homily on the feast of st. ignatius

Ignatius: the Limping Pilgrim
31 July 2007, Santa Maria Parish, Iloilo City

Good afternoon. Every year, during this time, the Jesuits, especially the Jesuit Scholastics are busy in giving recollections, prayer sessions, talks, and para-liturgies to Ateneo students from different levels, regarding the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Yesterday, I took part of that tradition by giving a para-liturgy to our primary school students which includes the students from grades 1, 2, and 3. I started my homily with them by asking “What was the height of St. Ignatius?” To facilitate this question with the young ones, I gave them two options to choose from. Perhaps, you would like to make a guess from this question. The first option was 5 feet and 1 inch and the other is 5 feet and 2 inches. I presented these options to them and I asked them to raise their hands when it was time to choose. Predictably, many of them were confused on which was the right answer.

But “What was really the height of St. Ignatius?” Historical facts show that St. Ignatius was indeed 5 feet and 2 inches. Just like the height of Dr. Jose Rizal, Christina Aguilera, yours truly and the like. But because I wanted the kids to be motivated and get their attention, I made a little twist from the answer. I told them that the height of St. Ignatius was both 5’1” and 5’2”. After saying this, I went in front and made a limping action. I refreshed their memories by saying that St. Ignatius was hit by a cannonball that is why his right leg was shorter than his left leg. That is why he walks 5’2”, 5’1”, 5’2”, 5’1”. Hence, his height was practically both.

My friends, I told you this story because today we celebrate the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. It was in May 1521 that he was struck by a cannonball during the battle defending the fortress in Pamplona. One leg was wounded, the other broken. He was brought back to recuperate at his home, the castle of Loyola. St. Ignatius, being worldly and vain, really wanted to go back to a life of a gentleman at the royal court. Hence, he doesn’t want to have a crooked leg. So he demanded that the bones of his leg be reset even at the price of two painful surgical operations without any form of anesthesia during that time. The leg eventually healed, but he was left with one leg shorter than the other. Because of boredom, he read the only two books available in the house – a book on the Saints and a book on the life of Christ. Then a miracle happened. The more Ignatius read these books, the more he considered the exploits and courage of the saints worth imitating. This experience marked the beginning of a conversion that eventually led him to become a pilgrim, a scholar, a priest, a saint – all for God’s greater glory. And the rest is history.

The story I told you at the start is something that is very catchy especially to the young ones. At least at their very young age, they know something about St. Ignatius which is actually a very crucial part in Ignatius’ life. Furthermore, we can draw some insights from this story for our personal reflection and consideration. There are two things I invite you to focus on. First the cannonball experience. And second, the limping Ignatius.

First, the cannonball experience. The famous cannonball really paved the way for the conversion of Ignatius. The experience made Ignatius think and reflect upon what to do with his life. We too experience different cannonballs in our lives. Some hit us soft and others hit us hard. But these cannonballs make us think of ourselves, our love ones, and perhaps life and God in general. These are the moments when our principles and values are tested. These are the experiences that make wonder. Yet, I like to believe that our cannonball is our cross in life that constantly invites us to follow our Lord. The most important component of the cross is not that it causes pain and not that is causes suffering. The most important component of the cross is that it gives life to others. When our pains do not bring life to others, this is not the cross of Christ because the cross of Christ always gives life. Christ invites us in the Gospel to give more of ourselves in order to give more life to others.

Second, the limping Ignatius. I think it was really hard for Ignatius, being a courtier, to accept that he was crippled. Yet that didn’t stop him from giving himself to the call of God. It wasn’t an excuse for him not to go the extra mile. Instead of just staying in Loyola, he traveled far places by foot just to reach Jerusalem and eventually Rome, to serve our Lord. For me, this is Magis: the desire to serve impelled him to give himself more, and to be more available for others. This is also very evident in the life of St. Ignatius and his companions. When St. Ignatius and his companions waited for a boat to go to the Holy Land so as to give their service, “to save souls”, they waited for sometime before finally resolving instead to serve under the Vicar of Christ in Rome. During those times, travels could take months and even years. Yet, while waiting, they never become idle. They busied themselves with many ministries like attending the sick in nearby hospitals, teaching and preaching the young and old alike, and even doing ministry with prostitutes and prisoners. They always found an opportunity to be missioned, to be called by Christ, even in situations of waiting, even in situations of great challenges. And this was all possible because they knew where their heart was, it was always in Christ, in all that they did for His greater glory. Christ was always the center of their life.

The story of St. Ignatius is also our story. Everyday, God invites us to follow him more, to be with him more, to be like him more, even in situations of waiting, even in situations of difficulties, even in situations of great challenges. Come to think of it, we could have just settled with the height of St. Ignatius as 5’2” or even 5’1”. However, there is a bigger story in the one-inch difference of Ignatius’ height. It is a story that reminds us that there is always an opportunity to see Christ more clearly, love Christ more dearly, and follow Christ more nearly. And this is what we are celebrating this afternoon. We are all invited to follow Christ more so that we can give ourselves more to others whether we are 5’1” or 5’2”.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.