IGNATIUS' SPIRITUAL EXERCISES & JOHN'S GOSPEL - COME AND SEE THE GLORY IN JOHN

The specific techniques used in the Spiritual Exercises:
1. The Examen: This is a technique in which individuals spend some time each day reflecting on their experiences and thoughts throughout the day, and looking for ways in which God may have been present in those experiences.

2. Meditations: These are meditations on specific themes related to faith, including the Sacraments, the life of Christ, the life of the Church, and the life of the individual as a Christian.
3. Resolutions: These are personal goals that individuals set for themselves to grow in their faith and become more Christ-like. These might include specific changes in behavior, habits, or attitudes that the individual seeks to incorporate into their life.
4. Dialogue with God: In this technique, individuals engage in a conversation with God, sharing their thoughts, feelings, and questions, and listening for God's response.5. Discussion with others: Individuals also participate in discussion with other members of the group, sharing their reflections and experiences, and learning from the perspectives and insights of others.

By using these techniques, individuals can engage with the Spiritual Exercises in a way that is both reflective and collaborative, allowing them to deepen their relationship with God and grow in their faith.

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David Stanley's book I Encountered God that illustrate the similarities between the Spiritual Exercises and John's Gospel spirituality:

"The Spiritual Exercises are a journey of love, just as the Gospel of John is a journey of love. Both invite us to enter into a relationship with God that is characterized by intimacy, trust, and surrender."
"The Spiritual Exercises are a journey of discernment, just as the Gospel of John is a journey of discernment. Both invite us to listen to the voice of God and to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit."
"The Spiritual Exercises are a journey of transformation, just as the Gospel of John is a journey of transformation. Both invite us to be changed by our encounter with God, to become more Christ-like."

Here are some specific passages from the Gospel of John that Stanley cites as being similar to the Spiritual Exercises:

John 1:14: "The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth."
John 15:1: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will bear more fruit."
John 17:3: "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

Stanley argues that the Spiritual Exercises are a way of living out the Gospel of John, of following Jesus' example of intimacy with God, discernment, and transformation. He writes, "The Spiritual Exercises are a way of allowing the Gospel of John to become flesh in our own lives."I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

the Spiritual Exercises and John's Gospel spirituality are "two complementary paths to the same destination: union with God." He writes,

"The Spiritual Exercises are a way of allowing the Gospel of John to become flesh in our own lives."