Few practices have captured the imagination of people seeking greater understanding of themselves and of God than the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. When our own image of ourselves gets between us and God, and we become preoccupied with our own ideas about who we're supposed to be, rather than who God made us to be, the Spiritual Exercises can help us to develop a better picture of ourselves as God's beloved, unique creation. St. Ignatius gives us a framework for opening ourselves to the way the Holy Spirit guides each of us every day and in all that we do. Building on our previous discussions of the Spiritual Exercises, the Jesuit charism, and Ignatian spirituality, in this episode we look at the life and journey of the man who, through the Holy Spirit, brought them into reality. Fr. Mark Hoelsken, SJ joins Nicholas to delve into the life of St. Ignatius to see what we can learn from his spiritual journey.

In our final episode of this Advent series we tie in the themes of this season under one word. That word is love. Ours is a God of love, seeking to reconcile the world under His sheltering wings. At the core of our faith, and even the most complex theological questions, the most important concepts are to love our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This abundant outpouring of love is not just a gift but also a mission, to help spread that grace as much as we can. Nicholas' mother, the person who first gave him a glimpse of what divine love might be, joins us for this episode to examine a life lived with love at the forefront.

Joyful are those who wait on the Lord. In this time of joyful anticipation as we look up at the skies of Bethlehem, our God has given us the grace to endure the darkness of winter with His warm light within. It is not enough, however, to keep this light to ourselves. Instead, we are given the mission to let it shine even in the darkest places, allowing it to lift others as well. Deb Johnson joins Nicholas to talk about gratitude, service, and this important gift of joy.