San Estanislao Kostka: Santo at Binata

ni Ronan B. Capinding

Naaalala ko nu’ng magkasalubong kami ni Fr. Eli Lumbo, ang ating APFor.
Sabi niya sa ‘kin, “Ron, sa Nobyembre, buwan ni Saint Stanislaus Kostka. Bagay yata na Office of Student Activities ang manguna sa Monday reflections.“ Ang sagot ko naman agad, “Sure, Father.” At mabilis lang, naghiwalay na kami at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

Saka ko naisip, “Student Activities at St. Stanislaus Kostka?”. Hmm, hindi naman mahirap hagilapinang kaugnayan ng dalawa. Una, si San Estanislao ay estudyante at teenager, ang pinakabatang santo sa Kapisanan ni Hesus. Sa loob lamang ng labingwalong taon, naabot niya ang kabanalang hindi basta naaabot ng mga nakatatanda noong panahon niya, o kahit ng matatanda ngayon sa panahon natin. Kaya naman si St. Stanislaus Kostka mismo ang pintakasi (o patron saint) ng Mataas na Paaralang Ateneo. Isa kasi siyang huwarang binata. Isang tinitingalang halimbawa. Kamangha-mangha.

Isa pa, sa kaniya rin kinuha ang pangalan ng ating parangal para sa kabutihang asal at kaginoohandito sa Mataas na paaralang Ateneo. Napakadisiplinadong binata rin kasi ni San Estanislao; mabait
na kasapi ng pamilya, mabait na kaibigan at seminarista, madasalin, at palaiwas sa gulo at tukso.
Kagiliw-giliw. Kagiliw-giliw. Batang Santo. Pintakasi. Kamangha-mangha. Banal. Huwaran ng Kabutihang-asal.

Ano pa ba ang mga astig na bagay ang masasabi tungkol kay San Estanislao? Nariyan pang
nagpakita sa kaniya ang Mahal na Birhen noong maysakit siya dahil taimtim siyang nagdasal na
makatanggap ng sakramento kahit ayaw pumayag noon ng kumukupkop sa kaniya. Nariyan ding
hindi nagbagong-anyo ang kanyang mga labi kahit tatlong taon na siyang sumakabilang-buhay.
Kakaiba talaga. Katangi-tangi.

Aba, makikitang lampas na lampas pa siya sa pagiging basta estudyante lang. Kahit hindi larangan ng Student Activities, mayroon at mayroong makikitang kaugnayan kay San Estanislao. Kaya naman minsan tuloy, mas naididiin kung paano siyang naiiba sa karaniwang binatilyo. Kaya tuloy minsan, hindi natin siya magamit na halimbawa ng estudyanteng karaniwan. Nasasabi tuloy natin kung minsan, “Iba naman kasi si Kostka. Santo siya, e.”

Kaya para naman maiba, subukin natin siyang pag-usapan ngayon bilang karaniwang teenager.
Imbes na banggitin kung ano ang mga nagtatangi sa kanya sa iba pang bata, pansinin natin ngayon kung anu-ano ang naghahawig sa kanya sa mga kaedad niyang tulad ninyo.

Tulad ng marami sa inyo, mahirap dinsiyang awatin. Ayaw niyang paawat. Gustung-gusto niyang
pumasok sa Kapisanan ni Hesus sa napakabatang gulang. Ayaw ng tatay niya. Ayaw rin ng Direktor ng seminaryo sa lugar nila. Pero ayaw niyang paawat, naglakad siya ng napakahabang distansiya, nagbalatkayong pulubi habang naglalakbay, dahil determinado siyang mag-Heswita, kahit sa ibang
seminaryo pa sa labas ng kaniyang bayan. Parang kayo rin, ilang beses nang sinabing huwag
sumali sa ganyang komite, huwag kang mag-volunteer sa ganyang proyekto, huwag maging aktibo sa ganyang samahang pangmag-aaral, huwag nang ituloy’yan dahil naman required. Pero ayaw paawat. Kahit may tiis at dusa, ayaw niyong papigil kung buung-buo na ang loob niyong tumugon sa isang tawag. Batang-bata. Kostkang-Kostka.

Tulad din ninyo, may mga nagpapamiserable rin sa buhay niya. Alam ba ninyong binu-bully parati si Kostka noon? Hindi ng mga kamag-aral o kaibigan niya, kundi ng Kuya niya. Kaya naman mas mahirap dahil hindi talaga niya matatakasan. Lagi siyang inaalaska, inuutusan, binubuntal. Pero hindi siya pinanghinaan ng loob, tulad ng marami sa inyo. Hindi kayo pumapatol sa mga bully. Lalo na kung alam ninyo ang inyong halaga, ang inyong mga pagpapahalaga, ang inyong mga pangarap. Alam kasi ninyo kung sino kayo. At dahil doon, hindi kayang sirain ng kanyang Kuya ang diskarte ni Kostka. Parang siya na nga ang naging mas matanda at parang hinihintay na lang niyang tumanda rin ang kuya niya. Hindi siya pumatol, hindi siya nasira dahil dito. Kaya tuloy, nu’ng mamatay si Kostka, ang kuya niya ang pinakahumagulgol. At dahil sa masidhing pag-ibig sa nakababata niyang kapatid, hinangad din niyang mag-Heswita gaya ng kanyang kapatid.

At tulad uli ninyo, wala naman espesyal o kakaibang pagkakataon si San Estanislao na maging mabuti. Payak at karaniwan din lang ang mga pagkakataong mayro’n siya. Hindi siya bayani ng
digmaan; hindi rin nagpakamartir para sa pananampalataya; hindi naman umakda ng aklat; hindi rin siya naghimala. Wala lang. Karaniwan. Nang makapasok nga siya sa seminaryo, tuwang- tuwa siya dahil mithiin talaga niya ‘yon. Pero ang naging trabaho niya sa seminary kalaunan ay tagawalis ng sahig. Biruin n’yo ‘yon. Liban sa pagdarasal, ang umuubos sa panahon niya ay pagwawalis ng sahig. Parang mas kapana-panabik pa yata ang magbura ng pisara, o mag-class beadle, o mag-prayer leader, o mag-treasurer, o mag-Logistics Committee ng SophComm, o mag- Programs Committee ng Fair o mag-Org Head, o mag-Varsity, kaysa maging tagawalis ng sahig. Pero huwag ka, isa sa mga pinakasikat na hirit ni Kostka ay, "I find a heaven in the midst of saucepans and brooms." (2x). “May nasusumpungan akong langit sa mga dustpan at walis.” Pilyo man at parang walang galang, puwede ring masabing, “Aba, aba, aba! Dinaan ni Kostka sa pagwawalis ang paghantong sa langit.”

O sige nga. Ikaw. Buuin mo nga ngayon sa isip mo ang sarili mong bersiyon ng hirit ni Kostka. “
Dadaanin ko sa (blank) ang paghantong sa langit.” Hindi kailangang humanap ng bago o espesyal na gawain. Kahit ‘yung mga natitipuhan at kayang-kaya mo na ngayon, puwede na ‘yon. Halimbawa:
Dadaanin ko sa “pag-aaral sa pagsusulit” ang paghantong sa langit. Dadaanin ko sa “pagtulong
sa Palig” ang paghantong sa langit. Dadaanin ko sa “pagsisinop ng basura” ang paghantong sa
langit. Dadaanin ko sa “pagbati sa mga nakakasalubong ko” ang paghantong sa langit. Dadaanin ko sa “pagsisimba tuwing alas-siyete ng umaga” ang paghantong sa langit. At iba pa.

Basta dapat sana, mayroon kang Layunin o yayakaping Gawain o Paglilingkod, gaano man kaliit.
Layunin o Gawain o Paglilingkod. Na siyang magtutulak sa iyong higit pang kumayod at higit pang magdasal. Dahil kasi sa mga mithiin, lumalakas tuloy ang iyong pagkayod, lumalakas tuloy ang iyong pagdarasal, at hindi ka kayang tumbahin ng mga pumipigil sa iyo, ng mga nambu-bully at umaalaska sa ‘yo, ng kasimplehan at kahinaan ng papel na naitakda sa ‘yo. ‘Yun siguro ang kitang-kita kay Kostka. Minamalaki niya ang mga pagkakataong naibibigay sa kaniya. “Anuman ‘to, magiging daan ko ito patungong langit. Yayakapin at mamahalin ko ito, ipagdarasal ko ito, at ako ang magiging pinakamahusay at magiting na tagawalis ng sahig.” Ganyan na ganyan din ang tinatawag nating Magis dito sa Ateneo. Hindi nadaraan sa dami o laki ng nagawa, kundi sa pag-ibig na ibinuhos sa
ginawa. Love lang talaga ang Magis. Sabi nga: Lab talaga, at hindi Labis, ang Magis.

Sa halimbawa ni San Estanislao, nakikita nating tila mas masahol pa ang tumunganga kaysa
magkamali. Marami yatang mga santo ang nadapa rin at nagkamali. Pero walang santong
tumunganga. Lahat ng mga santo, nabuhay nang buhay na buhay. At huwag ka sanang tutunganga dahil kayo mo ring mabuhay nang buhay na buhay. Kung 1st year ka, namnamin mo ang mga iniaalok ng buhay- 1st year. Kung 2nd year, 3rd year o 4th year ka, sairin mo ang bulalo ng buhay-2nd year,3rd year o 4th year. Magising ka sana. Magsigla ka. Mabuhay. Ikagat mo nang malalim ang iyong mga ngipin sa anumang gawaing maaari mong pagbuhusan ng sarili at maaaring magtulak sa ‘yo sa taimtim na pagdarasal. Tingnan mo ang kinatawan ng klase mo sa Palig, ang IndAK, ang SophComm, ang Serye-Kabataan, ang mga sumali sa KLIK, at maraming iba pa. Buhay na buhay sila ngayon. Kayod nang kayod at dasal nang dasal sila ngayon dahil may pinili silang yakaping munting paglilingkod. “I find a heaven in the midst of saucepans and brooms.” Lahat ng nakapaligid sa iyong pagkakataon ngayon, malaki man o maliit, nag-aanyaya tungo sa kabanalan. Hindi na hinintay ni San Estanislao ang mga hamong malalaki at pangmatanda; naging santo siya sa pag-atupag sa mga simpleng gawain niya bilang isang binata.

Sa huli, San Estanislao Kostka AT mga Gawaing Pangmag-aaral: magkaugnay na magkaugnay nga. Pagiging Banal AT Pagiging Bata: hindi pala sila malayo o magkasalungat. Santo AT Binatilyo: dahil kay San Estanislao Kostka, alam na nating puwedeng-puwedeng magsabay ang dalawa.

Manalangin tayo. (sign of the cross)

Panginoon, Itulot po Ninyo, Na ang mga larangang aming sinusulit, gaano man sila kasikip, gaanoman sila kapuno ng pasakit, gaano man sila kayaman sa balakid, gaano man sila kapayak at kaliit,nang dahil sa aming pag-ibig at pananalig, ay maghatid nawa sa amin sa langit. Amen

San Estanislao Kostka, Ipanalangin mo kami. (sign of the cross). Magandang umaga, mga binata!

St. Francis Xavier, Missionary to the Far East

Francis Xavier (Francisco de Jassu y Javier, 1506-1552), was the first Jesuit missionary and the prototype who inspired many men to enter the Society of Jesus and evangelize far off nations. One of the original group of seven men who founded the Jesuits, he was sent to India before the new religious order received formal approval from the Church.

Xavier was born in his family's small castle in Navarre, in the north of Spain, and there received his early education. In September 1525 he went to Paris to begin university studies at the College of Sainte-Barbe where his roommate was Peter Faber (Pierre Favre) from the Savoy region of France. Four years later everything changed when an older student moved in, Ignatius Loyola (Iñigo Lopez de Loyola), a failed Basque courtier given to prayer. Loyola soon won Faber over to wanting to become a priest and work for the salvation of souls, but Xavier aspired to a worldly career and was not at all interested in being a priest. He earned his licentiate degree in the spring of 1530 and began teaching Aristotle at the College of Dormans-Beauvais; he remained living in the room with Favre and Loyola. When Faber went to visit his family in 1533, Ignatius finally broke through to Xavier who yielded to the grace God was offering him. Four other students also became close friends through their conversations with Ignatius who was became a spiritual guide and inspired the whole group with his desire to go to the Holy Land. Xavier joined his friends Aug. 15, 1534 in the chapel of Saint-Denis in Montmartre as they all pronounced private vows of poverty, chastity and going to the Holy Land to convert infidels.

Xavier and Loyola began studying theology in 1534. Two years later Xavier set out for Venice with the rest of the group except for Loyola who had returned to Spain earlier. Venice was the point of departure for ships going to the Holy Land. The companions spent two months waiting for a ship and working in hospitals, then went to Rome to ask papal permission for their pilgrimage and ordination of the non-priests among them. Xavier, Loyola and four others were ordained by the papal delegate in his private chapel on June 24, 1537. And they continued to wait for a ship, but because of Venice's impending war with the Turks none sailed for a whole year, something quite extraordinary. The companions then decided that Ignatius should go to Rome and place the group at the disposal of the pope. Meanwhile, they would go to various university centers and start preaching. Xavier and Nicholas Bobadilla went to Bologna.

Xavier went to Rome in April 1538 and began preaching in the French church of St. Louis. He also took part in the famous deliberations during Lent 1539 in which the companions agreed to form a new religious order. Before Pope Paul III granted his approval of the plan, he asked Ignatius to accede to King John III of Portugal's request to send two of the companions to the new colony in India. Ignatius chose Simon Rodrigues and Nicholas Bobadilla, but the latter got sick and could not go. Francis Xavier was the only one of the companions not already committed to a work so Ignatius asked him to go, even though they were the closest friends and the departure meant that they would never see each other again.

Xavier and Rodrigues left Rome March 15, 1540 and arrived in Lisbon by the end of June. The fleet had already left so the two priests had to remain in Lisbon until the following spring. They devoted themselves to preaching and caring for prisoners. The king was so taken by their work that he asked one of them to stay and start a school; Rodrigues was chosen, leaving Xavier to head off alone as the first Jesuit missionary. As Xavier boarded the ship Santiagio, the king's messenger gave him a letter in which the pope named him apostolic nuncio, which meant that he had authority over all Portuguese clergy in Goa. The ship set sail April 7, 1541, on Xavier's thirty-fifth birthday.

It took 13 months for Xavier to arrive in Goa, including a long wait in Mozambique for favorable winds. As soon as he arrived, the energetic Spaniard set about preaching to the Portuguese, visiting prisons and ministering to lepers. He also tried to learn Tamil, but had to rely on interpreters for his first mission to the Paravas, pearl fishers who lived on India's southeastern shore above Cape Comorin. They had converted to Christianity but been without a pastor, so Xavier reinstructed them in the faith, baptized those who were ready and prepared catechists to remain with them as he moved on from one village to the next. By the end of 1544 he reached the western shore of India at Travancore; in November and December of that year he is reported to have baptized 10,000 persons. He moved northward to Cochin, and then sailed to the Portuguese city of Malacca in Malaya; from there he headed for his goal, the Moluccas, or the Spice Islands where he landed on Feb. 14, 1546. He visited the Christian villages and baptized over 1,000 persons at nearby Seran. Then he did a reconnaissance trip to the islands Ternate and Moro, known for its headhunters. He returned to Malacca in July 1547 and arranged for two Jesuits to take his place.

When Xavier returned to Malacca, he learned about Japan from a Japanese nobleman named Anjiro who was interested in becoming a Christian. This revelation of a culturally advanced nation that had not yet heard of Christ captured the Spanish Jesuit's imagination. Before he could do anything about Japan, Xavier had to return to Goa to fulfill his responsibilities as mission superior and assign newly arrived Jesuits to their posts. He was not able to set sail for Japan with Anjiro and several Jesuits until April 1549. The party got back to Malacca easily enough but could find no ship's captain willing to take the risk of sailing into unknown waters. So Xavier hired a pirate to take them. They left June 24, 1549 and landed on August 15 at Kagoshima in southern Japan, Anjiro's home city.

At first the mission went very smoothly. The local prince gave permission to the foreigners to preach Christianity, but he himself would not convert. Xavier decided that the way to convert Japan was to begin with the emperor, but no one would tell him how to get to the Imperial City, Miyako (today's Tokyo). They spent a year in Kagoshima but only made 100 converts, so the Jesuits left for Hirado, a port used by the Portuguese on the upper coast of Kyushu. Another 100 Japanese became Christians but Xavier remained eager to see the emperor, so he moved to the country's second largest city, Yamaguchi. He preached in the streets but suffered a very unsuccessful meeting with the daimyo, so he left that city in December 1550 for Sakai.

Their fortune turned and they finally found a prince willing to take them to the Imperial City. Xavier and Brother John Fernandez were hired as domestic servants and arrived in January 1551, the first Catholic missionaries to see Asia's largest and most beautiful city. For 11 days they tried without success to secure an audience with the emperor, so they returned to Hirado. They went back, though, with the knowledge that the most powerful lord in Japan was not the emperor, but the daimyo of Yamaguchi, whom they had failed to convince in their first meeting. Xavier resolved to try again, appearing not as a poorly-clad European but as an individual worthy of the daimyo's attention.

The two Jesuits rented horses and a litter and dressed themselves in colorful silken robes. When they ceremoniously arrived in Yamaguchi, they were received at the daimyo's palace without any suspicion that they were the same barbarians who had been brushed away only months earlier. Xavier presented the daimyo with expensive gifts of clocks, music boxes, mirrors, crystals, cloth and wine as signs of friendship; and he presented impressive credentials: letters from King John III of Portugal and Pope Paul III. The daimyo granted the Jesuit's request to preach the Christian religion in the empire, and gave people the freedom to become Christians if they wanted to. He also gave the Jesuits a residence in the city, where many people visited. Within six months they had gained 500 converts.

Xavier thought it was time for him to move on so he brought Father Cosmas de Torres to replace him in Yamaguchi so he could return to India. Xavier set out in September 1551, and found a ship for Malacca. He hoped to return to Japan the following year, but the ship got caught in a typhoon that drove it 1,000 miles off course. On December 17, the vessel entered the Bay of Canton and anchored off Sancian Island. As Xavier looked towards nearby China, he felt that country calling him. The two Jesuits were able to board a ship that happened to be bound for Singapore, which they reached at the end of the month. There Xavier found a letter from Ignatius appointing him provincial of the "Indies and the countries beyond."

He was back in India in January 1552 and found another letter telling him to return to Rome to report on the mission; he decided that visit could wait until he had first gone to China. In April 1552 Xavier set out from India and entered the Bay of Canton in September. He landed on Sancian Island which was both a hideout for Chinese smugglers and a base for Portuguese traders. None of the smugglers was willing to risk taking the Jesuit missionary over to China; one who said he was, took Xavier's money and then disappeared. On November 21 he came down with a fever and could not leave his leafy hut on the island's shore. Seven days later he fell into a coma, but on December 1 regained consciousness and devoted himself to prayer during his waking hours. He died on the morning of December 3 and was buried on the island, but his remains were later taken to Malacca and then to Goa where they were interred in the church Bom Jesus.

He was canonized in 1622 and made patron of the Propagation of the Faith in 1910 and in 1927 was named patron of the missions.

St. Edmund Campion, Martyr of England

The most famous of the English martyrs, Edmund Campion (1540-1581) gave up a promising career at Oxford and an invitation to enter Queen Elizabeth's service in order to become a Catholic priest and minister to the abandoned Catholics who greatly desired the sacraments.

Campion was born in London of Catholic parents who later became Protestant. He attended St. John's College, Oxford, where he gained renown as a lecturer and a following of students who called themselves "Campionites." When he was 26 years old, he gave a speech of welcome in Latin to Queen Elizabeth on her visit to Oxford; he made such an impression on the queen that she and Lords Cecil and Leicester tried to recruit him for her service. He probably took the Oath of Supremacy, and was ordained a deacon for the Established Church. The more he studied to be a priest, the more convinced he became that the Catholic Church had the true faith. He moved to Dublin in 1569 in an effort to find a place to live as a Catholic, but the Irish capital showed an anti-Catholic feeling that drove him back to London. In June 1571 he left England for Douai, Belgium where the recently founded English College trained seminarians for England.

Campion finished his degree in 1573 and set out soon after for Rome with the intention of becoming a Jesuit. Within a month of his arrival in Rome, he was accepted into the Society. At that time there was neither an English province nor an English mission, so he was assigned to the Austrian province and went to Prague and Brno to make his novitiate. He remained in Prague after he took vows and was ordained there, expecting to spend the rest of his life teaching in that city. He wrote and directed plays for his students and won renown as an orator.

The English Jesuit's life changed course suddenly when the Superior General in Rome decided to open a mission in England. Father Campion was one of the first to be assigned to it. He stopped in Rome on his way back to England and joined Father Rober Persons and Brother Ralph Emerson. They turned north and joined other recruits for the new mission at Saint Omer in Flanders. English spies in Flanders learned of their impending departure and informed the English ports of entry, who awaited their arrival. Campion and Emerson left the Continent on the evening of June 24. Campion disguised himself as a "Mr. Edmonds," a jewelry merchant. Port authorities were suspicious, but Campion answered their questions adequately and they let the merchant enoint was that the mission was religious, not political; so well-written and powerful was it, that copies were made and widely distributed to confirm Catholics in their faith. Campion himself moved on to Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. He would stay at a Catholic house for one or two nights or visit households where Catholics were employed. His pattern was to arrive during the day, preach and hear confessions during the evening, and then celebrate Mass in ter.

It had been eight years since Campion had left England. He briefly remained in London where he wrote a manifesto of the mission which has become known as "Campion's Brag." Its pthe morning before moving on to the next location. He continued to write and composed a book addressed to the academic world; entitled Rationes decem ("Ten Reasons"), the book gave arguments to prove the truth of Catholicism and the falsity of Protestantism. It was printed by the end of June 1581. Many of the 400 copies printed were left on the benches of Oxford's University Church of St. Mary. Campion was still well-enough known that the book was eagerly read.

Campion's freedom to minister to Catholics soon ended. In July he left London and stopped at the Yate family in Berkshire. The family's Catholic neighbors learned that the Jesuit priest had been there and pressed the Yates to invite him back. Mrs. Yate sent word to Campion who returned, unfortunately at a time when a professional priest-hunter was in the congregation pretending to be Catholic. After Mass the hunter slipped away to notify the authorities who quickly returned to the house but could not find any priests. The guards remained on the grounds, listening for sounds of unusual activity. They alertly heard a group of people leaving a meeting that Campion had addressed. The guards searched the house again, this time finding Campion and two other priests.

The three were taken to the Tower of London on July 22, where Campion was put in a cell so small he could neither stand upright nor lie down. After three days there he was brought to Leicester house, where he met Queen Elizabeth for a second time. She offered him the opportunity to renounce his Catholic faith and become a Protestant minister, with the offer of great advancement. He refused and was returned to his cell; five days later he was tortured on the rack. He had four conferences with Anglican divines, something he himself had requested in the book rationes decem, but the disputations were inconclusive, partly because the first one was held shortly after he had been tortured. The government determined that he should be executed, but they needed a stronger charge than the fact that he was a Catholic priest. On Nov. 14, the priests were led to Westminster Hall where charges were raised against them that they had formed a conspiracy against the life of the queen, had exhorted foreigners to invade the country and had entered England with the intent of fomenting rebellion to support the invaders. At his trial six days later, Campion was asked to raise his right hand and take an oath; he was unable to do so because of recent torture, so another one of the priests had to lift his arm for him. Campion attempted to defend all the priests by pointing out their motives were religious, not political; but they were found guilty of high treason and condemned to be hanged, drawn and quartered. The priests joined in singing the Te Deum when they heard the verdict.

Campion remained in chains for another 11 days, and then was dragged through the muddy streets of London to Tyburn. With him were Briant, and Father Ralph Sherwin, a diocesan priest. As Campion forgave those who had condemned him, the cart he was standing on was driven from under him and he was left hanging. The executioner then cut him down and tore out his heart and intestines before cutting his body into pieces. Briant had been tried a day after Campion, but was executed soon after the other Jesuit. He was cut down while still alive after being hung so that he could be disemboweled and his body cut into quarters.

source: http://www.sjweb.info/Jesuits/saintShow.cfm?SaintID=50

A Man of Desire

When Ignatius was badly wounded from the battle of Pamplona, he hardly recovered. His health deteriorated. Worse, there were signs that death was near. His physician informed him that his days were already numbered, so he begged the Lord for him to recover the soonest. He desired for his life. Lord’s work, his recuperation was very fast that in five days he was already declared safe.

During his convalescence, he got to read the books: The Life of Christ and a book on the lives of the saints. While reading the books meditatively, he began to desire to follow the steps of the saints like Sts. Dominic and Francis. He used to say to himself, “Saint Dominic did this, so I have to do it too. Saint Francis did this, so I have to do it too.” This desire to imitate the saints lasted and brought him much consolation.

Having recovered from his infirmity, he wanted to go to Jerusalem. Every time his imagination brought him to Jerusalem, to the very places where Christ stayed and lived, his heart became restlessly yearning to fulfill this greatest desire. On February 1522, so determined, Ignatius commenced his pilgrimage and on August 31, 1523, he first set foot in the Holy land. His visits to the holy places gave birth to another desire; a desire to remain in Jerusalem and save souls. Sadly, he was not given permission to stay. Nevertheless, he was bringing with him his desire to save souls when he left Jerusalem.

His active pursuit to save souls brought him to more yearnings. He desired to preach. When faced with tribulations and inquisitions, he desired to study. He started studying Languages, earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, worked and passed his Licentiate, then took a Theological Course. While studying, he met Peter Faber, Francis Xavier and some other friends. Together they desired for partnership in saving souls and vowing to live in poverty and chastity, and go to Jerusalem to serve Christ there. When their quest to go to Jerusalem failed, Ignatius and the other companions desired to form an Order. The Society of Jesus was born.

Desire was evident in Ignatius’ love story with Jesus. He just desired for life then this desire progressed to a desire to imitate the saints to visit the holy land to save souls in the service for Jesus. Ignatius’ mastered the art of eliciting desires which got him to his authentic self and found Christ’s fundamental desire for him.

Let us pray…

Grace to Pray for:

Lord Jesus, I beg for a heart that recognizes my earnest desires so that I may be at home with them, realizing that these are wonderful reflections of Your own desires for me.

Suggested Scriptures:

a) Isaiah 65:17-25 (The World Renewed)
b) Roman’s 8:28-39 (God’s Indomitable Love in Christ)
c) Luke 19: 1-10 (Zacchaeus’ Desire to See Jesus)
d) 1 John 1: 1-4 (The Word of Life)

Points for Prayer and Reflection:

-Make a list of your desires in life. What will make me happy? Which desire/s give/s me lasting happiness?

-Pray over your desires. Dialogue with the Lord on each of them.

-Like St. Ignatius, Zacchaeus ardently desire to see Jesus. Pray over Luke 19:1-10. Feel what Zacchaeus feels when Jesus passes by and the people are like high walls blocking his view of Jesus.

- Jun-G Bargayo, SJ -
Visit jun-g.com for more reflections.

SOLEMNITY OF SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA Soldier for Christ, Founder of the Society of Jesus

Military Mass
Ateneo de Manila High School
Covered Courts
30 July 2009

The first Jesuits actually arrived in the country almost 500 years ago, in 1541. While they were primarily missionaries, even then, as now, they were already deeply involved in the education of Filipinos.

It was the early Spanish Jesuits that set up Colegio Seminario de San Ignacio in 1581, the first university not only in the Philippines but in all of Asia.

However, in the eighteenth century, the Society of Jesus fell out of favor with colonial powers and Catholic royalties. They were expelled from their areas, including the Philippines, until finally, in 1773, the congregation was dissolved.

After decades of persecution and suppression, the Jesuit congregation was reinstated. On April 14, 1859, almost a hundred years after they were expelled from the country, ten Jesuits of the Aragon Province sailed to the frontier in the ship Luisita to Manila. They were supposed to do missionary work in Mindanao. Before proceeding to Mindanao, the Jesuits were petitioned by residents of Manila to set up a Jesuit school which eventually became Ateneo de Manila University.

This year, we celebrate the return of the Jesuits in the Philippines. We honor the legacy of the 150th long years Jesuit education, marked with excellence, commitment and leadership: strong characteristics of all Jesuit apostolates in the Philippines. Thus, in this new frontier of technology, post-modernism and globalization we are continuously called to engage the world through the great blessing that is our Jesuit education.

Reflecting on the words of Fr. Superior General Adolfo Nicolas, SJ, the 29th successor of Ignatius, we are challenged to sail towards the new frontiers in our modern times. We are all called to conquer the Frontier of Depth, which is best translated as the Ignatian Magis. We have been reminded that St. Ignatius has always been concerned with depth as expressed in non multa sed multum, not many but much. For St. Ignatius, it was not about the number of achievements, awards, and recognition, but the quality of learning, reflections and deeper understanding of the essentials in life.

Fr. Nicolas, SJ invites furthermore to move towards the Frontier of Universality. We have been reminded that St. Ignatius spoke of what is for the universal good. St. Ignatius has instructed his men to go where there is a greater need. Universality is recognizing that we are part of something bigger, of a greater vineyard where the Lord wants us to work in. And clearly, this It goes beyond the four walls of Ateneo. It is to synergize with other schools across the country even within Asia.

Let us then keep the frontiers of depth and universality in our minds and hearts as we build this nation through authentic piety, discipline and generosity.


+ad majorem Dei gloriam+