This appendix offers some suggestions for the use of Scripture at various points in the retreat, whether an Annotation [19] retreat or an Annotation [20] retreat.  It does not pretend to be exhaustive, nor even adequate to the whole retreat.  It simply offers some suggestions for various points in the retreat that I thought would be helpful.
 
 

The “First Week” of the Exercises has four major thrusts:

  1) God’s personal love for the retreatant;
  2) the Principle and Foundation;
  3) Sin and Sinfulness; 
  4) Forgiveness and Mercy.

1) God’s Personal Love for the Retreatant

“I shall lead you into the desert, and once there, it shall all be words of comfort.”

“To you has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.”

“Truth has gone out of my mouth, a word that shall not return.”  Isaiah 55:11

“... the woman woos the man!”  Jeremiah 31:20-22

“I have called you by your name – you are mine.”  Isaiah 43:1-11

“I have carved your name in the palms of my hand...”  Isaiah 49:16

“How can it be that he who has given us his own Son, that with him he has not given us all things?”  Romans 8:31

“Can a woman forget the son of her labor?  Yet even if she should forget, yet I will not forget you.”  Isaiah 49:15

“...you are of value , and I love you.”  Isaiah 43:3-4

Annotations 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12 to 17 and 20
[21] and [22] Presupposition

2) The Principle and Foundation – Creatureliness

“And the Lord God formed man (and woman) out of the dust of the earth.”

“If any man (woman) is in Christ, he (she) is a new creature.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; he created both male and female.”  See the creation story   Genesis 1:1-28

For a different kind of person perhaps Job chapters 38 to 42 might be helpful.

Acts 17:24-31

John 1:3

Spiritual Exercises [23]: the Principle and Foundation

3) Sin and Sinfulness

Numbers [45] to [72] in the Spiritual Exercises are archetypical “sin situation,” and are very helpful for people who are sophisticated enough to pray over them.  Besides the images and “sin stories” given in the  Exercises themselves, the following Scripture might be helpful.

“Do not say ‘I sinned, and what happened to me?’  For the Lord is slow to anger.” Sirach 5:4

The sin of Peter – see Matthew 26:69-75 

The sin of Judas – see Matthew 27:3-10

Adultery (infidelity) is the sin of Israel:

 Jeremiah, chapter 3
 Ezekiel, chapter 16, 20, 23
 The newspapers

The sin of Adam:
        Genesis 3   Romans 5:12-21 

Sin is refusing to hear:
          Isaiah 30:9   Isaiah 42:18-25   Jeremiah 7:21-28   Baruch 2:5

Read the Rules for Discernment of Spirits for the First Week, Spiritual Exercises [313] to [327].
 

4) Forgiveness and Mercy

“For even if we sin we are thine, knowing thy power.”  Wisdom 15:1

Psalm 50
Luke 15:11 and following, the Prodigal Son
John 8:1-11 the woman take in adultery
Isaiah 54:10
Ephesians 2:4

"More powerful than the reproaches of our heart are the pleadings of the advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Just.” 1 John 2:1
 

The Kingdom of Christ

The Kingdom, Spiritual Exercises [91] to [99], is generally given at the end of the First Week, or the beginning of the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises.   I have found it helpful to present the exercises both from the Exercises and from the Scripture.

I use a “club sandwich” dynamic - first prayer over a scriptural call, than prayer over the Kingdom from the Exercises, then a period of scriptural prayer again, then form prayer from the Exercises  again.  The Kingdom is an exercise in religious authenticity.  I offer what I want to offer.  I do not lull myself into believing I am really making the offering of [98]!  I offer what I authentically want to offer.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 the call of the prophet
Jeremiah 20:7-18

Call of Abraham – Genesis 12:1-7 and Genesis 17:1-22
Call of Paul of Tarsus – Acts 9:1-19 and Galatians 1:11-19

Christ’s plan: Ephesians 1:3-14
The “manifesto” of the Kingdom: The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:1-16

The Kingdom may be repeated as the Second Week goes on.
 
 

         The Second Week of the Exercises is a very long and busy week.  It may easily go nine  to eleven or even twelve days.  Saint Ignatius is very generous and specific about the use of Scripture in the Second Week, so I do not offer additional Scripture for the Second Week.

It might be helpful just to list the tasks of the Second Week in one place so a new director can get an idea of how to pace the important dynamics of this long “Week of the Exercises.

The opening contemplation on the Incarnation [101] to [109]
The contemplation of the Nativity [110] to [117]
The repetitions and Notes [127] to [131]
A Consideration of the Different States of Life [135]
The Two Standards [136] to [148]
The Three Cases [149] to [160]

Note that the Three Degrees of Humility [165] to [168] are not an exercise in themselves, but to “be thought over from time to time during the whole day.” [164]

the Introduction to Making a Choice of Way of Life [169] is a powerful bit of logical reasoning that should be given to engage every retreatant.

Matters About Which a Choice Should be Made [170] to [174] needs some clarification, but there is some good material there for helping people be reflective about choices of their past and how to reaffirm those choices or amend them.

Three Times When a Correct and Good Choice of a Way of Life May Be Made [175] to [178] are a gold mine and should be clearly taught and assimilated.  The “Three Times” are not only applicable when choosing a way of life, bu tin making any choice.  The “Time of choice” should be linked with the Rules for Discernment, especially [316] to [319].

Two Ways of Making a Choice of a Way of Life in the Third Time [178] and [188] are the traditional “ways of discernment.” Do not neglect the ‘right brain” or more symbolic ways of discernment of [184] to [188].

Directions for the Amendment and Reformation of One’s Way of Living in His State of Life [189] will be more to the point for those retreatants for whom the choice of a way of life has already been made at the time of the retreat.
 
 

          It is important to note the great freedom given by Saint Ignatius in the “Third Week.”  See for example [199], [205], [209].

Besides the Scripture given in the text of the Exercises for the Third Week, the following may be of help.

“He has spoken to us in his Son.”  Hebrews 1:2

“For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”  Colossians 2:9

John chapters 15 to 19
Matthew chapters 26 and 27
Mark chapters 14 and 15
Luke chapters 22 and 23

Isaiah 42:1-4 Yaweh speaks, describing the call and mission of his Servant.
Isaiah 49:1-6 The Servant speaks, describing his election, mission, and labor.
Isaiah 50:4-9 The Servant speaks, describing his mission as a teacher, his assurance of success in the assistance of Yaweh
Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12 Yaweh speaks to others, of how the Servant suffers and dies with an evil reputation, yet is innocent.

It is not clear in the Suffering Servant poems whether the Servant is One Man, or the Whole People.  This can evoke some very appropriate social reflection on the Passion of Christ - is it the Passion of One Man or the Whole People?  The Suffering Servant passages can be an excellent way of repeating the Passion, according to the freedom given in [209].

The Rules with Regard to Eating [210] to [217] should not be overlooked.  I have found it helpful for the retreatants to consider their use of “Anodynes,” or “Pain Killers” during the Third Week.  The Rules for Eating can remind them to pray over their use of food, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sleep, television, chatting, and other things used to distract or “kill consciousness.”
 
 

          As we mentioned in the video, the transition from Third Week to Fourth Week is a very sensitive time.  Many retreatants have found the following texts helpful.

“For you were buried together with him in Baptism, and in him also rose again through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead.” 

Luke chapter 24
John chapter 20 and 21
Mark chapter 16
Matthew chapter 28

          The Contemplatio ad Admorem or Contemplation for Obtaining Love as it is often translated is taken from the Exercises  [230] to [237].  It is interspersed with prayer over the various Resurrection Appearances of Christ as also given in the text of Exercises. 

Ignatius himself often began prayer over “The Contemplatio” in the Third Week.  If it seems appropriate to you, you may do the same.

Do not miss “God the Worker” in the Contemplatio [236].  One of the great insights of Ignatius and apostolic spirituality is how God is at work in the world for us, “on our behalf.”  God is what is wet in water and sharp in the edge of a knife.  God is what is cool in the breeze and warm in the sun, what is graceful in the dance and strong in the cedars of Lebanon.  “God the Worker” (Deus Operarius) was one of Ignatius’ favorite names for God.

Rule 10 in the First Week Rules for Discernment [323] reminds us that in time of consolation we should prepare for the time of desolation and store up a supply of strength against it.  It is in this spirit that the retreatant is encouraged to look at the Rules for Distribution of Alms  [337] to [344], the Notes Concerning Scruples [345] to [351], and the Rules for Thinking With the Church [352] to [370].  They need some pointing, as does Scripture, to fit the retreatant and the times, but do not deny the retreatant of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of prayer over and reflecting on these important matters in a time of great consolation.