St Ignatius Loyola

“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Mt 13:44

Many people never find their buried treasure, and some give up looking for it, but the Gospel is clear. A faith filled life demands that we ask ourselves about our treasures and discern whether what we cling to is really of God or our own misguided desire for security and control over life. The believer realizes, often early on, that nothing we can possess is really of ultimate value, even our families and our friendships. Only when we let go are we free to know and trust God in all things.

St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, took a very crooked path before discovering God's desire for him. Like St Francis of Assisi in the 13th century, Ignatius was fascinated by the stories of courtly love and knighthood, and dreamed of a life of military success. When, however, he was badly injured in a battle with the French he began to read stories of Jesus and the saints, and discovered he could have a much deeper happiness if he followed the Gospel.

Determined to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit which had surfaced through study and prayer, Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus with a few close friends. Only then did his life begin to take the path that God intended. More important, the wisdom he gained became the foundation of the Spiritual Exercises, a guide for the Jesuits and spiritual directors everywhere, and one of the most incisive and important documents about the spiritual life written in the Christian West.

Today, look for the treasure God wants for you.

What are the treasures to which you cling?