We live in a time of great uncertainty and suffering. While we are in this pandemic, many of our plans have been disrupted. Many lives have been claimed by Covid-19. Many people suffer from hunger and sickness. In one study made, there is a notable shift of emotion of people during the time of pandemic, that is, from being fearful in the beginning to becoming increasingly angry. This may not be true for all cases, but, more than ever, we realise our fragility. Many of us appear to be uncomfortable with the new normal. We somewhat accept this new reality but deep down we long to return to the pre-pandemic period.
St Ignatius had many experiences of uncertainty and suffering. When he decided to start a new life after recovering from the wound he endured at the battle of Pamplona in 1521, he did not know what was in store for him. When he divested himself of his riches and started a life of begging, he was unsure about meeting his daily needs. His studies in Barcelona in his 30s, his imprisonment in Alcala, and his imprisonment again and trial in Salamanca were some of the many experiences of uncertainty and difficulty after his conversion. In Paris, where he would meet his first companions, he did not know where the Lord was leading them. They wanted to go to Jerusalem and follow the footsteps of the Lord. But when it was clear they could not go there, they decided to form themselves as one body and present themselves to the Pope. The establishment of the Society of Jesus as a religious order was met with tough oppositions. Despite all these, Ignatius and his companions persevered. In 1540, Pope Paul III confirmed the creation of the Society.
We can learn a lot from Ignatius’s disposition in the face of uncertainty and suffering. He was so free from attachments and so free as well for the mission. His centeredness on God, his resolve to serve the mission, his sense of hope founded on deep faith, his willingness to be led by the Spirit, his humility before the greater scheme of God and his flexibility enabled him to carry out the mission entrusted to him despite the challenges. Ignatius gave himself totally in God’s hands while relentlessly discerning with others God’s will for him and the Society of Jesus. This gave him courage and peace to navigate in a time of uncertainty and pain.
May we grow in the mind and heart of Ignatius in this period of ambiguity.
Happy feast day to one and all!
Tony Moreno SJ
President, Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific
Feast of St Ignatius, 31 July 2020