“Finding
God in All things”
Life is a search, a quest to find
something meaningful that will enrich our lives. As we seek and search we find
knowledge, food, shelter, friends, money, joy and happiness. Our life on this
earth revolves around or focuses on one aspect i.e., of “finding something”.
The life of St. Ignatius whose feast we celebrate today was also a life of constant
finding and constant seeking.
As a young lad, Ignatius desired to
find the lady he loved. He engaged in courageous deeds just to impress the
kings and all the courtiers so that he would find himself as an outstanding
knight amidst the noble men and women. In his findings for power, prestige, wealth
he was knocked down by a cannon ball at the Pamplona battle. His shattered leg
made him stay put in the Loyola castle. The courageous, energetic, romantic,
restless, independent and popular Inigo was now a lifeless, lonely and
dependent lad. To kill the time of sadness, loneliness, irritation and pain he
asked his sister in law, Magdalena to bring some romance story books, the kind
he liked. Magdalena gave him “the Life of Christ” and “The lives of Saints” and
said to Inigo, “I have brought the two greatest romance stories that were ever
written. Nothing can equal the love of Christ for us and the love of the saints
for the Lord”. As they were the only books available in the house Inigo was
compelled to read, hoping that Magdalena would bring him some romance stories
after reading the two books. As he hesitatingly opened “The Life of Christ”,
Inigo found himself in the hills of Galilee walking with Master Jesus. He stood
with Him by the sea and heard the words of eternal life. He experienced the
compassion of Christ and the thrill of the crowds over the healing of the blind
and crippled. He experienced his mercy when he forgave the woman caught in adultery.
Then time stood still as the he knelt beneath the cross to watch a crucified
God died for him a sinner. Ignatius discovered that the fantastic adventures of
chivalrous knights, all their deeds of love, all their sacrifices for earthly honor
faded into colorless deeds, love and sacrifices compared to earthly desires. Inigo,
the soldier for the earthly king had now become the soldiers for the Divine King.
He inflamed the world through education, charitable works, parish ministries
and missionary zeal. He founded the Society of Jesus, who lived like friends in
the Lord, to love and to serve all people for the greater glory of God.
All the readings of today i.e., the 1st,
2nd and the Gospel could be summarized in the phrase, “Finding God
by surrendering to Him”. The book of Deuteronomy tells us that it is only when
we surrender our lives to God we shall “live and multiply” and the “Lord our
God will bless us”. St. Paul in his letter to Timothy acclaimed that he
received mercy only after surrendering himself to the Lord as a sinner. In the
Gospel Jesus says that those who want to follow Him have to surrender themselves,
take up the cross and then follow Him. It is only when we surrender ourselves
to the Lord we will be transformed and like Peter we will be able to say, “You
are the Christ of God”.
The Theme “Finding God in all things”
unveils the truth that God is the Alpha and the Omega. It includes the aspects
of finding God in oneself, others, in nature and in all earthly and heavenly
beings. When we find God in ourselves we begin to love others and nature. We
begin to deepen our relationship with God, human being and nature. When we find
God in everything all our intentions, actions and operations will be ordered purely
to the service and praise of the Divine Majesty.
Let us pray during this Eucharist that we may
be able to see and find God in ourselves, in our brothers and sisters and in
nature. May saint Ignatius pray for us that we be able to surrender ourselves
to the Lord, cast away power, prestige and possession and put on the clothes of
justice, love, peace humility, sharing and caring. “Love
ought to manifest itself more by deed s than by words”.
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