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July 19, 2021Newsletter of the Wellington CLC – September 2021
September 8, 2021Ignatian Ambition
As we celebrate the extraordinary life of Ignatius during this anniversary year of his conversion, I think it’s important to see the measure of his ambition in relation to our mission in Christian Life Community. The shorthand of “the magis” or the “more” points to a constant element throughout his spiritual journey, and in turn, his spirituality. From his early desires to excel as a knight in service of his lord and the lady of his imaginings, to the repeated attempts to give himself exclusively to living in the land that Jesus trod, and then, eventually, his offering himself and his companions to be at the disposal of the Pope, his vision never wavered: to be completely devoted, without reservation, to his chosen goal, and to reach beyond the ordinary to what was of utmost value.
In The Spiritual Exercises the key meditations on Christ the King and The Three Classes of Persons are structured on comparisons of what is more and what is less: [95] “… how much more is it worthy of consideration to see Christ our Lord:” [151] … that I may desire and know what is more pleasing to his Divine Goodness;” [152] … to ask for the grace to choose what is more for the glory of his Divine Majesty.” (Understanding the Spiritual Exercises Michael Ivens SJ [Gracewing 1998]) James Martin SJ sums up this disposition as “when making decisions about which work or ministry to choose, Jesuits should opt for that which is ‘conducive to the greater service of God and the universal good.’”
https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/magis/
I think CLC needs to see this as an essential element of our charism. As a lay ecclesial community, we are always seeking to offer our service to where there is the greatest need, and where the most benefit can be strived for. This is not a matter of trying to be seen to be better than the rest, it’s a question of how the Spirit is calling us to live out our lives in Church and world. For the grace we are being offered is precisely to have the vision, the flexibility and the devotion to carry out this dimension of mission.
To be clear, this doesn’t mean measuring ourselves by external standards of excellence. It means each of us asking where I am being called at this moment, and in the larger decisions of life, according to the quality of my giving. As a community it is essential that in our communal discernment we are not selling ourselves short, or settling simply for what appears more realistic or achievable. Again, this is always in the context of our lay vocation: of responsibilities to family, work and the baptismal calling to holiness.
I think that we need to revise the banner on our website, which currently reads, “Ordinary people leading ordinary lives inspired by the Spiritual Exercises.” I’m guessing that this is an attempt to make CLC accessible and inviting for people who might have no idea about who we are. To me, it’s clearly not in the spirit of Ignatius, and we need to rethink how we present ourselves, not just in media like this, but also how we see ourselves and what we offer to people. Besides, it’s not what you find: ordinary we might look, but CLCers are a pretty extraordinary bunch, and doing some amazing things, whether the stage be large or small, because, as Mother Teresa espoused, we’re doing those things with great love.
NEXCO has decided to make the Ignatius 500 celebrations an opportunity to focus on communal discernment. This is an ideal opportunity to bring the magis into the heart of our decision-making. Similarly, as we prepare for the National Assembly in October, and review the priorities chosen at the last one, we can become more alert to asking ourselves how we are fulfilling our calling in Church and world: where are the greatest needs, how can we be of greatest service to our companion and Lord?
I came across a motto from a 17th century Belgian Jesuit which sums up how this plays out in reality: “Not to be daunted or held back by the greatest challenge, and yet to be concerned with the nitty gritty, that is the way of God.” (in Ron Darwen SJ “Will the real Ignatius please stand up?”
Peter Laffan 30th July 2021
1 Comment
Peter, thank you for putting to us this thought, which I recall you raising in the Assembly itself. One can argue for both perspectives. Being touched by the Spirit, believers are extraordinary people, guided by Christ in our hearts; this is not commonplace, sadly. Our extrodinariness does show itself in our great patience, forgiveness, trust, and love that we show to others in our fmaily or workplace even in the most trying of situations. At the same time, we are ‘ordinary’ too. We have no great power or status in our society. We have no special uniform or badges to make us stand out. We lead ordinary lives, engaged in the day to day tasks of most other people in the world. How should we sell ourselves to others who don’t know us? Most inquirers, I imagine, have a modest view of themselves. They would not see themselves as extraordinary. I think by labeling ourselves ‘ordinary’, as you concede, we are presenting an identity they can see themselves belonging to. Only later will they see how extraordinary Christian are. Ignatius used to call the Society, ‘the least Society’. Perhaps we are being modest and discrete, as Christ kept his glory hidden, too, until the Resurrection.