As many of you know I am earning a Master’s Degree in Religious Education from Loyola University. I am amazed at all of the knowledge and ideas I have gained over the last year.
One of the ideas I have studied is about the Ignatius idea of detachment. Ignatius believed that if we are to truly and ultimately follow God then we must not be attached to anything but God. Where we live, what we do and what we have should have absolutely no hold over our lives. We should be open to following God’s direction at any moment. If God wants us to follow a different career path, we should do it. If God wants us to downsize or live in poverty we should do it. We should have absolutely no attachment to material possessions what so ever. Seems like a big request and a counter-cultural way of life in our world that revolves around materialism. Ignatius believed in giving his entire life to God, not just his “religious life.”
Ignatius appears quite extreme in our culture. However, we should learn from him. If we are less attached to things then we are more open to God. If we are less obsessed with our work then maybe we could open our minds to God. If we are less concerned with our appearance we can stop looking at a mirror and see other people’s needs instead. What are you willing to detach from in order to listen and follow God?
Ignatius learned well from Benedict and Bernard…does your reflection today remind you for Bernard’s “GOD ALONE” etched over our parish doors?
Chapter 6 in our Why Catholic? booklet this week shared Ignatius’ EXAMEN OF CONSCIOUSNESS which he encouraged his followers to do once or twice a day to help us recognize patterns of God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness and how we respond to God in our daily lives. see – http://ignationspirituality.com (thank you Ignatius!)