Magis Reflection

Magis is about developing the Ignatian mind-set, that is, a mind-set strongly inclined to reflection, self examination and scrutiny. It is also about an attitude of always searching for God in one's experiences. This mind-set and attitude is captured in the Daily Examen prayer. This is a distinctive Ignatian review prayer of the day's activities with an eye towards detecting and responding to the presence of God. Three reflective questions lie at the heart of the Ignatian/Magis life: What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What more should I be doing for Christ?
The moment these questions have become part of your life then you are starting to live the Magis life...the Ignatian Spirituality.

By Bro Ngoni Edward SJ

#beIgnited
#beMagis
#heartsonfirezw

My Magis Experience - Gore

The pilgrimage changed a lot of things in my life especially the preparations before we left.We were very strong in prayer especially when others had problems with the visa process.

When we departed from Zimbabwe the journey was amazing and we all laughed and shared many stories about our life experiences it was as if we came from the same family. To me that was a sign of true companionship.

As we arrived in frankfurt and prepared to travel by bus to Lodz in Poland,the singing and the prayer led by Fr Padya reminded me that it was important to renew my relationship with Christ.All that lifted my spirit.

When we arrived in Lodz at the University the welcoming and meeting other pilgrims from different countries was amazing. I met Freeman from Singapore who was so happy to see the cultural diversity and how people sang and danced together.I felt like I was in heaven, the smiles the hugs the photos it was awesome!

When the our group arrived the joy was ignited the flame was blazing higher and higher, it was as if a troop of baboons had reunited the dance the singing combined into a 'SOWE"celebration!

The mass in Lodz was amazing the liturgy was so rich that I she'd a few tears as the preaching of the Gospel was as if it was directed to me.The song called UBI CARITAS which means 'where there is charity and love,God is to be found " ,it brought tears to my eyes.This challenges me to be more charitable and love genuinely if  for me to find God.                      

When we left for the experiments, My spirituality was the ideal place for me.I had the honor to share a hotel room with our coordinator Mr Chinhoyi who helped me understand more about the Autobiography of St Ignatius of Loyola.

We did meditations on the Autobiography and it was amazing to know how small Ignatius was and courageous he was when he was in battle and he got shot by a Canon ball on his leg.They say the doctors operated on him with no anesthetic. That was quite a challenge .

After the experiments we traveled to Czestahowa for the festival of nations.The Zimbabwean performance was estatic, energy levels were so high I felt so proud to be African. Playing the drum along side Mr Mzungu was an honor.

However the center of it all was at The shrine of Mary in Jasna Gora  known as the spiritual capital of Poland. We had our last magis circle with our experiment group 76.

After that we had the evening of reconciliation and prayer where I decided to gather up all the courage to go for confession.I felt so relaved after and experienced how merciful the Father in heaven is.

From then I hope and pray that I will live my life in a way that pleases God and continue to always find God in all situations.

My Magis Experience - Audrey

So I've been thinking about my whole Magis experience, all in all I'd say it was an AMAZING experience. To start with,when I reached Lodz,I was excited about meeting new people,the first pilgrim I met in Lodz was Anna from Singapore and believe you me all the energy that she had rubbed into me such that it was just transferring into the next pilgrim and the next,that is when I realised that THIS IS IT☺,,, now the registration process we went through reminded me of Mag+S Africa 🌍 2014,but anyway to say the least this registration process showed me that indeed what our Zimbabwean volunteers did in 2014 was not a joke but hard work for the greater glory of God,,,,you see,it's like when you do something and never realise how important it is but only to know it's depth when someone else does it😕

My first weekend experience was full of mixed feelings,were I was happy as I danced to the 🎶 music,as I mingled with young people from all over the world 😎,as I showed how proudly Zimbabwean I was,,,,at the same ⌚ time,I had some fears that swept through my mind as well,,,what if we get attacked by the infamous terrorists? 😦,what if things just don't go according to plan?,what if what if what if,,,,I'm human hey😏,eventually I'd just take solace in the Holy Ghost🙏🏼,,,the masses we attended were striking but what really got my attention was how beautiful the Polish sang 😮the responsorial psalm,my goodness!,I wished we would do that back at home and I'm sure one day we will find a way of incorporating such a beautiful initiative closer home,,it uplifts and it gets one reflecting,u know that moment when you feel that the Holy spirit is here for sure

Talking of the week of experiments,hahaha,it was fun and enlightening.I was part of the art and dance experiment and initially I thought it was all about learning new routines all day long,u see I even thought to myself🤔 "after this I'll emerge as one of the best dancers ever" but hey,it was all different. Yes we were dancing but most of the time we were just moving,imagine, at some point we were just told to close our eyes and move with no particular routine,just move our body parts,move in a way that reflect how I live my life everyday,my childhood,and my now,show it in the different moves while someone is looking at me,then they share what they think I was saying😌....most importantly, in my experiment, after every activity we would sit down in small groups and share our experiences and reflections.  MAGIS is sharing. MAGIS is sharing. And MAGIS is sharing. That's how we developed bonds among each other and that's how we promised companionship with each other because at a different given time one would share an activity with a different person. I believe that there is spirit in dancing and if u dance from the heart, what you really want to put across will certainly reach out. So at the end of the week I then realised that ohhh no,it might not necessarily mean just having a planned routine but one's movements do tell a story.

After this week we went to Chestochowa where it was an emotional moment for me to meet my fellow natives from Zimbabwe once again 🤗,it was like we had been separate for more than a week kikiki,and as well,it was like we were parting with our experiment loved ones forever😩,,yes that feeling. This weekend also made me realise that God can make things happen. So many young people from all corners of the world gathered up to try and find God,to try and do MOREEE for God. The ignition spirit moved withing everyone. You see Magis is the only group where you find yourself at a point where you say I have mingled with almost everyone,it creates that platform whereby if you did not meet someone from Haiti/any country you might think of during the first weekend,you will meet them during your experiment and if you do not,you will certainly meet them during the last weekend😄....Oh my, the vigil at Jana Gora was like another chance to say if you did manage to meet with God, haaaa you were certainly bound to leave that place a different person,☝🏼confessions,✌🏼the songs of worship,👌🏼the frequent reflection points,,,all these brought spiritual transformation,spiritual strength and spiritual consolation on my part. The church of our lady is beautiful in a way that provides an atmosphere of great spirituality. I wouldn't mind going back again, I wouldn't mind encouraging a brother/sister to visit that place and i would certainly not mind telling the whole world how rich the Catholic Church is💒.

😉Being a pilgrim also entails packing and unpacking🎒😩,walking long distances👟🚶🏽 and maybe going for days with lesser 🍲 food than usual

To say the least I'd say that was my experience of Poland and how it impacted my life. Now I have friends from all over the world i can relate with. Thank you MAG+S😘

#heartsonfire
#iamMagis

My Magis Experience - Vera

Magis Poland experience gave me the chance to put God first. I didn't care how I looked, what I sounded like or what I left back home in Zimbabwe. It was all about me and God getting some quality time together.  During Magis Poland I met some amazing people.  Shared some great experiences and got a chance to really know who I am and where I am in God's eyes and my own.
(Written by Vera)

#heartsonfirezw

My Magis Experience - Bothwell

My Magis experience was very enjoyable and uplifting.

Being in a Social Service Experiment group was great thing to me, it made me realize what it means to be our brother or sisters keeper. Living the Magis invitation of being people for others can be both inspiring and challenging as it takes us away from our comfort zones and expose us to familiar situations

During the first day of the experience, I was shocked and nearly went to tears noticing the handicapped people living in Sieradz under the castody of the Ursuline sister. I found myself asking a number of questions such as;

Why does God allow this to happen to his people?
Why is it that there is no cure ?
Do they even know they are human beings?
Why did I even choose these experiment?

However all the fears and worries were soon to be  wiped of by seeing the Sisters helping them. The sisters take care  of over 25 handicapped people and some of them have spent more than 40yrs on bed waiting to be fed, changed cloths or even turned to sleep with the other side and taking the few who are on wheel chairs for a street walk. After 2 days i was getting used and it was painful being told you are working in the garden today and not on the home more painful having to leave the place after only a week.

Now reflecting on this encounter, i came to the realization that God was inviting me to be a person who Observes,  Reflects and Responds to the needs of others. Being a person of works and mercy.

Apart from the experiment encounters, the Magis way of life was just inspiring  and transforming. The sharing and group prayers and daily liturgy were so powerful. The Chezstochowa pilgrimage was awesome, we had a deep group and individual prayer time at the Yasna Gora Basilica not forgetting the powerful open dialogue confession session.

Finally WYD Krakow in short.
The pilgrimage to the Divine Mercy Shrines, Visit to St JP Sanctuary and WYD events some of great things of the 2016 pilgrimage.

More Personal Moments
I happened to be so humbled and honoured after being selected to represent the country and be with the Pope at the altar. It was a dream come true for me, what I felt inside, no word can explain but all I can say is, It  was a moment of grace, completion and thanksgiving.

#beMagis
#heartsonfire
#beMerciful
#iambeacuseweare

(Written by Bothwell)

The idea of Magis - The "More," the "Better"

Recently I saw a video clip of Hilary Clinton talking about how faith inspires her campaign, especially, the Jesuit/Ignatian idea of the Magis, the More, the Better.  What was this Magis, Hilary Clinton was talking about? Magis is a Latin word that means "more" or "better." Magis is linked to the Ignatian/Jesuit Motto: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (AMDG) a latin phrase meaning 'for the Greater Glory of God'. Hence Magis is about being and doing More for the Greater Glory of God. Magis is also an expression of an aspiration and inspiration of being and doing more for Christ and more for Others.

Questions for Reflection:

• Is this the kind of life you want to live...being and doing more for Christ and more for Others.? 
• Do you have the desire, the passion and the commitment to be More and do More for God?

Hilary Clinton ends her remarks about Magis by these words: "So I’ve taken this concept of Magis to heart in this campaign, as best as one can in the daily heat, the back and forth of a presidential campaign, to ask how we can do more for each other, and better for each other. Because I believe that for each of us, our greatest monument on this earth won’t be what we build, but the lives we touch."

#beMagis

#beIgnited

#heartsonfirezw

My Magis Experience - Getrude

My greatest take away from Magis experience was that in life I need to sacrifice my time for others. We discover a lot about others and ourselves by giving our time to others. It could be helping out, sharing an experience, playing or just listening among other things. Everyone has something to offer.

Sharing of happiness, smiles and positive energy also help us to keep going. Many activities we had required a lot of energy but whenever I felt like I was getting tired all the positive energy rejuvenated me. Together we had MORE positive energy.

Sharing of prayer experiences through Magis circles also strengthened me it helped me to appreciate God in my daily life and I learnt a lot from the experiences of others.

We were created in different ways by the Lord, we just have to accept how we were created and we will always be happy. Never compare yourself to the next person there is a reason why you were created that way.

#beMagis
#heartsonfirezw