July 31, 2020

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Lk 14: 25-33

Letting go of what holds us back from love

It feels like Jesus is challenging me in this Gospel. On today’s feast day, however, I look to St. Ignatius’ wisdom, who sees this total surrender of the things of this world as an invitation. Be free. Free of cultural norms, obligations, anxieties, and all my stuff. Listen to Jesus and you will learn to let go. Sure, there will be suffering, but we all suffer. With him, there is a deeper meaning along with unity and redemption. With Jesus the invitation is to be free to love fully and completely with total abandon.

What do I need to let go of, in order to love more fully?  

—Erin Maiorca is the Executive Director at Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, IL. Erin’s other vocations include wife to Tom and mother to two wonderful sons. 

Prayer

Good and gracious God, help me to see as you see,
Free me to be guided by your Holy Spirit.
Create in me the freedom to choose that which leads me to you. 

—Erin Maiorca