Lord, What Do You Desire of Me?
1. Introduction
Leader:
Let us become quiet and aware of God's presence among us.
We have come together as
a community, not merely to end another day, but to pause before the One who has
called each of us. We have our plans, expectations, abilities, fears and
desires. Yet, beneath all these, there is a deeper question that Ignatius invites
us to ask: “Lord, what do You desire of me?”
We have entered the
Juniorate after the experience of the Novitiate. This is another stage in our
journey of following Christ. We may sometimes ask ourselves where this journey
will lead us, what kind of Jesuit we will become, or what God expects from us.
Today, let us not begin
with the question, “What do I want from God?” Instead, let us stand before God
with an open heart and ask: “What do You desire of me?”
Let us breathe slowly and
become conscious of God's presence.
(Pause for
silence.)
2. Hymn
Suggested hymn: “Take and
Receive”
3. Scripture Reading
1 Samuel 3:9 -10
“Go, lie down; and if
someone calls, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” Samuel went
and lay down in his place. Then the Lord came and stood there, calling as
before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
The Word of the Lord.
Pause
4. Reflections from the
Spiritual Exercises
St Ignatius begins the
Spiritual Exercises by reminding us of the purpose for which we have been
created: “The human person is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our
Lord, and by this means to save his or her soul.” Everything else in our lives is
meant to help us move towards this purpose.
Ignatius, therefore,
invites us to become free in relation to created things. We are not to live
merely according to what is attractive, comfortable, successful or personally
satisfying. We seek to use everything according to the purpose for which we have
been created.
Therefore, Ignatius
teaches us to desire neither health nor sickness, neither wealth nor poverty,
neither honour nor dishonour, neither a long life nor a short life, but to
desire and choose only what helps us towards the end for which God has created
us.
The important question is
therefore not: “What do I prefer?” But “What leads me closer to God and makes
me more available for His mission?”
Pause
Let us quietly bring
before God one desire that occupies our hearts at this moment.
Perhaps it is a desire
for success, Recognition, Comfort, Acceptance, Security, Achievement, Control
over the future, or something we are afraid of losing. Let us place that desire
before God.
In the silence let us
pray: “Lord, purify my desires. Teach me to desire what leads me to You.”
Pause.
5. Prayers
Res: - Lord, hear
our prayer.
1. Lord, you have created
me and called me for Yourself. Often I become occupied with what I want, what I
expect and what I think will make me happy. Give me the grace to recognise that
my deepest happiness is found in You. Purify my desires. Teach me to
distinguish between what I merely want and what You desire for me. May my
studies, relationships, talents, struggles and daily responsibilities lead me
closer to You.
2. Lord, I know that I
can become attached to many things. I can become attached to recognition,
comfort, success, opinions, relationships and personal plans. Sometimes these
attachments quietly begin to control my choices. Give me interior freedom. Help
me to hold everything with open hands. May I receive what You give with
gratitude and surrender what You ask me to surrender. May nothing become more
important to me than You and Your mission.
3. Lord Jesus, You have
called me to walk with You in the Society of Jesus. I do not know everything
that lies ahead. I do not know where You will send me or what ministry You will
entrust to me. But You know. Give me the grace to trust You. When I am
uncertain, guide me. When I am discouraged, strengthen me. When I am
successful, keep me humble. When I am corrected, make me teachable. When I am
asked to serve, make me generous. May I never lose sight of the reason for
which You have called me.
4. Lord, You have not
called us to walk alone. You have brought us together as companions in the
Society of Jesus. Help us to become a community in which You are truly sought
and loved. Give us patience with one another, humility in our relationships and
generosity in service. Help us not to compare ourselves with one another. Teach
us to rejoice in another's gifts and to carry one another's burdens. May our
community help each of us to become freer, more available and more deeply
rooted in Christ.
6. Our Father
7. Concluding Prayer
Lord
our God, You created us out of love and called us to know, love and serve You. You
have placed each of us on a journey of formation. Today, we place our lives
once again into Your hands. Free us from desires that turn us away from You. Free
us from fears that prevent us from trusting You. Free us from attachments that
make us less available for Your mission. Give us the grace to recognise Your
presence, listen to Your voice and follow Your will. When we ask, “What do I
want?”, teach us to ask, “What do You desire?” When we ask, “Where do I want to
go?”, teach us to ask, “Where are You sending me?” And when we ask, “What will
make me successful?”, teach us to ask, “What will give You greater glory?” May
everything we are and everything we do be ordered towards You. May our lives
become an offering for Your greater glory and the service of others. We ask
this through Christ our Lord.
All:
Amen
8. Angelus
Sources:
Vellaringatt,
Joseph. Central Themes of Ignatian Spirituality. Gujarat Sahitya Prakash
Gujarat, India, 2017.
Rodrigues
Learoy. In a Prayerful Moment, Reflections and Prayers for various moments
in life. Pauline Publications, 2023.
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