ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA
Priest and Founder of the Society of Jesus – July 31
Learning to Recognize God’s Call in the Choices We Make
Introduction
Some decisions feel exciting when we first imagine them, yet leave us restless when the excitement passes. Others ask more of us and may even frighten us, but as we pray and consider them, we find ourselves growing in freedom and ready to love more generously.
St. Ignatius of Loyola began to notice this difference while recovering from a battle wound. He had hoped to win honor through military and courtly life. Months of convalescence gave him time to pay attention to what his ambitions were doing to him and to consider a different way of living.
His memorial invites us to ask where our desires are leading us and how we can recognize the call of Christ within them.
Who Was St. Ignatius of Loyola?
Ignatius was born in 1491 in the Basque region of Spain. As a young man, he pursued a life at court and in military service. In 1521, a cannonball severely wounded his leg while he was helping defend Pamplona. He returned to his family home in Loyola for a long and painful recovery.
He asked for tales of chivalry to pass the time. The books available to him included a life of Christ and accounts of the saints. As he read, he began to imagine giving himself to God with the generosity he saw in people such as St. Francis of Assisi and St. Dominic.
The desire for a life that demanded courage was still there. Gradually, Ignatius discovered a different purpose for that courage.
Learning to Notice What Lasts
During his recovery, Ignatius imagined returning to his former pursuits. He also imagined following the example of the saints. Both trains of thought engaged him. What caught his attention was how he felt afterward. His old ambitions pleased him while he entertained them and then left him dissatisfied. The desire to follow Christ brought a joy that remained.
This observation became a starting point for spiritual discernment. Ignatius learned to consider where a desire was taking him and what kind of person he was becoming as he followed it.
We can do the same when we face a decision. Does the thought of a particular choice leave us more willing to pray, tell the truth, and care for the people affected? What remains after the first excitement, fear, or irritation has passed? These questions can help us bring our motives into the light.
From Montserrat to Manresa
After his recovery, Ignatius went to the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat. There he laid aside his sword and kept a night of prayer. He then spent months in nearby Manresa, where he devoted himself to prayer and encountered periods of both spiritual struggle and profound insight.
Experiences from this time helped shape the Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius learned through his own difficulties how much a person can benefit from patience and sound guidance in prayer. We may need time to understand a desire, especially when fear, guilt, or the wish to please others makes it difficult to see clearly. A trusted spiritual guide can help us recognize what we keep overlooking.
The Spiritual Exercises
The Spiritual Exercises are a guided way of praying and discerning. They lead a person through reflection on God’s gifts, sin and mercy, the life and call of Christ, his Passion, and the joy of his Resurrection.
In praying with a Gospel scene, Ignatius often invites us to imagine being present. We might picture Jesus calling the first disciples, listen to what he says, and notice what happens as they respond. We then speak to Christ about what the scene has stirred in us. This kind of prayer can make a familiar Gospel personal enough to touch an actual decision.
The question that runs through the Exercises is what it means to follow Christ more faithfully in the life we have been given.
Spiritual Consolation and Desolation
Ignatius uses the word consolation for movements that deepen faith, hope, and love and draw us toward God. Such a movement may come with joy. It may also come with tears, as when sorrow for a wrong we have done leads us to seek forgiveness.
He uses desolation for movements that pull us toward discouragement, spiritual isolation, or loss of trust. When we are in spiritual desolation, Ignatius advises us to hold steady in a sound commitment previously made and to return patiently to prayer. A difficult day can make a good commitment feel pointless. Given time, we may again see the reasons we made it.
The Daily Examen
The daily Examen gives us a simple way to review the day with God. We begin by giving thanks for a particular gift. We ask for light to see the day clearly, then recall where we received love, where we responded generously, and where we turned away from an opportunity to do good. We ask forgiveness where needed and bring the coming day to God.
A parent might remember a child who tried twice to start a conversation. A parish volunteer might notice how much a word of encouragement meant during a demanding afternoon. Over time, the Examen helps us recognize occasions for gratitude and make amends for things we might otherwise forget.
Founding the Society of Jesus
Ignatius pursued studies as an adult so he could serve others more effectively. In Paris, he gathered companions, including St. Francis Xavier and St. Peter Faber. The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, received papal approval in 1540. Ignatius became its first superior general and died in Rome on July 31, 1556.
The companions shared a readiness to go where the Church needed them. That readiness took concrete forms in preaching, education, missionary work, and spiritual guidance. The expression associated with their mission, for the greater glory of God, gives us a question to ask about our own gifts. Where can I put what I have received to work for God and for the people who need it?
A Life Connection
A parish volunteer is asked to take on a leadership role. The invitation feels gratifying. After a few days of prayer, the volunteer notices that much of the excitement comes from being chosen. At the same time, a quieter desire remains to help younger volunteers learn how to serve.
The volunteer speaks with family members about the time involved, asks the ministry team what it actually needs, and agrees to help train new volunteers. The prayer bears fruit in a decision that respects existing responsibilities and gives younger parishioners someone to guide them.
Eucharistic Connection
In the Holy Qurbana, Christ speaks to us through the Scriptures and gives himself to us in Holy Communion. We can bring an unresolved decision to the altar and ask for the freedom to receive his guidance, especially when we are attached to a particular outcome.
After Communion, a moment of silence gives us room to ask what his self-giving love requires of us. The answer may take the form of an honest conversation, a responsibility we can accept, or the patience to wait until we can decide more freely.
Messages and Call to Conversion
St. Ignatius invites us to spend a few minutes each evening reviewing the day with God. We can give thanks for one gift, acknowledge one place where we need mercy, and ask for grace for one decision we will face tomorrow.
If a larger decision is before us, we can bring it to prayer over several days, listen to someone who knows us well, and consider how each choice would affect those entrusted to our care.
Conclusion
Ignatius learned to recognize Christ’s call when the future he had imagined was interrupted. In time, he helped others bring their own desires, decisions, and responsibilities into prayer. Through his intercession, may we grow in freedom to hear the Lord and in generosity to act on what we discover.
