The Feast of St Ignatius Loyola, Priest and Founder of the Society of Jesus.
"Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.
"It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”
"He spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”
"All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
"I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13: 31 - 35).
Monday 31st July in the 17th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Ignatius Loyola, Priest and Founder of the Society of Jesus.
St Ignatius Loyola was born in 1491 and died in 1556. Today is the patronal feast of the Society of Jesus. (Jesuits).
The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius Loyola has been a potent force for spiritual renewal of individuals and groups in the Church. It is still very popular after 500 years. It has become a pillar of the apostolic ministry of the Society of Jesus today.
What did St Ignatius Loyola bequeath the Church?
#1. Spiritual Exercises
#2. Methods of examination of conscience
#3. Principles of Discernment of Spirits.
#4. Methodology of Education
This prayer of St Ignatius Loyola shows the inner principles that drove him:
"Lord Jesus, grant that I may know Your heart intimately, love You passionately and follow You everywhere." Amen.
These lofty ideals produced giants of our faith like: Saints Francis Xavier, Peter Canisius, Robert Berllamine, Paul Miki, Edmund Campion, Aloysius Gonzaga, Claude de la Colombière, Peter Clavier, Miguel Pro and so many others.
St Ignatius is the patron saint of soldiers and retreat masters.
Motto: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam: For the Greater Glory of God.
We reflect on the Parable of the Mustard Seed in the Gospel of today.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed gives us an insight into God's law in creation. Everything is created small.
The tiny mustard seed like the tiny acorn seed is born very small. Its laws or principles of growth are written inside the seed by its Creator.
The seed receives the early and later rain and continues to unfold following the laws of its nature. The farmer does not control the process. When the mustard seed is fully grown, it is ready to fulfill its destiny. It welcomes the birds on its branches.
The Church is the People of God, the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The seed of the Kingdom of God on earth is the Church. (Cf CCC 249). It started very small in a tiny corner of the vast Roman Empire. Today the tiny Acorn has grown branches and spread throughout the world.
The Church as the People of God, the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit needs the transformative power of the Holy Spirit to form it into its destiny.
"The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1: 18).
We honor the Most Precious Blood of Jesus today July 31st.
This concludes the month of July dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. It should not be the end of your devotion to the Most Precious Blood. This Devotion can be done every day, once a week or as often as you want. Thursday is not mandatory. Why Thursday? Thursday is the day of the Last Supper and the beginning of the Agony and Passion of Jesus Christ.
For Devotion, Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ and other prayers, click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/04/devotion-to-most-precious-blood-of.html?m=1
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