A man prayed for months for his dream job. Finally, he got the interview. Nervously, he prayed, “God, please let me get this job!” The next morning, he got a rejection email. He sighed and complained, “God, I asked for this job!” A voice replied, “I’m working on the promotion for next week. Patience!”.
In 1523, after his conversion, Ignatius of Loyola sailed to the Holy Land, intending never to return to Europe. His firm intention was to remain in Jerusalem to serve God. However, God had other plans—a promotion in His vineyard; to form and lead the Society of Jesus.
On September 3, 1539, Ignatius and his companions submitted a draft of the Constitution to the Pope, who exclaimed, “The finger of God is here.” However, they were less fortunate with the commission of cardinals to whom the matter was then referred. Cardinal Guidiccioni, who presided, was distinctly hostile and expressed that all existing religious orders should be reduced to four; he contemptuously dismissed their petition. Undismayed, Ignatius and his companions offered 4,000 Masses to obtain their goal.
God took note of the persistent masses. According to Thomas Campbell, it was only after a year that Guidiccioni took up the draft of the constitution again — he scarcely knew why — and on reading it attentively he was completely converted and hastened to report on it as follows: “Although as before, I still hold to the opinion that no new religious order should be instituted, I cannot refrain from approving this one.”
The Parable of the Persistent Widow teaches us to pray continuously. According to William Barclay, the widow symbolizes all who are poor and defenseless, yet she had one weapon—persistence. When we persist in prayer, either God grants our request or gives us a promotion: a better gift.
References
Campbell, T. J. (1921). The Jesuits, 1534–1921: A history of the Society of Jesus from its foundation to the present time. The Encyclopedia Press. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/
Ignatius of Loyola. (1995). A pilgrim’s testament: The memoirs of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (L. Conclaves da Câmara, Trans.; P. R. Divarkar, Trans.). Saint Louis.
Pollen, J.H. (1910). St. Ignatius Loyola. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07639c.htm
Rev. George Meze, SJ
I am Fr. Vilezo George Meze SJ, originally from India. I am doing my EdD studies and serve as a spiritual director with Campus Ministry. Before coming to the U.S., I spent a decade working in school administration among Indigenous communities in Northeast India.
