Jim Manney

How do we allow the Scripture, in all its awesome power, to draw us closer to God? One important spiritual discipline that can help us in this regard is called lectio divina, which is Latin for “sacred reading.” It’s one of the oldest forms of Christian prayer, and our church’s bishops and other leaders repeatedly recommend that Catholics discover its power to make the Bible come alive.

“Humility says, 'How can I serve you?' Hubris says, 'Here’s how you fix yourself.' ” (Gregory Boyle, SJ) “Hubris is a hard word. It’s worse than pride. To the ancient Greeks, hubris was a breaching of limits that had been set by the gods and usually brought swift punishment. Icarus tumbled into the sea when he ignored instructions and flew too close to the sun. In the Bible, hubris is pride mingled with cruelty. It’s arrogant contempt for the rights of others.

Author Jim Manney knows St. Ignatius of Loyola very well, having written several books about him before this one. We’ve reviewed two of the others in years past. But this one is unique, designed for those who have never before encountered the creator of “the Ignatian way.” What is “the Ignatian way” of spirituality?