A SPEX-tacular Performance In Spiritual Exercises
By Cordelia Lee
In conjunction with St Francis Xavier Triduum and Feast Day celebrations 2023, SPEX— a Rock Oratorio on The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola was beautifully presented over three spectacular performances at the Church of Saint Francis Xavier, Petaling Jaya.
SPEX is formed from the abbreviations ‘Sp.’ for Spiritual and ‘Ex.’ for Exercises. It is a timeless musical expression of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. In fact, it is the same spiritual exercises that led St. Francis Xavier to become a Jesuit and moved him to travel the ends of the earth to preach the Good News.
Presented over four segments reflecting the four weeks of meditation in St Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises, SPEX engages and captivates its audience to listen, pray and reflect over the spiritual exercises through vocal music.
“As we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, we should ask what St. Francis Xavier himself would celebrate. He would most probably answer – The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius because, in a nutshell, that is what moved him to join the Jesuit order. By listening and praying, our relationship with the Lord will be more deeply relished and our faith in Him find ever-heightened expression through active service,” explained Fr. Paul Dass, SJ.
The ensemble’s talent and commitment are evident in their performances, adding emotional depth to the overall experience. SFX Rock Oratorio attracted parishioners from both SFX PJ as well as other parishes within the local district. Amongst the audience, Loh was enthralled throughout the performance. “Our emotions were swayed by the amazingly beautiful vocals and immense talent of the musicians. A splendid performance indeed!”
Another parishioner, YC Hwang, enjoyed the presentation flow which divided the show into four parts, starting with the First Principles and Foundation of the Spiritual Exercise, defining the raison d’etre for our existence in contemporary form. “It was fun to experience elements of the musical idioms from the likes of works by Andrew Lloyd Webber,” he quipped.
“Overall, the production was very professional. SFX PJ has great talents from among the Jesuit priests to our lay parishioners,” concluded Francis Lai.