Month: May 2021

Today, May 20, 2021 marks the beginning of an extraordinary Ignatian Year. On this date 500 years ago, Ignatius of Loyola (1491- 1556) was struck by a cannonball during a fierce battle against the French in Pamplona, Spain. Although many wanted to surrender, Ignatius kept fighting, and encouraged those fighting with him to do the same.

In the end, it was Ignatius’ injury which led to surrender. The French soldiers were so taken by Ignatius’ bravery, they carried him home to his family castle in the Basque country. The trip took several days, and there’s no doubt it was a hellish one for Ignatius. This photo, taken by me while visiting the castle on pilgrimage, captures Ignatius’ arrival home.

During many months of painful recovery, Ignatius began to think about life, both his past and what might come next. He felt a stirring in his heart and mind, and with his turning to God, a conversion began.

I’m intending to post regularly on this Ignatian Year in the weeks and months ahead. I believe its an incredible opportunity to learn about this great Saint, but also discern for ourselves where God might be calling us.

For today, here’s a couple of links focused on the Ignatian Year.

Loyola Press

Jesuits USA

Some final words from Master Ignatius:

“There are very few who realize what God would make of them if they abandoned themselves entirely to His hands, and let themselves be formed by His grace.

A thick and shapeless tree trunk would never believe that it could become a statue, admired as a miracle of sculpture… and would never consent to submit itself to the chisel of the sculptor who, as St. Augustine says, sees by his genius what he can make of it.

Many people who, we see, now scarcely live as Christians, do not understand that they could become saints, if they would let themselves be formed by the grace of God, if they did not ruin His plans by resisting the work which He wants to do.”

Ignatius of Loyola

(In a letter to Ascanio Colonna, Rome, April 25, 1543)

I had the chance to travel to Delaware last week for work, and I was so grateful to be out and about for a few days. When I arrived home, I saw I had received a newsletter in the mail. Opening it, I started to read that the author was writing about the need to develop a recovery plan.

Like St. Ignatius of Loyola, the author made a comparison between our physical health and our spiritual health. I have to admit that I don’t always read every newsletter which comes my way, but this one was different, and I sat down with a cup of coffee and read every word. Writing that we are coming out of a “year of global trauma” resonated with me. Yes, like the trauma a person experiences when they are physically injured, it’s a safe bet that we all have been mentally and spiritually traumatized since the pandemic began over a year ago.

When someone experiences physical trauma, the health care experts working with him/her develop a recovery plan, which has a goal of bringing them back to health. For many, physical therapy is required, and that might involve months of therapy and tons of effort on the part of the patient.

The author challenged his readers to develop a rehab/recovery plan now, as we continue to move from being in pandemic mode to recovery mode, with a workable plan to help us return to a more typical rhythm of life. I guess the reason this newsletter resonated with me so much was that I had already started the process of recovery, but I wasn’t working off a plan, just gut instincts. A discerned plan is always better, although so far things have been working out well.

One early morning while I was on my business trip, I was sipping coffee in my hotel room and feeling lazy. I was a mile or two from the ocean, and I knew the sun would be coming up soon. Part of me wanted to stay in bed, but I realized that I needed to move. I needed to get my clothes on, wash my face, and get down to the beach! Within five minutes, I was in the car and fifteen minutes later, I was on the sand, just seconds away from the sun coming up on the horizon.

I’m always amazed at the other people who gather to see a sunrise. On this particular day, there wasn’t a lot of people, but those that were there all stood up as the sun appeared. Old people, young people, single folks and families, we all stood mesmerized. I was grateful that I had the chance to see another day dawning. I began to realize that I had to get a plan together for this time in my life. We’ve all been traumatized over the last year, and we’re slowing coming out of a fog. It’s time to get our lives back together, friends, and let it start now, with a fresh, new recovery plan.

We may not be able to immediately take a long vacation, renovate our house, travel great distances to see friends and loved ones, but we can start planning now for those things to happen. For now, let’s plant something in our garden, let’s clean/rearrange our house, let’s buy a new book and make more of an effort to speak with our neighbor. How about trying a new recipe, taking long walk, making a day retreat, or visiting a museum, physically or virtually. With God’s help, all things are possible!

Let this be for us a spiritual recovery plan, one in which we bring God into our daily lives, activities and plans for the future. God has never left us, and we can find God in everything. Let’s not miss this opportunity. Let’s start today!

The photo was taken at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.