I picked up this book as part of my Lenten observance this year. This is a spiritual work by the well-known public author James Martin of the Society of Jesus which looks at spirituality through the history of that religious order, the Jesuits. He talks in some detail about how he came to his own calling as a young man and what he encountered at the significant steps on his journey. He refers to how he was inspired by the example of Thomas Merton the Cistercian monk, who was the author of The Seven Storey Mountain in awakening, a dormant faith that he had as a young man.

He also takes the reader back to the earliest days of the founding of the Society of Jesus in the 1500s. He gives an entertaining account of how a Spanish nobleman, whom we now know as Ignatius of Loyola, had a spiritual awakening which caused him to decide to found his new order. His writings include the constitution of that order and the Spiritual Exercises.

He describes in straightforward terms how the Society of Jesus was like the other religious orders of monks and how it differed. At one point, its theological stands led to its suppression for a while, but has been in the mainstream of the Catholic church for a long time now. This book was written before Pope Francis became the first Jesuit to become Pope.

A recurring theme that runs all through this book is the idea of contemplation in action. It refers to the inner relationship of the individual with God who brings this into their interactions with other people. Sometimes things go awry and the individual feels as though God was not present, a missing part of their life. The author makes a case for how spiritual experiences can come in ordinary ways that the prepared soul can recognize.

One of the key writings by Ignatius is The Spiritual Exercises. This book describes in simple terms what it's like to work through the practices described there. He returns again and again to one powerful prayer called the Examen, where the individual meditates on all the things that happened during the day and tries to understand what they mean for their life.

The goal of this book is not to indoctrinate the reader into becoming a Catholic or becoming a Jesuit themselves. He also talks frankly about what it's like to be a priest in the Catholic Church under the three vows of poverty, obedience and chastity. Again and again he cites the example of many Jesuits who lived out their vows in roles including those of government, science and literature. He talks about those who have been persecuted for their standing up to oppression. And yet he never tries to convice the reader that every Jesuit lives with a saintly demeanour.

I really did enjoy listening to this audiobook, not least of which for his descriptions of some of the places in Massachusetts where I am familiar with also. I think it accomplished part of its goal, which is not just to inform people who know little of the Jesuits, but also to stir up additional passion in those who might be able to engage in a deeper relationship using the techniques that Ignatius and others came up with.