Principle and foundation

Gerard W. Hughes, a Jesuit priest and experienced spiritual director has translated St. Ignatius' preface to the Spiritual Exercises in contemporary language. This preface is called the 'Principle and Foundation' of the Exercises. It serves to ground a person making an Ignatian retreat in the experience of God's loving providence. Out of this experience comes the person's desire to deepen her relationship with God and to know God's desire for her life.

"Before the world was made we were chosen to live in love in God's presence by praising, reverencing and serving him in and through his creation. As God is in all things and in all circumstances, we must appreciate and make use of everything that draws us to God, and rid ourselves of whatever prevents us from living in love in his presence. Therefore we must be so poised (detached) that we do not cling to any created thing as though it were our ultimate good, but remain open to the possibility that love may demand of us poverty rather than riches, sickness rather than health, dishonor rather than honor, a short life rather than a long one, because God alone is our security, our refuge, and our strength. We can be so detached from any created thing only if we have a stronger attachment; therefore our one dominating desire and fundamental choice must be to live in love in God's presence."

I find that the Principle and Foundation states in a fairly concise way what our lives are all about. Our lives are all about living for God, so immersed in his love that we would let nothing get in the way. This straightforward principle is what we spend most of our lives trying to honor. Although so simply stated, we find that it is also one of the hardest things for our self-centered egos to accept. However, in time, if we surrender to God' s purifying grace, we find that we can pray honestly, seeking to be detached from all created things and seeking God alone as our security, our refuge and our strength.