Today’s Lectio Divina: 

We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, He organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—He is supreme in the end. From beginning to end He’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is He, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in Him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood that poured down from the cross. Colossians 1: 15-20 (MsgB)

Ignatian Truth #4: Ignatian spirituality is all about Jesus. His life, His death, and His resurrection.

As I see it, it doesn’t matter whether a person walks through the Spiritual Exercises with Ignatius in the 16^th century or we choose to do it today. Either way, when an individual finally signs on for this exciting journey with Jesus of Nazareth, we are stepping into something (and someone) that is so vast, it would, quite honestly, scare us to death if we could actually grasp the full magnitude of it all.

Keep in mind that Jesus of Nazareth, the God-man who walked on this planet from approximately 0 A.D. through 33 A.D., is only a small representation, a minuscule dot of God-presence placed on this earth for one brief moment of time in order to give the human race a man-sized morsel of God’s un-limited and un-ending love.

Now please, don’t think that I’m marginalizing the Second Person of the Holy Trinity with statements such as this, but we must realize, especially when we read Paul’s letter to his friends in Colossae, that Jesus, the Christ, has an existence that far out-weighs and out-distances His 33 short years of earthly life lived on a little dot on this planet…a place we call ancient Israel.

Jesus of Nazareth, you see, was, and still is, a full human representation of the Holy One, but we must also remember that this same God-man we worship as Lord and Savior is also a vital component of the triune God-head (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) who, in a cosmos far, far away and in a time-frame long, long ago, conceived of everything you and I now call human history.

As Paul states it here in today’s Lectio Divina passage, everything and everyone, from the beginning of time until the end, has its existence in and through this Christ we call Jesus of Nazareth.

Have I blown your mind yet?

I hope so, because in all reality, when you and I say, “Come, Lord Jesus, be my Savior,” we are, in truth, inviting a person, (no wait, that language is far too weak)…an alien force…(no wait, that sounds too weird)…a blast of agape love that is so vast, so wide, so powerful, so unending, our existence in both this life and the life to come will never, ever be the same!

So, move over Superman, you’ve been outdone. Goodbye, Captain America, your dominion is way too small. Oh, and you, Lucifer…step aside.

The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Ancient of Days, the Alpha and Omega has just stepped into the room. And all else now seems so small compared to the magnificence of His royal in-breaking presence!

My prayer: Lord Jesus, Your magnificence is far greater than earthly words can express. As I defer to Your Lordship, giving You full access to my broken life, I can rest assured that I’m handing my life over to the highest power available in both this world and in the world to come. Holy Spirit, broaden my limited view of the Son of God so that I might fully embrace my life in Christ. For Your name’s sake. Amen.

My questions to consider: So how have I limited or reduced Jesus of Nazareth in either status or in power? What needs to change in my heart and mind so that I’m truly embracing the fullness of who Christ actually is? Are there decisions or choices I’ve made, or are currently making, which make Jesus much smaller, reducing His power and dominion in my life?

How are you experiencing God as you ponder on these Ignatian truths today? 

Over a period of twelve weeks (3 sessions per week), we will take this journey into Iggy’s Biggies, contemplating twelve foundational truths found within the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. We suggest you bookmark our blog series homepage to keep all the writings in one place for your future reference. Take note that each blog session begins with a short scripture reading. My suggestion is that you don’t hurry through, or skip the text, but treat it as a Lectio Divina reading where you slow down and sit a bit with God’s Word, allowing it to penetrate and influence you as you read.

If you’ve never journeyed through the Exercises, might I suggest that you find a qualified spiritual director and ask them to accompany you along the way? Here at The Contemplative Activist, we can offer a good number of highly qualified folks to do just that.

Oh, and if you enjoy what you’re reading here, we encourage you to share this page and our website, The Contemplative Activist, with your friends!

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