Indifference

A co-worker and I have begun a retreat. A month long retreat that, fortunately, we don't have to go anywhere to participate in. We have, for three whole mornings now, been meeting on my front porch to pray a focused prayer based on the meditations of Ignatius Loyola.

The second day my need for indifference struck me. It was defined so very well:
"it is necessary that I remain indifferent to all created things as far as I am allowed free choice and as far as God does not prohibit me from choosing them. Consequently, for my part I do not will health more than sickness, riches more than poverty, honor more than dishonour, a long life rather than a short life, and so for all other things, but I will desire and choose only those things that lead me to the end for which I was created, that is, to love God."

"This fundamental indifference is a difficult yet critical way of looking at things. It must be understood in the light of the Gospel: to be indifferent means placint the love of God before every other love and every other aversion."

It is important to not regard this as apathy, a lack of concern or insensitivity. We can still have horror of sickness and death, but yet love them because they are God's will for me. I related this to what I have learned of idols. An idol is a perfectly good thing that we love more than God, or a joy that we seek to fulfill apart from God. I think that this is the indifference Loyola wants us to have. We pursue what we love, but always as secondary to our love of God.

"it is God's will that 'I am' and that I strive toward being, for myself, for others and for the world more of what I am. At the same time, however, when the will of God is that I fail, that I become less important, or that I die, indifference enables me to accept failure, setback, death as a mysterious success"

"God is everything for me; apart from Him whatever is created is nothing."

Powerful words and thoughts. Everything created is secondary to Him. Everything created is nothing without Him. My work, my life, my ministry, my family, all of it- I must be indifferent towards in comparison towards my love of God.

Your thoughts?