saint of the week

 

Saint of the Week July 31

St. Ignatius Loyola

 

While I was away, my husband cleaned out his briefcase.  In it he found an article from the April 30^th Edition of the New York Times that he had saved for me. 

The title was:  AN ACT OF SPORTSMANSHIP THAT TOUCHED 'EM ALL.  It seems that there was a college women's softball game between Western Oregon and Central Washington.  Apparently, Sara a "diminutive" player for Western Oregon hit what looked like a 3 run homer over the fence.  In all of her 21 years, she had never done this, so she really did not have a "home run trot" in her repertoire.  As she joyfully scooted around the bases she missed first base, realizing her mistake, she turned to go back, her right knee however, did not make the turn with the rest of her body.  She went down, crying and crawling back to first base.  Her coach made sure that none of her team mates touched her.

The umpires ruled that if she could not make it around the bases, the runs would score, but she would only be credited with a single.  Taking her only out of the park home run away from her would be devastating. Through the uncertainty and murmurs, Mallory, the first baseman from Central Washington spoke up. "Excuse me, would it be ok if we carried her around and she touched each bag?"  So Mallory and Liz (the shortstop) locked arms and carried Sara around the diamond, gently lowering her so that she could touch each base.  They arrived home to a tear filled standing ovation.  Mallory later said that Sara deserved it; she had hit it over the fence. "Anyone would have done the same thing; I just b eat them to it."  I guess she had been taught well, that winning is not the only thing that matters.

 

St. Ignatius knew what it was to have his legs bowled out from under him.  He was a soldier for Spain in 1521.  In a battle against France he injured by a blast from a cannonball.  His military career was over.  While he was recovering he began to read the lives of the saints.  He decided to become a soldier for Christ.  As is often the case when experiencing spiritual growth, he suffered from bouts of f ear and despair.  From these experiences he wrote his famous "Spiritual Exercises". 

At 43 he got his degree.  Because of his humble lifestyle, many people at first hated him.  Little by little he began to attract followers including St. Francis Xavier.  His new order was called the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits.  To date 38 members of that order have been canonized as saints.

 

By now, Liz and Mallory's simple gesture has been read by thousands. St. Ignatius' order has touched or educated millions.  Good or bad, every thing you do affects someone else.  Sometimes we witness the effect, sometimes we don't.

What kind of affect will your ripples produce today?

 

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"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well". St. Julian of Norwich


Jamie Dillon