ST.  IGNATIUS  OF  LOYOLA: 

MAY  YOU  LIVE  

IN INTERESTING TIMES 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “St. Ignatius Loyola: May You Live in Interesting Times.”

“May You Live in Interesting Times.”  

St. Ignatius of Loyola didn’t say that. But I thought of that as I began looking at the life and times of St. Ignatius last evening.

Some say, “May You Live in Interesting Times” is the English translation of a Chinese curse.

St. Ignatius Loyola - 1491 - 1556 -  founder of the Jesuits -  certainly lived in interesting times.

When I looked up his dates and background last evening, I began noticing the interesting people who lived in his period of time and history

Martin Luther - 1483-1546 lived at the same time.

So too Henry VIII - 1491- 1546.

So too Pope Julius II - 1443-1513.

So too Michelangelo - 1475 - 1564.

May you live in interesting times.

During Ignatius’ lifetime a lot of interesting  things happened.

The Pope was the famous Julius II - who commissioned Michelangelo to draw up and design his tomb.  It was to be quite large.  It was to have 40 statues - one of which is Moses. Interesting.

Next time you go to Rome, check out at the church of St. Peter in Chains.  Go downstairs and you’ll find the famous statue of Moses by Michelangelo.  When I saw it, I noticed that one  had to put some coins in a box to get electrical lights to go on. Since then they have put in new kinds of bulbs.

Interesting.

The shrine was to originally have a window nearby for light - but that light was blocked when a building was put up next door.

SPEAKING OF MOSES

The Moses statue had Moses with 2 horns - based on a mistranslation of Exodus 34 - our reading for today. Interesting. Moses didn’t have horns - but they were to be light radiating out of his head.

For the sake of reflection we could compare Moses to Ignatius of Loyola.

In Michelangelo’s statue Moses has the tablets of the 10 commandments - which many people go by. In the paintings of Ignatius we see him writing - either the Exercises or his Rule.

I prefer Ignatius writings to the 10 Commandments.

We could also reflect upon Pope Julius II - who commissioned that statue of Moses to be part of his tomb.  We could compare him to Ignatius. This pope was took on the role of a soldier who lead papal armies into  some battles. Julius II is described as gruff and grouchy and didn’t have a sense of humor.  Comparing Julius to Ignatius,  Ignatius earlier life was that of a soldier - but he changed his life style.  Julius II didn’t change as life went on.

Both were vain and self-centered when young - but Ignatius was wounded by a 20 pound canon ball and went through a long period of healing - of his legs and his outlook on life.

Ignatius took on vows - for example of celibacy and Julius II had a mistress and at least 1 kid off to the side.

Looking back, they had interesting times - and I’m sure all of us would rather be Ignatius over Julius II, Henry VIII, Martin Luther. 

None of us will be Michelangelo or Moses - Martin Luther or King Henry VIII -but we can be like the saint in today’s liturgy: St. Ignatius.

It would be smart and wise to read about the life of St. Ignatius.  After all,  it was reading the lives of the saints that Ignatius was converted.

CONCLUSION:

I began by saying that the saying, “May you live in interesting times” might have come from a Chinese saying. May our times be a blessing to us - and not a curse.

Don’t watch TV.