Today we celebrate the feast of St. Ignatius, one of the most revered priests of the Church. He was born at Loyola, in Cantabria, Spain in 1491. He spent his early years at court and as a soldier. Later he was converted to God and undertook theological studies at Paris where he attracted his first followers, and afterward at Rome he joined them together as the first members of the Society of Jesus. He exercised a most fruitful apostolate both by his written works: especially "The Spiritual Exercises," and in the training of his disciples who won great praise for their renewal of the Church. He died at Rome on this date in 1556.
The vocation of Ignatius was born of two elements: a worldly life of ease (whose glamour seemed to fade), and then a life of seclusion, illness and contemplation. In his periods of recuperation from various injuries and illnesses, Ignatius read the lives and works especially of St. Francis and St. Dominic – and thought to himself: "Is it possible for me to do what they did?" Indeed it was possible. And he developed his own "school of theology," asceticism and activity based on THE WILL OF GOD! Ignatius always found great peace in his life when he was doing what he knew to be THE WILL OF GOD!
The 30 day spiritual exercises are fashioned to that end: to lead the retreatant through a process of study, conversion, penance and a determination to reside as totally as possible in THE WILL OF GOD!
He and his followers were convinced in the great value of an educated clergy and an educated laity. Universities and centers of great learning were therefore always part of Ignatius' planning for the present and future.
In 1559 his group was named by the Holy See, the "Society of Jesus" or Jesuits. Ignatius was elected first general of the order!
In the first reading today we hear St. Paul telling the Corinthians, telling St. Ignatius and his followers and us, to DO EVERYTHING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD! Ignatius did in fact adopt this as the motto of his order: AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM – everything TO THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD! For them, and hopefully for us, this will not just be a banner, a motto: but the true reason behind everything that we do!
The gospel passage tells of the complete abandonment to divine providence – the will of God – that is essential to a truly Christian life. It entails "hating" or disowning all things, all relationships (even with oneself) so that Christ may be all in all! Then God promises – it is his will – that we will be given in abundance what we need to live a peaceful life both here and hereafter!
Discipleship requires such abandonment! If one is not willing to give it all up and away – then one is miscalculating true success as did the builder and the general of the gospel passage! And one day people will laugh and say: he started what he could not finish BECAUSE HE DIDN'T TRUST GOD ABSOLUTELY – and then act sensibly and responsibly!
I will bless the Lord at all times!
No comments:
Post a Comment