by William A. Barry, SJ

The Ignatian Exercises rest on the theological assumption that God creates this universe precisely in order to invite other persons into the relational life of the Trinity. God’s purpose or intention of inviting each person into the relational life of the Trinity is not episodic, occurring periodically in each person’s life. God is always acting to bring about this intention.

Another way of making the same point is to say that God is always in conscious relationship with each one of us as our creator, our sustainer, dear father or dear mother, our brother, our savior, the Spirit who dwells in our hearts. Ignatius presupposes that at every moment of our existence God is communicating to us who God is, is trying to draw us into an awareness, a consciousness of the reality of who we are in God’s sight. Whether we are aware of it or not, at every moment of our existence we are encountering God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is trying to catch our attention, trying to draw us into a reciprocal conscious relationship.