Category Archives: Poverty of Spirit

Love Is Our Birthright

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

This is the third post about what happened on my 8-day silent retreat in July. If you haven’t read the previous posts. I encourage you to do that before you read today’s. Erik suggested that I pray with Psalm 51. … Continue reading →

Posted in community, Ignatian Spirituality, Poverty of Spirit, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Spiritual Direction | Tagged 8-day prayer rereat, An Invitation to Wholeness, Christ Church Cathedral Vancouver, Esther Hizsa, LGBTQ, Nan C. Merrill, New Life Church Collingwood, Pride Parade Vancouver, Psalm 51:1-5, Psalm 51:10, Psalm 51:7, Psalms for Praying, residential schools, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 5 Comments

The Sound of Freedom Rising

Posted on May 24, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

It came like a low, distant hum, barely noticeable at first: a momentary sadness after a conversation. The drone grew louder as I noticed it more often–after a suggestion I made evoked a negative response, after a compliment went nowhere, … Continue reading →

Posted in Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Esther Hizsa, FarbenfroheWuderwelt, Kotukaran, Lonely Tree, Mika Hiironniemi, Richard Rohr, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, true self, Wheat | 8 Comments

Empty

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Empty Before you go to bed, shake the dust off your feet. Open your front door and –with a shoe in each hand– smack those soles together. Like a TV preacher, tell those demons: “Be gone!” Before you go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Poverty of Spirit | Tagged A Good Night's Sleep, bed, Clement Hurd, Ephesians 3:18-20, Erika Wittlieb, Esther Hizsa, Fuel Radio, Goodnight Moon, Let Go, Margaret Wise Brown, Rod Janz, Seán Ó Domhnaill, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

A Holy Place

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Of course I told my spiritual director what happened, and she listened compassionately as I talked and cried. She asked me to name my feelings and notice how they felt in my body. I told her that I felt betrayed, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged betrayal, Bowen Island, Contemplative Outreach, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 18:16, rejection, Scott Erickson, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Light of Failure, Welcoming Prayer | Leave a comment

A Punch in the Gut

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Sometimes self-awareness bubbles up gently and slowly expands to softly widen our world view and make more room for love to flow in and out of our hearts. Sometimes self-awareness comes like a punch in the gut. I know this. … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Lent, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged 1 Corinthians 13: 12-13, awareness, Bowen Island, Coco Love Alcorn, collage, Curator of Awesomeness, Esther Hizsa, Lectio Divina, Living from the Heart, Mark 8:22-25, Mary Wolfe, Matthew 5:43-44, Psalm 110, retreat, Scott Erickson, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Light of Failure, The River | 9 Comments

Calls to Prayer

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Notice what you notice. You’ve heard me say that countless times in my book and blog. It’s become a contemplative practice for me ever since I prayed the Ignatian Exercises in 2012-13. I notice experiences that warm my heart. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Homelessness, Ignatian Spirituality, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged bellw, David L. Fleming SJ, Esther Hizsa, Hold On, just.Luc, Mayor Hurley, Monica Brown, New Year's Resolutions, Ruth Monette, Soul of Christ, spiritual direction, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church, uroburos, warming centres, warming shelters | 3 Comments

This Is My Prayer

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

The kingdom of God is justice and peace and joy through the Holy Spirit Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom. —Taizé Community Notice it’s not “open to us” but “open in us.” The gate is in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Jeff Imbach, kingdom of God, Living from the Heart, Mario, Michael D. O'Brien, Pray as you go, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Taizé, The Open Gate | 1 Comment

Sometimes I Don’t Care

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Sometimes I don’t care and I don’t care that I don’t care. I’m tired of feeling guilty for my lack of compassion for eating too much for not trying to be more Christlike and I don’t want to figure out … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections | Tagged Brian Stiller, clay pots, Esther Hizsa, gangs, Greg Boyle S.J., Healing trauma, Henri Nouwen, Homeboy Industries, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

At the End of My Rope

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I was doing well for a while, then I gained back the weight I lost. Paul’s words in Romans come to mind. I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide … Continue reading →

Posted in Overeating, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections | Tagged AA, addiction, attachments, Esther Hizsa, Hold On, Isaiah 41:13, just.Luc, Overeating, Romans 7:18-25, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 8 Comments

Adrift in an Ocean of Love

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I’m thinking about my desire to know God’s love for me on God’s terms, not mine. James Finley said in a recent webinar Through the Dark Night, that we long for a sense of union with God that we will experience only … Continue reading →

Posted in Mystical, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections | Tagged Acts 17:28, Center for Action and Contemplation, Esther Hizsa, Geraint Rowland, James Finley, Listen to the Musn'ts, Marja Bergen, sailing around the world, Setting Sun Malecon Miraflores, Shel Silverstein, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Dark Night of the Soul, Tieras, Where the Sidewalk Ends | 2 Comments

	Esther Hizsa on Job Would Be Jealous
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	Esther Hizsa on A Thanksgiving Prayer
	Charleen Siemens on A Thanksgiving Prayer
	Esther Hizsa on Feeling Trapped

Category Archives: Poverty of Spirit

Love Is Our Birthright

The Sound of Freedom Rising

Empty

A Holy Place

A Punch in the Gut

Calls to Prayer

This Is My Prayer

Sometimes I Don’t Care

At the End of My Rope

Adrift in an Ocean of Love

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