Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Fire. Fire has many qualities – it can purify, destroy, cook, refine, inspire and frighten. Fire can come in the form of a back-yard camp out with friends or an out of control forest fire. Fire can be powerful and life-changing.
Today is the memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius in fact means the “fiery one”. Much like fire, Ignatius, was both destructive and refining, a person to be feared and a man of inspiration. The defining difference in Ignatius’ life was God. Before his conversion, Ignatius was a knight. He fought in many battles, unharmed and was seen as a valuable asset in battle. In 1521 he was hit by a cannonball and sustained serious injuries. During his time in recovery Ignatius underwent a deep and profound conversion. Following this conversion he formed the Jesuit order and wrote the Spiritual Exercises, a set of Christian meditations and prayers meant to help the reader delve deeper into Christ’s life.
Today’s readings seem very appropriate for Ignatius as both have to do with fire and the power of fire. In the first reading we hear of the potter and how he is making and remaking the clay in his hands, until it is something good and it is just how he likes it. But simply forming the clay does not create a vessel. The clay must be hardened by fire. I love that the reading specifically tells us, “Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.” Jer 18:4 Jeremiah did not say that the potter threw this clay away but instead that he took this same clay and reformed it again into something that pleased him. I think that this is true of our lives as well. God does not simply throw us away and cast us off when he is unhappy with us. He tries to reach out to us and help us to remold and reform into the beautiful creation he has made us to be. Much like Ignatius of Loyola, it wasn’t until he had been reformed and reformed, through his conversion, that he could be truly tested by fire.
In our Gospel we hear again of fire, but this time in a more destructive way. We are told that “The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” MT 13:50 This says to me that while the Lord does provide opportunities for us to reform and change our ways, there will come a time when we will have to answer for our actions and face the judgment of the Lord. Let us use this time on Earth to be reformed into a pleasing creation for the Lord. May we be hardened into vessels for the Lord, by the “fires” we face in this life, so that in the final times we will not be thrown into the fiery furnace.
Also, if you have never had the chance to look into Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises I would encourage you to try them.
Amanda Grimm