One of my favorite treatments of Ignatian spirituality tracks the growth of the great saint. In each step along the way, the writer observes that what Ignatius could imagine depended upon the spiritual horizons within which he worked.
As a prince, the world he knew was shaped by the horizons of a soldier prince.
As a new Christian he thought of Jesus as a model to be imitated.
As his horizons grew he thought of Jesus as a Lord to be served.
And, at the its most expansive, he thought of his life as an invitation to be Jesus’ companion.
It was this last horizon that defined the order that Ignatius founded. To the world that order is known as The Society of Jesus or the Jesuits. But even today it is the title, “companion,” that the Jesuits themselves prefer.
What we think of our relationship with God and what we expect from God will shape our horizons. Often, the growth we experience has less to do with what God is willing to give us and more to do with what we expect.
What are your spiritual horizons?
Fred, thank you for the wonderful information on Ignatius. His insight on companionship is very expanding. Just think! Jesus wants us to be His companion. I’ve always thought about Him being our companion through the Holy Spirit and His promise to never leave us. The other side is new to me and I will concentrate more on being Jesus’ companion. According to the dictionary friend encompasses companion but companion does not list friend. Are they normally considered one and the same or are there distinct differences?