July 31 2024 - St. Ignatius of Loyola - For the greater glory of God (AMDG)

 

While convalescing from a military injury, the young soldier Ignatius of Loyola discerned that the pursuits of the flesh, fame, wealth, and power brought him emptiness and disappointment, where the pursuits of the spirit, as lived out in the lives of the saints brought him a sense of peace and joy.

Ignatius uncovered a truth that runs through Scripture and the spiritual tradition. Seeking God, seeking to please God, obeying God, conforming to God’s will brings peace, where serving idols, seeking selfish aim, obeying only bodily appetites, conforming to the world brings exhaustion, unhappiness, guilt, and restlessness.

Vanity and the pursuit of renown animated his youth, but St. Ignatius came to recognize the importance of living for the greater glory of God.

In the reading from first Corinthians, St. Paul writes, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Those words no doubt inspired St. Ignatius’ formulation of the Jesuit motto, "Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam", which translates to "For the Greater Glory of God," 

And yet, the motto encapsulates a spiritual principle for every Christian—the need to orient our entire lives towards glorifying God in all we do. 

Even mundane tasks, when offered up to God—glorify him. This is why we do well to say a short prayer before meals, before undertaking tasks, before setting off for travel, before a difficult conversation. We pray that all that we do may be directed by God, for God, and towards God. 

Doing everything for the glory of God also means that we are to strive for excellence in our endeavors, our careers, our study, our relationships, our personal growth, our decision making—allowing our faith to guide everything we do. Excellence requires diligence, wisdom and openness to growth. 

Many of us are not in the habit of praying before our tasks. It requires us to slow down, to ensure that we are doing things for the right reasons with the proper preparation and seriousness. Excellence is rarely impulsive or hasty, it’s certainly not thoughtless and absentminded. 

In the lives of the saints we see that intentionality in their actions, they are careful to avoid offending God in their pursuit of obeying him and glorifying Him. They also cultivate a real sense of gratitude to God—for their life, for their blessings, for their salvation. They put away the foolish vain pursuits which leave us empty and sad, in order to pursue the highest good.

With the help of St. Ignatius, may we commit to the holy pursuits which will bring us joy—holy penances, holy work that will bring us the fulfillment God desires for us. 

May whatever we do today, be done with the intention of serving not ourselves, but the heavenly kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Church, that we may always seek to glorify God in all our actions and decisions, and for world leaders, that they may put aside selfish pursuits and instead work for the good of all people, guided by wisdom and true charity. 

For the Society of Jesus and all religious orders, that they may continue to inspire and lead others to a deeper relationship with God through their dedication and service, and for those discerning their vocation or making important life decisions, that they may be open to God's guidance and choose paths that bring glory to Him.

For those battling addictions or unhealthy attachments, that they may find strength in God's grace to overcome their struggles and reorient their lives towards Him, and for those struggling with emptiness or dissatisfaction in life, that they may find true peace and joy in seeking God's will.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of human trafficking, natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for the unborn, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Priest: Heavenly Father, graciously hear the prayers we bring before you. Through the intercession of St. Ignatius of Loyola, grant us the grace to grow in wisdom and love in order to serve you more faithfully on earth and so win a greater share of glory in heaven. Through Christ our Lord.

July 31 2020 - St. Ignatius of Loyola - From vanity to sanctity

Saint Ignatius was born at Loyola Spain in 1491, the youngest son of a noble and wealthy Basque family. In his autobiography, he described himself in that early part of his life as “a man given to the vanities of the world, whose chief delight consisted in martial exercises, with a great and vain desire to win renown.”

Vanity and the pursuit of renown animated his youth, but his life changed around the age of 30. For while defending the city of Pamploma from a French army, he was severely wounded in battle—his leg shattered by a cannonball.

And while he recovered, he had his great spiritual awakening. While convalescing, he read the life of Jesus and the lives of the saints.  He realized that his worldly pursuits, even though they involved courage and patriotism were to a large extent self-centered.  He saw how the Saints accomplished great deeds not for a worldly kingdom that will pass away, but for the eternal kingdom of God. He began to desire to emulate their radical poverty and humility and charity. 

And Ignatius noticed that as he resolved to imitate the holy austerities of the saints and to do penance for his sins, he was filled with a peace and happiness that he never experienced before.

Upon his recovery, he bade farewell to his family and made pilgrimage to Montserrat. He spent three days confessing the sins of his whole life. He hung his sword and dagger near the statue of the Virgin Mary as symbols of his abandoned worldly ambitions. And he clothed himself in sackcloth and spent the night in prayer. And for a number of months he lived as a beggar and practice those austere penances of the saints and attended mass daily.

After making pilgrimage to the Holy Land, then back to Rome, Venice, and Cyprus, he dedicated himself to study, that he might be able to help souls. He studied in Barcelona and then Paris, where he began to attract a small group of disciples, who took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, who would later go on to form the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.  “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam” was their motto—“for the greater glory of God”

Nearly 500 years later, his life, writings, and deep love of the Church, continue to inspire us to put our lives in the service of God’s glory. 

Like with Ignatius, there each of us have vain pursuits which leave us empty and sad, and holy penances and holy works which would bring us such happiness and fulfillment, if we but resolved, with God’s help to complete them. May whatever we do today, be done with the intention of serving not ourselves, but the heavenly kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Priest: We unite our prayers today with St Ignatius of Loyola and with all the community of saints.  

For Pope Francis, himself a member of the Jesuit Order, for wisdom and courage as he leads and guides our Church, and that all members of the Society of Jesus may strive for fidelity to Christ in all of their ministerial endeavors. 

That all Christians may strive daily for sanctity. For a rekindling of faith for the lukewarm, hope for the despairing, belief for the unbelieving.

For the safety and success of all missionaries. 

That our young people may turn away from the empty promises of the world and from all self-centeredness, for blessings upon all Christian families, for the protection of the unborn.

That the sick and suffering may find comfort in the promises of Christ and the consolation of the Spirit.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the souls in purgatory, deceased bishops, priests, and religious, those who fought and died for our freedom, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Ignatius, help us to live for your greater glory. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

July 31 2019 - St. Ignatius of Loyola - The pearl of great price

In today’s Gospel we encounter a powerful theme: the preciousness of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is to say, the preciousness of Jesus Christ himself. 

He is the treasure—he is the pearl of great price.  We learn that if we truly wish to possess this pearl of great price, we must sell all that we have.  That means, in order to possess this pearl, we must set aside our pride, we must set aside our attachment to our way of doing things, we must detach from our idea of the good life, and do everything in our power to strive after union with Christ. 

The source of our world’s sadness is that it does not know Christ. It assumes it knows Christ without truly knowing him.  The source of the Church’s joy, the joy of the saints, is that she does know him, she does possess him, she is united with him, in his suffering, in his dying, and in his rising. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola, whom we honor today, spoke of how this truth when he wrote, “Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to him and if they were to allow his grace to mold them accordingly." 

Ignatius, a knight for the king of Spain, was wounded in battle—a cannonball shattered his leg. And while convalescing he read the lives of the saints. He began to notice how the heroic sufferings of the saints for the Gospel brought him much joy, while thoughts of worldly pursuits which were to a large extent self-centered, left him inwardly dry and discontented.

He made a decision: to seek the pearl of great price, to abandon himself unreservedly to seek the greater glory of God—ad maiorem Dei gloriam, which became the motto of the Jesuit Order which he founded.

To strive after holiness, to focus on our personal holiness is not prideful, but necessary.  This means we seeking to overcome our vices, our self-centeredness, the effects that sin has had in our life, and strive to greater love today than we exercised yesterday.

Christ is the greatest of treasures, and to find him, we must strive daily to find Him by imitating His love, His Obedience to God, His embrace of the Cross for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We unite our prayers today with St Ignatius of Loyola and with all the community of saints. 

For Pope Francis, himself a member of the Jesuit Order, for wisdom and courage as he leads and guides our Church, and that all members of the Society of Jesus may strive for fidelity to Christ in all of their ministerial endeavors.

That all Christians may strive daily for sanctity. For a rekindling of faith for the lukewarm, hope for the despairing, belief for the unbelieving.

For the safety and success of all missionaries.

That our young people may turn away from the empty promises of the world and from all self-centeredness, for blessings upon all Christian families, for the protection of the unborn.

That the sick and suffering may find comfort in the promises of Christ and the consolation of the Spirit.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the souls in purgatory, deceased bishops, priests, and religious, those who fought and died for our freedom, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Ignatius, help us to live for your greater glory. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

June 21 2019 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga - Treasures in heaven

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born into a noble family in Renaissance Italy.  16th-century Florence was not very different from 21st-century America.  It was a lax, morally careless, self-indulgent age. Though he had been to exposed to society’s corruption, brutality and lust, Aloysius, at the age of 7, had a profound spiritual awakening. He saw the decadence around him and vowed not to be part of it. 

By age 11 he was teaching catechism to poor children, fasting three days a week and practicing great penances. After reading a book about Jesuit missionaries in India, Aloysius announced his desire to be a priest in the Society of Jesus, though it took four years for him to obtain permission from his father, who had more worldly dreams for his son.

In 1591, a catastrophic plague struck Rome and the Jesuits opened up a hospital.  The young Jesuit novice, Aloysius, nursed patients, carried them on his shoulders, washed them, and made their beds.  As a result of his tireless care of the sick, Aloysius caught the disease himself. He was overcome with a great fever and died at the age of 23 in 1591. His holiness was so evident that he was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1605.

Aloysius Gonzaga is a patron saint of catholic youth and teenagers, and also AIDS patients and their care-givers. Would that we all were dedicated to helping our young people form hearts like St. Aloysius!

He is often shown in sacred art and statues as a young man wearing the black cassock of the Jesuits and contemplating a crucifix or praying to the Blessed Virgin.

Aloysius took seriously the words of our Lord in the Gospel today: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…But store up treasures in heaven.” The saints show us precisely how this is done.

The young saint, once said, “He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him if he has not an ardent and constant desire to suffer for his sake.” Through the intercession of St. Aloysius, may each of us consider how God is calling us to grow in holiness, to serve the needy, to do penance, to pour ourselves out in service of the kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians will recommit themselves to fervent prayer as to grow in greater love and holiness.

That we may fast often from the things of the world, in order to seek and value the things of heaven.

That the Church may commit to almsgiving and acts of charity in order to care for the needs of the poor and store up treasure in heaven.

Through the intercession of St Aloysius Gonzaga, patron of young people, that the young may be blessed with true faith, the desire to serve the Lord above seeking the pleasures of the world, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for those with HIV, AIDS, and their caregivers, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the repose of the good Jesuits who have served the Church, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

July 31 2018 - St. Ignatius of Loyola - Discernment of Spirits and Daily Examen

While convalescing from a military injury, the young soldier Ignatius of Loyola discerned that the pursuits of the flesh, fame, wealth, power brought him emptiness and disappointment, where the pursuits of the spirit, as lived out in the lives of the saints and the famous spiritual volume, The imitation of Christ, brought him a sense of completeness and true peace.

Ignatius discerned well the logic of our Lord in the Gospel today: the Lord Jesus works to sow good seed in our hearts, which flourish to eternal life, where the enemy, the devil, sows seeds of corruption, which poison our souls, and lead to perdition. St. Paul echoed this sentiment in his letter to the galatians, when he wrote: “the one who sows for his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows for the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit.”

Upon recovery, Ignatius rightly discerned to give his life over to the greater glory of God. AMDG, Ad maiorem Dei gloriam “for the greater glory of God”, became the motto of the Jesuit Order which he founded, which took the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, as well as a special fourth vow of unconditional obedience to the Holy Father: to go wherever the pope should send them for the salvation of souls.

How are each of us called to serve God’s glory? We do well to follow Ignatius’ rules of discernment. We should identify the vain pursuits which bring only temporary satisfaction, and seek rather the activity that brings lasting peace and joy. Like the young knight Ignatius, sometimes we discover that we’ve been deceiving ourselves about what matters most in life, and shy away from true and humble service.

Ignatius developed what is called the daily examen, a prayer at the end of the day, to reflect on the day’s activities, to review the events of the day and consider, did I follow God’s initiative or my own, did I sew in the field of the flesh, or the field of the spirit. Then, in silence and peace, to express thankfulness for the gifts and blessings of the day, and ask repentance for our failure to live up to our Christian identity. Then finally, to ask God to help us resolve to grow and trust in the loving guidance of God tomorrow.

May we know the prayerful intercession of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in our daily efforts to work for the spread of the Gospel, for the greater glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For deliverance from all disordered affections and attitudes, for detachment from earthly goods in order to value the goods of heaven, that the Holy Spirit may guide our discernment for God’s service. We pray.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, for the Society of Jesus, and that we may all be dedicated to the greater glory of God.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of July: That priests, who experience fatigue and loneliness in their pastoral work, may find help and comfort in their intimacy with the Lord and in their friendship with their brother priests.

For freedom from inclement weather and any violent incidents or dangerous accidents during our upcoming parish festival, and that those who come to our parish grounds may know the goodness of God reflected in the charity and kindness of our parishioners.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests, religious, especially for all deceased Jesuits who have served our local Church, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

July 31, 2017 - St. Ignatius of Loyola - For the greater glory of God

Saint Ignatius was born at Loyola Spain in 1491 to a Basque noble family. He served the King of Spain as a knight. He was on his way to military fame and fortune when at the age of 30, he was severely wounded in battle—his leg shattered by a cannonball. During his recovery, he read The Life of Christ and the lives of the saints.

As he read and pondered these books, he noticed a change taking place within him. Daydreams of serving the king as a valiant knight and winning the love a noble lady, though at first enticing, ultimately left him feeling inwardly dry and discontented. By contrast, when he imagined devoting his life to the service of God and others, similar to the saints he was reading about, Ignatius experienced a deep sense of joy.

So he realized that his worldly pursuits, even though they involved courage and patriotism were to a large extent self-centered.  So, he began to follow that unshakable urge to accomplish great deeds for the kingdom of God by radically embracing poverty and charitable service for the glory of God.

AMDG - Ad maiorem Dei gloriam, became the motto of the Society of Jesus, which he founded. Ad maiorem Dei gloriam “for the greater glory of God”.  In addition to the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, professed members of the Jesuits would take a special fourth vow of unconditional obedience to the Holy Father: to go wherever the pope should send them for the salvation of souls.

How are each of us called to serve God’s glory? We do well to engage Ignatius’ rules of discernment. We should identify the vain pursuits which bring only temporary satisfaction, and seek rather the activity that brings lasting peace and joy. Like the young knight Ignatius, sometimes we discover that we’ve been deceiving ourselves about what matters most in life, and shy away from what true and humble service.

Ignatius wrote a powerful prayer of surrender to God.  You may have come across this before: “Receive, Lord, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. You have given me all that I have, all that I am, and I surrender all to your divine will, that you dispose of me. Give me only your love and your grace. With this I am rich enough, and I have no more to ask.”

What great holiness we would attain if we sought first God’s will over our own earthly attractions! May we know the prayerful intercession of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in our daily efforts to work for the spread of the Gospel, for the greater glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For our Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of July: that our brothers and sisters who have strayed from the faith, through our prayer and witness to the Gospel, may rediscover the merciful closeness of the Lord and the beauty of the Christian life. We pray.

For deliverance from all disordered affections and attitudes, for detachment from earthly goods in order to value the goods of heaven, that the Holy Spirit may guide our discernment for God’s service. We pray.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, for the Society of Jesus, and that we may all be dedicated to the greater glory of God.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering. We pray.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests, religious, especially for all deceased Jesuits who have served our local Church, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

June 21, 2017 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga - Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving bring purity of heart

The Gospel Reading is familiar to us; we hear it at least twice a year, most notably on Ash Wednesday, at the beginning of the penitential season of Lent.

And we hear in this Gospel about the three penitential practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. To the Jews of Jesus’ day, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving were very important spiritual practices.  In this teaching, Jesus is clear that his disciples are to continue to engage in these practices. These practices help us to detached from the things of the world, in order to focus on the one thing that really matters.
There was an order of monks who lived by the phrase: “Semper Quadragesima”, which means,
Always Lent.  They tried always to live in that penitential Lenten Spirit because it is so effective at guiding us away from selfishness to become truly generous and full of God's spirit.

These practices help us to obtain that purity of heart, which Jesus calls for in the beatitudes.
St. Francis of Assisi says, “A man is truly pure of heart when he has no time for the things of this world, but is always searching for the things of heaven”

The Saint we honor today, Aloysius Gonzaga, was especially noted for his purity of heart. By age 11 he was teaching catechism to poor children and fasting three day a week and practicing great austerities. After reading a book about Jesuit missionaries in India, Aloysius announced his desire to be a priest in the Society of Jesus, though it took four years for him to obtain permission from his father, who had more worldly dreams for his son.

And upon entering the Jesuits, his sanctity was truly evident, and he would enter into ecstatic prayer not only in chapel, but sometimes at meals and recreation periods. His love for God prompted him, also to serve the sick and needy. He sought the face of the Lord always. And that is the great promise Jesus makes in the beatitudes: blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God.

Prayer, fasting, giving alms are so powerful, they purify us from earthly cares, they open a window into heaven.

Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, have been taken up as concrete spiritual disciples since the beginning of the Church. And the saints remind us that through them we can achieve the sanctity God desires for each of us.

May our year-round prayer, fasting, and almsgiving bring us great purity of heart that we may radiate the light and love of Jesus for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians will recommit themselves to fervent prayer as to grow in greater love and holiness.

That we may fast often from the things of the world, in order to seek and value the things of heaven.

That the Church may commit to almsgiving and acts of charity in order to care for the needs of the poor and store up treasure in heaven.

Through the intercession of St Aloysius Gonzaga, patron of young people, that the young may be blessed with true faith, the desire to serve the Lord above seeking the pleasures of the world, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, especially Fr. John Jenkins, who died this week, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.