Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius,
by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. p. 60-61
136. THE FOURTH DAY
A MEDITATION ON TWO STANDARDS
The one of Christ, our supreme leader
and lord,
the other of Lucifer, the deadly enemy of our
human nature
PRAYER. The usual preparatory prayer.
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window at a former Jesuit
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137. FIRST PRELUDE. This is the
history. Here it will be that Christ calls and wants all beneath His standard,
and Lucifer, on the other hand, wants all under his.
138. SECOND PRELUDE. This is a
mental representation of the place. It will be here to see a great plain,
comprising the whole region about Jerusalem, where the sovereign
Commander-in-Chief of all the good is Christ our Lord; and another plain about
the region of Babylon, where the chief of the enemy is Lucifer.
139. THIRD PRELUDE. This is to
ask for what I desire. Here it will be to ask for a knowledge of the deceits
of the rebel chief and help to guard myself against them; and also to ask for
a knowledge of the true life exemplified in the sovereign and true Commander,
and the grace to imitate Him.
FIRST PART
THE STANDARD OF SATAN
140. FIRST POINT. Imagine you
see the chief of all the enemy in the vast plain about Babylon, seated on a
great throne of fire and smoke, his appearance inspiring horror and terror.
141. SECOND POINT. Consider how
he summons innumerable demons, and scatters them, some to one city and some to
another, throughout the whole world, so that no province, no place, no state
of life, no individual is overlooked.
142. THIRD POINT. Consider the
address he makes to them, how he goads them on to lay snares for men and bind
them with chains. First they are to tempt them to covet riches (as Satan
himself is accustomed to do in most cases) that they may the more easily
attain the empty honors of this world, and then come to overweening pride.
The first step, then, will be
riches, the second honor, the third pride. From these three steps the evil one
leads to all other vices.
SECOND PART
THE STANDARD OF CHRIST
143. In a similar way, we are to
picture to ourselves the sovereign and true Commander, Christ our Lord.
144. FIRST POINT. Consider
Christ our Lord, standing in a lowly place in a great plain about the region
of Jerusalem, His appearance beautiful and attractive.
145. SECOND POINT. Consider how
the Lord of all the world chooses so many persons, apostles, disciples, etc.,
and sends them throughout the whole world to spread His sacred doctrine among
all men, no matter what their state or condition.
146. THIRD POINT. . . .
end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St.
Ignatius
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