Ignatian Scripture Meditations for Lent – LIFE DECISIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
Posted on April 5, 2023 by reyojoson
Ignatian Scripture Meditations for Lent
1. Life Decisions and Resolutions
Major life decisions may include how you more fully live your vocation, approach your life of prayer, handle your finances, approach a certain relationship, or any other pressing question you have in life right now. Throughout your life, God will call you to resolve more deeply, to surrender more fully, and to serve more completely. What is He calling you to do right now? This should be the focus of this meditation.
There are three methods by which Saint Ignatius describes how a person discerns the will of God.
1st method – Has God spoken to you? Is there some invitation that He has given to you that you know is from Him? Ponder this question.
2nd method – If there is nothing that is abundantly clear after the first method is reflected upon, then spend time considering the various consolations and desolations of the previous weeks/months. How has God been speaking to you through the inner spiritual movements of your soul? What clarity regarding His will have you received through prayer recently?
3rd method – If there are no clear resolutions that come to mind after pondering your consolations and desolations from the recent weeks/months, then consider the third approach as the best approach for you.
-Reflect upon the ultimate purpose of your life. You are to choose only that which gives God the greatest glory, and thus, saves your soul. Peacefully think about what that may be for you right now as you say this prayer: Lord, what can I do in my life right now that gives You the greatest glory? How may I glorify You more?
-Consider what advice you would give to someone else who came to you right now with the same question. Try to give yourself that objective advice.
-Consider also the day of your death. What will you look back at and wish you had done right now in your life?
-Consider also the day of judgment when you stand before our Lord. What choice can you make now that will make that judgment even more glorious?
Making a Decision: After prayerfully calling to mind the way in which you can amend your life so as to give even greater glory to God, it’s time to make a prayerful resolution. This can be done any way you choose, but it should be done with prayer and commitment. First, say a prayer that you can make a good resolution. Second, offer that resolution to our Lord in any way you desire. Perhaps say your own prayer, or pray a chaplet, rosary, litany, etc., for the intention. Or write out your resolution. When completed, return to that resolution often in the coming weeks in prayer.
ROJoson’s 2023 Life Decisions and Resolutions (April 4, 2023)
1st method – Has God spoken to you? Is there some invitation that He has given to you that you know is from Him? Ponder this question.
I think God has shown me directions before from high school graduation to now (2023) or at least up to age 65 (my government retirement age) and age 70 (my first phase of my intentional life plan).
After graduation from high school, I attempted to join the Society of Jesus but I was not accepted as I was told to come back after one year. I did not go back anymore and continued my life journey in studying premedicine, then medicine, then surgery, and then private practice, academe, and hospital administration.
I became a lay minister in 2002 in St. Andrew the Apostle Parish. After a year or two, I decided to quit. I had social phobia, mainly.
Up to age 65 and age 70, I have achieved all the targets that I set in my intentional life plan. I had one passion: Education for Health Development in the Philippines. I have received graces in this program and I thanked God for this. I think this was the direction given to me by God as He gave me all the graces to accomplish this program with flying color.
One thing definite is that I am NOT carved out to be a priest. I will just do personal evangelization particularly online.
2nd method – If there is nothing that is abundantly clear after the first method is reflected upon, then spend time considering the various consolations and desolations of the previous weeks/months. How has God been speaking to you through the inner spiritual movements of your soul? What clarity regarding His will have you received through prayer recently?
Late 2021, up to 2022 and up to March 2023, I have frequent bouts of anxiety and depression despite my resolution to be a saint in 2022. I had frequent feelings of worthlessness also. I can say that I was in the state of desolation during this time. I tried controlling my anxiety and depression and desolation by keeping myself busy and productive with projects, particularly on compassionate humanitarian program.
I had this prayer formulated in January 2022:
As I enter into my 4th bonus year, I pledge to continue my compassionate humanitarian programs for my patients, for the Filipino people and for everybody particularly through my Patient Empowerment Program, Hospital Quality and Safety Management System Program and Medical and Surgical Educational Program.
Starting this year, Lord, I am accepting your invitation to be a saint – just a small saint. I have decided to emulate St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Through various moments of desolations and consolations, I think God wants me to do my compassionate humanitarian programs for my patients and for the Filipino people particularly through my Compassionate Patient-Centered Care Management Program and Patient Empowerment Program. I am still deciding whether I will be able to continue my Hospital Quality and Safety Management System Program and Medical and Surgical Program. Will continue to ponder on these.
3rd method – If there are no clear resolutions that come to mind after pondering your consolations and desolations from the recent weeks/months, then consider the third approach as the best approach for you.
-Reflect upon the ultimate purpose of your life. You are to choose only that which gives God the greatest glory, and thus, saves your soul. Peacefully think about what that may be for you right now as you say this prayer: Lord, what can I do in my life right now that gives You the greatest glory? How may I glorify You more?
-Consider what advice you would give to someone else who came to you right now with the same question. Try to give yourself that objective advice.
-Consider also the day of your death. What will you look back at and wish you had done right now in your life?
-Consider also the day of judgment when you stand before our Lord. What choice can you make now that will make that judgment even more glorious?
I think I will do these:
As I enter into my 5th bonus year, I pledge to continue my compassionate humanitarian programs for my patients and for the Filipino people particularly through my Compassionate Patient-Centered Care Management Program and Patient Empowerment Program. I am still deciding whether I will be able to continue my Hospital Quality and Safety Management System Program and Medical and Surgical Program. Will continue to ponder on these.
I will continue my Project Saint or Project Holiness.
These will be my LIFE DECISIONS and RESOLUTIONS for the next 8 years and 10 months or until I die.
I will be a HERMIT – eventually be a HERMIT – doing online writings (Education for Health Development in the Philippines – for the Filipino people – patients, medical surgical students, hospital administration students) and living a holy and saintly life (prayers, Holy Mass, confessions, and online evangelization).
I will provide companioship to my wife.
ROJoson Notes on Life 