by Joseph Patrick Echevarria
Good morning. In line with our theme for the week – “St. Ignatius the Pilgrim who sought the Glory of God” – it is perhaps apt to relate or juxtapose “St. Ignatius the Pilgrim” to a certain “rich young man” we find in the Gospel.
In Matthew’s Gospel, the “rich young man” desires to have a more meaningful life, and seeks out and approaches Jesus and inquires about what more he can do to live a better life – after all, he has already observed the ten commandments, which are difficult enough by themselves. Jesus sees his sincere desire and responds with an invitation to go further, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. We can probably imagine that Jesus, in his humanity, felt sad for the rich young man as well. He was a good young man, but he just couldn’t take that next step. Maybe he had something he couldn’t let go of, or he had responsibilities at home and his family expected much from him, it could be that he is to take over the family business, or perhaps he just wasn’t ready to surrender everything, to surrender himself. In any case, he turned away with his head bowed down.
In many ways, Ignatius too was a “rich young man”. He lived in a castle, he was brave, and an exemplary fighter and swordsman, admired by his peers and the ladies of the court, even his enemies greatly respected him. You could say he had it all. But he too was interested in a better life, not just of comfort and wealth and women and power, but a life of greater meaning and purpose. Like the “rich young man” in the Gospel, he went far and wide in search of meaning; he became a “pilgrim”. And in his travels, like the “rich young man”, he met Jesus, and the Lord, saw his sincerity, invited him to come and follow. But unlike the “rich young man”, Ignatius said “yes”. If we try to imagine that moment in Ignatius’ life, his “yes” might have been said with a little fear for he did not know where Jesus will take him and a little nostalgia at the once grand life he was abandoning. But surely, it was a “yes” filled with much trust and much faith and much love. And as we know, his “yes” to Jesus has made all the difference in his life and in the many lives he has touched then and even now, in the many Jesuits over the years and across nations, and, of course, his “yes” has made a big difference in the many people these Jesuits know, like the students, the teachers, the staff and professionals in the Ateneo High School.
And if we think and look carefully, we will see Ignatius’ “yes” repeated by many in our community, some more obvious than others, some also rich and also young and talented and accomplished and handsome – but have sought a better life, have sought a life of deeper meaning, have sought to follow the God who knows only to love and to give without measure.
To be sure, the world and its values will see these “rich young men” as crazy. But perhaps it will also make them ask, make us ask: “Who is this Jesus who can inspire these men to give up everything to come and follow him?”
As we ask, we pray: In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Father, You know us, You know our desires, You know our deepest desires. Grant us the wisdom that we may recognize it ourselves. And grant us the strength, the perseverance and the patience to pursue it with all that we have and all that we are. Amen. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
