Homily of Fr. James M. Hayes, S. J., at the Jesuit Community Mass
HOMILY OF FR. JAMES M. HAYES, S. J., AT THE JESUIT COMMUNITY MASS, THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS, FEAST OF ALL SAINTS AND BLESSED OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 Moses grasped an insight which is available to all of us. Moses discovered how one can be in communion with God. Through repeated ascents up a mountain, through long fasts and prayer, Moses listened to God’s voice. He taught Israel that God was close to us as our hearts, as our very breath. Ignatius, too, learned this lesson. Through his many months lying on his sickbed, during his year in Manresa, Ignatius discovered the closeness of God. He realized that God desires to be in intimate companionship with us. The other insight Ignatius discovered was the power of intercession. Ignatius instinctively knew to whom to pray. Some prayers he addressed to God the Father, some to Jesus, some to the Holy Spirit, and some to Mary and the saints. We hold the belief in the communion of saints and thanks to the research of Father Lapomarda, I have learned that the Society of Jesus has fifty-one canonized saints, one hundred fifty one Jesuits who have been beatified, nineteen venerables, and fifty-nine servants of God. That’s an impressive collection of intercessors. Each of them was a grain of wheat that fell into the ground and bore fruit. The Society of Jesus has an orchard of saints to choose from for us who remain on this pilgrim journey. Here are some suggestions for the students among us.
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