It is to be assumed that a large number of the readers of Vida Nueva have at some time the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius in any of its modalities and, therefore, know the one that bears the title “The call of the Temporal King helps to contemplate the life of the Eternal King” (EE 91-100), which, by the way, is a masterpiece of the spiritual literature of the epoch.
In the first part of this spiritual exercise, the Basque saint invites us to choose a human character, with an attractive figure and project, who arouses an irresistible attraction, honest and loyal to his principles, consistent, radical, coherent… of whom we could express: “I would like to look like”.
missionary disciples
Unfortunately, when I started to think about people, I couldn’t find many to choose from. First I thought of Father Angel and Sister Lucia, both committed in solidarity with the people who directly suffer the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. I also did it in a first cousin of my mother, Sor Castillo, who has been working for decades in Proyecto Hombre, “Hogar Zoe” (Toledo). And, next, in Pope Francis, a missionary disciple on whom all the lights are on.
Following the instructions of Ignacio, on July 12, 2022, I decided to look for the latest news from the Bishop of Rome and trace in it attitudes towards life, way of life, character, personality, how you think, what your values and criteria are… the project you are trying to live, its ultimate goals, the means you use, the risks you take and the demands that they entail… to, finally, see what echo this person produced in me.
Some comments
From the interview he gave to the Mexican journalists María Antonieta Collins and Valentina Alazraki for the ViX Streaming of Televisa Univision I highlighted some of the comments of Pope Francis and, next to it, I wrote down my resonances:
- “Right now I don’t feel like the Lord is asking me to resign; if I felt that he asked me, yes”. Life centered on God, inner freedom, capacity for discernment.
- “The great example given by Benedict XVI would help me make a decision if necessary.” Evaluation of the predecessor of him, shows no competition.
- “I feel limited by knee pain”: Recognition of their limits, acceptance of their reality.
- “In Buenos Aires, my apostolate would have been to confess and visit the sick.” Unconditional service to the Church, adhering to the events that mark his life.
- “We are living through a Third World War in pieces and nuclear weapons are immoral, including their possession and not just their use.” Committed to world peace.
- “It is totally unfair to eliminate a human life, and this, it can be affirmed on the basis of scientific data, which is not negotiable.” He exercises his authority by indicating to the pastors that they limit themselves to taking care of the pastoral dimension and referring them to their own conscience.
- “The Church has the will to move forward and no longer be an accomplice to crimes of pederasty.” She is radical, true to her principles, she speaks clearly.
Thus, a suitable disposition was generated in me to move on to the second part of the spiritual exercisewhich, as many of you know, consists of contemplating the life of Jesus Christ.
a positive view
Thank you Pope Francis! I got to know you more following the Youth Synod, there I loved the positive vision that you conveyed of them, a vision that you maintain. you just said in the European Youth Event (EYE) that you trust them to transform the “old continent” into a “new continent”: “they are attentive young people, less ideological, used to studying in other European countries, open to volunteering experiences, sensitive to environmental issues. So I feel like there is hope.”
Thank you Pope Francis! You sow tirelessly to bring God. You encourage us to try to bring God.