On July 31, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits and one of history’s greatest spiritual teachers. Though he is remembered for many things — his dramatic conversion, his missionary order, his profound influence on education — he also taught generations of Christians a remarkably simple way to read the Bible
Many of us approach Scripture as students. We want to know what happened, what the words mean, or what lesson we should take away. Those are good questions. But Ignatius invites us to ask another: What if I were there?
His famous “Spiritual Exercises” encourage us not merely to read the Gospel but to enter it. Imagine the scene. See the dusty roads of Galilee. Hear the waves breaking against the shore where Jesus called his first disciples. Smell the smoke from cooking fires. Feel the warmth of the sun or the cool evening breeze
Then place yourself in the story
Stand among the shepherds outside Bethlehem. Sit with the crowd listening to the Sermon on the Mount. Follow Jesus through the streets of Jerusalem. Watch him break bread with his friends. Stand quietly at the foot of the cross. The Gospel is no longer something that happened long ago to other people. It becomes the place where Christ meets you
Ignatius understood something essential about the Christian faith. God did not save us by sending a philosophy. He sent his Son in the flesh. Jesus walked real roads, touched real people, ate real meals, and shed real blood. Because the Incarnation happened in history, our imaginations can help us enter more deeply into that history
Of course, Ignatius did not encourage fantasy or make-believe. He wanted the imagination to serve the truth of the Gospel, much as a stained-glass window helps us contemplate the mysteries of faith. The purpose was always to know Christ more intimately, love him more deeply, and follow him more faithfully
After lingering in a Gospel scene, Ignatius recommends something beautifully simple: have a conversation with Jesus. Speak to him as one friend speaks to another. Tell him your fears, your gratitude, your failures, your hopes. Then spend a few moments listening in silence
Perhaps that explainswhy Ignatian prayer has remained so fruitfulfor nearly five centuries. It is not merely about understanding Scripture. It is about encountering the living Lord who still speaks through its pages
On this feast of St. Ignatius, you might try his method for yourself. Open one of the Gospels. Read a familiar story slowly. Enter the scene. Stay there awhile
You may discover that you are not imagining Christ’s presence so much as becoming aware of a Presence that has been waiting for you all along
