I was recently asked to create an image of St Ignatius of Loyola for his upcoming feast day (31 July). He certainly is one of the great Saints in many ways. Something that always strikes me is his extraordinary conversion after this accident. I pray the examen daily and am reminded that Ignatian spirituality invites us through imagination into beauty in many ways.
When reflecting on an image, I recently learned a word "acatamiento" that describes his relationship with God—basically translated as affectionate awe. As I reflect on St Ignatius and some wonderful Jesuit friends, I hope this image of a smiling St Ignatius, in awe of his/our loving God, may remind us of the goodness and joy that can come through trust, faith, and curiosity.
Discover more here: https://jesuitonlinebibliography.bc.edu/catalog/12002
"In his Spiritual Diary of February 27, 1544, Ignatius penned the word acatamiento to summarize his basic attitude toward God. Using the word with increasing frequency in succeeding days, he seems to have considered it as signifying the beginning of a new phase in his spiritual journey. Translated as "affectionate awe," this word sums up the creature's fundamental relationship to the Creator, the God who is both immanent and transcendent. This paper first speculates on what acatamiento meant for Ignatius as a new direction in his mystical path. Next it puts it into dialogue with the Spiritual Exercises, and then examines both in light of the preceding western mystical tradition, notably around three staples of that tradition: lectio divina, the threefold way, and affective piety toward the human Jesus. The essay concludes with a few words about the value of the idea of acatamiento for contemporary spirituality."
Read more about the feast day with a short 2024 feast day reflection from Rob Morris SJ HERE
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Thank you very much for visiting. AMDG.
~ Jane
Purchase a print of this image via the SHOP
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