First Principle and Foundation
- God’s creative, unconditional love and call for total response.
- A positive sense of God, self, creation.
- Desire for freedom.
First Week: Purgation
The problem of evil: global and personal sin.
The need for healing from fear, guilt, poor self-image.
Conversion from personal sin (not a breach of a law but of a love relationship).
- Coming to faith in Christ crucified (Paul to the Romans).
- Knowing oneself as totally forgiven.
- Baptism and reconciliation.
Discipleship: Incorporation into Christ.
- The Call of the King: Christ’s call to follow him.
- Deeper desire to be a disciple.
Second Week: Illumination
Contemplation of Jesus in the Gospels.
- In his infancy: in the imaginative stories of Matthew and Luke.
- In his adult life: his message to all, and to me.
A choice to follow him:
- In spiritual poverty, self-emptying, and humility.
- Rejecting the way of evil: greed, honors, and pride.
- A practical decision to live one’s life with and for Christ in service.
Third and Fourth Weeks: Union
The Passion of Christ: strength to carry out one’s mission.
Deeper sorrow for sin and compassion for God’s suffering people.
To live in the joy of the Lord: making a total response of love to God’s Love.
Contemplation on God’s Love: a deep and generous response to God’s gifts.