Category Archives: Praying with the Imagination

Using Our Imaginations to Be with Christ in Holy Week

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

In the past few posts (and in my upcoming Good Friday post), I have shared how Christ has shown compassion for me in my suffering. Now I want to be with Jesus in his suffering. The best way I know … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Easter, Holy Week, Ignatian Spirituality, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Resource | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Father Richard Soo, Jesus at Gethsemane, Jesus on his way to be crucified, Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet, Jesus’ arrest. Luke 23:26-27, John 13, John 20:11-18, John 20:24-29, John 21, Living from the Heart, Luke 24:13-35, Mark 14:43-49:, Matt 26:36-45, Matthew 27: 33-56, Matthew 27:32, Matthew 27:57-61, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Burial, The Crucifixion, The Last Supper | Leave a comment

Compassion Leads the Way

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

This is my last post about what happened on my 8-day silent retreat in July. If you haven’t read the previous ones, I encourage you to do that before you read today’s. I stood with the Trinity looking down at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Mystical, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Spiritual Direction | Tagged 8 day retreat, Becker1999 (Paul and Cathy), compassion, Esther Hizsa, feeding 5000, impossible, John 3:1-24, March for Our Lives, Matthew 5:44, Richard Rohr, Rublev icon, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Trinity, Walking on water, Walter Wink | 3 Comments

Invited to Love

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

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

Posted in False Self, Ignatian Spirituality, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged 8-day prayer rereat, Burnaby Task Force on Homelessness, Erik Sorensen, Esther Hizsa, Father Thomas Keating, George Doering, Ignatian prayer retreat, Living from the Heart, Maya Angelou, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 23:3, Society to End Homelessness, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Wanda Mulholland | 3 Comments

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 Prodigal Daughter

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

“Be gentle with yourselves,” Erik, our director, told us as we began our 8-day silent retreat. After a few more instructions, he sent us off to pray with scriptures that spoke of God’s enduring, present, and attentive love for us. … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged 8-day prayer rereat, Angel of Healing, Anne Davis, Erik Sorensen, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian prayer retreat, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Isaiah 43:1-7, Luke 15:20, Psalm 139:1-18, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Susan Lordi | 7 Comments

Sometimes We Want Vengeance Too

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

When I look at this painting of Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth by James Tissot, I see a lot of anger. I can understand why. When Jesus read those beloved words from Isaiah 61 about the Spirit of the Lord being on … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged #anger, Brian Zahnd, compassion, Esther Hizsa, Isaiah 61:1-3, James Tissot, Jesus reads from the scroll, Luke 4:14-21, nonviolence, Poverbs 17:17, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, vengeance | 3 Comments

Right Where I Am

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I looked at this drawing of an injured bird and felt tender inside. I lingered for a while with that feeling and the sense of being held. Then, in the retreat’s spacious silence, I reflected on a poem by Mary … Continue reading →

Posted in Helpful Images, Poetry, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged Brian Wakelin, Byron O’Donnell, Devotion, Esther Hizsa, He Will Know, Mary Oliver, Olive B. Chan, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Striped Sparrow, The Beautiful, wounded bird in hands | 1 Comment

A Doorway

Posted on August 17, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My Eight-Day Retreat: Part 5 Father Roshan picked up on the theme of finding the lost and assigned me the story of Zacchaeus for one of my prayers. I took the despised tax-collector’s place. However, in my story, everyone was … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Mystical, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged 8 day retreat, Chris Chiu, Divine Union, Eric Magnuson, Esther Hizsa, John 14:20, John 17:20-21, JSAV, SoulStream, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, The Dark Night of the Soul, The Open Door | 1 Comment

O That You Would Vanquish My Fears

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My Eight-Day Retreat: Part 3 On the fourth day of my eight-day retreat, Father Roshan asked me to pray with three “Sorrowful Mysteries.” The first memory that returned to me was the day our son, who was sixteen at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged 8-day prayer rereat, Angel of Healing, Anne Davis, Archangel Michael, Esther Hizsa, Guido Reni, Hebrews 13:5, Ignatian prayer retreat, Sorrowful mysteries, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Susan Lordi | 1 Comment

Don’t Do a Thing

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My Eight-Day Retreat: Part 2 “I don’t enjoy praying for a whole hour,” I admitted to Father Roshan on the third morning of my eight-day retreat. His eyes widened for half a second. But he didn’t question me. He just … Continue reading →