Moment by Moment: A Retreat in Everyday Life

This book is a retreat in everyday life, which I found very encouraging and inspired me to grow in my faith. I would recommend this book to ones who are looking for a way to examine themselves and searching for a deeper meaning to their lives.

Having completed the Spiritual Exercises, I was interested in a book which would help me continue in the Ignatian tradition. I find this book very helpful for continued reflection and prayer.

Written by a Catholic nun and a Jesuit priest, the structure of this book is based loosely on the "Weeks" as found in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. However, all Christians (non-Catholics included) could well use the exercises in this book for his own spiritual growth. Both authors are well experienced in the ministry of spiritual direction and the book came into focus, as they wrote in the Introduction, "because we wanted to help men and women to find God in their busy and complex lives." The book is divided into Moments, all 32 of them (equivalent to a 32-weeks retreat in daily life in Ignatian Spirituality), and for each Moment the authors give pointers to reflect and to pray with Scripture. Each Moment draws on a parallel of the notes as found in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Then the author suggests a Desire (or a Grace if you'd like to call it) for the Moment. Scripture passages provide the ground for reflection and then Questions posed by the authors help a pray-er to stay focus on God and God's presence in daily life. The author further provide more pointers in Suggestion and the Examen Prayer for one to keep growing in his spiritual life outside of formal prayer time. The Examen is one exercise that St. Ignatius advocate strongly because it is in looking over the day, a week, a month or months, and years that one takes stock of what has happened and how one has responded to the things around him that in the first instance were God's creation. So during the Examen one gets a chance to review his relationship with God's other creatures, which often slips by because of inattention. Each Moment opens with a photograph, albeit in mono-color. The authors' idea is that visual people might find a possibility to reflect on the pictures and see if the picture/s conjure up feelings and/or emotions. After all, Ignatian prayer is about using all our five senses. The Moments in this book is do-able for anyone who is serious to grow spiritually in prayer life. Unlike the rigid 30-day Spiritual Exercises that is conducted in a stay-in retreat setting, the 32 Moments provide a way to meditate and to reflect on Scripture every day in the comfort and pace of one's daily living. According to the authors, "each Moment may be used for a day, for a week, or for a random hour of reflection when seeking perspective on your life." For example, if one is serious to use this book as a 32-weeks retreat in daily life, then he should use each Moment for a week before moving on (one Moment for one week). The authors give ample Scripture passages for a pray-er to stay with one Moment for a week. In my opinion it would be ideal to get a spiritual friend to journey through these exercises. Share insights, thoughts and feelings about what come up during prayer with that spiritual companion. It pays to listen to ourselves and to get support as we allow God to touch our lives. I recommend this book for busy people who c

Moment by Moment is just what I needed to give me some focus, balance and perspective in my busy life. It is very attractive, challenging in its probing questions, and reader-friendly. The authors have taken the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius, a 450 year old classic, and skillfully adapted it to the hunger and needs of busy people. I bought the book as gift for family and friends. They loved it!

This book presents a tremendously practical, simple method of incorporating Ignatian Spirituality into everyday life. It effectively combats the hustle and bustle of the times by providing the reader with pointed 5 minute, or "Moment", reflections. These reflections progress over the course of 32 "Moments" and help the reader come to an understanding of the meaning of everyday life, be it glamorous or not. There is much wisdom to the breadth of collected insights found in the book. I highly recommend it to anyone who thinks there is no time for daily prayer and/or reflection. It will make a significant difference.