Movement 2
Week Two — The Illuminative Way
Portrait: Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1609
Contemplation on the life of Christ — His Incarnation, ministry, and the Election.
The Incarnation
God looks at the world and decides to enter it
Lord, grant me an intimate knowledge of You who became flesh for me — that I might love You more and follow You more closely.
The Nativity
The King born in a stable
Lord, grant me a love that is willing to be small, poor, and hidden when that is what You ask.
The Hidden Life
Thirty years of ordinary faithfulness
Lord, sanctify my ordinary life — let me find You in the unremarkable.
The Baptism and Temptations
Identity tested in the desert
Lord, grant me the grace to know who I am in You — so that I am not shaken by what the world offers.
The Call of the Disciples
He called and they left everything
Lord, let me hear Your call clearly — and give me the grace to respond without calculation.
The Two Standards
Under which banner do I fight?
Lord, let me recognize the tactics of the enemy and choose Your way with clarity and courage.
Three Classes of People
How we respond when God asks for something
Lord, make me the kind of person who actually does what You ask — not just intends to.
Three Degrees of Humility
How close do I want to get to Christ?
Lord, let me desire what You desired — even poverty, even humiliation — if it means being closer to You.
The Election
Making the decision that matters most
Lord, let me choose only what leads me most surely to You.
The Transfiguration
A glimpse of what is coming
Lord, let me see You as You truly are — so that I can follow You even when You are hard to see.