Humanities Core Spring 2006 * Ulrike Strasser

 

 

Spiritual Exercises – Reading Questions

 

 

Focus on the Following Selections

 

 

Note:    An “exercitant” is a person who is undergoing the exercises.

Making an “election” means making a choice.

 

 

 

Here are the questions for each part:

 

 

Introduction Explanations

 

What is the purpose of the spiritual exercises? How do they compare to physical exercises?

 

 

 

 

Daily Particular Examination of Conscience

 

How should one carry out this exercise? What does one focus on? What does one do?

 

 

Where do thoughts come from? What are the three primary sources of thoughts?

 

 

What are some ways of handling a bad thought that comes from the outside?

 



Meditation on Hell

 

What is the purpose of this meditation? 

 

 

List the various aspects of hell that the recipient of the exercises has to image.

 

 

Why does the exercitant have to thank God at the end of the meditation?

 

 

At what time of the day does the person undertake this meditation?

 

 

How does the first week end? How does the second week begin?

 

 

 

 

Worldly and Heavenly King

 

Why should the exercitant imagine a temporal king?

 

 

What is the will of the temporal king? What is the will of the external king?

 

 

 

 

Meditation on Two Standards

 

What does one consider during this mediation?

 

 

Where should we imagine Lucifer? What are the three vices he uses to seduce people?

 

 

Where should we imagine Christ? Where does he send his followers and why?

 

 

Why were human beings created?

 

 

What is it therefore that people need to do?

 

 

 

Making an Election

 

What does one have to pay attention to every time one makes a choice no matter how big or small?

 

 

What are examples of unchangeable and changeable elections?

 

 

What are good times for making a choice?

 

 

What is the first method of making an election?

 

 

What is the second method?