond? Then bring it back to real life, and maybe relate it to a recent experience." Ignatian contemplation takes a different direction for Anderson.

"I look at it as just time with God," he said, "like what you would spend with a friend, or anyone. I imagine a scene in the Gospel and sit there, with Jesus sitting next to me. I just chat with Him about what is going on, about life. Going through my day, the ups and downs, the big worries, everything. "It is all about letting it out there," he said. "And being myself - and being loved by God that way - I feel myself growing. Every day is different. But in taking the time and doing it every day, I now find it to be the highlight of my day. Over time - making God the center of my desires, and drawing on His love - I can feel what God is inviting me to, which is a relationship with Him."

It's a relationship God as relationship is a common theme in prayer the world around. It is an abundant analogy for its simplicity and depth. "A relationship with Jesus, as a friend is the ultimate goal," said Mulligan. "And He wants to be your friend, someone who is compassionate, loving, merciful, and wants you to be like Him, to experience the joy that He is."

Powers noted that Ignatian contemplation often feeds the Examen, and a relationships results. "Reading the scriptures - if you pray with them and put yourself into the story like Ignatius really wants a person to - You find Christ as your friend. He still is a historical character and savior - but He is also a person with real needs, issues, likes and dislikes, and He becomes your friend. It doesn’t happen overnight; but it is worth it. You can talk with God, you can be friends with Jesus. He can be your support, your friend, and your guide along the trail."

"As with any relationship, you can’t force it. You have to be receptive," added Wotawa. "I focus on the humanity of Jesus, less in the clouds, more practical. This all powerful being chose to be an ordinary person. He felt the same things we feel and had similar experiences. He was a carpenter from Podunk, Nowhere Nazareth. People didn’t really know who He was, and He failed fairly often. Salvation comes from that. It is OK to feel down, it is OK to have questions, because Jesus had all of that."

"Once the relationship is established, you have to work to keep it going, Anderson said. "If you don’t talk to someone for a long time, you’re going to be at a superficial level. Every day is key," he said. "You just have to be faithful to it, be open to it, and let it grow on its own; beyond your own - judgments and expectations.

"Like in running or anything, you have to stay in shape by doing it," he added. "It is exercise for your soul, to keep in shape. There is always a disconnect that grows if you stop. It takes a while - balancing all these feelings, emotions, desires all over the place - so, it is key to find and stay in a good rhythm."

For Mulligan, all relationship growth and effort leads to expanding prayer outward in new directions, and a refocusing on the center point. "There are so many different ways of praying, growing, and then coming back to God," he said. "He is in the center always."

After just two years in the Society, the new scholastics’ prayer lives exhibit great enrichment and depth. Their prayer tips provide valuable wisdom for all of us. That focus and energy promises to bear fruit further, in their young lives and all those who come in contact with them.

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