Today, July 31st, we celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, cofounder and patron of the Society of Jesus.
If you’ve spent any time with Jesuits, you likely know a thing or two about Ignatius’ story. He’s a soldier-turned-saint who decides to give his life to God after surviving a grievous war wound. Torn between spirits good and bad Ignatius discerns how to more clearly identify the voice of God’s Spirit, and to make good decisions that flow from that life of prayer. He writes the fruits of his reflections down, a volume that eventually becomes the Spiritual Exercises.
After years of pilgrimage, prayer and study, Ignatius finds himself surrounded by committed friends; together they vow to serve God’s greater glory and the good of all people. From the seeds of their friendship blossoms the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits. And today, we see the fruits that the Jesuits and their lay collaborators nurture the world over: schools, shelters, refugee services, prison ministries, retreat centers and so much more.
Too often, because we know the story so well, we’re tempted to skim over it. In our haste, we don’t always allow that same good spirit to speak to us — in our own unique context, in this particular moment — through the story of St. Ignatius. So today, to celebrate the feast, I invite you to pray with these five points from Ignatius’ life. How is the Spirit whispering in your ear now, in this time and place, through the story of our beloved patron?
- Â Â Your daydreams matter.
On May 20, 1521, Ignatius was hit by a cannonball at the Battle of Pamplona. The months that followed found him stuck in his bed in Loyola, recovering. During that time, his imagination ran wild. He dreamt about gallant knights performing heroic deeds. But those dreams left him feeling empty. After reading books on the saints and Christ, his dreams changed: What if he instead tried to be a knight for Christ? Those dreams left him feeling energized and consoled.
His dreams shaped his future. They helped him identify who God was calling him to be and the kinds of changes he’d need to make in his day-to-day life to become that person. Those daydreams proved pivotal.
Next time your mind begins to wander, pay attention to where it goes. Is God’s Spirit trying to show you some new phase in your vocation? Is the Spirit inviting you to dream big, to step beyond any self-imposed limitations? How do these dreams make you feel?
-   Sometimes we discern incorrectly — that’s okay.
Ignatius believed he was meant to serve God and God’s people in the Holy Land. He believed strongly that this was God’s mission for him. He even traveled there, only to be turned away by the Franciscans who were entrusted with the care of those holy places. The geopolitical reality of the day forced Ignatius to reconsider his plans.
Even the wisest of spiritual masters get it wrong now and again. What’s important to remember is that even when we feel like we’ve misinterpreted God’s will for our lives, God never leaves us. There are no dead ends in the spiritual life. God simply invites us along a different path. How? God is always speaking to and working through us.
And in fact, even decisions ending in apparent disappointment may have been correctly discerned. Don’t become too attached to the ending you think best. God is still speaking to you along the way; Christ is still there to be encountered in every moment of life’s pilgrimage. Ignatius’ time in the Holy Land was not wasted; it just didn’t end as he thought it would. How is this lesson reflected in your own story?
- Â Â Lifelong learning requires humility.
Having returned from the Holy Land, Ignatius soon realized that to serve God as he believed he should, he needed more education. And so, this 33-year-old man found himself in school. But it wasn’t an advanced degree he was pursuing; he wasn’t surrounded by the greatest minds of Europe. Ignatius’ colleagues were children; he had to go back to grammar school. How’s that for practicing humility!
The Jesuits are often associated with education — and rightly so! As this anecdote from Ignatius’ own story shows, learning should be lifelong; we’re never too old to learn something new. But the role humility plays in learning can not be overemphasized: Are we open and available to being challenged in our worldview? Do we make room for the perspectives of others? Do we cultivate a disposition of curiosity, even childlike wonder and awe, at all we have yet to learn?
- Â Â Never underestimate the potential of good friends.
The Society of Jesus has always been a team sport. The friendships Ignatius made during his studies at the University of Paris — men like Francis Xavier and Peter Faber — became the foundational relationships that birthed the Jesuits. Having spiritual companions with whom to discuss the most important matters of life made all the difference. These friendships have had a global impact for the common good.
How often do we think about our own friends in this way? Do we invest in our friendships as we should? Do we have friends who we, too, would consider spiritual companions? You never know what good fruits true friendship may produce!
- Â Â Sending emails can bring about the reign of God.
Ignatius wanted to be a missionary. He wanted to travel to the ends of the earth as an ambassador for God. And while he helped to found a religious order that did send countless individuals around the globe, he himself spent his final years in Rome as the first Superior General. He didn’t travel to new lands; he sent letters.
Many of us, too, spend our days sending emails, engaged in meetings and making the same commute time and again. It’s easy to grow frustrated, to become numb to the monotony, to struggle to see how one more email can possibly serve God’s greater glory and the good of all people. And yet, that’s not terribly different from how St. Ignatius of Loyola spent his time. Is there any question that his simple, seemingly mundane work was essential to building up God’s dream in our world? Have you thought of your own work in such a way?
As you pray today with St. Ignatius, let his life story speak to yours. What is it that you need to hear from this great saint? How might his saintly story help you to continue writing yours?
