Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola but before founding the Jesuits, Ignatius was a soldier who dreamed of fame and glory.
Everything changed when a cannonball shattered his leg in battle. During his long recovery, he had nothing to read except the Life of Christ and stories of the saints.
As he read, he noticed something surprising.
When he imagined returning to his old life, the excitement quickly faded, leaving him empty. But when he imagined following Christ and living like the saints, the joy remained, bringing a deep and lasting peace.
That discovery became the foundation of what we now call Ignatian discernment:learning to recognize which desires draw us closer to God and which lead us away.
His question is still relevant today:
"Which choice brings me closer to Christ?"
@luca
July 31, 2026
Did you know that St. Ignatius of Loyola wasn't always a saint?
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@r0bertAug 1I did not realize St. Ignatius was a soldier. Thank you for the post @luca!
The discernment question, “Which choice brings me closer to Christ?” makes a lot of sense. I am going to add this to my reflection routine at night to start building the habit.
The discernment question, “Which choice brings me closer to Christ?” makes a lot of sense. I am going to add this to my reflection routine at night to start building the habit.
@lucaAug 1St. Ignatius had an incredible life!
Happy to hear your new reflection routine.
I’ll pray for you 🙏
Happy to hear your new reflection routine.
I’ll pray for you 🙏
@chrishannaAug 7Thank you for sharing this!
