Ignatius of Loyola was born in Spain in 1491, and as a boy he served as a page in the king’s court and had a military education. He joined the army and served until he was 30 when he received a leg wound from a cannonball. While recovering, he read a book with biographies of saints and another book on the life of Christ. Ignatius abandoned his life as a soldier and spent a year living in a cave contemplating the life of a Christian. He made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, studied theology, then started the Society of Jesus, now known as the Jesuits, and their missionaries circled the globe spreading the Gospel. He is also responsible for developing the discernment of spirits and a procedure for conducting spiritual retreats that today bears his name.
CHALLENGE
St. Ignatius of Loyola said: “If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint.” Are you suffering for Christ? Could you suffer more for him? Today, seek out an opportunity to suffer more for Christ: give your time, your sleep, your money, or your comfort… until it hurts! If it doesn’t hurt, it’s not suffering.
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