Memorial Of Saint Ignatius Of Loyola

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. So much can be said about this great saint. Between founding the Jesuits, who would become prolific evangelizers, defenders of the faith, and educators, and his contributions to the spiritual life, his achievements have been numerous. Perhaps no contribution of his was greater than his discipline. As a former soldier, that disciplined nature carried over into his approach to spirituality. We would do well to learn from him and adopt his discipline in our own spiritual lives.

Gospel - Matthew 13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples:

"The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,

which collects fish of every kind.

When it is full they haul it ashore

and sit down to put what is good into buckets.

What is bad they throw away.

Thus it will be at the end of the age.

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."

"Do you understand all these things?"

They answered, "Yes."

And he replied,

"Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven

is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom

both the new and the old."

When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

Scriptural Analysis

Jesus next compares the kingdom of heaven to a net that has been tossed into the sea. Of course, such a parable would speak to the people in the region of the Sea of Galilee, which had a bustling fishing industry. Such a net will gather fish indiscriminately. Fish of all kinds, both edible and inedible, would be collected. On the shore, the fisherman would sort the fish. Again, it is likely that during his presentation of this parable, Jesus may have had an example on the sea or the shore to point to.

This parable, just as the weeds and the wheat, shows how the good will coexist with the evil in this world. Additionally, at the end of time, there will be a separation of the good from the evil.

At the conclusion of this discourse, Jesus asks his disciples if they understand what has been told to them. His disciples respond affirmatively, which is significant because Jesus had earlier stated that the crowds would lack a clear understanding. However, hearing the word and comprehending it is a hallmark of the seed that falls on good soil and bears fruit. While the disciples still have much to learn, they possess a level of knowledge that will distinguish them from the crowds and enable their mission to be fruitful.

Jesus compares the disciples to scribes who were scholars of the scriptures trained to interpret the law. In the book of Sirach, we hear that a scribe, "will preserve the discourse of notable men and penetrate the subtleties of parables; he will seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs and be at home with the obscurities of parables.” However, unlike the scribes who are associated with the Pharisees who oppose Christ, the disciples are the scribes of the new kingdom because they understand the parables and have been discipled in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus makes a second comparison between the disciples and the head of a household. The head goes into his storeroom and brings out both the old and the new. The disciples are the ones who will understand how Jesus’s ministry (the new) will fulfill God’s plan for salvation (the old). The disciples are much better interpreters of the scriptures than the scribes who have allied themselves with the Pharisees.

In typical fashion, Matthew closes this section using the formula, “When Jesus finished these.” This is not the third time he has used that formula to close a section.

Daily Application

We have talked extensively in previous articles about the importance of the nightly examen. That is a cornerstone of Ignition Spirituality. Chapter thirteen of Matthew’s gospel is a good reminder of why this is so important. God does not always appear to us in all his grandeur and glory. We recall encounter Elijah had with the Lord in the 1st book of Kings, “But the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12) God spoke in the stillness and the silence. Thus, it was easy to miss him unless Elijah was looking for him. Jesus spoke in parables, making it easy to misunderstand him unless the disciples were looking for him.

Purchase The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius

God also speaks to us, but often in subtle or unexpected ways. Unless we dedicate time each night, as St. Ignatius encourages us to do through a nightly examen, we risk missing how our Lord has been present to us throughout the day and what He has been trying to communicate. Ignatius’s examen has five steps:

1. Place yourself in God’s presence. Give thanks for God’s great love for you.

2. Pray for the grace to understand how God is acting in your life.

3. Review your day — recall specific moments and the feelings you experienced at the time.

4. Reflect on what you did, said, or thought in those instances. Were you drawing closer to God, or further away?

5. Look toward tomorrow — think of how you might collaborate more effectively with God’s plan. Be specific, and conclude with the “Our Father.”

Once you are proficient at this and have developed the discipline necessary to walk through these steps each night, the examen does not have to take a lengthy amount of time. It is possible in 10 focused minutes to complete all five steps. That is the beauty of Ignatian spirituality. It is very approachable, and nothing is more approachable than the nightly examen. On this Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, let us dedicate ourselves to praying the nightly examen so that we may be like the disciples who recognized Jesus and his kingdom.