Such experiences may seem a long way from the asked for grace of "compassion" and yet they serve an important task of exposing any cognitive dissonance between our desire to imitate Christ and underlying attitudes that prevent us from doing so. (Fennessy, 48)

As we express and envision our commitment we also become aware of the "attachments" or "vices" in our lives that constitute obstacles to such a vision being lived out in freedom. Throughout the Third Week, while seeking to "be with" Jesus in his suffering, we again become aware of those attachments that mitigate against our deepened commitment of "being with Jesus" as a disciple.

Regardless of whether such a decision took the form of a specific "election" the retreatant will be aware that his or her commitment is not abstract.

In this sense the Third Week prepares us for the reality of living out any commitments or choices we have made in the Second Week.

Throughout the Second Week the exercitant has "heard" the call of Christ through the Kingdom meditation (SE 91-98). This call to discipleship is developed throughout the subsequent Gospel meditations and its personal implications are emphasised and examined by the inclusion of two further exercises "Two Standards" (136-147) and "Three Classes of Men" (149-156). These exercises may have led to a very specific decision about the exercitant's vocation in life (SE 169-184) or at least to more general but genuinely deepened commitment to Christ.

Our choice of discipleship is very likely to be accompanied by impressions of what that might look like in our day-to-day life. After one period of prayer, for example, I was confronted with the realisation that living more simply, with a less materialistic focus on myself would enable my wife to have more time and financial freedom to pursue her interests.

These psychological dynamics, however, do not exist in isolation. They are clearly elements of the Third Week in which the resolve of the retreatant is "tested" and hopefully confirmed as they seek to be with Jesus in his Passion.

The personal challenge of being with anyone during times of suffering. The desire for diversion, escape are typical, as is a sense of emotional numbness.

In a more positive direction, the retreatant may become aware of themselves as belonging to a community of others who accompany Jesus to the cross and to death.

The primary grace sought in this Third Week is "compassion" or, simply put, to "be with" Jesus in his suffering or "passion". (Ivens, 147)

This week out of all the weeks confronts the retreatant with their tendencies to avoid the more challenging requirement of discipleship.

Following the "election" of the second week the third week with it's focus on the passion of Christ becomes the affective prayer environment for a "confirmation".

This essay will explore the interaction of these dynamics within the possible experience of a retreatant and for reasons I hope will become clear...

Throughout this third week of the Exercises the retreatant is seeking the grace of "compassion", primarily understood as "being with" Jesus throughout his "passion" or suffering.

Other points that are subject of meditation or graces sought through prayer, ranging from "grief, deep feeling and confusion because it is for my sins" to a greater awareness of "what I myself ought to do and suffer for him" enable the retreatant to connect all of this to the concrete experience of his or her life.

During the third week the retreatant engages in an extended meditation on Christ's passion from Bethany, to Jerusalem, the last Supper to the cross and tomb.

We may become aware (in light of Ignatius' "Three Degrees of Humility", SE 165-167) that we have devoted the bare minimum to God, or that our motives have been selfish. In difficult, though graced, moments of self-awareness we may find ourselves empathizing with characters in the narrative who express our "less savory" preferences "wealth, honour and pride" that keep us from the evangelical perfection patterned by our Lord (SE 135). Throughout the Third Week in imaginative representations such as Pilate washing his hands or Judas having a "Rumpelstiltskin-like" tantrum I saw my own attitudes of self-interest, indifference, insecurity, and pride expressed.

The third prelude in Exercises 193 and 203 draws our attention to the fact that Christ "suffers for my sins." In the Third Week our decision to "choose", to "imitate" and "be with" Christ is tested as we pray with him in his passion.

Experiences of praying the Third Week vary greatly (Dermot Mansfield, 38). The subject matter itself is difficult. Christ's suffering may confront us with our own feelings of powerlessness, hopelessness or even indifference in the face of conflict and suffering. On Day 23 as I meditated on the crucifixion I was suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of insecurity about my "usefulness" when ministering to people during times of tragedy.

This is where Ignatius's Rules for eating becomes pertinent: they enable the exercitant to discipline their own tendency to anaesthetize (or avoid) against the discomforts.