For this month’s triduum, which runs from 1-3 August, I would offer some reflections inspired by St Ignatius. Three points will nourish our prayer and penance for these three days.
First, we can all relate to Ignatius, the young man who thirsted for human love and earthly glory. He himself tells us of this, and it is all too evident from what we know about his early life. God had other plans, and it would all begin with the canon ball that broke his leg in the siege of Pamplona and forced him to a long convalescence during which the only books he had to read were the Lives of the Saints. From daydreaming about lovely ladies, he lets himself be drawn into a much more profitable and holy exercise, that of discerning what the Spirit of God wants to do with his life. So first lesson: read good books, by or about saints. They are our models, and they lead us to God.
Second, his generosity after his conversion was outstanding. A long pilgrimage to the Rome and to the Holy Land, followed by a year of austere retreat in Manresa (under the guidance of Benedictine monks!), forged him into the saint God wanted him to be. In other words, once he had been won over to Christ, there was no stopping him. He was ready to go anywhere and do anything the Lord might inspire him to do. During the rest of his life, he would faithfully minister to the needs of all souls. Second lesson: let’s not be miserly with the Lord: He has called us back from the edge of hell; let’s be generous in giving all to Him who has loved us so much.
Thirdly, Ignatius was truly the contemplative in action, drawing from his daily mental prayer the light and strength to accomplish God’s will and help souls. He would weep tears of compunction daily, and never be sparing of his time in prayer. It was the only way he could possibly meet all the demands laid on him. Third lesson: let’s give ourselves unstintingly to prayer; it is truly the power of everything we do, and that is why the Enemy does everything he can to get us to omit or shorten it. Don’t listen to him: only prayer can save the world!
