Guided Ignatian Contemplation provides readers with meditations on the gospels to help them come closer to Jesus. Why was this an important book for you to write?

It was important for me to write the book because I find that Ignatian Contemplation assists me with prayer and getting closer to Jesus. The stories of Jesus’s life are well known, we have heard them so many times, and for this reason, certain things may be taken for granted or pass unnoticed. Saint Ignatius of Loyola asks us to stop and enter into the stories imagining them vividly as if we were watching a movie, and we may find hidden treasures and blessings by doing this. I wanted to bring the stories to life, limiting my imagination as much as possible to Bible’s truths and Jesus’s teachings. At the same time, I wanted to make the participants real, people we can relate to so we may see ourselves in them or someone we may know. I wanted to bring the stories down to earth and at the same time elevate the readers to new heights by entering into them and meditating on them. I also wanted to emphasize Jesus’s character, holiness, and power so that we could experience both His humanity and His divinity.

You share 14 stories from the gospels in this book. Which of these stories stands out to you personally?

The story that touches me most is Jesus’s anointing before His death. In this story, we can see Jesus’s humanity and divinity in a highly moving way. We can also experience our fragility as human beings, which is yet embraced by His boundless love.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

For me it was very important to show Jesus’s constant humility and His Father coming in without delay to exalt Him. As Jesus mentioned God was always with Him. Jesus is humbling Himself and making Himself dependent on God throughout. Another theme is Jesus’s humanity and divinity at the same time, and that He would not use His power to ease His human trials. A third theme would be His compassion, the way He would work to exhaustion, be moved, change His plans and treat with gentleness those with frailties due to His empathy, caring love, and compassion.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?

I would like them to come closer to the knowledge of Jesus by meditating on the stories and making themselves active participants, leading them into a conversation and deeper relationship with Jesus.

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