Tuesday, July 31, 2012

We Want You - to be a missionary in America

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius is very well-known—his legacy provided renewal for the Church when She was in need and it still lives on in many ways today. His conversion, his Spiritual Exercises, and of course, the Society of Jesus are precious gifts that we remember him for.

Among his many accomplishments is the part St. Ignatius played in the conversion of St. Francis Xavier. The two were roommates while studying at the University of Paris, and during that time St. Ignatius’ example had a life-changing impact on St. Francis’ life.

St. Ignatius was on the path to fame and glory as a soldier when he experienced a radical conversion. Injured in battle, he spent his recovery time reading about Christ and the lives of the Saints. He was touched by these stories, and as he healed, he committed to a new life for God and for others. After a period of quiet prayer and pilgrimage, St. Ignatius began his priestly studies at an older age than most. The timing was perfect, though, because he met the first Jesuits: his fellow students who learned from his radical decision to abandon everything to the will of God.

St. Francis Xavier was slow to come around. He was a devout man, but he already had a very specific idea of how he wanted to serve the Kingdom of God. For six years he resisted his roommate’s influence, because giving in would mean giving up the life he wanted—to be a Church scholar. St. Ignatius still kept a close relationship with St. Francis, and eventually his witness to the Truth and abandonment led to St. Francis’ conversion. St. Francis opened his heart to God’s will, and as a member of the Society of Jesus, he set off on Far East missions, bringing Christ to pagan territories that were desperately in need of His light.

Recently, Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia referred to his city as a “mission territory.” Some thought this was a bit extreme, but Cardinal Dolan of New York supported the Archbishop’s statement on his blog, and even admitted that his city is in the same state: “we are a mission territory, too.  Every diocese is.  And every committed Catholic is a missionary.”

God called St. Francis Xavier to bring Christ to people in far-away places, but we are being called to bring Him to the people next door. We can do this by opening our hearts to God’s will, and we can do this by developing close relationships with those who need our witness, as St. Ignatius did with St. Francis. This is the New Evangelization.

The Church needs you! Believe it—you can become a Saint by shattering the darkness in your city, even in your parish church. And like St. Ignatius, you can help the Holy Spirit form more Saints on the way.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Pray for Us.
Mary, Star of the New Evangelization, Pray for Us

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