A reflection on Matthew 13/47-52:
The Spiritual Awakening of St. Ignatius of Loyola from impurity to inclusivity
Praise be to Jesus Christ
A young man lived in Loyola. Giving up his desires of pride and ambition he started a new life after conversion. He committed himself to live like Christ -in poverty, humility and love for all. One day on the way, he met a leper. His former life reminded of his fear to embrace such people who were discriminated from the front of society. He was in a struggle. But something stimulated him. Leaving all other thoughts he approached the leper, spoke heartly to him, gave him alms and embraced him dearly. This young man who was ready to come out of his impurities and widen his boundaries was none other than St. Ignatius of Loyola. This is a heart-touching incident narrated in his autobiography – ‘A pilgrim’s Journey’
As we are celebrating the feast of this great saint today the gospel invites us to reflect on his life too with a different metaphor for Heaven ‘The Net’. Net and shore were familiar scenes for the audience. The fishing net is made with big holes that filters out the unwanted and holds the fish. A net filter out the impurities and leaves an inclusivity of the aquatic school. Reflecting this from a Biblical perspective ‘The Net’ represents the Church. Church baptizes all the individuals and wash away the impurities. She has an open and generous heart to include all. Now let us reflect on the journey from Impurity to Inclusivity…
Impurity is a state of impureness. Each human being is born with original sin and is inclined to a sinful nature. “Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word” (CCC 1213). Our journey might have started with all these sinful inclinations as the Word reminds: “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish” (Mt.13/47). But as the net has holes to let the unnecessary contaminants to drain out, the church provides us the ways to filter our evil contents. Net in itself is a strength or means for this filtering. In the same way Church makes our journey to heaven safer and smoother. As Adrian Rogers rightly quotes: “The church is not the way to heaven; the church is the sign that points to heaven”. John mentions that “No one can come to Jesus unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6/44). So getting inside of the net is a blessing that we have received and it is not something that we got as just a hereditary cult but it is a selection and plan from eternity (c.f. Eph. 1/4).
The inclusivity is a unique feature of Catholic church. “The Church is catholic because she has been sent out by Christ on a mission to the whole of the human race” (CCC 831). Matthew refers the inclusivity as he writes net “caught all kinds of fish” (Mt. 13/47). In the Gospel of John we see the great fishing by Simon Peter and other disciples where they caught 153 fishes, which is also explained as all species of fish that the sea had. Church always has an open attitude. St. Pope John XXIII has made a beautiful and profound call “I want to open the windows of the Church so that we can see out and the people can see in.”. The church continues to keep this open attitude now too… Pope Francis added “ I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the stress, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security”. And the signs of present times are evidences for these. The two innocent nuns who are brutally accused and targeted for political gains. The church never parts anybody aside on the basis of gender, caste, economic status or even based on the weaknesses or sins. As Pauline Phillips beautifully wrote: “A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. The church never throws away any souls brutally but it provides a room for improvement through confession, reconciliation, confirmation, communion. “When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt.13/ 48). One who denies to accept the opportunities will be a judge of himself and be thrown into hell himself.
Each individual constitutes Church. And the family we owe, the congregation we belong, the society we are part of is the mission land for us. We are missionaries of Christ who are chosen to speak for and embody church. When we empathize with the suffering family members, when we accompany our friends in their difficult times, when one show patience to the weakness of spouse or children, when we lead one hopeless individual to prayer, when we walk an extra mile for a friend, we are personifying Christ and the Church.
This can be internalized more personally too… We may have human weakness and sinful nature that dominates us. How much keen am I to approach the confessional to regain the sanctity that the church offers? And let us also think, am I open minded to include others opinions and wishes giving up my selfish motives and desires?
This is the simple tip to attain holiness… Once I come out of my impurities of comfort zones, my journey of inclusiveness with holiness began. Being human is the first step to be divine. Admiring the saints, our elder brothers and sisters, let us ask, “If they can, why can’t I?”
Prayer: Cleanse my heart from impurities and widen my heart for inclusivity
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God Bless…
Wonderful message keep it up, Nirmal Mary SAB, 👍👍👍