The handout for November 18 at St Thomas More

 While we often speak many words to God, we rarely hear human words spoken back. Prayer is not about getting answers but about being transformed — learning to see more clearly to what and to whom we are called. In prayer, we move from asking God to act according to our desires to listening for how God is calling us to act in love. It is not so much that we expect God to send rain, cure illness, or end war, but that we come to understand our vocation: to tend the earth, to care for the sick, and to work tirelessly for peace and justice. 

 Understanding Ignatian spirituality is vital in today’s world because it teaches us to listen deeply for how and where the Holy One is calling us. Through daily discernment, we learn to recognize God’s presence not only in prayer but in every decision, relationship, and moment of life. The evening examen helps us reflect with honesty and gratitude, keeping us centered on love and aware of God’s quiet guidance. In this way, prayer becomes an intimate, ongoing encounter with the Holy — a conversation that shapes our hearts and our daily actions. 

The Ignatian author of this article provides ten excellent elements of this powerful spiritual pathway.