Fool For Christ

On this feast of St. Ignatius, and in the light of today’s Gospel in which Jesus proclaims the craziness of the Cross, I believe we are called to remember that however intelligent or talented or competent we are, we, Jesuits and members of the Ignatian family, are called first of all to foolishness. It is not enough that we be known for excellence, important though that may be. I think that in our time, it is more important that we be known as “fools for Christ.” I have not invented this phrase.

It is at there, at the heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. In the consideration on the Three Degrees of Humility, which are really the three degrees of love, Ignatius describes the most perfect kind of humility this way: “I desire more to be thought worthless and a fool for Christ, who first was taken as such, rather than to be esteemed as wise and prudent in this world.” SPEX 167

A fool for Christ: “loco por Cristo que primero fue tenido por tal,” “isang hangal para kay Kristo, na syang unang itinuring na hangal.” What does this foolishness for Christ mean? Rather than give you a theological explanation, let me share with you a few pictures of this holy Ignatian foolishness.

Link to the blog entitled Daniel's Site and the post, Fools for Christ

Hat Tip MDV