This is not only the name of an article by David L. Fleming, SJ, but is also part of Ignatian spirituality. All quotes are from Fleming's article unless otherwise stated. I found this article through ignatianspirituality.com which has many good articles.
According to Fleming, the exercises, "the many prayer methods, rules for discernment, spiritual disciplines, and approaches to apostolic service" were developed by Ignatius to help us find out what God wants from us now. In this way, too, God is up close and personal. God is active in our lives all the time. God is unremittingly working in our lives by "inviting, directing, guiding, proposing, suggesting." Ignatius designed his techniques as a way for us to tune into God's plan. In this way, we can live more connected to God's plan for ourselves and the world.
Fleming also makes the point that Jesus invited people into his life from right were they were. That's what Jesus does today. No matter were I am, Jesus is there inviting me into his life. It is my choice to respond or not. I chose to respond when I feel being called.
Ignatius spirituality tells us to follow God with "active passivity." That is to say, "[i]t is a spirituality of attentiveness, of watching and waiting, of noticing the ebb and flow of our feelings and inner dispositions."
Mark 10:17-21 tells a story of a rich young man wanting to follow Jesus. When he asked what was needed of him in order to do so, Jesus, with love, told him to sell everything and follow him. The young man walks away sadly and Jesus turns to his disciples and says, "How hard it will be for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!" Giving up material things, control, our old way, and to become a follower of God's will, not ours is sometimes extremely difficult for us. This seems like what is meant by "active passivity." It is responding when God calls.
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