“As every good thing, every grace, flows from the generosity of our Creator and Redeemer, may He be constantly blessed and praised for it all, and may it please Him each day to open more widely the fountain of His graciousness in order thus to increase and carry forward what He has begun in your minds and hearts.
I have no doubt that God’s generosity and love will indeed bring this about. The supreme generosity of God is so supremely eager to spread it’s own riches…if only we for ours have a humility and desire capacious enough to receive His graces and if only He can see us using well the gifts we have received, and asking eagerly and lovingly for His grace.”
Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) in a personal letter to Students of the Society of Jesus in Coimbra dated 7 May 1547 from Rome from Personal Writings, ed. Joseph Munition (London: Penguin, 1996).
Last night I said to my wife after a great Cattails neighborhood social, “Who is your favorite saint from church history?” She didn’t even flinch. “Ignatius of Loyola! He taught me the daily examen, and to attune to God’s presence in my life and in the lives of others.” So I did some searching in his private writings and found these words on generosity to students.
This quote resonated with me because of a conversation I had just yesterday with a leader I am mentoring. I said something like this: “Until we learn to receive graciously, we will never give generously.” Ignatius would concur, and He would likely add that it’s God’s love that helps us grasp and live this way. Make it so, Lord Jesus.