Each year, as the July 31 Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola approaches, I am reminded of the Prayer of St. Ignatius, the Suscipe. Many of us who grew up in Jesuit parishes memorized this prayer and recited it without much thought
A few years ago, a very wise Dominican Sister spoke to me about the prayer. At this point she was approaching her 60th anniversary in religious life (and she is still going strong, by the way). She said that the prayer scared her when she gave it deep reflection and that she didn't think she had the courage to pray it
She had a point. This is not a prayer for the faint of heart or the casual Christian. It requires quite of bit of fortitude to ask God to take one's liberty, understanding, memory and will. But Ignatius was a man of courage. He took the enormous step of surrendering his entire being, body and soul, to God. It changed his life…and ours, too. The one-time ladies' man and soldier gave himself to God's service. The world is a better place, thanks to Ignatius, Francis Xavier, Peter Faber, and the thousands of Jesuits who followed them
Here is the Prayer of St. Ignatius Loyola for you to ponder. I also invite you to find out some facts you may not know about this remarkable saint

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