By Hedwig Lewis

Mumbai: The annual celebration of the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, July 31, is of special significance this year as we commemorate the 500th anniversary of his spiritual conversion at Loyola, Spain, in 1521.

For the followers of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the dramatic events of the Battle of Pamplona, at which a decimated force of Spanish soldiers put up a staunch fight to defend their fortress against the French army is a familiar narrative. Ignatius, denouncing the better judgment of all the commanding Spanish officers to surrender, rallied a force of 1,000 loyalists to carry on the fight to the finish.

Ignatius never did things by halves! As the Spanish army fled the field to safety, Ignatius and his men pressed on, till a cannonball passed between his legs badly wounding them. As their leader fell, the Spaniards had no choice but to surrender. The French hailed the defeated soldiers for their gallantry, and offered medical assistance to Ignatius in honor of his outstanding loyalty and courage.

Ignatius was carried back to Loyola, not in triumph on the shoulders of his compatriots, as he would have wished, but crumpled in a litter, battered and bandaged. Gloom and tension enveloped the Loyola clan. Would he survive? There were the accusing fingers – for his foolish risk and egoistic bravado.

But Ignatius knew in his heart of hearts that he had meant well and the courage he showed during the battle would do any soldier proud. On deeper introspection, he realized that he had survived for a purpose. He must now use the same will-power and tenacity to rise from the ruins, to put together his broken dreams and shattered ambitions. He must not shy away from the world or give up on himself. And do he did.

During his convalescence, his health had its ups and downs, even taking him to the brink of death. But as he began to recover his strength, he bounced back to his old self, daydreaming of lofty achievements, and even romancing with his lady-love in his vivid imagination. Yet there was one nagging thought regarding his self-image.

A bone sticking out of his right leg contracted it, causing him to limp – not a seemly sight for a man of his stature. He decided to make a final do-or-die effort to reset it, against the good judgment of everyone concerned. Again, to no one’s surprise, the operation was unsuccessful and he was left with one leg shorter than the other. Would that be a lesson for him to abandon his romantic dreams and focus on making a career in the civil services given his training as a diplomat or a military advisor? It held the potential of bringing him the self-glory he so earnestly craved. Perhaps Ignatius did consider the options, but he was not one to go against the grain and succumb to a comfort zone.

Ignatius was a larger-than-life personality. He was a soldier at heart, a gallant knight in his dreams. He was now at a crossroads in life. And at this crucial juncture a Divine ray penetrated his soul, enlightened his mind, and ‘opened his eyes’ to envision a new horizon. Two pious books, as is well-known, provided him the leverage he needed to take a leap of faith out of the framework of his noble ancestry onto the precarious path of holiness. His resilience and resoluteness would stand him in good stead. He abandoned his helmet only to be crowned with a halo!

Ignatius forsook his castle-home after almost nine months of convalescence and embarked on a spiritual journey as a Limping Pilgrim. He would not falter or fall, because he found his equilibrium in God. He would brook no distractions on the way, for he fixed his gaze resolutely on his Leader, Jesus Christ. He possessed no baggage, because in total inner freedom he placed his unconditional trust in Providence.

He was magnanimous by nature; he gave all the excess food he received from begging to others in need, saving nothing for himself for the morrow. He spent time in personal prayer but also let his life become his prayer. He was a contemplative in action. And since he depended exclusively on God’s “love and grace”, he could give himself uncompromisingly in love and service to others. He made a preferential option to minister to the poor and the disadvantaged.

Such is the legacy that Ignatius bequeathed to the Society of Jesus, to the Church, to humanity. His motto: “All for the greater glory of God” (AMDG) motto-vates his followers to this day, 500 years after he surrendered his being to God. The impact of his spiritual conversion has rippled across the oceans, inspiring us to re-turn our hearts to God and to venture “into the deep” – resilient and resolute!

(Jesuit Father Hedwig Lewis is the author of “To See All Things New In Christ – Community Reflections and Prayers for the Ignatian Year 2021-2022.” Contact: hedwiglewis@gmail.com)