St. Ignatius of Loyola More Relevant Today than Ever

Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who as I have written this week, has given us the gift of his order The Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), his spirituality from the Spiritual Exercises, and his great example of living a life centered on the Trinity, Christ, and the Eucharist. Like St. Francis he abandoned what was his aspirations and attachments and chose rather poverty, chastity, and prayer. His spirituality is more relevant today in 2009 than ever. The distractions from living in a culture that is wrought with an over abundance of materials, information that is false and contrary to Christ's Gospel, and a secular mindset of relativism and atheism, can only be overcome by a life that is contemplative, that is focused daily through the Examen, and strengthened through the knowledge of discerning and by living the sacramental life. The following are two prayers by St. Ignatius which shows us his understanding of surrendering to God totally and showing the gratitude for the gift of one's life:

Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it
all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.

Above is the painting by Andrea Pozzo, a wonderful fresco in the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome. If you ever have the opportunity to do a pilgrimage to the Eternal City visit this wonderful church and you will be astounded by this incredible painting. St. Ignatius is being carried up into heaven and I believe that at the same time he is lifting us up to God. Ad maiorem Dei gloriam