July 31 - Homily for Today

St Ignatius was born to Spanish nobility at Loyola, Spain in 1491, the youngest of twelve children.  He received a military education, becoming a soldier and entering the army in 1517. He served in several campaigns. He was wounded in the leg by a cannonball at the siege of Pampeluna in 1521, an injury that left him partially crippled for life. During his recuperation the only books he had access to were The Golden Legend, a collection of biographies of the saints, and the Life of Christ by Ludolph the Carthusian. These books, and the time spent in contemplation, changed him.

On his recovery he took a vow of chastity, hung his sword before the altar of the Virgin of Montserrat, and donned pilgrim’s robes. He then lived in a cave for a year, contemplating the way to live a Christian life. In 1528 he began to study theology in Barcelona in Spain, and Paris, France, receiving his degree in 1534. His meditations, prayers, visions and insights led to forming the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus on August 15, 1534; it received papal approval in 1541. With six other friends, including St. Francis Xavier, the group formed the core of the new Society of Jesus. Although he never used the term Jesuit (it was only used as an insult by opponents), today it is used with pride by his followers.

Ignatius traveled Europe and the Holy Lands, and then settled in Rome to direct the Jesuits. His health suffered in later years, and he was nearly blind at death on this date, July 31, in the year 1551. The Jesuits today have over 500 universities and colleges, 30,000 members, and teach over 200,000 students each year.

St. Ignatius took to heart the first reading today from the Letter of Paul to the Corinthians: whatever you eat, drink or do, do everything for the glory of God. The motto of the Jesuits: AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM reflects this imperative: everything “for the greater glory of God.”

The gospel passage today reflects the Jesuit way of calculating, measuring, studying and drawing conclusions: but if it all does not add up to what this passage is all about: the eternal benefit of renouncing all our possessions both external and internal – to make a space for Jesus, and the truth and the life – then it is all in vain. Jesuit know-how must lead to complete negation of self so to be filled with God’s presence – or it is useless: ad majorem Dei gloriam!

To put it another way: Jesuit spirituality is all about: seeing Jesus more clearly, in order to love him more dearly, so that they can follow him for nearly as he leads the way directly into eternal life! – and this we are invited to do day by day!