Readings & Reflections: Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time & St. Ignatius of Loyola, July 31,2019

Readings & Reflections: Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time & St. Ignatius of Loyola, July 31,2019

Ignatius was born in 1491 A.D. in northern Spain. From a young age he loved tales of romance and chivalry. He spent his youth gambling, fighting, and vying for the affections of noblewomen. In 1520 A.D., Ignatius’ leg was shattered in a military battle, and during his recovery he read stories of the saints and the life of Christ which stirred him to conversion. Ignatius noticed that the saints’ stories produced a peace in his soul, a marked contrast to the impact that the courtly romances had on him. Later, this “discernment of spirits” would become an important feature of Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises. After nine months doing penance at Manresa and years of study in Paris, Ignatius developed a devoted group of followers namely, Francis Xavier, Peter Paber, and the original members of the Society of Jesus. In the last fifteen years of his life, Ignatius led the order from Rome, writing almost 7,000 letters to encourage and guide his brethren. Pope Paul III approved the “Society of Jesus” in 1540 A.D. Ignatius died in 1556 A.D.

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord Jesus, reveal to me the true riches of your kingdom. Help me to set my heart on you alone as the treasure beyond compare with any other. Free my heart of any inordinate desires or attachment to other things that I may freely give to you all that I have in joy and gratitude for all that you have given to me. May I always find joy and delight in your presence.” In your Mighty Name, I pray. Amen.

Reading I
Ex 34:29-35

As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD. When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him. Only after Moses called to them did Aaron and all the rulers of the community come back to him. Moses then spoke to them. Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him, and he enjoined on them all that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai. When he finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again. On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel all that had been commanded. Then the children of Israel would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to converse with the LORD.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 9
R. (see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.

Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.

From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.

Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.

Gospel
Mt 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1: Treasure buried in the field

What do we consider our treasures in this lifetime? What are the strong attractions in our present world that would motivate us to work night and day just to get them? What do we do to assure us that we will possess them, not for a while, but for generations to come? What price do we pay to guarantee us the peace of mind that no one will ever get them from us? What are these treasures that we keep so close to our hearts that all we do is admire their beauty and the prestige that they give us?

Have we given second thought that all these treasures are God given gifts and are not to be kept but shared? Or does the possession of such worldly treasures motivate and empower us to reach out to share it with others? Does it embolden us to give them away knowing that it is in giving and sharing them with those who need them more that will make it grow a hundredfold?

Today in Matthews’s gospel, the “kingdom of God” is likened to a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Its is like a merchant searching for fine pearls and when he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Then the Kingdom of God is a treasure that cannot be kept in isolation or kept in the privacy of peoples’ minds and hearts. The Kingdom of God should be shared and be brought to the ends of the earth.

As I traveled and journeyed from one life to another, I have considered God’s Word as the pearl of great price. It has made me move to extraordinary activity to obtain it, know more about it and apply it to my life but most importantly to share it with everyone. Such is my treasure and my having God’s Word in my heart has brought me to experience His kingdom even in this lifetime. God’s Word has drawn me to Jesus and has deepened my relationship with Him and His brethren. Possessing my pearl of great price has made me understand the supreme value of total self-giving for it is in my nothingness that peace and joy abound in my heart.

Let us be more prayerful and be discerning in all our ways as there are many imitation pearls that will lure our lustful senses. The world we live in will always provide us ample occasions to dig for buried treasure of many descriptions but we need to have the pearl of great price. This is the reason we should be in a close prayerful relationship with God as we need His guidance and wisdom to discern what He wants for us.

By the way, it is time to examine what we have in our hearts. How genuine is the treasure we keep in the jewelry box of our hearts? Let us remember that not all that glitters is gold in the eyes of our Lord.

Direction: We need to give up ALL to follow Jesus.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me the grace not only to deepen my love for your Word but to be able to share it with everyone. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, I hope and pray. Amen.

Reflection 2 –Joy of finding hidden treasure and pearl of great price

What do you most treasure and how do you keep it secure? In a peasant community the best safe was often the earth. The man in the parable “went in his joy” to sell everything. Why? Because he found a treasure worth possessing above everything else he had. He did not, however, have enough to buy the treasure. Fortunately, he only needed enough money to buy the field. In a similar fashion, God offers his kingdom as incomparable treasure at a price we can afford! We can’t pay the full price for the life which God gives us; but when we exchange our life for the life which God offers, we receive a treasure beyond compare.

Searching for the greatest treasure of all
The pearl of great price also tells us a similar lesson. Pearls in the ancient world came to represent the supremely valuable. Jesus remarked that one should not cast pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). Why would a merchant sell everything for a peerless pearl? No doubt because he was attracted to what he thought was the greatest treasure he could possess.

Discovering heavenly treasure
Discovering God’s kingdom is like stumbling across hidden treasure or finding the one pearl of great price. When we discover the kingdom of God we receive the greatest possible treasure – the Lord himself. Selling all that we have to obtain this incomparable treasure could mean many things – our friends, job, our “style of life”, what we do with our free time. Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure.

In this parable what does the treasure of the kingdom refer to? It certainly refers to the kingdom of God in all its aspects. But in a special way, the Lord himself is the treasure we seek. If the Almighty is your gold and your precious silver, then you will delight yourself in the Almighty (Job 22:22-23). Is the Lord the treasure and delight of your heart?

Reflection 3 – When I Found Your Words, They Became My Joy

According to the prophet Jeremiah, the people of Jerusalem will be punished for their abominations, adultery and harlotry (13:27). During the drought to be inflicted on the people, God tells Jeremiah not to pray for the welfare of the people (14:11). Jeremiah intercedes anyway (14:19-22), asking God to remember his people and keep the covenant. God reminds Jeremiah that even Moses and Samuel stood before him and were unable to turn his heart (15:1). The sins of King Manasseh, the son of the good king Hezekiah, are cause for Jerusalem’s destruction.

Manasseh rebuilt all the pagan sanctuaries his father, Hezekiah, destroyed. He erected altars for Baal and set up a pagan pillar (Asherah) in the temple. He worshiped false gods and served them. Manasseh burned his son as an offering, and practiced soothsaying and augury, and dealt with mediums and wizards; He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking the Lord to anger (2 Kings 21:3-9). Through the prophets, the Lord says: “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations, and has done things more wicked than all tat the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah .also to sin with his idols, therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such evil that the ears of every one who hears of it will tingle” (2 Kings 21:10-12).

Jerusalem has rejected the Lord and brought destruction upon themselves. Jeremiah is undeterred and continues his intercession for the people. He asks the Lord to remember him and visit him and take vengeance on his persecutors. He tells the Lord that when he found his words, he devoured them and the words became a joy to him and the delight of his heart.

In response, God promises to protect Jeremiah: “I am with you to save you and deliver you. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless” (15:20-21). Today’s psalm manifests the heart of those who truly trust in the Lord: God is our stronghold, our refuge in the day of distress. The merciful God is our strength and we sing his praise.

Just as Jeremiah rejoiced when he found the words of God and abandoned himself to God’s protection, so also the person who finds the Kingdom of God rejoices and abandons themselves to God’s providence. When we encounter the Kingdom of God, the appropriate response is to sell everything and place our hope and trust completely in the Lord. It is an image of abandonment to God. “Jesus asks for childlike abandonment to the providence of our heavenly Father who takes care of his children’s smallest needs: ‘therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?”… Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (CCC, 305).

The parable of pearl can be read from our perspective or from God’s perspective. From our perspective, we are the merchant and God is the pearl. From God’s perspective, he is the merchant seeking us. We are the pearl of great price and God is willing to send his only-begotten Son to redeem us from the ancient curse of Adam. The Son emptied himself and took the form of a servant. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). Through his Son, God delivers us from our enemies and is our refuge from evil. In this mass, then, we ask the Son, our redeemer, to intercede for us at the right hand of the Father, and we offer, with the Son and in the Holy Spirit, praise and thanksgiving to God the Father. – Read the source text: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/daily-homily-when-i-found-your-words-they-became-my-joy

Reflection 4 – Risk and gain

In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, there is a famous scene in which the Prince of Morocco gets to choose among three small jewelry boxes – one made of gold, another of silver, and a third made of lead – one of which contains a picture of Portia. If he selects the box with the picture, he wins Portia’s hand in marriage. But there’s more to the wager than that, for if he chooses incorrectly, he must swear never to seek another woman for his wife.

Each of the boxes bears an inscription that may serve to help (or perhaps hinder) the person making the selection. The writing on the leaden box reads: “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.” Pondering those words, the Prince of Morocco asks himself, “Must give – for what? For lead! This casket threatens. Men that hazard all do it in hope of fair advantages.”

His logic is solid. He realizes a fundamental principle of human nature. People may be willing to risk everything they have, but only if there is promise of some great return. He chooses, logically he thinks, the golden box, only to learn that he has lost his suit with Portia. Part of the scroll inside the box reads: “All that glisters is not gold – often have you heard that told; many a man his life hath sold, but my outside to behold.” Morocco has been seduced by superficial value.

Today’s gospel confirms the prince’s logical deduction that people who risk everything do so in hope of “fair advantages.” There is some speculation that the two main characters in these parables come at this issue of risk from different perspectives. The man knocking around in the field was probably a farm laborer (why else would he be digging in the ground?), while the merchant seems to have been a man of considerable means, wealthy enough that when he liquidated his assets he could afford a very valuable pearl.

The message of this parable, then, is for everyone – those who have much to lose and those who have little. What is to be gained here, the kingdom of Heaven, is worth the risk. No one who risks all to win the kingdom will, upon gaining it, feel that he or she has been “sold short.” The trick is to make sure that we’re going after the right thing. (Source: Jim Johnstone, Weekday Homily Helps. Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, July 30,2008).

Reflection 5 – The valuable pearl

When Jesus told the parable of today’s Gospel reading, how did he know what it’s like to find the reign of God and then sell everything to get it? How could he understand this search for his father’s kingdom — he was born already fully alive in it!

Turn this story around and look at it from another angle. Read it again, replacing “the reign of God” or “the kingdom of heaven” (two translations of the same words) with “Christ’s relationship with me”, like so: “Christ’s relationship with me is like a really valuable pearl that a salesman found in his search for merchandise that would help him earn a good living. When he found this amazing pearl, he quickly sold off the rest of his stock so that he could afford to buy it.”

If Jesus were reading this scripture to you, he would explain it this way: “You, my precious friend, are a very valuable pearl. I gave up everything and bought you with my life so that I could have you with me forever.”

See! Jesus surely knows what it means to off-load everything to obtain a prize. YOU are that prize. Your relationship with him is a real treasure that he cherishes very much.

Do you feel the same way about him? Have you found a way to afford the high cost of making God the top priority in your life? Is there anything you cherish more than him, such as activities that keep you too busy for quiet time alone with him? Or desires or addictions that displease him? Or the approval of people who don’t agree with him?

In other words, have you off-loaded everything that’s less valuable in order to obtain more of the kingdom of heaven while you are still living on the earth?

We say we believe that putting God first in our lives is our highest priority, but is it really? How many distractions are pulling you away from this treasure? What unrepented sins?

What are you unwilling to give up in order to obtain the fullness of life that comes from God’s Holy Spirit?

And consider this: Do you, at any time, feel like you are not a precious pearl to Jesus? Are there people in your life who are undervaluing you? Disrespecting you? Failing to love you as they should? Don’t allow them to distract you from seeing how precious you are to God.

When you understand that you are a treasure, a valuable pearl in God’s kingdom, it becomes easier to let go of the desire to feel valued by others. Everything else that makes us feel important and valued becomes less necessary. Intimacy with God is the only thing that really matters. – Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2017-08-02

Reflection 6 – Finding hidden treasures

Like the author of the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (Jer 15:10, 16-21) we believe that God’s Word brings us joy, but when we’re in the middle of problems that were caused by our sins and we don’t know how to undo the damage, or when shame cripples us, we feel unhappily crushed by the truth. We feel stricken down by the weight of the burden.

Furthermore, if we wrestle with the truth, the burden weighs even more heavily, and the problems themselves crush us. We cry, “Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?”

God answers: “If you repent, I will restore you …. If you bring forth only what is precious and not the vile ….”

We lose our joy when God’s instructions are contrary to our self-centered, worldly (and therefore vile) ideas of what is right and good for us. We turn away from him and then wonder why we feel alone. When someone hurts us, we justify our anger and, in our lack of forgiveness, we complain that God is not helping us.

The pearl in today’s Gospel reading can be any truth. Although it’s always precious, if we don’t see the pearl’s value (because we prefer a sinful alternative), we toss it aside as worthless. To discover the beauty of any truth that we dislike, we need to humbly open ourselves to a new perspective.

I learned this from my son when he was four. David thought he’d found the jackpot of all treasure caches when we came upon a clearance table in the local toy store. I told David he could buy anything priced under $2. With as much careful decision-making as a tot could muster, he began rummaging and examining. He chose a scratched-up, much-abused, hand-size pinball game. It wasn’t worth the asking price of 25 cents.

I suggested other toys that were in better condition. He looked at me with exasperation. Why couldn’t I see that this pinball game was the only real treasure on the table?

It turned out to be a great purchase. David took it everywhere — to bed, to the dinner table, to the bathroom. He also carried a baby rattle he’d recently found in some forgotten cranny of the house. That rattle had bored him in earlier years. Now when it was outdated and useless, it became one of his treasures.

To find the treasures that will bring us great joy, we have to ignore the preferences of our worldly flesh-nature and dare to trust God in his Word. We have to look for precious pearls in the redemption that Jesus brings to our sins. Great wisdom can be gained by asking: “Why am I bothered by this sin? What does it say about my desire for growth?” What a beautiful hidden treasure! – Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2018-08-01

Reflection 7 – St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556 A.D.)

The founder of the Jesuits was on his way to military fame and fortune when a cannon ball shattered his leg. Because there were no books of romance on hand during his convalescence, Ignatius whiled away the time reading a life of Christ and lives of the saints. His conscience was deeply touched, and a long, painful turning to Christ began. Having seen the Mother of God in a vision, he made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Montserrat (near Barcelona). He remained for almost a year at nearby Manresa, sometimes with the Dominicans, sometimes in a pauper’s hospice, often in a cave in the hills praying. After a period of great peace of mind, he went through a harrowing trial of scruples. There was no comfort in anything—prayer, fasting, sacraments, penance. At length, his peace of mind returned.

It was during this year of conversion that Ignatius began to write down material that later became his greatest work, the Spiritual Exercises.

He finally achieved his purpose of going to the Holy Land, but could not remain, as he planned, because of the hostility of the Turks. He spent the next 11 years in various European universities, studying with great difficulty, beginning almost as a child. Like many others, his orthodoxy was questioned; Ignatius was twice jailed for brief periods.

In 1534, at the age of 43, he and six others (one of whom was St. Francis Xavier, December 2) vowed to live in poverty and chastity and to go to the Holy Land. If this became impossible, they vowed to offer themselves to the apostolic service of the pope. The latter became the only choice. Four years later Ignatius made the association permanent. The new Society of Jesus was approved by Paul III, and Ignatius was elected to serve as the first general.

When companions were sent on various missions by the pope, Ignatius remained in Rome, consolidating the new venture, but still finding time to found homes for orphans, catechumens and penitents. He founded the Roman College, intended to be the model of all other colleges of the Society.

Ignatius was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on the essential foundations of Christianity—the Trinity, Christ, the Eucharist. His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, ad majorem Dei gloriam—“for the greater glory of God.” In his concept, obedience was to be the prominent virtue, to assure the effectiveness and mobility of his men. All activity was to be guided by a true love of the Church and unconditional obedience to the Holy Father, for which reason all professed members took a fourth vow to go wherever the pope should send them for the salvation of souls.

Comment:

Luther nailed his theses to the church door at Wittenberg in 1517. Seventeen years later, Ignatius founded the Society that was to play so prominent a part in the Catholic Reformation. He was an implacable foe of Protestantism. Yet the seeds of ecumenism may be found in his words: “Great care must be taken to show forth orthodox truth in such a way that if any heretics happen to be present they may have an example of charity and Christian moderation. No hard words should be used nor any sort of contempt for their errors be shown.” One of the greatest 20thh-century ecumenists was Cardinal Bea, a Jesuit.

Quote:

Ignatius recommended this prayer to penitents: “Receive, Lord, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. You have given me all that I have, all that I am, and I surrender all to your divine will, that you dispose of me. Give me only your love and your grace. With this I am rich enough, and I have no more to ask.”

Patron Saint of:

Retreats

Related St. Anthony Messenger article(s)

Ten Great Catholics of the Second Millennium, by Christopher Bellitto

Four Great Spanish Saints, by Jack Wintz, OFM

Read the source: http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1093&calendar=1

SAINT OF THE DAY
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God’s invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint. Click here to receive Saint of the Day in your email.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Loyola

IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA
Portrait by Peter Paul Rubens
BORN	October 23, 1491 Loyola, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Kingdom of Castille(currently Spain)
DIED	July 31, 1556 (aged 64) Rome, Papal States
VENERATED IN	Catholic Church, Anglican Communion
BEATIFIED	July 27, 1609 by Paul V
CANONIZED	March 12, 1622 by Gregory XV
FEAST	July 31
ATTRIBUTES	Eucharist, chasuble, book, cross
PATRONAGE	Dioceses of San Sebastián andBilbao, Biscay & Gipuzkoa,Basque Country, Military Ordinariate of the Philippines,Society of Jesus, soldiers, Educators and Education.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, SJ (Basque: Ignazio Loiolakoa, Spanish: Ignacio de Loyola) (c. October 23, 1491^[1] – July 31, 1556) was a Spanishknight from a local Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded theSociety of Jesus (Jesuits) and, on 19 April 1541, became its first Superior General.^[2] Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation. Loyola’s devotion to the Catholic Church was characterized by absolute obedience to the Pope.^[3]

After being seriously wounded in the Battle of Pamplona in 1521, he underwent a spiritual conversion while in recovery.De Vita Christi by Ludolph of Saxony purportedly inspired Loyola to abandon his previous military life and devote himself to labour for God, following the example of spiritual leaders such as Francis of Assisi. After experiencing a vision of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus at the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat in March 1522, he went to Manresa, where he began praying for seven hours a day, often in a nearby cave, and formulating the fundamentals of the Spiritual Exercises. In September 1523, Loyola reached the Holy Land to settle there, but was sent back to Europe by the Franciscans.

Between 1524 and 1537, Ignatius studied theology and Latin in the University of Alcalá and then in Paris. In 1534, he arrived in the latter city during a period of anti-Protestant turmoil which forced John Calvin to flee France. Ignatius and a few followers bound themselves by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In 1539, they formed the Society of Jesus, approved in 1540 by Pope Paul III, as well as his Spiritual Exercises approved in 1548. Loyola also composed theConstitutions of the Society. He died in July 1556, was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1609, canonized by Pope Gregory XVin 1622, and declared patron of all spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922. Ignatius’ feast day is celebrated on July 31. Ignatius is a foremost patron saintof soldiers, the Society of Jesus, the Basque Country, and the provinces of Gipuzkoaand Biscay.^[4]

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Early life[edit]

Sanctuary of Loyola, inAzpeitia, built over Ignatius’ birthplace

Ignatius in armor

File:Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Vision of Christ and God the Father at La Storta LACMA M.89.59.jpg

Íñigo López de Loyola (sometimes erroneously called Íñigo López de Recalde)^[5] was born in the municipality of Azpeitia at the castle of Loyola in today’s Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain. He was baptized Íñigo, after St. Enecus (Innicus) (Basque: Eneko; Spanish: Íñigo) Abbot of Oña,^[5] a medieval Basque name arguably meaning “My little one”.^[6] It is unclear when he started using Ignatius instead of his baptismal name “Íñigo”.^[7] Ignatius did not intend to change his name but rather adopted for France and Italy a name which he believed was a simple variant of his own, and which was more acceptable among foreigners.^[8]

The youngest of thirteen children, Íñigo López was brought up by María de Garín, the local blacksmith’s wife, after his own mother died soon after his birth.^[9] Íñigo adopted the last name “de Loyola” in reference to the Basque village of Loyola where he was born. He later became a page in the service of a relative, Juan Velázquez de Cuéllar, treasurer (contador mayor) of the kingdom of Castile.

As a young aristocrat Ignatius had a “love of martial exercises and a vainglorious desire for fame”.^[10] At this period he framed his life around the stories of the adventures of El Cid, theknights of Camelot, and The Song of Roland (the tale has Roland slain by Muslims, when historically his death was at the hands of Basques like Ignatius).^[10] Joining the army at seventeen, he strutted about “with his cape slinging open to reveal his tight-fitting hose and boots; a sword and dagger at his waist”.^[10] Upon encountering a Moor who denied the divinity of Jesus, he challenged him to a duel to the death and ran him through.^[10] He dueled others until the events of 1521.^[10]

In 1509, Íñigo took up arms for Antonio Manrique de Lara, Duke of Nájera. According to Thomas Rochford, S.J., his diplomacy and leadership qualities made him a “Gentilhombre” (Spanish for “Gentleman”, but should be understood as “servant of the court”. By contrast, the English term Gentleman denotes a man of good family. In that sense, the word equates with the French “Gentilhomme”, meaning “nobleman”, which in Great Britain was long confined to the peerage.) This made him very useful to the Duke.^[11] Under the Duke’s leadership, he participated in many battles without injury. But when a French-Navarrese armysupporting the Navarrese monarchy, expelled in 1512, stormed Pamplona’s fortress on May 20, 1521, a cannonball wounded one of his legs and broke the other.^[11] Heavily injured, Íñigo was returned to the castle of his father. He was very concerned about the injuries and had several surgical operations, which must have been very painful in the days before anaesthetics.

During this time he read the De Vita Christi, by Ludolph of Saxony, in a Catalan edition. This work influenced his whole life. De Vita Christiis the result of forty years of work by Ludolph. It is a commentary on the life of Jesus Christ, a commentary on the Gospels, borrowing extracts from the works of over sixty of the Fathers of the Church and particularly quoting St Gregory the Great, St Basil, St Augustine and the Venerable Bede. Ludolph proposes to the reader that he place himself at the scene of the Gospel story; that he visualise the crib at the Nativity, etc. A type of prayer known as Simple Contemplation, it is the basis of the method that St. Ignatius sets out in his Spiritual Exercises.^[12]

Religious conversion and religious life[edit]

Manresa, Chapel in the Cave of Saint Ignatius where Ignatius practised ascetism and conceived his Spiritual Exercises

During his period of convalescence in 1521, Ignatius read a series of religious texts on the life of Jesus^[13]^[14] and on the lives of the saints; he became fired with an ambition to lead a life of self-denying labour and to emulate the heroic deeds of Francis of Assisi and other great monastics. He resolved to devote himself to the conversion of non-Christians in the Holy Land. Upon his recovery, he visited the Benedictine monastery, Santa Maria de Montserrat (March 25, 1522), where he hung his military garments before an image of the Virgin. He then traveled on foot^[15] to the town ofManresa (Catalonia) and spent several months in a cave nearby ^[16] where he practiced rigorous asceticism. Ignatius also began experiencing a series of visions in full daylight while in hospital. These repetitive visions appeared as “a form in the air near him and this form gave him much consolation because it was exceedingly beautiful … it somehow seemed to have the shape of a serpent and had many things that shone like eyes, but were not eyes. He received much delight and consolation from gazing upon this object … but when the object vanished he became disconsolate”.^[17] In 1523, he instituted a pilgrimage to the Holy Land on a path of self-denial and sacrifice. He remained there from September 3 to 23 but was not permitted to stay. Twelve years later, standing before the Pope with his companions, he again proposed sending his companions as emissaries to Jerusalem.^[18]

Returning to Spain, he and his companions were occupied in the University of Alcalá (the present-day Complutense University of Madrid, not the newer University of Alcalá established in 1977) with the task of making disciples of women called as witnesses by the Inquisition under the direction of magistrate Alonso Mejias. Although the alumbrados [Illuminated; Illuminati; Enlightened Ones] of Spain were linked in their zeal and spirituality to the Franciscan reforms of which Cardinal de Cisneros was a promoter, the administrators of the Inquisition had mounting suspicions. These female disciples, Doña Leo, Doña Maria, and Doña Beatriz, were so zealous that “one fell senseless, another sometimes rolled about on the ground, another had been seen in the grip of convulsions or shuddering and sweating in anguish.” This suspicious activity had taken place while Ignatius and his companions were regularly preaching in public. Because of his “street-corner perorations” being identified “with the activities of the alumbrados“, Ignatius was naturally singled out for inspection as one of these visionaries; however, he was later released.^[19] After these adventurous activities, he studied at the ascetic Collège de Montaigu of the University of Paris, where he remained for over seven years. In later life, he was often called “Master Ignatius”, due to his having obtained a master’s degree from that university at the age of forty-three.^[20]

By 1534 he had gathered six key companions, all of whom he had met as fellow students at the University of Paris^[21]—Francis Xavier, Alfonso Salmeron, Diego Laynez, and Nicholas Bobadilla, all Spanish; Peter Faber, a Frenchman; and Simão Rodrigues of Portugal. Later, he was joined by Saint Francis Borgia, a member of the House of Borgia, who was the main aide of Emperor Charles V, and other nobles. “On the morning of the 15th of August, 1534, in the chapel of church of Saint Peter, at Montmartre, Loyola and his six companions, of whom only one was a priest, met and took upon themselves the solemn vows of their lifelong work.” ^[20]Ignatius of Loyola was the main creator and first Superior General of the Society of Jesus, a religious organization of the Catholic Church whose members, known as Jesuits, served the Pope as missionaries. He is remembered as a talented spiritual director. He was vigorous in opposing the Protestant Reformation and promoting the following Counter-Reformation. He was beatified and then canonized and received the title of Saint on March 12, 1622. He is the patron saint of the provinces ofGipuzkoa and Biscay as well as the Society of Jesus. Ignatius Loyola wrote Spiritual Exercises, a simple 200-page set of meditations, prayers, and various other mental exercises, from 1522 to 1524. The exercises in the book were designed to be carried out over a period of 28–30 days.

Father General of the Jesuits[edit]

Ignatius as Superior General

Ignatius was chosen as the first Superior General of his religious order and invested with the title of Father General by the Jesuits. He sent his companions as missionaries around Europe to create schools, colleges, and seminaries. Juan de Vega, the ambassador of Charles V at Rome, met Ignatius there. Esteeming Ignatius and the Jesuits, when Vega was appointed Viceroy of Sicily, he brought Jesuits with him. A Jesuit college was opened at Messina, which proved a success, and its rules and methods were afterwards copied in other colleges.^[22] In 1548 Spiritual Exercises was finally printed, and he was briefly brought before the Roman Inquisition but was released.

Statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola at Gesù Church, Rome

Ignatius wrote the Jesuit Constitutions, adopted in 1554, which created a monarchical organization and stressed absolute self-abnegation and obedience to pope and superiors (perinde ac [si] cadaver [essent],^[23] “[well-disciplined] like a corpse”, as Ignatius put it).^[24] His main principle became the Jesuit motto: Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (“for the greater glory of God”). The Jesuits were a major factor in the Counter-Reformation. During the years 1553–1555, Ignatius dictated his life’s story to his secretary, Father Gonçalves da Câmara. This autobiography is a valuable key for the understanding of his Spiritual Exercises. It was kept in the archives for about 150 years, until the Bollandists published the text in Acta Sanctorum. He died in Rome on July 31, 1556, as a result of the Roman Fever, a severe case of malaria that recurred in Rome, Italy, at different points in history. At this time he was placed in a wooden shrine, his body was then covered with his priestly garments. On August 1 the shrine was then buried in the small Maria della Strada Church. In 1568 that church was pulled down and replaced with the Church of the Gesu`. Saint Ignatius was put into a new coffin and reinterred in the Church of the Gesu`in Rome Italy.

Canonization and legacy[edit]

Ignatius was beatified by Pope Paul V on July 27, 1609, and canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622.^[25] His feast day is celebrated annually on July 31, the day he died. Saint Ignatius is venerated as the patron saint of Catholic soldiers, theMilitary Ordinariate of the Philippines, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore,^[26]the Basque country, and various towns and cities in his native region.

Ignatius has to this day a powerful and respectable legacy. Of the institutions dedicated to Saint Ignatius, one of the most famous is the Basilica of St Ignatius Loyola, built next to the house where he was born in Azpeitia, the Basque Country, Spain. The house itself, now a museum, is incorporated into the basilica complex. In addition, he has had a global impact, having been the influence behind numerous Jesuit schools and educational institutions worldwide.

In 1949 he was the subject of a Spanish biographical film The Captain from Loyola in which he was played by Rafael Durán.

In 2016 he was the subject of a Filipino film Ignacio de Loyola in which he was played by Andreas Muñoz.^[27]

Genealogy[edit]

Shield of Oñaz-Loyola[edit]

Original shield of Oñaz-Loyola

The Shield of Oñaz-Loyola is a symbol of St. Ignatius family’s Oñaz lineage, and is used by many Jesuit institutions around the world. As the official colors of the Loyola family are maroon and gold,^[28] the Oñaz shield consists of seven maroon bars going diagonally from the upper left to the lower right on a gold field. The bands were granted by the King of Spain to each of the Oñaz brothers, in recognition of their bravery in battle. The Loyola shield features a pair of rampant gray wolves flanking each side of a cooking pot. The wolf was a symbol of nobility, while the entire design represented the family’s generosity towards their military followers. According to legend, wolves had enough to feast on after the soldiers had eaten. Both shields were combined as a result of the intermarriage of the two families in 1261.^[29]^[30]

Lineage[edit]

Villoslada established the following detailed genealogy of St. Ignatius:^[1]

[SHOW]LINEAGE

Gallery[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

Primary

Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, London, 2012. limovia.net ISBN 978-1-78336-012-3
Loyola, (St.) Ignatius (1964). The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Anthony Mottola. Garden City: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-385-02436-5.
Loyola, (St.) Ignatius (1900). Joseph O’Conner, ed. The Autobiography of St. Ignatius. New York: Benziger Brothers. OCLC 1360267.^[31]
Loyola, (St.) Ignatius (1992). John Olin, ed. The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola, with Related Documents. New York: Fordham University Press. ISBN 0-8232-1480-X.
Foss, Michael (1969). The Founding of the Jesuits, 1540. Turning Points in History Series. London: Hamilton. ISBN 0-241-01513-8.

Secondary

Bartoli, Daniello (1855). History of the Life and Institute of St. Ignatius de Loyola: Founder of the Society of Jesus. New York: Edward Dunigan and Brother.
Caraman, Philip (1990). Ignatius Loyola: A Biography of the Founder of the Jesuits’. San Francisco: Harper & Row. ISBN 0-06-250130-5.
O’Malley, John W. (1993). The First Jesuits. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-30312-1.
Meissner, William (1992). Ignatius of Loyola: The Psychology of a Saint. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-06079-3.
García Villoslada, Ricardo (1986). San Ignacio de Loyola: Nueva biografía (in Spanish). La Editorial Católica. ISBN 84-220-1267-7.

Other works[edit]

A page from Spiritual Exercises

The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, TAN Books, 2010. ISBN 978-0-89555-153-5

Biographies[edit]

August Derleth, St. Ignatius and the Company of Jesus, Vision Books, 1956. LCCN 56-7278
Life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, TAN Books, 1997. ISBN 978-0-89555-345-4
St. Ignatius of Loyola, TAN Books, 2008. ISBN 978-0-89555-624-0

References[edit]

^ Jump up to:^a ^b García Villoslada, Ricardo (1986). San Ignacio de Loyola: Nueva biografía (in Spanish). La Editorial Católica. ISBN 84-220-1267-7. We deduct that, (…), Iñigo de Loyola should have been born before October 23, 1491.
Jump up^ Idígoras Tellechea, José Ignacio (1994). “When was he born? His nurse’s account”. Ignatius of Loyola: The Pilgrim Saint. Chicago: Loyola University Press. p. 45. ISBN 0-8294-0779-0.
Jump up^ “The Counter-Reformation”. Washington State University. Retrieved 2013-03-09.
Jump up^ “Summer Fiestas” (PDF). euskadi.net. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b John Hungerford Pollen (1913). “St._Ignatius_Loyola“. In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Jump up^ “Nombres: Eneko”. Euskaltzaindia (The Royal Academy of the Basque Language). Retrieved 2009-04-23. Article in Spanish
Jump up^ Verd, Gabriel María (1976). “El “Íñigo” de San Ignacio de Loyola”. Archivum Historicum Societatis Iesu (in Spanish) (Roma: Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu) 45: 95–128. ISSN 0037-8887.
Jump up^ Verd, Gabriel María (1991). “De Iñigo a Ignacio. El cambio de nombre en San Ignacio de Loyola”. Archivum Historicum Societatis Iesu (in Spanish) (Roma: Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu) 60: 113–160. ISSN 0037-8887. That St. Ignatius of Loyola’s name was changed is a known fact, but it cannot be said that it is widely known in the historiography of the saint — neither the characteristics of the names Iñigo and Ignacio nor the reasons for the change. It is first necessary to make clear the meaning of the names; they are distinct, despite the persistently held opinion in onomastic (dictionaries) and popular thought. In Spain Ignacio and Iñigo are at times used interchangeably just as if they were Jacobo and Jaime. With reference to the name Iñigo, it is fitting to give some essential notions to eliminate ambiguities and help understand what follows. This name first appears on the Ascoli brome (dated November 18, 90 BC), in a list of Spanish knights belonging to a Turma salluitana or Saragossan. It speaks of Elandus Enneces f[ilius], and according to Menéndez Pidal the final «s» is the «z» of Spanish patronymics, and could be nothing other than Elando Iñiguez. It is an ancestral Hispanic name. Ignacio, on the other hand, is a Latin name. In classical Latin there is Egnatius with an initial E. It appears only twice with an initial I (Ignatius) in the sixty volumes of the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. This late Latin and Greek form prevailed. In the classical period Egnatius was used as a nomen (gentilitial name) and not as a praenomen (first name) or cognomen (surname), except in very rare cases. (…) The most important conclusion, perhaps unexpected, but not unknown, is that St. Ignatius did not change his name. That is to say, he did not intend to change it. What he did was to adopt for France and Italy a name which he believed was a simple variant of his own, and which was more acceptable among foreigners. That Ignacio ended up replacing Iñigo does not change his intention. If he had remained in Spain, he would have, without doubt, remained Iñigo.
Jump up^ Page 9, Ignatius of Loyola, the Psychology of a Saint; W.W Meissner SJ MD, Yale University Press, 1992
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Richard Cohen (August 5, 2003). By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions. Modern Library Paperbacks.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Rochford, Thomas. “St. Ignatius Loyola: the pilgrim and man of prayer who founded the Society of Jesus”. Society of Jesus. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
Jump up^ Sr Mary Immaculate Bodenstedt, “The Vita Christi of Ludolphus the Carthusian”, a Dissertation, Washington: Catholic University of America Press 1944 British Library Catalogue No. Ac2692.y/29.(16).
Jump up^ “The Vita Christi” by Charles Abbot Conway Analecta Cartusiana 34
Jump up^ “Ludolph’s Life of Christ” by Father Henry James Coleridge in The Month Vol. 17 (New Series VI) July — December 1872, pp. 337–370
Jump up^ “The Cave”. The Cave. Place of pilgrimage and worship. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
Jump up^ “The Cave an artistic heritage”. The Cave. Place of pilgrimage and worship. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
Jump up^ Jesuits, A Multibiography by Jean Lacouture, p. 18, Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 1995
Jump up^ Jesuits, A Multibiography by Jean Lacouture, p. 24, Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 1995
Jump up^ Jesuits, A Multibiography by Jean Lacouture, pp. 27–29, Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 1995
^ Jump up to:^a ^b History of The World by John Clarke Ridpath, Vol. V, pp. 238, New York: Merrill & Baker, 1899
Jump up^ Michael Servetus Research Website that includes graphical documents in the University of Paris of: Ignations of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Alfonso Salmerón, Nicholas Bobadilla, Peter Faber and Simao Rodrigues, as well as Michael de Villanueva (“Servetus”)
Jump up^ J.H. Pollen (1913). “History of the Jesuits Before the 1773 Suppression“. In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Jump up^ Jesuitas (1583). “SEXTA PARS – CAP. 1“. Constitutiones Societatis Iesu: cum earum declarationibus (in Latin).
Jump up^ Ignatius of Loyola (1970). The constitutions of the society of Jesus. Translated by George E. Ganss. Institute of Jesuit Sources. p. 249. Carried and directed by Divine Providence through the agency of the superior as if he were a lifeless body which allows itself to be carried to any place and to be treated in any manner desired.
Jump up^ Life of Ignatius – New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus
Jump up^ St. Ignatius Feast Day – The Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Jump up^ Tantiangco, Aya (20 July 2016). “PHL film ‘Ignacio de Loyola’ not just for the religious, say director and star”. GMA Network (company). Retrieved

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