St Ignatius of Loyola: An Entrepreneur with a Difference

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 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.

Finding the Reign of God in Our World

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 30, 2023

Readings: 1 Kings 3:5, 7–12; Psalm 119:57, 72, 76–77, 127–130; Romans 8:28–30;  Matthew 13:44–52

(Photo courtesy: Jean-Marc Arkelian)

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Everyone seeks success, but there are no shortcuts to achieve it. Failures are a natural part of our lives, and depending solely on success stories can lead to despair. However, failures can be the stepping stones to success. To be truly successful, one must learn from failures. Yet, when we rely solely on our own strength, we distance ourselves from God. To find real success, we should trust in our abilities with God's grace, even if we face failures along the way. The liturgical readings for this 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time emphasize the importance of trusting in God alone, even when we may think our strength is enough. The stories of King Solomon and Jesus' teachings on the Kingdom of God reveal profound truths about life and guide us in making the right decisions with God's help.

1. Seeking wisdom over material wealth

Let's start with the story of King Solomon, the successor of David in 1 Kings 3:5, 7–12. One of the beautiful gifts that God can give to us is His presence in our lives which could be called "encounter." In his encounter with God, King Solomon seeks only wisdom to govern his country than material wealth. Wisdom is a gift from God.  Solomon didn't acquire wisdom through his own efforts or learning; it was divinely bestowed upon him. He worshipped God above all else with great desire. God came first in his life. God was his priority. In his encounter with God, Solomon asks humbly wisdom than riches, fame or power.  In a world often driven by materialism and self-pity this serves as a reminder to focus on eternal values and spiritual growth. Wisdom isn't just about knowledge; it's about discerning God's will and applying it in our lives and relationships.

Spirit Intercedes for the Holy Ones

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 23, 2023

Readings: Wisdom 12:13, 16–19; Psalm 86:5–6, 9–10, 15–16; Romans 8:26–27; Matthew 13:24–43

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Many things teach us life lessons. Some of them might be sweet and others bitter. Our life is a parable. Often, it is a fairy tale. A parable is a short, simple story that typically uses everyday occurrences, events, or situations to convey a moral or spiritual lesson. Parables are often used in religious, philosophical, or ethical contexts to illustrate and communicate deeper truths or principles in a relatable and easily understandable manner. Our life consists of good and bad, beautiful and ugly, joy and sorrow, anxiety and hope, fear and courage and so forth. They represent various aspects of human nature or behaviour. On the 16th Sunday in ordinary time, the liturgical readings throw light on our human nature and how that sinful nature could be sanctified through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

1. Everything begins with small and beautiful

Let us start with the Gospel of Matthew 13:24–43. Jesus gives us three powerful parables namely the wheat among the weeds, of the mustard seed and of the wheat flour. All these parables with rich agricultural imagery are to explain the Kingdom of God or the Reign of God very clearly and plainly. In God's reign, there is always the uncompromisable practice of "Dharma." The world is a mixture of good and evil, represented by the wheat and the weeds growing together. It teaches us that while evil exists, God allows both to coexist until the final judgment. We might feel broken when we experience deep hurts that flow from dishonor, disrespect, broken promises, corruption, sloth, bias, errors, incidents of cheating, lying, slander and calumny, etc. We, as followers of Christ, must learn to live in a world marred by sin while striving to be a positive influence and bearing good fruit. It is a call to exercise patience and trust in God's ultimate justice and sovereignty.

The Revelation of the Children of God

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 16, 2023

Readings: Isaiah 55:10–11; Psalm 65:10–14; Romans 8:18–23; Matthew 13:1–23

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These days, we have been either hearing or reading baffling news about flash floods in our country India in social sites and media outlets. India is a vast country with varied weather conditions, we often hear either of heat waves or floods affecting different regions of our country.  Such news items have become part of our lives. However, there are always possibilities of minimizing the damage caused by such conditions. There must be a collective effort from different partners and stakeholders to find the right solutions. All the more, we must learn to appreciate the beautiful world that God has created for us. Often, we have created problems for ourselves which cannot be solved by human wisdom. In this context, the liturgical readings for this 15th Sunday in ordinary time invite us to listen to God and his Word. Unless and until we are attuned to God and his workings, we might not be able to fix the problems of today including of the environment.

1. God reveals Himself to us

Let's begin with the first reading of today from the prophet Isaiah 55:10–11. God continues to reveal to the world who He is. Often we might think that because of our intelligence and the capacity to create wealth and power, we are the masters of this world. Actually, it is not so! When disasters occur like earthquakes, floods, fires, accidents, or diseases that are uncontainable, then we look for divine power to assist us. The power of God's Word is tremendous. This Word comes to us from heaven in various ways and means. Just like the trees that give us fruits, plants that give us flowers, trees that give us wood, land that gives us grains, streams that give us water, animals that give us meat, and the list is endless. Through God's work in the world, we see the growth, change and spiritual abundance to our lives. Only by immersing ourselves in Scripture, we can allow its transformative power to work in our hearts, bringing about spiritual growth and producing the fruit of righteousness.

The Spirit of God Dwells in You

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 09, 2023

Readings: Zechariah 9:9–10; Psalm 145:1–2, 8–11, 13–14; Romans 8:9, 11–13; Matthew 11:25–30

(Christ blessing the children attributed to Lukas Cranach the Elder)  

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Buying a high-end Canon or Nikon camera does not make you a photographer. It makes you just a camera owner. Just because you are a baptized Christian, it does not give you a ticket straight to heaven. Prayer is a way to God and in itself, prayer is not God. Often, we blindly follow many things in our lives without even being aware of the intricacies and complexities involved in what we speak or do. It does matter what we are and what we own or do. The liturgical reading for this 14th Sunday in the ordinary time of the year has a lot to encourage us, particularly about the Spirit of God that St Paul is speaking to us as well as Jesus' prayer to his Father for giving him disciples and the challenge that he poses to his apostles.

1. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit

Let's start with the Second reading that we have on this Sunday. It is from St Paul. He writes to the Christian Community in Rome: "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). In another place while writing to the Corinthian Chrisitan community St Paul says, "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). These statements have great significance for Christians today in the context of Paul's teachings and the theological framework of the early Christian community.

Newness of Life in Christ Jesus

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 02, 2023

Readings: 2 Kgs 4:8–11, 14–16; Ps 89:2–3, 16–19; Rom 6:3–4, 8–11; Mt 10:37–42

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As I write these few reflections, I am teaching a course on the "theology of the Holy Spirit" to our future priests. As I grapple with the mystery of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and in the lives of Christians, I am overwhelmed by the length and breadth of this Third Person of the Trinity who accompanied Jesus throughout his life and later empowered the believers with his gifts. St Paul, who wrote extensively in his Epistles tells us that only in the light of the Holy Spirit we can understand who Jesus is for us. The Spirit of Jesus continues to strengthen the believers in every day of their lives magnificently. The liturgical readings for this Sunday are so beautiful that they invite us to embrace Jesus in our lives wholeheartedly with a singular devotion. 

1. The Challenge of Wholehearted Discipleship: Love, Sacrifice, and Reward

Jesus throws an open challenge to his followers. Jesus is not worried about the number of people who will follow him or the popularity with which he would move around. What matters Jesus is one's readiness and willingness which stems from authentic sacrifice and self-giving. In Matthew's Gospel, we read if someone loves one's father or mother, son or daughter more than Jesus, or if someone is not ready to take up the cross and follow the Lord wholeheartedly, such persons are not of interest to Jesus. It doesn't mean we should neglect our relationships with our family members, but rather, we should recognize that our love and commitment to God should be the foundation and guiding principle of our lives. For Jesus, following means 100 percent and there is nothing halfheartedness or discount following. When one gives himself or herself to God, it must be total and complete. 

Fear No One - Walking in God's Sight

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time: June 25, 2023

Readings: Jeremiah 20:10–13; Psalm 69:8–10, 14, 17, 33–35; Romans 5:12–15; Matthew 10:26–33

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To break the monotony of the Ordinary liturgical year, we are blessed with a number of feasts and solemnities which make our faith life interesting. This weekend, we celebrate the nativity of St John the Baptist whom Jesus called the greatest of all the prophets. He is a reminder of our sacrament of Baptism. He is a symbol of honesty, sincerity and integrity, who prepared the way to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. In the coming week, we also celebrate the solemnities of St Peter and St Paul, the two distinct foundational pillars of the Church. Because of them, since the infancy days of our religion, the Church could look beyond the Jewish mentality and see the bigger picture of salvation which Christ offered to us. Both of them are men of knowledge and wisdom who laid a strong foundation for our Christian religion. The liturgical readings for this Sunday are so vibrant that they make us strong just like St John the Baptist, St Peter and St Paul. 

1. Lord's protection in the midst of challenges

We must start our reflections from the first reading for this Sunday. In Jeremiah 20:10-13, we find the prophet Jeremiah expressing his anguish and frustration. He had been faithfully proclaiming God's messages to the people, but instead of receiving acceptance and support, he faced rejection, mockery, and even persecution. Jeremiah's words reflect the deep pain and struggle he experienced as he faithfully carried out his prophetic calling. His words are harsh. His tone is loud. Because Jeremiah faced opposition not only from the people but also from his close friends and acquaintances who turned against him. 

Journeying with Christ: Embracing Challenges and Trusting in God's Care

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time: June 18, 2023

Readings: Exodus 19:2–6; Psalm 100:1–2, 3, 5; Romans 5:6–11; Matthew 9:36–10:8

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This week has been liturgically rich. First, we celebrated the feast of St Anthony of Padua on Tuesday and then on Friday the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and on Saturday the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These feast days have something in common that is, we are utterly embraced by God's mercy and love. Symbolically these feasts represent to us that divine intervention is always present and we have to be attentive in order to make it our own. Having celebrated the last few Sundays as Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Trinity and Pentecost, today we are back to the usual ordinary Sunday. Interestingly, the liturgical readings invite us to be the ardent followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, as he picks up his twelve disciples and sends them on a mission. 

1. Called to be Compassionate in every way

The Gospel reading Matthew 9:36–10:8 gives a brief overview of the times and conditions in which Jesus lived with his people. The picture is very vivid: "At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). Hence to answer the dire need of his people, Jesus picks up 12 disciples who will participate in his ministry of healing and preaching. They are also asked what exactly supposed to do: "authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness...Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons" (Matthew 10:1, 8).

The Blessed Trinity: Foundation, Encounter, and Transformation in Christian Faith

The Holy Trinity Sunday:  June 04, 2023

Readings: Exodus 34:4–6, 8–9; Daniel 3:52–56; 2 Corinthians 13:11–13; John 3:16–18

Blessed Trinity
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Today the Church honors the central doctrine of the Holy Trinity by its feast. The concept of the Holy Trinity is a fundamental belief in Christianity that expresses the nature of God as three distinct persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Although they are distinct, they are united in one divine essence or substance. The Holy Trinity represents the mystery of the Godhead, emphasizing the unity, equality, and indivisibility of the three divine persons. The short liturgical readings of this Sunday in a very simple way tell us the idea behind the Blessed Trinity.

1. Holy Trinity embraces us all

The origins of the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity Sunday can be traced back to the early centuries of Christianity. The feast's establishment was primarily influenced by the Church's efforts to clarify and affirm the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, especially in response to theological debates and heretical beliefs that emerged during those times. The early Church Fathers and the Ecumenical Councils played a significant part in clarifying those linguistically difficult nuances on the nature and profound relationship and the coexistence of Three Persons in One Godhead.