One of the things I really like about St. Ignatius is the fact that his whole life was a journey in more ways than one. He did go on pilgrimage many times, but also throughout his life, on his own spiritual journey, he found it very necessary to rein in his ardent, impetuous personality.
Ignatius can invite one to conversion through his spiritual exercises and prayer journey because he experienced the need over and over again in his own life.
Take for instance his period of scrupulosity. Ignatius had great desires throughout his life. When the object of his desires changed from dazzling a beautiful woman to pleasing his ‘Lord and Saviour,’ Ignatius wanted to do it perfectly, at once. He became very down on himself each time his efforts failed.
Eventually he grew into the deep realization that all he really needed to do was to trust himself completely in every area of his life to his loving merciful Creator and all would be well. Ignatius is certainly a saint for strong willed people.
Do you need him in your struggles for complete abandonment?
Charles de Foucauld was another great lover of the Creator who was equally as passionate as St. Ignatius. He is now in the process of canonization in the Catholic Church. He prayed each morning:
Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands, without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father. Amen
Father Medaille, a stalwart follower of Ignatius who brought the first Sisters of St. Joseph together as a Congregation of Religious Women in France in the seventeenth century, left us a spiritual legacy which closely reflects the lessons of St. Ignatius; life journey.
Have only one desire throughout your life:
to be, and to become, what God wants you to be
in nature, in grace, and in glory,
for time and eternity. – Maxim 10:6
Sister Rosemary Fry
