Inner Compass: An Invitation to Ignatian Spirituality

Rating:
Summary: What Does God Want of Me?
Review: Ignatian Spirituality is appealing to many people because it enables a person to see God in the ordinariness of life, believes that God communicates with us in our hearts through prayer, particularly reflections of scripture, and by looking at our lives and reflecting on scripture, we can discern God's will in our lives. There are many wonderful Jesuit authors who make articulate the spirituality of the Jesuits and the order's founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, namely William Barry, David Lonsdale, and Anthony DeMello. Now a non-Jesuit can be added to this list, Margaret Silf, author of Inner Compass. Though the book is supposed to be an invitation to Ignatian Spirituality, and it does review the basic principles of Ignatian spirituality, it is told through the voice of a lay woman, who also happens to be a Catholic convert. I believe that this is the book's chief strength because Ms. Silf is able to share her experiences so well which makes the invitation something that is open to all.

The book is divided into fifteen easy to read chapters which are subdivided for individual reflection if it is desired. Each chapter also contains helpful prayer exercises that can be used at the time of reading or as prayer helps at a later date.

I have noticed that she also the author of two other books, which if they are the quality of this book, will be a pleasure to read.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Meditation Starter
Review: This beautifully written book is a series of personal reflections and imaginative meditations that focus on the "First Week" (i.e., section) of St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises, during which retreatants traditionally focus on the workings of sin and grace in their lives. As such it serves as a good, practical introduction to many basic concepts of Ignatian spirituality such as consolation and desolation, detachment, and our deepest desire.

The strengths of the book are its lovely style, the honesty of the author's personal examples, and the creativity and depth of "Suggestions for Prayer and Discussion" that are posed at the end of each chapter. The latter clearly come from a wealth of retreat experience.

In the introduction, Silf modestly writes that her book "is not a way of actually making the Exercises." While that is technically true, many readers may feel they have begun to do so.

Rating:
Summary: Best Ever Presentation of Ignatian Spirtuality
Review: With all due respect to the many fine Jesuit Fathers I have known in my life, it took a non-Jesuit named Margaret Silf to deliver the finest explanation of Ignatian Spirituality I have ever read. Silf delivers first a touching and thorough biography of Ignatius, then uses it as a backdrop for how he came to understand God. She leads us through the Exercises with genuine faith, terse explanation, and wonderful anecdotes that rate her as a superb spiritual director. Every spriritual person, not to mention Jesuits themselves, would be well advised to own their own copy of this masterpiece. A must read for all!