Ignatius of Loyola’s literary work as an expression of his experience in life and spirituality
The Figurativeness of the Language of Mystical Experience January 1, 2021 Edita Príhodová
The paper examines the relationship between the life and spiritual experiences of St. Ignatius of Loyola and his literary works, including the Spiritual Exercises, Constitutions, and Spiritual Diary. It focuses on events that shaped his mystical development, particularly his stays in Loyola, Manresa, and by the river Cardoner. The authors describe and interpret Ignatius's spiritual metaphors and parables, such as God's soldier, life as a spiritual struggle, and vocation as the call of a king, noting that he radically shifted and spiritualized these secular images. A spiritual theme of love, not fear, runs through the Constitutions. In the Spiritual Diary, Ignatius moves beyond metaphors to find new language for his mystical experience.