St. Ignatius was a Christian like many others whose life has very few secrets. Most who know of Ignatius and his life are well aware of his cavalier way of living prior to his conversion. We might be able to say that he had his days "apart" from God.
While the Old Testament folks had Moses, the New Testament people had and continue to have Jesus. And while not walking the face of the earth today, in the ordinary way, he uses the season of Lent to draw us closer to himself and to the Father.
We know from the first reading that God was very close to doing away with the people of Israel because they had too many days and ways apart from him. In their difficult moments they gave into the adoption of false gods, even to worshiping a "molten calf." Were it not for Moses, the story would be very different.
When we encounter Jesus each day, we cannot overlook who he was while on this earth: the Son of God. At the same time, however, we also know that during his lifetime on earth and since then there have been many false gods and many molten calves.
During this week before Palm Sunday we have an special opportunity to use a truly Ignatian practice of asking questions of ourselves and our relationship to God. The first question might well be this: "Do I realize that the season of Lent is a time for me to take off the rose-colored glasses and to examine my own devotion and loyalty to God, the Father?" Ignatius would also ask this question: "How many are the molten calves that you have developed that "reduce" God's presence in your life to little more than an historical character?" And another question: "How strong is my acceptance of this God in my life and what he asks of me?"
Throughout this annual forty-day retreat might we not profit immensely if we confront ourselves with these question as well as another one along with a supposition: "If I were to experience a moment when God would appear before me, how would I react?" "What could I say about the strength of my belief in him?" What would he say to me about how I have lived my life thus far?"
Too often you and I can become so involved in our works and other distractions that Jesus and his Father are really not important. Ignatius spent about three years trying to answer these questions in his own life. Forty days of Lent are not a lengthy "retreat" compared to the Master Retreat Master of Loyola.
