The difficulty with what we hear as openers this week can make us a bit uncomfortable and questioning about whether we want to continue. Here near the beginning of the Exercises, Ignatius displays what he means by "freedom". I know that each of us wants a long life, health, a good name and sufficient wealth. It may appear that right here after such gentle prayer, the "other shoe" has finally dropped. In order to continue making these exercises you must already have this complete detachment from such natural desires and life, health and wealth.

In truth, Ignatius points to the universal human inclinations, which if not tended to, can drive, dominate, imprison and destroy our experience of life. We are invited in this overture simply to look at the areas which most commonly take us out of harmony. For the first time in the Exercises we are asked to check whether we are free enough to face our unfreedoms. It is only when we do this that the rest of the symphony of the Exercises will make any sense.

We must be very clear about this then; Ignatius assumes that as human beings we will experience disordering tendencies. Can I be honest and gentle with the uncovering of what plays such a loud part in my personal orchestra, that there is disorder in my life's symphony? Later in the Exercises, Ignatius will be inviting us to watch Jesus as the conductor of our own, and the world's, musical play. When Ignatius uses the term "indifference", he does not mean "not caring". He is literally up front about where we are all going, by making the Exercises. He here indicates the areas of "over-caring" which will take us away from trusting in the "God-caring" which is true freedom. Will we in time, be freed to watch, listen to, and follow the divine conductor?