Some readers entering our book contest wrote about how St. Ignatius has inspired them. Here are some excerpts from these comments. (Go here to enter the contest if you haven’t already.)
As a woman and a Presbyterian, I think of him as an affectionate and helpful older brother.
I think his story is a fascinating one, with many ups and downs, twists and turns. It gives me hope that God can make anything out of anyone if they only let God work, as Ignatius did.
My favorite story about St. Ignatius Loyola is that he kept a picture of the Holy Family in the room he used for prayer. It is said that he used this simple picture for his daily meditation and imagined himself sitting down to dinner with the Holy Family. This story along with St. Ignatius’ suggestion that we try to imagine ourselves in a scene as we read the gospel, has helped me in trying to meditate on the readings.
I like the fact that Ignatius started on his journey by feeling he could beat other saints at the sainthood game.
Ignatius as a 30 (or 40?) year old struggling to learning Latin, tells me to write “AMDG” at the bottom of my to-do list, log off Facebook, and crack the books.
Ignatius, after all that, ended up doing office duty, just like me.
St. Ignatius is the only saint with a notarized police record! If a jailbird can be converted into one of the greatest saints, then I have a chance to be converted too.
It took Ignatius years and many wrong turns before he found his way of finding God in all things. This gives me hope!
Ignatius has been a great influence on me, especially after having 4 kids (and expecting a 5th!). Finding God in all things has been such an eye-opener for me.
I love his intensity in the beginning when he grew his nails and hair and did everything with such fervor and passion. He eventually scaled things back and adjusted to where he felt God was calling him.
I admire St. Ignatius and his Prayer for Generosity, parituclarly, the lines. “To give and not to count the cost, to fight and not heed the wounds, to labor and not seek for reward…” It has been my ideal in trying to be a person-for-others.
I read these reflections daily and often find that they are speaking to my heart. It is a great way to find guidance and a wonderful way to grounding yourself in God’s ways.
Ignatius was so tenacious! I am often tempted to give up easily or to escape rather than face difficulties. While dealing with disappointment, illness, and slander, he was always, “finding another way,” to spread God’s word. Perhaps we could say that he had remarkable courage and a lion-hearted spirit.
Thank you to fellow readers for sharing your stories and reflections about Ignatius. I’ve truly been inspired by the comments shared this week.