'In the way of Mary' is a very simple interpretation of the Ignatian review of the day. It is based on the view gained looking through the window of Mary's Annunciation.
It is laid out in seven steps. You will find it helpful if you follow each of the steps. The order of the reflection and prayer is important.
The first step is one of preparation, a chance to 'go to our inner room' and to entrust ourselves to the God who calls and sustains us. Don't rush this step. It takes time to slow down and to quieten ourselves.
Remember that you are not alone in your time of prayer, God is ever desiring to be with you.
Step two begins our entry into the world of the Annunciation. 1n each of the steps 2 through to 6, you are asked to remember a particular aspect of Mary's Annunciation and to carry Mary's attitude, her way, into your reflection on your day or week.
Within each step there are a number of questions to focus your reflection. You don't need to use every question each time you use the review. Some questions will seem more to the point at different times of your life. Use the questions that help you to see more clearly what is happening in your day to day living, and how God is calling you and supporting you through this.
Step 5 is particularly important in trying to name the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life at this time. It asks you to connect your reflections with a spiritual movement that our Formation Guide, calls the Dynamic of Formation - call, dying and fruit. If you can sense which of these phases of the dynamic is primary at this time in your life, it will help you to see more clearly how you, like Mary, are being invited to conceive and give birth to Jesus in our world today.
Throughout the review you are encouraged to share your feelings, questions and struggles with God. Mary clearly expresses her concerns and fears to God. We who follow in her way can be sure that God will attend to our joys. fears and anxieties, just as He did with hers.
Step 6 is all about surrender. The way the Gospel story of the Annunciation unfolds makes it very clear that, in the end, surrender is an action made possible by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit overshadows Mary and that is what enables her 'Yes'. So it is with us. We can only prepare the soil, and in trust, open ourselves to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit.
Each and every day holds many invitations from God. All of them offer us the opportunity to grow more 'Christ minded' (and Christ hearted). However, if we aren't looking for the invitations, if we don't choose to respond in the ways that seem best, it is difficult for the Spirit to form us. Step 7 asks you to identify one way that you could respond to the way that God is inviting you in your life at this time.
+When you are first starting out, try to stick closely to the process as laid out. It takes sometime for a process to begin to work as a whole.
+ When you feel that you have a good sense of how the process works for you andwhat aspects put you most in touch with God's unfolding call to you, you can adjust the process to suit the unique style of relationship you have with God.
+As you become very used to the process you will know what questions are most helpful to you in discerning the Spirit's movement in your life.
(Audio Available)
