This Exercise should be experienced between December 21 and December 24. It isn't technically in the Spiritual Exercises, but I find it helpful. I hope you do too.
If you are a mother, it may help to recall your own pregnancies during this exercise.
Ask God for the grace to have an intimate knowledge of Jesus as an unborn child so that you may love Him more tenderly. Also ask for a more personal experience of Jesus. Finally, ask for insight into what it means that Mary carried the Messiah in her womb and that, through this mystery, she is able to love all people on the earth as if they were her own children.
Imagine Mary pregnant with Jesus. She is six months along. Jesus is living in the amniotic sack in his mother's womb. He can hear sounds from the outside world. Mary's body is nurturing him. All of the nutrition that his body receives comes from the food that Mary eats and the drink that Mary drinks.
The two are bonded in a sacred union. At times, Mary and Jesus feel together.
The Mothers and Fathers of the Eastern Church taught that Mary was the greatest theologian because she taught Jesus what it meant to be a human being totally in love with God. That process began while Jesus was in her womb. Imagine what Mary felt when Jesus moved in her womb. What tender words did Mary use to comfort her child when she felt him move? How did she gently touch her side so that she could communicate with him? Imagine you are Mary. Apply your senses. What do you feel and see? What words do you want to use to communicate with Jesus in the womb?
Consider the tenderness that Mary feels for Jesus. If your tradition encourages you to do so (and the Catholic and Orthodox traditions do), imagine the tenderness that Mary learned holding Jesus in her womb. She has that tenderness for you right now.
At this point, I would like to introduce a method of prayer that Ignatius called the triple colloquy. I want to introduce it at this point because it involves Mary.
A colloquy is a conversation. It isn't a method of prayer in which a person just recites words. In the colloquy you pray to God or to a saint and then you listen with your heart and imagination. In the triple colloquy, you begin by talking with Mary. You ask Mary to ask Jesus for the specific specific grace that you seek. Then you converse with Mary. You may want to ask her what it was like to feel Jesus inside her. You may then want to ask her if she might show you the joy she felt carrying Jesus. Then after the colloquy with Mary, you converse with Jesus. Ask him to speak with the Father/Mother for the specific grace you seek: to have an intimate knowledge of Jesus as an unborn child so that you may love Him more tenderly. Also ask for a more personal experience of Jesus. Finally, ask for insight into what it means that Mary carried the Messiah in her womb and that, through this mystery, she is able to love all people on the earth as if they were her own children.
The third colloquy is with the Father/Mother. Ask for the same grace we mentioned above and then sit back and listen. You may be given a specific image in your imagination. There may be a sense of freedom around a particular idea. Follow the thoughts and feelings that lead you to be more charitable and/or that give you insights into the love God has for humanity.
Close with an Our Father, a Hail Mary, or another prayer that gives you peace.
Write down your reflections in your journal.
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