Spiritual experiences can lead to activism

Ignatius began the Spiritual Exercises as a result of intense spiritual experiences and visions during an extended retreat in 1522-1523. This book did not, however, reach its final form until nearly twenty years later. The manual provides a schema for a retreat in four weeks, focusing successively on sin and its consequences, the life of Christ, Christ's suffering and death, and the resurrection. The Exercises expresses the activism of Ignatius and his confidence that the individual can consecrate an entire life to God in the service of the world. It also exhibits the flexibility and adaptability to context that would characterize the Society of Jesus founded by Ignatius.