Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Priest, Memorial
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
While recuperating from a wound incurred as a soldier, Ignatius read the lives of saints because there was nothing else to read. He reflected further on the purpose of his life, made pilgrimages, and decided to serve God.
The “company” he founded was to be at the disposal of the Pope to serve the most urgent contemporary needs of the Church. In his time the Jesuits were instrumental in counteracting heresies, reforming the Church, and starting overseas missions. To him, action was always to be based on reflection and prayer. This is sound advice for us today as well.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
Like St. Ignatius, we have accepted your invitation
to follow you, Son Jesus as his disciples
and to do everything we do
for your greater honour and glory.
Give us the strength of your Spirit
not to seek ourselves
and to accept our task in life
with all its consequences.
For we are certain Jesus will lead us to you,
our loving God forever and ever.
First Reading
So, whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do everything for God’s glory.
Avoid offending Jews, Greeks, or God’s church.
Just as I try to please everyone in all things, I do not seek my own benefit but that of many, so that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11
R. (2) I will bless the Lord at all times.
or:
R. (9) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
One day, as large crowds were walking with Jesus, he turned and said to them,
“If you come to me, unwilling to sacrifice your love for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters and indeed yourself, you cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not follow me, carrying his own cross, cannot be my disciple.
Do you start building a house without first sitting down to count the cost to see if you have enough to finish it?
Otherwise, if you’ve laid the foundation and can’t complete it, everyone will laugh at you:
‘This fellow started to build and was not able to finish.’
And when a king wages war against another king, does he not first sit down to consider whether his ten thousand can stand against the twenty thousand of his opponent?
And if not, while the other is still a long way off, he sends messengers to arrange peace negotiations.
In the same way, none of you may become my disciple if he does not give up everything he has.
Prayers of the Faithful
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, our Father,
In this Eucharist, may the Lord Jesus
bring us so close to him
that he makes us willing to accept from him
Any task you want to give us.
Let service to the Church and its needs
be our main preoccupation
And may we always render this service
for the greater glory of God.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
in the Eucharist, you have enlightened us
with the word and the body of Jesus.
Let Jesus give us his Spirit of discernment
that we may see clearly the task ahead of us
and commit ourselves to it with wisdom
and total dedication,
without hesitation or fear.
For it is your work we do,
our living God, forever and ever. Amen!
REFLECTIONS
Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491- July 31, 1556) fought several battles as a soldier. In 1521, he was struck by a cannonball in the legs. He underwent several surgeries without anaesthetics. At one point, he was asked to prepare for death. However, on June 29, 1521, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, he began to improve. Ignatius began reading the lives of the saints and of Christ.
Among his profound realisations was that some thoughts brought him happiness and others sorrow, and that two powerful forces were acting upon him. Evil brought him unpleasant thoughts, while God brought him happiness. He discerned God's call and began a new way of life, following God instead of men.
On March 25, 1522, he entered the Benedictine monastery. His time in prayer and contemplation helped him better understand himself. He also gained a better understanding of God and God's plan for him. He became friends with Peter Faber and Francis Xavier while at school in Paris and led them in his spiritual exercises. Other men soon joined their exercises and became followers of Ignatius.
Pope Paul III received the group and approved them as an official religious order in 1540. Ignatius was elected as their first leader. They called themselves the Society of Jesus. Some dubbed them “Jesuits” to disparage them. By virtue of their good work, the label lost its negative connotation. The order was responsible for much of the effort to stop the spread of the Protestant Reformation. They advocated the use of reason to persuade others and combat heresy. Ignatius was beatified by Pope Paul V on July 27, 1609 and canonised on March 12, 1622. He is the patron saint of the Society of Jesus, soldiers, educators and education.
In the annals of history, there are tales of extraordinary transformations that leave us in awe of God’s grace. One such remarkable journey is that of Saint Ignatius Loyola, whose life underwent a profound metamorphosis from a valiant soldier to a saintly servant of God. Today, as we commemorate the Memorial of Saint Ignatius Loyola, we are invited to explore the inspiring path he took toward divine friendship. Through today’s readings, we shall delve into the transformative power of God’s grace in shaping Saint Ignatius Loyola’s life and uncover valuable insights for our own journey toward divine friendship.