Kevin O'Brien, SJ, on the Contemplation on Divine Love

Summary

This reflection on the Spiritual Exercises centers on the theme of divine love, emphasizing God's generous and unconditional love towards creation. The contemplation invites us to recognize God's presence in all aspects of life, encouraging gratitude for our gifts and experiences, including our failures. The closing prayer, 'Take Lord, and receive,' encapsulates a heartfelt response to God's love, urging us to return all gifts and talents to Him. Ultimately, the message highlights the liberation found in God's love, inspiring us to love and serve others in gratitude for the freedom and grace we have received.

Takeaways

• ❤️ Contemplating God's love is central to the spiritual exercises and invites deep reflection.
• 🌍 God creates and sustains all things out of love, emphasizing the interconnectedness of creation.
• 🧘‍♂️ Participants are encouraged to engage their imagination and senses to discover God in everyday life.
• 🙏 Gratitude is a key element, allowing individuals to acknowledge the beauty and gifts in their lives as reflections of God's love.
• 📜 Quotations from Gerard Manley Hopkins illustrate the grandeur of God present in the world.
• 🌱 Self-reflection involves recognizing oneself as a beloved creation of God, including both strengths and weaknesses.
• 💌 The natural response to receiving God's love is to reciprocate that love by giving back.
• 🕊️ The 'Suscipe' prayer expresses a total surrender of gifts and life back to God, seeking only His love and grace.
• 🗝️ Experiencing God's love leads to true freedom, enabling individuals to love and serve others.
• 🌟 Ending with gratitude allows practitioners to reflect on the abundance of God's gifts in their lives.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the final contemplation in the Spiritual Exercises?

The main theme is the contemplation of divine love, focusing on how God's love is freely and generously given to us.

How does the speaker suggest individuals should view God's creation?

The speaker suggests that individuals should contemplate God's creation as an expression of love, using imagination and senses to recognize and appreciate it.

Which poet does the speaker reference to illustrate the concept of God's grandeur?

The speaker references poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, who describes the world as charged with the grandeur of God.

What is the significance of gratitude in this contemplation?

Gratitude is significant as it acknowledges God's love and creation, inspiring a natural response to love in return.

What does the Suscipe prayer represent in the context of the Spiritual Exercises?

The Suscipe prayer represents a heartfelt response of giving back to God all that one has received, including gifts, talents, and life itself.

How does the speaker connect God's love with personal freedom?

The speaker connects God's love with freedom by stating that recognizing and reflecting this love liberates individuals to love and serve others.

What does the speaker mean by 'tasting the freedom of the Spiritual Exercises'?

It means experiencing the liberation that comes from engaging deeply with the meditations and prayers of the exercises, leading to a profound understanding of God's love.

What role do failings play in the contemplation of God's creation?

Failings can be viewed as opportunities for growth and learning, contributing to a person's gifts and strengths, which should also be acknowledged with gratitude.

How can individuals express their gratitude for God's gifts according to the speaker?

Individuals can express gratitude through the Suscipe prayer, which involves surrendering everything back to God and asking for only His love and grace.

What is the ultimate goal of the Spiritual Exercises as suggested by the speaker?

The ultimate goal is to cultivate a deep relationship with God through understanding and reflecting His love, enabling individuals to live a life of gratitude and service.