Igniting Faith: The Ignatian Journey of Knowing, Loving, and Following Jesus

The Solemnity of St Ignatius of Loyola: July 31, 2024

Readings: Jer 20: 7-9; 1 Cor 10:31-11; Lk14:25-33

St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

(The following homily is preached by Fr Arun Kumar SJ at SJBHS, Bangalore)

In the Gospel of the day, we see that Jesus is going to face Martyrdom in Jerusalem. So, Jesus wants his followers to leave behind everything and everyone entirely and commit themselves totally to Jesus. A large crowd followed him. But he wasn’t happy with the number. As educationist I’m sure for us the numbers are important in terms of number of admissions, scoring of marks, number of ranks ete… that is part of our educational system. Here Jesus is emphasising more on the quality of members than the quantity of followers. Hence those who commit themselves to Jesus have to make sure that their commitment is all consuming with devotion to Jesus’ mission. Therefore, he wants only those who are committed with all their soul, with all their strength, with all their heart and with all their mind. To meet the demands of his discipleship, he puts 3 conditions. These 3 requirements to follow Jesus are:

Saint Anne: The Matriarch of Faith and Devotion in Christian Tradition

 

Saint Anne, also known as Saint Anna, holds a revered place in Christian tradition as the grandmother of Jesus Christ and the mother of the Virgin Mary. Her life and legacy, though not detailed extensively in the canonical scriptures, have been celebrated and venerated across various Christian denominations, including Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and some Protestant traditions. This essay explores the significance of Saint Anne, her role in Christian tradition, and her enduring influence on religious culture.

1. Historical and Biblical Context

Saint Anne's story is not found in the canonical books of the New Testament. Instead, her life is detailed in apocryphal writings, particularly the Protoevangelium of James, a second-century text that provides a narrative of Mary's conception and early life. According to this account, Anne and her husband, Joachim, were a devout couple who lived in Nazareth. They were childless for many years, which was considered a sign of divine displeasure in their culture. The couple's fervent prayers for a child were eventually answered when an angel appeared to Anne, announcing that she would conceive a daughter. This child was Mary, who would later become the mother of Jesus.

St Ignatius of Loyola: An Entrepreneur with a Difference

   To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/f4BxLJVXAhM

 St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), the founder of the global order, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), was a remarkable spiritual leader who exemplified unique entrepreneurial qualities that set him apart from others. His life and work were guided by divine ambition and wisdom, inspiring countless individuals to lead meaningful lives. In this essay, we will explore the distinct qualities of St. Ignatius that made him an exceptional entrepreneur in the realm of spirituality and leadership.

1. Spiritual and Visionary Leader:

St. Ignatius demonstrated unwavering devotion to his faith and a profound understanding of spirituality. His commitment to following the path of Christ and living a life of virtue inspired countless followers. As a spiritual leader, he emphasized the importance of self-reflection, critical thinking, prayer, asceticism and discernment to cultivate a deeper relationship with God. His exemplary life of service and devotion became a source of inspiration for many who sought to emulate his principles. He possessed visionary leadership. St. Ignatius had a clear and inspiring vision for the Society of Jesus, centered on serving God and humanity. His ability to articulate this vision and convey it to others motivated those who came in contact with him to join him in his mission and work towards its realization.

St Ignatius of Loyola: A Teacher of Mysticism of Everyday Life

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 31, 2022 - Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest and Founder of the Society of Jesus

Readings: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21–23; Psalm 90:3–4, 5–6, 12–13, 14, 17; Colossians 3:1–5, 9–11; Luke 12:13–21

Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)
To listen to the audio-video reflections on YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/62TEyff5DN8

July 31, 2022, in the Jesuit world marks the Feast of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus. In fact, today is the final day of the Ignatian Year, remembering the 500th Anniversary of Ignatius' being struck by a cannonball, and beginning his conversion. A brief bio of St. Ignatius can be found here.

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Jesuits, their collaborators and friends all over the world celebrate on this 18th Sunday of the Year the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus also known as Jesuits. One of the beautiful gifts of the Reformation period to the Church is the person of Ignatius of Loyola. In his own way, Ignatius of Loyola along with the newly formed Society of Jesus contributed immensely not only chiefly towards the propagation of the Christian faith in different nations and continents of the world but also assisted in cleansing the scandal-ridden Church at the Center. 

1. Mysticism of everyday life

Fr Hugo Rahner, SJ, the brother of Jesuit Fr Karl Rahner wrote a book "Ignatius the Theologian" detailing Ignatius' simple yet profound ways of perceiving God in prayer and everyday activities of life. In this book, we see a penetrating analysis which demonstrates the centrality of Christology in Ignatius. It is a theology born out of his direct mystical experience of God. Ignatius had not only a Master's degree in philosophy and theology from Sorbonne University in Paris in 1535, but he also articulated what he had experienced during his 11-month-long intense prayer sessions in the cave of Manresa in 1522. Combined with his intellectual studies, Ignatius’s personal experiences of finding God in everyday life activities from drinking a glass of water to preaching in the streets and squares of cities, he experienced profoundly God's presence and his guiding hand in his life. 

Fr Antonio Maria Platei, SJ (1672-1719) aka Poojya Rajendra Swami of Chikkarasinakere, The Apostle of Mysore

Among the Missions of the Society of Jesus in India, Mysore Mission has a special place of reference in its early Jesuit history. During the pre-suppression era, Mysore Mission under Goa Jesuit Province played a significant role in its missionary activity. The already well-established method of indigenization or inculturation¹ initiated by the Jesuits of Madurai Mission under Malabar Province namely Roberto de Nobili (1577-1656) and St John de Britto (1647-1693), which was later called “Malabar Rite” the early Jesuits of Mysore imitated them right from the start.  

Unfortunately, only a small number of foreign Jesuit missionaries worked in Mysore Mission, in fact, at the eve of the suppression of the Society in Europe in 1759, there were only 13 Jesuits working in the Kingdom of Mysore however leaving behind almost 10,000 Christians to be lost without much pastoral care.² But their splendid missionary endeavour and labour bore enormous fruit and continues to thrive even today. The important cities and districts of Karnataka like Bangalore, Mysore, Chickmagalur, Shivamogga, Bellary, Belgaum, Hassan, Raichur, Gulbarga, and many more trace their Christian root to Srirangapatna.³ Moreover, the Latin Catholic Dioceses, Mysore, Bangalore, Belgaum, Dharmapuri, Chikamagalur, Shivamogga, and Bellary also find the same roots to the once capital city of the Wodeyar’s of Mysore. 

Among the early Jesuits who landed in Mysore and made a significant contribution towards the propagation of Christian faith is Fr Antonio Maria Platei, SJ (1672-1719).⁴ However, there are a handful of Jesuits who somehow or the other sowed the seeds of this Mysore mission which made it sprout during the time of Fr Platei. Among them is Fr Leonardo Cinnami, who is rightly called as the founder of Mysore Catholic Mission.

St Ignatius of Loyola: A Charming Soul in Contemplation of God

(Mosaic on the experience of St Ignatius of Loyola at the river Cardoner by Fr Marko Rupnik, SJ)

To listen to my audio reflections please click here 

Having learnt to pray in the manner of St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), a gift to his followers, I am fascinated by the mystic saint as I try to follow him by being a member of his Order. As the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, on 31st July, which happens to be his 465th birthday into heaven, the pilgrim saint continues to inspire. I would like to place before you a few of my personal reflections in this context. 

1. Ignatius of Loyola: A man who saw all things new in Christ

Being a man of Renaissance St Ignatius of Loyola inculcated a culture that could embrace everything with passion and zeal. His experience at the sickbed did not make him lifeless or disillusioned instead he saw newness in life. It was pilgrims' way - living in "loving awe." By reading the "Life of Christ" of Ludolf of Saxony and the "Flowers of the Saints," Ignatius turned to things which, were earlier uninteresting but now engaging and special. His curiosity brought him to a new world of ideas and projects. He begins to think seriously that life is precious and valuable only if he lives such a one as those saints like St Dominic or St Francis of Assisi. This new change in his pattern of thought opens to enter into action by embracing the new reality. Even the shattered leg does not deter him from walking the unimaginable miles as well as distant paths. He walks and moves around that he did never before. Perhaps when you are broken your very brokenness puts together to walk more. Ignatius walks but with others now.

Silent yet Strong Saint Joseph

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 19 March 2021

Annunciation to Saint Joseph

To listen to my audio reflections click here

When we mention the name of St Joseph, the very first thing that comes to our mind is a man in utter calm and silence. Joseph, the husband of Mary does not speak in the scriptures; he is a man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence. He is a listener moreover a doer. All the four dreams (Mt 2:20-21; 2:13; 2:18-21; 2:22) through which he comes to know the Will of God do not say anything about him except that he followed the voice. In fact, he followed the voice boldly.

1. Silence means attentive holy listening

When Virgin Mary hears the voice of God through the angel Gabriel her first reaction was "how can this be, since I am a virgin" (Lk 1:34) However, when Joseph hears the voice of God there was complete "yes." Probably that is why we can write a lot about Joseph. With Pope Francis's "Patris Corde" apostolic letter St Joseph is once again back in the Church to reflect and meditate during this difficult year of the pandemic. St Joseph is the model in every sense of the word. In the current times when the political leaders of our countries seem to be turning out to be just verbal monsters than the listening leaders, St Joseph is a person we need to look for intercession. The Gospel of Mathew, while giving us the genealogy of Jesus says "Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ" (Mt 1: 16). Interestingly we also read in the book of Genesis, the father of Joseph was Jacob who was called Israel (Gen 35:22-26).  Further, we hear a very fascinating story of Joseph of the Old Testament. "When extreme drought came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you” (Gen 41:55). Joseph of the New Testament is a reminder for us that when we listen to Him, God will do everything for us.

Saint Francis Xavier - A Frontier Apostle of Christ to Asia

(The Vision of St. Francis Xavier, by Giovanni Battista Gaulli)

Please click here to listen to the following reflections in audio format

On the 03rd of December every year, the Catholic Church commemorates the memory of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), one of the most illustrious missionaries of the second millennium. No sea was dangerous for him, no nationalities were foreign to him, no language was a barrier for him, in fact, Jesus Christ was his compass, boats were his vehicles which carried him from Rome to Lisbon to Goa - India, to Moluccas - Indonesia, to Yamaguchi -Japan and finally to Sancian - China. All this Xavier did in the 16th century, that too, in just 11 years from 1541 to1552.  In his 10 years of life in Asia as the first Jesuit provincial of Goa he did the unimaginable work by planting the seeds of Christianity in so many parts.  Here is a short description on his life and work.  

St Ignatius of Loyola: Unfatigued Soldier of Christ

Painting by Anthony Arul, SJ

I often ask this question whenever we have to think in the line of St Ignatius of Loyola: What would Inigo do if he is living today? The charisma of this great Saint of the 16th century that we cherish and carry forward through our lives is still relevant and imperative. If there was a Church man who thought out of the box during the time of reformation, then it was St Ignatius of Loyola. The legacy that he left behind us is enduring and timeless. The 15,000 Jesuits all over the world working in more than 100 countries and 6 continents, still continue to live a religious life with a particular spirit and charism of the founder both in theory and in practice through prayer and the works of the Order.

Many enemies of the Society of Jesus often felt and still feel that Jesuits are a privileged group in the Church. In fact their main contention is that Church hierarchy has made too many concessions on the Order founded by St Ignatius of Loyola. Actually it is not true. But it is true that the Society of Jesus is different from many other Religious Orders and Congregations. However, this is for effective and strong apostolic endeavours. Jesuits do not have a choir (liturgy of the hours in community) like other religious Orders, their Superior General is for life, Jesuits do not have particular set of religious habit (dress) to identify with, (local clergy's habit suits them very well), they have a special fourth vow of obedience to the Pope and so on. All these were granted already during the time of St Ignatius of Loyola. As we celebrate the feast of the Pilgrim Saint, who still continues to inspire not only the Jesuits but also many Religious Congregations and lay people who do Spiritual Exercises individually, we could highlight a few qualities of Ignatius that impress me very much today.

St Anna, Grand Mother of Jesus - A Woman of Faith

Icon of Saint Anna with child Mary - in Byzantine iconography

When I saw for the first time the parish dedicated to Saint Anne in Bijapur, one of the mission stations of the Jesuits in Karnataka in 1994, it intrigued me very much as a novice then. I had hardly heard anything much about St Anna except that she was the grandmother of Jesus. Since my return from Russia recently, I got involved in retreat ministry in our retreat house in Bangalore and have been meeting a number of Sisters belonging to different religious congregations who have either their congregations named after St Anna or have her as their patroness. Quite recently, I have been addressing religious congregations for various reasons and occasions. Therefore, I thought I should address this Saint Anna in an elaborate way.

St Joachim and St Anna in History and Tradition

On July 26th the Catholic Church remembers Saint Joachim and Saint Anna, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Despite the importance of their role as the maternal grandparents of Jesus, we do not know much about them. The Churches in the East and Orthodox Churches have a special devotion to St Anna. The beautiful iconography on St Anna adorns their Churches. Slavs (People coming from Slavic countries, e.g. Russia, Slovenia, Poland, etc ) name their girl child "Anna" quite frequently.  The Orthodox  Church celebrates the feast of St Joachim and St Anna, the very next day of the feast of the Nativity of Mary.  They are also called as "parents of God" «Богоотцы» because they are considered as the immediate ancestors of our Lord Jesus Christ. This might be because kinship relationships and unbridled  connectivity have determining factors in tracing the roots of family ties. According to Christian apocrypha they also came from the royal line of King David. Some versions say that they lived in Jerusalem while others in Nazareth. The Byzantine liturgy has special prayers dedicated for Anna and Joachim. 

St Joseph: A Man of Dreams; A Man of Actions!

(St Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a dream)

Listen to my Audio Homily

In our liturgical year, we celebrate two times the feast of St Joseph. On the 1st of May the Church celebrates St Joseph as the Worker and today on the 19th of March, Church celebrates St Joseph, the Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, in this context we will base our reflections on this topic and how Joseph participated in the salvation work of his divine Son Jesus.

Perhaps we could look at this from three aspects that we find in Joseph. 

1. St Joseph was a refine person and noble in his dealings

2. St Joseph was a responsible husband and father and fully relied on God

3. St Joseph was a man of the future. And that futurity was God

Firstly, St Joseph was a refine person and noble in his dealings

The scriptures speak very little about St Joseph. In fact, he is familiar in statuary, paintings, nativity scenes, children’s stories, Christmas plays and Catholic devotional practices. He has most often been portrayed as quite old, a grandfather in the background of the stable at Bethlehem, a bald man with a flowering staff, and on his deathbed with Jesus at his side and with a much younger Mary standing by. What must be the origin of this image? Such particulars are imaginatively supplied by certain apocryphal writings. Though non-canonical and never considered historical by the Church, such writings have had a great influence on popular devotion including our own. Their content has entered into preaching, art, liturgy, and even patristic writings, though the latter have by and large employed a quite critical approach to them.

Even though Gospels do not supply us the imagery of Joseph as a man in his senior years but due to the influence of certain apocryphal writings we continue to have such an image of St Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Foremost among these apocrypha is the Protoevangelium of James. Protoevangelium signifies that it covers the period prior to that covered by the gospels originally written around the middle or the second half of the second century with a particular purpose. Its aim was to glorify Mary, which means her virginity must be reconciled with the Gospel phrase regarding Jesus’ “brothers.”

Subsequent apocryphal works draw freely on the story of James, adding their own embellishments. Among these are The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew which includes legends of the stay in Egypt, The Syriac-Arabic Infancy Gospel, The Armenian Infancy Gospel, and the Liber de Infantia Salvatoris. The Infancy Story of Thomas recounts numerous bizarre miracles worked by the child Jesus. The resulting composite story has Joseph as a carpenter who makes plows, yokes, other wooden tools for cultivation, and also wooden beds.

Through these texts Mary and Joseph are made into leading characters, rather than supporting participants in the great mission of Christ. The purpose of these works is apologetic, doctrinal, or simply to satisfy one’s curiosity. What we learn from these stories is that St Joseph was a gentle man, a refine man who had a noble dealings. The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 1: 19 says to us that he was “a righteous man”.

Secondly, St Joseph was a responsible person who relied fully on God. Initially, he wanted his engagement to Mary to fall apart because of her conception. He wanted to do it quietly in order to save his and Mary’s reputation. We could imagine their situation in this so uncommon and complicated moment. However, once he hears the voice, Matt 1:20, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” things change in him and he never looks back from his responsibility of a good husband to Mary and foster father to Jesus. 

Joseph is convinced fully that it is a work of God. He never shrugs his responsibility either from making all the arrangements in Bethlehem to find a place for Mary to give birth to the child, or to leave the native land for Egypt in order to save the child from the clutches of murderer Herod or to bring back the child to the native land after the death of the monster king Herod, or even searching Jesus in the temple during their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Joseph was there as a bedrock to Mary and to Jesus doing everything. Unfortunately, all his dreams were a bit nasty and worrying all the time, Joseph trusted completely in the God of his ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He knew his God. He knew God would not let him and his family down because he had the right and true intentions. 

Thirdly, St Joseph was a man who knew who his God was. He was a man of the future; he knew his futurity was God. Joseph seems to be a man all the time working and labouring in fulfilling his primary duty as bread winner for his family and doing the will of God. He was clear of his vision of God. He was God’s rightful instrument. The destiny or goal of his life was sure once the angel Gabriel woke him up in his sleep. “Take Mary as your wife.” In spite of the bad dreams that he dreamt still he was there to fulfil them and bring to completion God’s work in the life of Jesus. Just as his divine Son Jesus would say later on in his preaching ministry that a tree can be known by its fruits (Luke 6: 44). For every tree is known by its own fruit. So too, we know who Jesus is because of Joseph. Only a good tree produces good fruits (Matthew 7:17–18). Saint Bernardine of Siena writing on St Joseph writes, “What then is Joseph’s position in the whole Church of Christ? Is he not a man chosen and set apart? Through him and yes, under him, Christ was fittingly and honourably introduced into the world.” “In Joseph the Old Testament finds its fulfilment. He brought the noble line of patriarchs and prophets to its promised fulfilment.”

So dear friends, we pray on this wonderful day of the feast of St Joseph, who is the patron saint of the whole universal Church, and also of our house Mount St Joseph, we may always strive to be like Joseph, refine and noble in our dealings, responsible and humble and rely completely on God, as well men and women who find in God the futurity and our destiny. May St Joseph, may bless us abundantly with his graces and interventions when we need them. Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

Feast of St Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

19th March 2020

St Joseph Vaz: Man of God, man of people and man of the Church

In the context of public ministry of Jesus, “he went on doing good” as the scripture says, we could ask this question. Where did Jesus get so much energy and passion to preach the Word of God, to heal the sick, lame, and blind and go about teaching people from one place to another without much rest and leisure? One thing is prominent in the life of Jesus is that he was chosen to be the saviour of the world, he was conscious about his mission. Therefore, Jesus was clear about who he was. Hence he spoke for God, he meditated God in his life, he worked for God. Jesus lived in the spirit of God.  

Here we are in this shrine of St Joseph Vaz in Mudipu. A man committed to the Gospel, committed to God. Once a person gives himself to God then he has to live for God, he has to speak for God, he has to bring people to God. This is what Joseph Vaz did in his life.  I would like to place before you three aspects, which I believe are very prominent in the life of Fr Joseph Vaz.

The first one is: Joseph Vaz was a man of God. He came from a simple family in Goa. His parents gave him the faith in Jesus Christ. He was nurtured in that faith. And this faith made him to offer himself to God. In other words, he experienced God in his life. He could not contain this experience of God to himself. He wanted to share this faith with others.  To do so, he thinks that becoming a priest is an ideal way. Therefore he applies to the newly arrived Jesuits. Unfortunately, they do not receive him in their order. Finally, he joins the Oratorians order and becomes a priest. His heart was bigger than himself. His love for Christ and to share that faith he begins his intense pastoral life. He comes down to Gangolli, Kundapur, Mudipu in the Coastal Karnataka in order to preach the Gospel and to strengthen the already existing Christians here. He sees the problem in the Church. There were no priests or apostolic vicars in the coastal belt. He recommends the Church authorities in Goa to send the pastors to these places.  Christians were returning to their previous religion as there were none to guide them. There were problems in the Church of 17^th century in India especially the hierarchical politics of Pedro Vado and Propoganda Fide and colonialism. This does not disturb him but makes it a point to save the faith of Christians. Because, Joseph Vaz was a man of God.  While he was in the Canara he hears how the Christians in Sri Lanka are suffering under the Dutch, under persecutions. He did not remain silent or mute. He begins his journey. He hears the God’s voice that he should go to Sri Lanka and save the people of God.

The second point is: Joseph Vaz was a man of people. He lived in a society in which castism was part and parcel of it. There were class structures. There were people who were part of the ruling class.  There were people belonging to various religions either in Canara or Sri Lanka like, Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, etc. But he was a pastor of all. He never made any distinctions among the people. He was close to the King of Kandy. He even translated the book of herbal medicine from Portuguese into Sinhala, which would serve the people in Sri Lanka. He won the favours from the king in Kandy for his good deeds for all the people. People from other religions revered him; they protected him from Dutch who were persecuting the Catholics. Joseph Vaz was truly a man of people. He was people’s pastor. He nursed the sick and poor. He took care of people who were fallen to small pox.  He started hospices and clinics for people. In this context he showed through his life that we are supposed to unite people and not divide.      

The third point is: Joseph Vaz was a man of the Church. Why? He loved the Church so much, being a native of our land, India he understood that natives will do a better job in preaching Christ. He understood clearly the existing Church problem of not taking the natives into the religious order, and allowing the natives to become priests. Strangely, Church said it does not need them. But Christ needed them. So, he founded an Indian version of Oratorians. Through which he prepared men for the Church. He wanted to serve the Church better. This was a radical shift in the way he thought and worked for the Church. This in fact, is a revolutionary idea from his part.  In spite of the problems in the Church, he said that he needed a strong lay Church. In fact, Church needed him badly. Sadly, Church is still not a lay Church, lay oriented Church but a priestly centered Church, a clerical Church. He wanted people’s Church. Only when we become people oriented Church we can serve the Lord better and boldly. Certainly, Joseph Vaz was a man of the Church. He loved the Church more than any other.

Christ critiqued his religion, Judaism. He condemned the bogus practices of its priestly class and religious leaders like scribes and Pharisees. However, Jesus did not leave his religion. Until his death on the cross, he was a pure Jew. He worshipped the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He read the Tora. He did what a normal Jew would do. He had his strong foundations, roots in the Jewish religion. Joseph Vaz followed this Jesus as his model and faith in his pastoral and missionary life.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

16 Jan 2019 

Feast of St Joseph Vaz

Three Takeaways From the Life of St Francis Xavier

What are the three takeaways from the life of St Francis Xavier on his feast day?

First of all, St Francis Xavier was a man of God.  Unfortunately, St Francis was thought to be a man of secular culture and carrier oriented man until he met Ignatius of Loyola.  Actually it is not so. Francis Xavier was a man of his times.  A man of his stature who is of noble birth would be looking normally during those times what the influential Catholic Church could offer him, a fine job in the hierarchical church.

If we go and see the Xavier Castle in Navarre, Spain there is a little place for prayer used by his family, a kind of chapel.  Here is a unique but large crucifix which was used by his family to pray daily.  Francis grew in this atmosphere of prayer and praying before the crucifix which still adorns the castle even today.

If we read his life, Francis was a man endowed with divine gifts and talents.  Unlike Ignatius of Loyola, we do not hear anything stupid or mischievous things from the early life of Francis.  Even though the Jesuit historians have given too much importance to the so called conversion experience of Francis under the guidance of Ignatius especially the line from the gospel "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Mt 16:26).  But in reality, Francis knew what he wanted, and would strive to achieve the thing that he wished to attain.

What built Francis was his various experiences either in the Xavier castle, or his early studies in Navarre, or his later life and study in Paris academia. Paris was known for its philosophical and theological studies and continues to be so even today.  From Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Duns Scotus, Erasmus, and others the tradition of wisdom, humanism and experience went hand and hand. “The unexamined life is not worth living”, the words of Socrates seems to have rung high in Francis’s ears.  Therefore he was ready for any ventures including listening to Ignatius of Loyola and doing Spiritual Exercises under him. Later we see Francis and his adventures as Missionary in India  and South East Asia.

Secondly, Xavier was s man of the Church and of Christ. Once he had experienced God very intimately in the Exercises and among his first companions, Xavier was ready to do anything for Christ and His Church.  No personal comforts and any other benefits attracted him to preach Christ. In his short life of 46 years, he spent 10 years a missionary in Asia.  It is believed that much of his time, to exaggerate a bit, he must have spent at least 7 years in voyages in the sea.  Francis Xavier is widely pictured with a cross in his hands, including during his final hours of his life in a little known island of Shangchuan, Taishan, which is overlooking China.  Holding Crucifix is a symbol of Xavier’s incredible faith that he had since his childhood in Xavier castle which continued until his death in a far away continent Asia.  In other words, Christ was his solace and master.

In his letter to Ignatius of Loyola in Rome, Francis dispatches a letter from India in which he puts so beautifully his amazing zeal for souls and heart full of fire to gain the souls for Christ.  "Again and again I have thought of going round the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: “What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!”

  I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents entrusted to them.

  This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God’s will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart: Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like – even to India".

Thirdly, Francis was a man of the world in other words, a man of people.  His heart was for the world but not in the world.  He never got stuck with Europe, its ideas and centrist working style but whole of the world.  I suppose his life of experience looked for something unique.  He quickly understood how important for the Church and for Christ to win three great civilisations of Asia, namely India, Japan and China.  To know these civilisations he was ready to embark on any sort of  tedious journeys or venture into dangerous risks.  His ardent desire was to bring Christ into those civilisations.  He looked something deep inside these cultures of the world.  Xavier did not conquer the world instead he tried to consent the world to embrace Christ and His Church.

One of the fascinating things we can see in Francis as a missionary is his popularity around the world. The early Jesuit reductions in Latin America bore his names. In Bogota, Colombia there is a huge Jesuit University called Javeriana.  A lot of Institutions and churches bear his name in all the continents of the world.  But probably not so much in Europe.  With my little experience in Italy I should say that I’m yet to trace an institute or Church honouring St Francis Xavier except his hand in our Jesuit Church Gesù, where an alter is dedicated to him.  Xavier was a man of the periphery in spite of coming from the centre of the world, that is Europe. Just like Jesus, Jerusalem did not embrace him but the outskirts of the Jerusalem.

Perhaps we can learn a number of things from his life. Francis lived beyond the rules.  He neither saw the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus, nor the rule books of the Society.  For him the experience of Jesus was the rule book.

Xavier had a great autonomy to do things.  He appointed a very young Italian Jesuit Antonio Criminali (1520-1549) who was in his late 20’s as mission superior in Madurai mission and later was killed being the first Jesuit martyr in India in 1549.  He trusted his men with full confidence and support. When he realised that God was calling him to Japan, Francis set his foot.  Because he saw Jesus was calling him there.  Probably we should self critique today as Indian Jesuits.  Often we are stuck with rules and regulations and have given little space to the Spirit to work within us.  That is why we have become less enterprising and not ready for Christ’s missions but missions of our superiors or provincials.  If you are good at something and is ready to do fascinating things for Christ why not you give a try?  Probably we should do some self evaluation as we reflect on St Francis Xavier who is a role model in many of the things that we do today.  He is still relevant for our times in making Christ known in our world.

Olvin Veigas, SJ

03.12.2018

Feast of St Francis Xavier

In Everything to Love and Serve - Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Perhaps Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) is the best known figure in the world today in spite of him having lived during the reformation and counter-reformation of European history of 16th century.  His little Catholic organisation which he founded the “Society of Jesus” in 1540 which, he often called the minima compagnia/societa (little society) has stood the test of time and history.  St Ignatius is a towering figure today because he continues to inspire thousands of people to follow him and in the methods set by him.  Every year more than 400 young men join his ideals to follow the Christ Crucified under the banner the Cross with a sole purpose to love God and serve His humanity leaving behind family and wealth of the secular world. In other words, in everything to love and serve for the greater glory of God - Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (AMDG).  The Catholic Church and the Society of Jesuits/Jesuits celebrate his feast day on 31st of July every year, the day he left this world to be with his Master forever. 

Three quick takeaways from his life.

Firstly, St Ignatius showed us that we could have direct and immediate experience of God. Thus grow in familiarity with God. St Ignatius' powerful but a thin book the “Spiritual Exercises” continues to play miracles in the lives of people especially in transforming them to be the citizens of God [15]!  During Ignatius’ time people thought that we cannot go to God or experience God without some sort of agency or assistance from someone else.  Moreover the so called the theology of the indulgences strengthened this conviction that God is unattainable individually or by one's sincere efforts.  St Ignatius solved this mystery through his experiences which he would call in his “Autobiography” that God taught him as a schoolmaster teaches a child [27].  Jesuit Karl Rahner, the theologian of the 20th century drew heavily from St Ignatius in articulating his theological insights and coined a very fascinating phrase “Self-communication of God" in German Selbstmitteilung Gottes [cf. The Foundations of Christian Faith] to say that God continues to communicate himself freely and openly to each person.

Secondly, St Ignatius taught us that we could know the Will of God in our lives through a process of discernment which is also found in the “Spiritual Exercises” [169-189, 313-336].  God is ever present in our lives and His creation.  Just like St Augustine who said that our hearts are made only for God and they rest solely in Him, so too, St Ignatius wrote very well in the "Principle and Foundation" [Sp Ex 23] that we are made for God and whole creation is a help in order to reach that God who created us to praise, reverence, and serve God and by means of doing this to save one's soul.  In the Contemplation to Attain Love [Sp Ex 230-237] St Ignatius taught us to find God in all things and all things in Him.  A truly inclusive idea he put forward much before the modern man could think of.  All his attention was on humanity’s salvation and is possible if we know God’s will and see God present and active in the world and in our lives.

Thirdly, St Ignatius contributed a thought that is still applicable today, that is God/Christ centeredness and other centeredness which, should be the hallmark of our lives.  St Ignatius is very clear that we are not permanent and eternal stakeholders of this world.  As finite and unfinished realities, we will have to make sure that we are not the masters of this world but stewards of this universe.  This means, we should have a heart for everyone and our hands should reach out to each person including the least and the lost in the world.  St Ignatius himself started a house for destitute women of Rome - Casa Santa Martha and founded an orphanage in the Eternal City.  He also set a few rules in the Spiritual Exercises on Almsgiving [337-344].  He sent his first compañero Francis Xavier to Asia in order to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ, Simon Rodrigues to Portugal, Peter Faber to the European countries where Catholic Church was disintegrating because of Martin Luther’s reformation stunt.  St Ignatius wanted put Christ at the center of the Church and the world and not personal or national interests.

St Ignatius is still relevant to us to experience God directly in the world, to know God’s will in our lives and put God in the center of our lives.  In other words, in everything to love and serve, en todo amar y servir.

Olvin Veigas