Lead me to praise you with all your saints

“Lead me to praise you with all your saints.”
#12thandMass
July 26, 2022

This Sunday is the Eight Sunday after Pentecost.  Hidden behind it is the feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.  A young Spanish knight become priest/mystic, he founded a community called the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), with a missional emphasis on evangelization and guidance on the journey of faith.  Like all the saints, Sant Ignatius was (is!) in love with Christ.  He died on July 31, 1556.  

I am one who believes that the saints are not simply models of impossibly good behaviour.  The saints are friends, who actively journey with us.  They are quiet, for they would never engage us in such a way as to diminish our freedom.  They work in perfect concert with Jesus.

The following prayer, called the “Anima Christi”, is often attributed to St. Ignatius.  It was composed well before his time, however, which allowed him to include it in his famous work, the “Spiritual Exercises”.  Its author is unknown.  It is carried in the heart of the Church, part of our spiritual patrimony.  It is the prayer of someone in love with Christ:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O Good Jesus, hear me
Within the wounds, shelter me
from turning away, keep me
From the evil one, protect me
At the hour of my death, call me
Into your presence lead me
to praise you with all your saints
Forever and ever
Amen.
 
 
Yours in the heart of the Church,
 
Dominique
Rector