Today I thank you Lord for your gift of St. Ignatius of Loyola whose feast we now celebrate. His Spiritual Exercises has tremendously nourished me in experiencing your immense love for me. This is particularly true even in my meditations concerning my sins. Like the prophet Jeremiah, I have realized how this mystery of sin can also be a religious experience. Every time I would meditate on my sins as recommended by St. Ignatius, I come to understand them more as turning away from you my Lord and Master, leading me into great sorrow of failing to love you.
“Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people, over her incurable wound. If I walk out into the field, look! those slain by the sword, if I enter the city, look! those consumed by hunger. Even the prophet and the priest forage in a land they know not. Have you cast Judah off completely? Is Zion loathsome to you? Why have you struck us a blow that cannot be healed? We wait for peace, to no avail; for a time of healing, but terror comes instead. We recognize, O Lord, our wickedness, the guilt of our fathers; that we have sinned against you.” (Jer.14:17-20)
But the greatest wonder of all is that even if I am deeply in sins like in the parable of the weeds among the wheat, you continue to unconditionally love me, Father, always giving me the chance to experience your love and mercy in Christ Jesus your Son so that I, in turn, may love and serve you, again, and again. Amen.
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