While Ignatius is a medieval figure and a product of his time in many ways, he contributes immensely to the promotion of a synodal Church. First, his love for the Church stands out in his life and mission. He puts the Society of Jesus at the service of the Church without conditions. He reminds those who go through his Spiritual Exercises to think and feel with the Church (sentire cum ecclesia). Synodality in the Church is only possible if one has great love and affection for it, despite its own share of fragilities and imperfections.
Second, Ignatius uses the discernment of spirits as a tool for finding the will of God. As a master of discernment, no doubt, he invites us to be sensitive to the movements of the Spirit, to avoid getting lured by what appears to be good, and to seek to encounter God in all things. Discernment entails a lot of listening to ourselves and to each other, including the groaning of creation, attentiveness to the signs of God’s call, and not getting attached to our own preferences. It is not the type of listening that is selective and based on personal preferences. Synodality in the Church invites surprises because if we are truly led by the Spirit, then we peacefully embrace the uncertainties and newness of life that come our way.
Finally, Ignatius suggests that we free ourselves from anything that enslaves us– a sense of indifference that privileges no other thing, no matter how good it may be, but the centrality of God. This is only possible if we, as a community of faith, are free enough to choose God above all things. Synodality in the Church in this way presupposes a great deal of freedom to journey into the unknown and the unfamiliar. It is never controlling of processes and outcomes.
We give thanks to the Lord for the gift of Ignatius: his love for the Church, his mode of discernment, and his resolve to enlarge our spaces of freedom to respond to the call of the Lord. All these are crucial ingredients for building a synodal Church. No wonder Ignatius, while a medieval saint, remains significantly relevant to a 21st-century Church that seeks to renew itself for its mission in the world.
Happy Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola!
Tony Moreno SJ
President, Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific