Moment by Moment: A Retreat in Everyday Life

From Beliefnet
This book of prayer exercises, inspired by "The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola," seeks to "occasion a conversion of heart and mind so that a person may follow Jesus with greater faith, love and freedom." Each "moment" is intended to offer an intense experience that will bring the soul closer to God. At the same time, the authors are far from narrow scholastics; every exercise is designed to offer an opportunity for deep personal reflection.

The prayer exercises are structured in terms of a specific spiritual "desire," leading to an interrogation of Scripture, as well as of the self, about the best way to attain that desire (for example, the desire to "grow in the inner freedom needed to commit my life to God" or "to hear God's call when it comes and to be willing to respond generously.") What differentiates this lovely book from so many prayer guides is its attention to the difficulty of prayer, its understanding that to pray requires discipline and structure, that ecstatic communion only follows after long, hard concentration and labor, the readying of the soul for God.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Drawing on the classic retreat model, The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, Moment by Moment offers a new and inviting way to find God in our often busy and complex lives.

In a series of 32 "Moments," the text guides the reader with thought-provoking questions, practical suggestions, and excerpts carefully chosen from scripture and The Spiritual Exercises. Its simple format can be used by an individual or by groups in a number of ways: as a way of making the Spiritual Exercises in daily life, as a guide for daily prayer, as a companion for reflection, or as suggested themes for a retreat.

Drawing upon their extensive experience as spiritual directors, the authors write in their introduction, "This book offers a way to reflect and sift through one's multiple life experiences and to discover in them the leading thread of God's longing and desire to make us a holy people who are given in service to others."

Anyone seeking spiritual growth will discover that Moment by Moment offers wise direction and fosters a holistic spirituality firmly rooted in the daily experience of God in one's life.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Moment by Moment is a wonderfully constructed book modeled os St. Ignatious' Spiritual Exercises. Smith and Merz, along with Don Doll providing evocative photographs, set a new standard for the Ignation retreat in everyday life. (David L. Fleming, SJ, author Draw Me Into Your Friendship) — David L. Fleming