Ignatius & Teilhard: on how God loves

Facilitated by Bernie Carroll SJ

This guided retreat, based on St. Ignatius’ “Contemplation to Know the Love of God” as understood by Teilhard de Chardin, will begin by focusing on images and descriptions of God in Scripture and Tradition.

Then we will consider Two Spiritual Truths:

• The first (spiritual truth) is that love ought to manifest itself more by deeds than by words.
• The second (spiritual truth) is that love consists in the mutual communication between those who love each other.  That is, the one who loves gives and communicates to the beloved what one has, or a part of what one has or can have; and the beloved in return does the same to the lover. This is the way God, as Lover, loves.  God’s loving is an unconditionally generous sharing with all that God loves. And the sharing is done in deeds, not just in words.

The major input of the retreat (5 videos, one for each day) will be available for you to watch at your convenience and will invite you to explore Four Stages of God’s loving:

• The First Stage of Loving: GIVING GIFTS – God gives tangible gifts to us.
• The Second Stage of Loving: PRESENCE – God remains at our side along with the gifts given.
• The Third Stage of Loving: COOPERATIVE INTERACTION – God works and labours for us. God keeps acting in us, with us and for us through the gifts God has given.
• The Fourth Stage of Loving: MUTUAL INDWELLING – God shares not only gifts with us but God shares God’s very Self with us.

And because the ultimate description of God, the Holy Trinity, is LOVE, the video inputs and meditation/reflection guides will enable you to know and experience the way the Trinity’s Love is present in the evolving universe, in each one of us personally and in all of creation.

Space is limited; sign-up early! Registration deadline is February 10.