Ignatian Spirituality

Friends in the Lord, Friends with One Another By James Martin, SJ

Do you remember your first day of college? If you were at all like me, you were probably course, an exciting athletic or social event or full of mixed emotions. As you stood on the maybe even a profound weekend retreat. brink of young adulthood, everything seemed Something similar happened in the sixteenth L-R - St. new, frightening and exciting—all at once. You century, when signed up (1506-1552), St. Ignatius might still recall those first few weeks, as you for courses at the University of in 1528. (1491-1556), Bl. Peter Faber (1506-1546) acclimated yourself to campus and met dozens There he met a fellow Basque, Francis Xavier, of new classmates and professors, all the while and a Frenchman, Peter Favre. After their trying to make a good first impression and great friendship took root, the three became desperately trying to keep straight all the new roommates. Ignatius, having recently written names and faces. The Spiritual Exercises, his soon-to-be-famous A few of those strangers probably took their manual of prayer, first directed Peter and, then, places among your most valued friends. Francis, in these same Exercises. Both Peter College friendships often become some of and Francis had deeply felt religious experiences the most lasting in our lives. And many of us during the Exercises, which inspired them to can trace the start of those bonds to specific follow their friend Ignatius in his dreams for moments during our college education--a tough serving God and the Church. The idea of friendship among Jesuits is an underappreciated one. “Friends in the Lord” was the phrase Ignatius used.

Not long afterwards, several more friends Masses, preaching, writing, and traveling-- would be led through the Exercises, with this often solitary, always on the go. tight-knit group evolving into what became But certainly one thing that sustained them known as the . was their deep and very human affection for Thus the bonds of friendship among one another. Ignatius, Francis and Peter sprang from this It’s certainly been that way in my own life. college experience, though the three would One of the great blessings in my life as a Jesuit, soon be scattered in different parts of the and one of the engines of my spiritual life, world as Jesuits. is my friendship with other Jesuits. And, as Years later, in 1541, from Lisbon, Portugal, may have been the case with those three early Francis Xavier, who was about to embark companions, while I appreciate what they on his career as a missionary in “the Indies,” accomplish in their apostolates, I value just wrote a remarkable letter to the superior as much their personalities, their senses of general of the Society of Jesus, Ignatius of humor, and their outlooks on life. In essence, Loyola. I love them for who they are, for the way that The letter read, in part: God created them. There is nothing more to tell you except that we are “Friends in the Lord,” was the phrase about to embark. We close by asking Christ our Lord the Ignatius used to use to describe this friendship grace of seeing each other joined together in the next life; between Jesuits. “Union of hearts and for I do not know if we shall see each other again in this, minds” was another term he used. But what’s because of the great distance between and the great wonderful about the Society of Jesus today harvest to be found. is that both these terms apply not simply to other Jesuits, but to all our companions--those In other words, I don’t know if I will ever colleagues with whom (and often for whom) see you again. we work in our apostolates, those who are part Do you remember your first day of college? Francis’ intuition would prove correct: he of the communities of our schools, parishes would die on a remote island off the coast of and retreat houses, and those who support us China, far from Rome, having not seen his so generously as benefactors. friend Ignatius for many years. Ignatius Loyola, Francis Xavier and Peter The difficulty of writing these words Favre were united in their desire to serve God becomes clearer when we remember that as Jesuits. They were also united in their desire Ignatius was not only the superior of Xavier, to serve one another as good and loyal friends. he was one of Xavier’s closest and oldest As we celebrate their anniversaries in this friends—from college. They valued one Jubilee Year, it’s good to know that all of us another not simply for what they did (Ignatius can emulate these Jesuits in both of those said that the person who best understood how very holy desires: desires that bring us into to give the Exercises was Favre) but for who friendship with one another and, through this, they were as individuals. friendship with God.  The idea of friendship among Jesuits is, I think, an underappreciated one. Frequently James Martin, SJ, is associate editor of “America” the great Jesuit , especially Xavier, magazine. His new book “My Life with the Saints” will are described as independent doers--hearing be published in Spring 2006 by Loyola Press. thousands of confessions, celebrating as many