One
quality that characterized the life above all others was his deep personal life
for the person of Jesus Christ. Ignatius was so taken up with Christ that he
was willing to do anything, go anywhere, and be anyone as long as he could
imitate Christ. As a matter of fact, the first years of his conversion were
spent only in imitating Christ in all his poverty and humility. For Ignatius, Jesus Christ was the way, which
leads all people to life. This personal love for Christ was not merely
theoretical in the life of Ignatius, but characterized his whole being. He
showed this tangibly by naming the Society he founded, the Society of Jesus.
In
the Spiritual Exercises which Ignatius wrote and which has since become a
classic, the focal point in many Exercises is profound knowledge of Christ which
leads to an unconditional love and consequently to following Christ on his way
to the Cross. This knowledge is not ‘knowledge about’ but ‘knowledge of’ the
person who Christ is. It has to do with the ability to sit at the feet of the
Lord and ‘learn’ from him who is gentle and humble of heart. (Mt 11:28-30). It
is this ‘knowledge of’ the Lord that so captivates us that we cannot but love
the Lord with every fibre of our being. Since this love that we experience for
the Lord is not merely an emotion, but reality, it leads us to go where the
Lord wants us to go and so what the Lord wants us to do. We become like
Ignatius instruments in the hands opf the Lord who uses us according to his
will.
It
is through this experience that we are able to say with Ignatius, “Take Lord
receive..... Give us only your love and grace and we are rich indeed and need
nothing more”.
As
we celebrate the Feast of Ignatius let us ask for his intercession that we too
might know, love and follow the Lord.
I
take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Very Happy Feast.
Dear Fr. Errol and fellow Jesuits,
ReplyDeleteWishing you ALL a very happy feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Thank you all for accepting HIS will to be a part of this great and wonderful vocation as Jesuits and for just living in HIS grace and love and for teaching us, guiding us, moulding us too to do the same.
We are proud of your simplicity, humility. We also pray for Pope Francis for showing us the WAY to life LIFE in HIS ways that surely will give us and everyone that follows HIM tremendous Joy , love and peace.
Have a feast filled with HIS true riches.
Thank you Jesuits for being poor to make others rich in HIS love.
Best Regards
Fatima, Adley, Mario