Prima Hebdomada: Exercitia Secundum, Tertium, Quartum, et Quintum

Prima Hebdomada: Exercitia Secundum, Tertium, Quartum, et Quintum

The second exercise is a meditation on sins, including a preparatory prayer, two preludes, five articles, or points, along with a colloquy at the end. The preparatory prayer is the same as the one mentioned above. The preliminary meditation requires the same construction of the place as in the previous meditation. Later, we will experience a deep sorrow for our sins and an abundant flow of tears as we seek what we are looking for. The first point is a certain process through which the sins of one's entire life are brought to mind, gradually recalled and examined over the years and through each period of time. In this regard, we are aided by a threefold summary, considering the places of our dwelling, the ways of our conversations, and the various kinds of duties or affairs we have engaged in. The second step is to reflect on the sins themselves, considering how great their ugliness and wickedness are, and their nature, even if they were not forbidden. The third is to consider myself, who I am, or what kind of person I am, adding examples that draw me into a greater contempt for myself, so that if I reflect on my worth, I see how small I am compared to the whole assembly of humanity; what then is the multitude of all mortals when compared with the Angels and all the Blessed? After this, I must consider what everything that is created is in relation to God, the Creator. Now, what can I, a mere human, possibly be? Finally, I will examine the corruption of my entire being, the depravity of my soul, and the ugliness of my body, and I will see myself as a wound or an abscess, from which so much filth of sin and so many vices have flowed. The fourth is to reflect on what God is, whom I have so offended, by gathering and comparing the perfections attributed to God with my own faults and shortcomings: specifically, His supreme power, wisdom, goodness, and justice, alongside my extreme weakness, ignorance, malice, and wickedness. Fifth, I break into exclamation, carried away by a strong emotion, marveling greatly at how all creatures have sustained me for so long and kept me alive to this day: how the angels, bearing the sword of divine justice, have borne me with a calm spirit, guarded me, and even aided me with their prayers: how the saints have interceded for me: how heaven, the sun, the moon, and other stars, the elements, and all kinds of living beings, as well as the seeds of the earth, have served me in place of the deserved punishment: and finally, how the yawning earth has not swallowed me up, nor the thousand hells opened to release me, in which I would have been destined to suffer eternal punishment. This meditation will finally conclude with a colloquy, praising God's infinite mercy and giving thanks with all my strength for extending my life to this day, from which I will recite once the Our Father for my future amendment. The third exercise will be nothing other than a repetition of the first and second, along with three conversations. After the preparatory prayer and the twofold prelude, you should repeat the previous two exercises, noting the points or places where you felt the greatest consolation, desolation, or any other spiritual emotion; and you should dwell on these for a longer time, with greater attention. Then, as a spiritual impulse arises within us, we will come to the three following colloquies. The first colloquy is directed to our Lady, the Mother of Christ, asking for her intercession with her Son and for the grace we need in three ways: first, that we may feel an internal awareness and detestation of our sins; second, that recognizing our actions and abhorring the disordered way we live, we may rightly order ourselves according to God; third, that, having seen and condemned the wickedness of the world, we may be received away from worldly and vain things. Once this is done, the Ave Maria should be recited once. The second prayer is directed to Christ the Lord, our Mediator, so that He may obtain for us the same grace from the eternal Father. At the end, a prayer is to be said, which begins: 'Soul of Christ.' The third exercise is to be directed to God the Father, so that He may grant us that triple grace, and at the end, we should recite the Our Father once. The fourth exercise is formed from the repetition of the third. This repetition is set forth as a kind of reflection on what I have meditated on in the previous exercises, so that by continually recalling these things, my understanding may flow more easily without distraction. Three similar colloquies will also be added. The fifth exercise is a contemplation of Hell, which includes a preparatory prayer, two preludes, five points, and one colloquy. The preparatory prayer is not different from the one above. First, this prelude has a description of the place, set before the eyes of the imagination, of hell's length, width, and depth. The next step is to seek a deep understanding of the torments that the damned endure, so that if ever I find myself caught in the oblivion of divine love, at least the fear of punishment for my sins may restrain me. The first point is to imagine the vast fires of Hell and the souls trapped in certain fiery bodies, like prisoners confined in a dungeon. Next, imagine hearing the cries, wails, shouts, and blasphemies directed at Christ and His saints erupting from there. Third, imagine also perceiving the smell of smoke, sulfur, and the stench of some filth or decay. Fourth, to taste similarly the most bitter things like tears, the bitterness of resentment, and the worm of conscience. Fifth, to touch in some way those fires that burn the very souls of those who are consumed by them. In speaking with Christ, the souls of those condemned to the pains of hell will be brought to mind, either because they refused to believe in the coming of Christ, or even if they did believe, they did not live according to His commandments: this applies either before the coming of Christ, during the time He lived in this world, or after that. Finally, I owe great thanks to Christ, who has not allowed me to fall into such a ruin, but rather has pursued me with the utmost piety and mercy up to this very day. The end will be imposed after saying the Our Father. If it seems appropriate to the one who provides the Exercises, he may add other meditations for the benefit of those who are practicing them, such as on Death, and other penalties of sin, and on Judgment, etc. Let him not think he is prohibited from doing so, even if these are not specifically assigned. The time for the exercises should be distributed in such a way that the first one takes place in the middle of the night, the second in the morning, as soon as we rise; the third before or after the Holy Mass, without having eaten yet; the fourth around the hour of Vespers; and the fifth an hour before dinner. This distribution of time for the four weeks of exercises is common, but it can vary, and be increased or decreased, depending on each person's age, disposition of mind and body, or the nature of their own temperament.