Holy Family of Bordeaux - Province of Ireland and Britain

To-day the church celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order. The story of Ignatius’ conversion is worth recalling. As a young soldier he was wounded in battle and while convalescing in a castle in Loyola he asked for some romantic novels to while away the hours. To his great disappointment there was nothing available but the lives of the saints. He decided to give them a go and soon found himself fascinated by the lives of these brave men and women who gave up everything to follow Christ and take Him as their leader and King. Still a soldier at heart Ignatius began to imagine himself a soldier in Christ’s army. Gradually the idea appealed to him and he found peace in seeing himself fighting for the establishment of Christ’ Kingdom on earth.

We could say that it was providential that there were no novels available for the young Ignatius during his time of boredom. The Lord still has his own way of calling us to follow him more closely. For Ignatius it was failure, a time of boredom and the inspiring example of others. What about you? How will the Lord call you today?

Jesus came on earth to reveal to us God’s love for all his creatures. This love is all inclusive. There is nothing outside the sphere of God’s love. “In God, we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17 : 28

Now the universe can fully respond to the Creator in the person of Jesus. This is INCARNATION. God gives us His own Divine Life to nourish and support us. Through Jesus, we are called into this relationship with God, a relationship of love that will transform and utterly change us.

“God is love and those who live in love live in God.”  This love enables us to reach out in love to those around us. This connectedness with God and the universe is our very essence.   Through His ability to communicate with God,  our Creator,  Jesus reveals God to us in a new and loving relationship.

“God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God and God lives in him” John 4 : 16 – 17

We have seen how Moses was a man of prayer-someone who spent hours in the Lord’s company. During that time God spoke to his chosen leader. Moses listened carefully and carried out God’s instruction to the letter. He had always obeyed since the time when he had been sent to Pharaoh to begin the liberation of the Israelites. Now it was a question of erecting a tabernacle which would be a house for the Lord’s presence during their journey to the Promised Land. God’s presence would appear as a ‘cloud’ by day and as a ‘fire’ by night.

The life of Jesus, the new Moses was marked by obedience – ‘obedience unto death’. In his long hours of prayer he discovered the Father’s will which he fulfilled joyfully. ‘What the Father has taught me is what I preach for I always do what pleases him’ ( John 8 :29 )

What about us? Do we pray to discover God’s will in our lives or are we always asking God to do what we want?

Moses on the mountain was so intimate with God that it transformed him not only inwardly but even outwardly. The grace of God shone through him lighting up his countenance so that the Israelites noticed the difference and stood in awe of him.

We are reminded of that day when Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain and was transformed in their presence. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as snow.

There can be no doubt that spending time in the Lord’s presence does transform us. Douglas Hyde, who was a staunch communist, told how he once watched a young girl come into a church in London and looking very anxious and depressed. She went to Our Lady’s shrine, lit a candle and prayed. On her way out he noticed a transformation. The girl was now radiant, her worries were obviously lifted and she was at peace. Douglas Hyde was so impressed that he himself approached Our Lady’s statue and for the first time in his life prayed as best he could. He too experienced peace in his heart – the result was the conversion of this ardent communist into a fervent Christian.