The fruits
Meeting Jesus and receiving from Him a very personal « message »
The personal encounter with Christ is the foundation of all authentic Christian spiritual life. Christ is truly the shepherd who knows each of his sheep, and if we listen to his voice, he can guide us and lead the whole flock in the best possible way.
The Gospels show how an authentic and profound encounter with Jesus can be life-changing (think of the blind regaining their sight, the paralyzed walking, the demoniacs set free, the sinners forgiven, the disciples called, etc.).
The moments of silence included in this way of praying are conducive to this personal encounter and to a "visit" of the Holy Spirit in the heart, with a very personal message capable of enlightening life. At the moment of sharing, we often observe that God has « spoken » in a very personal way to some. It is very exciting and benefits everyone. When it happens, people feel like the disciples of Emmaus, with a burning heart, and they want to live the experience again.
Entering into a personal friendship with Christ
It is the main fruit when the prayer is repeated around various aspects of Jesus’ life. The fact of contemplating in silence, eyes closed, the scenes of the Gospel as if one were present, and then sharing the fruit of our imagination, makes us learn to know Jesus internally. This friendship with the Lord is the indispensable basis for an authentic and solid Christian life.
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Confidence
Peace
Joy
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Hope
These are the main words that come out at the moment of reflecting on what one takes away after the prayer: peace and joy are also noticeable on the faces !
Changes in the environment of the places where it is systematically practiced.
Initially, the method was developed for Jesuit schools in Argentina and Uruguay. In the schools where it has been practiced for several years, changes that go beyond the spiritual life have been observed: better ability to be silent, to express emotions, to listen to others, better availability for service, etc. Below, a video showing several testimonies.
In France, there is a small parish in the Alps where this method has been practiced since October 2021, both for the children in catechesis and for their parents who accompany them. Sophie is the catechist, her complete testimony is in Spanish on the blog and in French on the French page (see below). She tells us at the end of 2022, among other things : " The young priest in charge of catechesis in our parish sector was also very touched by this method and shared the joy of the participants in experiencing an inner dialogue with Jesus. They returned with joy to the second session.... With enthusiasm, all, parents and children, agreed to continue all year with the Ignatian prayer as the only method of catechesis, and also for this second year that is beginning. (...) One parent participant said that he had not cooked in the same way in his restaurant in the evening after the Ignatian prayer session. Everyone liked the relaxation beforehand, the time of sharing and interiority, and finally the time of examination "what did you learn from Jesus? When did you feel your heart more « burning while He spoke to you on the way »? The children's eyes shine and their hearts are wide and generous, which amazes me. They come back to the next session with a drawing of what they imagined the previous time. And we marvel together! "
More testimonials on the blogs
and on the French website (with drawings of children that can be understood without speaking French ;-)
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