Ignatius of Loyola: From Court to Saint – Jul 31 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 31, 2024, on how St. Ignatius of Loyola was transformed from a courtier to a saint, founding the Jesuits and emphasizing humility as the foundation of virtue against the devil's temptations.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, born in 1491, underwent a remarkable transformation from a courtier to a saint. After suffering severe injuries during the Siege of Pamplona in 1521, he experienced a profound conversion while reading "The Life of Christ" and "A Book of the Lives of Saints." Inspired by the lives of saints like St. Francis and St. Dominic, Ignatius dedicated himself to God, leaving his former life behind. He founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1540, emphasizing spiritual warfare against the devil's tactics, particularly the temptation towards pride. Ignatius's "Spiritual Exercises" teach us to counter pride with humility, embracing poverty of spirit and resisting the temptations of honor and riches. He encourages us to seek humility as the foundation of all virtues, following the example of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Further reading:

Wikipedia - Historical details on Ignatius - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Loyola
NAB Bible - Sermon on the Mount - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?3
Franciscan Media - Life of St. Ignatius - https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-ignatius-of-loyola
James 4:6 - “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/james/4?6
CCC 2546 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit" - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2546.htm
CCC 2728 - Difficulties in Prayer - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2728.htm
CCC 2015 - The Spiritual Battle - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2015.htm

00:00 - Introduction to St. Ignatius
00:15 - Early Life and Family Background
01:00 - Military Service and Injury
01:50 - Conversion and Spiritual Awakening
02:57 - Pilgrimage and Theological Studies
03:59 - Founding the Society of Jesus
05:02 - Spiritual Exercises and the Two Standards
07:00 - Pride vs. Humility in Spiritual Warfare

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Ignatius of Loyola - Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=56
Readings: Wednesday in the 17th Week in Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/073124.cfm
1st: jer 15:10, 16-21
Resp: psa 59:2-4, 10-11, 17, 18
Gsp: mat 13:44-46

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1119&r=899

Also on Facebook:
and YouTube: https://youtu.be/3UmTcwx7GEQ