St. Ignatius of Loyola: Founder of the Jesuits and Soldier of Christ
From wounded warrior to spiritual leader, saint Ignatius of Loyola gave his life to the greater glory of God.
Have you ever felt like your life has shattered before your eyes? Like the dreams you once held—power, success, recognition—were suddenly out of reach? That’s exactly what happened to a young man named Iñigo López de Loyola.
Born in 1491 in the Basque region of Spain, Iñigo was destined for a life of glory on the battlefield. But a cannonball crushed more than his leg in the siege of Pamplona—it shattered his old ambitions and opened his heart to something far greater. In 1556, when he died, the world had changed because of one man’s total surrender to Jesus Christ.
This is the story of St. Ignatius of Loyola, also known as saint Ignatius of Loyola—a nobleman turned mystic, a soldier turned saint, a rebel turned founder of one of the most influential religious orders in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
At the heart of his life is a truth that still echoes today: God can transform the most broken lives into vessels of His greater glory.
What Made St. Ignatius of Loyola So Influential?
When we speak of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity, St. Ignatius of Loyola—also known as saint Ignatius of Loyola—stands among the towering lights. But what exactly made his life and legacy so transformative? It was not merely his founding of a religious order, but the revolutionary depth of his spiritual vision, the timeliness of his response to a world in crisis, and his commitment to the soul’s intimate encounter with the living Christ.
A Reformer from Within
At a time when the Church was being shaken by the Protestant Reformation and internal corruption, St. Ignatius of Loyola chose not to abandon the Church but to renew it from within. He understood that external reform is powerless without interior transformation. Rather than fight theological fire with fire, he pursued a deeper strategy—transforming hearts through spiritual discipline, education, and deep intimacy with God.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s influence began not with power or prestige, but with profound personal conversion. His journey from wounded soldier to passionate follower of Christ laid the foundation for a new kind of disciple—one marked by radical obedience and mission.
The Power of the Spiritual Exercises
One of the most enduring contributions of St. Ignatius of Loyola is the Spiritual Exercises—a guided retreat of prayer, reflection, and discernment designed to help individuals listen to God’s voice and surrender to His will. These Exercises are not theoretical theology; they are intensely practical tools for spiritual renewal. They have shaped generations of Christians, from popes and priests to laypeople and missionaries.
Through the Exercises, saint Ignatius of Loyola offered the Church a method to help believers purify their desires, detach from worldly distractions, and live solely “for the greater glory of God”—a phrase that became the very motto of the Jesuits.
A New Kind of Religious Order
The founding of the Society of Jesus—or the Jesuits—by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1540 was unlike any religious order before it. Jesuits were not monks cloistered behind monastery walls. They were missionaries, educators, confessors, and scholars—men formed by deep spiritual discipline and called to serve Christ in every corner of the world.
Under the leadership of saint Ignatius of Loyola, the Jesuits became spiritual shock troops of the Catholic renewal. They went wherever the Pope sent them—to distant lands, hostile cultures, and academic battlegrounds. Their loyalty to the Church was matched only by their zeal for souls.
A Global Movement Rooted in Christ
Within decades of Ignatius’ death, Jesuit missionaries had carried the Gospel to India, China, Japan, and the Americas. Jesuit schools, colleges, and universities were being founded across Europe and beyond. St. Ignatius of Loyola’s vision had become a global movement—anchored not in military conquest, but in prayer, intellect, sacrifice, and the love of Christ.
His belief that “all things can be used to glorify God” reshaped how Catholics viewed culture, science, politics, and education. He showed that faith and reason could walk hand in hand, and that every field of human endeavor could be redeemed by divine purpose.
A Legacy That Continues to Shape the Church
To this day, St. Ignatius of Loyola, saint Ignatius of Loyola, continues to shape Catholic spirituality and mission. His method of discernment—seeking God’s will through careful reflection and spiritual awareness—is taught in seminaries, spiritual retreats, and pastoral counseling worldwide.
The Jesuit motto Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam—“for the greater glory of God”—is more than a phrase; it’s a way of life, first modeled by Ignatius himself. His life teaches us that one man, fully surrendered to Christ, can alter the course of history.
The Early Life of Iñigo: Noble Birth and Worldly Ambition
Born into Nobility (1491)
Before he became known to the world as St. Ignatius of Loyola, he was simply Iñigo López de Loyola—a boy born into privilege, passion, and promise. Born in 1491 in the castle of Loyola, nestled in the Basque region of northern Spain, Iñigo was the youngest of thirteen children in a noble household.
His family was well-connected, and from an early age, he was trained for life in the royal courts and battlefields. He was not a priest, nor a scholar, nor a mystic in his youth. He was a courtier—a lover of fine clothes, gallant tales, and romantic dreams. Like many young men of noble birth, he dreamed not of holiness but of honor, heroism, and high society.
He was named after St. Enecus (San Íñigo), a local medieval saint, but his early life showed little resemblance to the lives of saints. Iñigo pursued the ideals of knighthood and worldly glory. He admired the feats of Achilles and the cunning of courtly heroes more than the humility of Christ.
Yet even in this, the hand of God was moving. For God often chooses the most unlikely materials to shape His masterpieces.
A Soldier’s Dream and Devastating Injury
In his twenties, Iñigo became a soldier in the service of the Duke of Nájera and the King of Castile. He was courageous, ambitious, and loyal—yet also prideful and impulsive. His desire was not just to serve but to achieve greatness, to win battles and hearts, to etch his name in glory.
In May 1521, during the defense of the fortress city of Pamplona against invading French forces, Iñigo’s dream met a violent halt. A cannonball struck his legs—shattering one and wounding the other. His comrades surrendered, but Iñigo’s courage never flinched. Yet even his bravery couldn’t save his military career.
He was carried back to his family’s castle in Loyola, where he underwent multiple surgeries to reset his broken bones. These operations were performed without anesthesia. The pain was excruciating. But it was not only his bones that were broken—his entire identity as a proud knight lay in ruins.
For months, he lay bedridden, wrestling not just with physical agony but the collapse of his ambitions. His once muscular frame wasted away. The world he had pursued now seemed out of reach. And in this silence, this stillness, this suffering—God began to speak.
The Awakening of a Restless Soul
During this long recovery, Iñigo requested books to pass the time—romantic tales of warriors, ladies, and legends. But none were available. Instead, he was given two volumes: The Life of Christ and The Lives of the Saints. With nothing else to read, he opened them in boredom. But what began as entertainment turned into encounter.
As he read about Francis of Assisi and Dominic, about Mary Magdalene and the sufferings of Christ, something stirred within him. He noticed a strange pattern: when he thought of returning to court life and fame, he felt excitement that faded quickly into emptiness. But when he imagined serving Christ, surrendering his life as the saints had done, he felt joy—and that joy remained.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola would later describe this as the first lesson in discernment: recognizing which desires come from God and which do not. He didn’t know it then, but the Holy Spirit was already guiding him into a new way of life.
This young nobleman, once consumed with vanity and valor, was being remade—not through power, but through pain. Not on horseback, but in a sickbed. Not by triumph, but through surrender.
From Iñigo to Ignatius
By the end of his recovery, Iñigo had made a decision that would change the world. He would no longer live for himself. He would no longer chase fleeting glory. He would follow Jesus Christ—wherever He led, whatever the cost.
He would soon adopt the Latinized version of his name: Ignatius—a name that would echo across continents and centuries. But before he could rise, he had to descend—into humility, into silence, into the deep work of the soul.
What began as a story of ambition became a story of conversion. And through that story, countless others have found the courage to let go of the world and follow the One who is eternal.
The Conversion of St. Ignatius: From Glory to God
Reading the Lives of the Saints
Still confined to his bed, Iñigo—now slowly becoming St. Ignatius of Loyola in spirit—continued to read. The Life of Christ stirred him deeply, but it was the stories of the saints that pierced his soul.
He encountered the poverty of Francis of Assisi, the preaching of Dominic, the martyrdom of early Christians. These were not myths or legends—they were real people, flawed and human like him, who had surrendered everything to follow Jesus. And in doing so, they had found joy that the world could not give.
Ignatius began to see that their path—so strange to the world—was actually the only true path to peace. The kind of peace he had never found in swords or seduction.
The contrast became agonizing: when he imagined returning to court life, his spirit would thrill for a moment and then sink into emptiness. But when he imagined devoting himself to Christ, his heart would burn with joy—and the fire remained.
Later, saint Ignatius of Loyola would write that this was the birth of his ability to “discern spirits”—recognizing which thoughts lead to God and which lead away. It was the foundation of his spiritual teachings, and it began in this season of stillness and seeking.
A New Passion Is Born
By the time he recovered enough to walk again—though with a limp that would stay for life—everything had changed. Iñigo was no longer driven by vanity or vengeance. A new fire had consumed him: a desire to imitate Christ and give his entire life for God’s glory.
He left his home, dressed now as a poor pilgrim, and set off on a journey not just through the roads of Spain but into the wilderness of the soul.
His first stop was the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat. There, in a dramatic and symbolic act, he spent the night in prayer and laid down his sword before a statue of the Virgin Mary. This was not just the surrender of a weapon—it was the death of an old life.
He then traveled to Manresa, where he spent nearly a year in solitude, prayer, and severe asceticism. He lived in a cave, fasting, weeping, battling temptation, and seeking God. It was a time of deep interior trial—but also profound transformation.
He later described this period as the great school of his soul, where God taught him how to listen, to wait, and to fight spiritual battles—not with weapons, but with truth.
From Outer Battle to Inner War
In Manresa, St. Ignatius of Loyola faced spiritual desolation, moments of deep doubt and even despair. At one point, he was tempted to give up, convinced he had committed unforgivable sins. But God met him in the darkest valley.
One day, while meditating by the River Cardoner, he experienced what he later described as an overwhelming illumination—an insight into the divine order of all things, a revelation that brought clarity and peace. Though he never fully described what he saw, it marked him forever.
From this crucible of pain and prayer, the core of his spirituality emerged: trust in divine providence, awareness of the spiritual battle, and a life radically oriented toward “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam”—the greater glory of God.
The Road Toward Mission
Ignatius had become a new man. But he knew his transformation was not just for himself. It was meant to bring others to Christ. He was determined to study theology so that he could help souls, preach the Gospel, and bring healing to a wounded world.
But first, he had to start from scratch. Though already in his thirties, he enrolled in school with children to learn Latin, the gateway to further studies. He was mocked, misunderstood, even briefly imprisoned by the Inquisition—some feared his growing influence. But nothing would stop him.
For saint Ignatius of Loyola, the road of discipleship was never easy—but it was always worth it.
The Spiritual Exercises: A Gift to the Church
What Are the Spiritual Exercises?
Of all the legacies left behind by St. Ignatius of Loyola, none has had a greater or more lasting impact than the Spiritual Exercises. This small but profound manual—born in caves and silence, not universities—has become a cornerstone of Catholic spiritual formation for over 500 years.
The Spiritual Exercises are not merely prayers or meditations. They are an immersive experience, a sacred pilgrimage of the soul. Structured as a 30-day retreat (though also adaptable to everyday life), these Exercises are designed to help a person purify their heart, discern God’s will, and reorder their life around Christ.
The core idea is simple, yet revolutionary: if a person truly gives God permission to act, God will reshape their whole life.
The Exercises unfold in four “weeks” or movements:
- Week 1 – A deep confrontation with sin, its consequences, and the mercy of God.
- Week 2 – Contemplation on the life of Jesus Christ, His calling, and the meaning of discipleship.
- Week 3 – Intimate meditation on the suffering and Passion of Christ.
- Week 4 – Rejoicing in the Resurrection and making a final, full offering of one’s life to God.
These meditations are not meant to be studied like theology—they are meant to be prayed, felt, and lived.
Formation Through Prayer and Discernment
The genius of saint Ignatius of Loyola was his ability to listen to the movements of the human heart. Through the Exercises, he taught believers to notice what brings consolation (the nearness of God) and desolation (spiritual discouragement or confusion). In doing so, he gave the Church a language of discernment.
Rather than relying on emotion alone or reason alone, St. Ignatius taught that a disciple must continually ask: “Where is God leading me in this decision?” and “Is this desire drawing me closer to Christ—or away from Him?”
This practice has helped countless men and women—priests, missionaries, laypeople, even popes—make life-changing decisions with clarity and confidence.
But the Exercises are not about spiritual achievement. They are about surrender. Their climax is a prayer called the Suscipe, where the soul says to God:
“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will—
all I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what You will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.”
This prayer encapsulates the entire life of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It is not about doing more—it is about giving more of yourself to the One who gave everything.
The Exercises as a Global Force for Renewal
Through the Spiritual Exercises, saint Ignatius of Loyola lit a fire that has spread across nations, cultures, and centuries. From the highlands of Peru to the colleges of Europe, from retreat houses in India to seminaries in Africa, the Exercises continue to be a global engine of spiritual renewal.
They are not outdated relics. They remain urgently relevant—especially in a world of noise, anxiety, and confusion. They offer clarity where there is chaos, focus where there is distraction, and purpose where there is emptiness.
In a time when many are seeking mindfulness or spiritual awakening, the Exercises offer something far greater: not just peace, but union with the living Jesus.
Through this singular work, St. Ignatius of Loyola gave the Church a way to form not just thinkers, but contemplatives in action—men and women whose hearts are anchored in prayer but whose hands are active in the world.
Founding the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Companions in Christ
As the spiritual foundation of St. Ignatius of Loyola grew stronger, so did his sense of mission. He knew that the renewal God had worked in him was not meant to remain private. It was meant to spread—through others equally surrendered to the will of Christ.
While studying theology at the University of Paris in his mid-thirties, Ignatius began to attract a group of young men who shared his vision of total dedication to God. Among them were names that would later echo through the Church’s history—St. Francis Xavier, Pierre Favre, Alfonso Salmerón, Diego Laínez, and others.
These were not men seeking comfort or status. They were companions in Christ, drawn together by a shared desire to follow Jesus radically and serve His Church in whatever way the Spirit led.
Together, they made spiritual retreats using the Spiritual Exercises. They prayed, discerned, and made vows of poverty and chastity. But they also made one vow that set them apart from other religious groups: absolute obedience to the Pope, especially in matters of mission.
This obedience wasn’t rooted in institutional politics—it was rooted in faith. They believed the Pope, as the Vicar of Christ, could send them anywhere the Gospel was needed most. And they were ready to go.
Their small band called themselves the “Company of Jesus.” Others would later call them Jesuits.
Official Approval from the Pope (1540)
In 1537, Ignatius and his companions traveled to Rome to offer themselves directly to the Holy Father. After prayerful examination and discernment, Pope Paul III gave them official recognition as a religious order on September 27, 1540, through the papal bull Regimini militantis Ecclesiae.
And so, the Society of Jesus was born—not in the halls of power, but in the hearts of men who had been conquered by Christ.
Unlike older monastic orders bound to one place, the Jesuits were to be mobile, adaptable, and mission-focused. They would serve wherever there was need—whether in foreign missions, urban centers, universities, or the spiritual deserts of secularized Europe.
St. Ignatius of Loyola was appointed the first Superior General of the order. From a small room in Rome, he began to organize, write letters, send missionaries, and shape a global vision.
Their motto? Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam—“For the Greater Glory of God.”
It wasn’t about personal success. It wasn’t even about institutional growth. It was about bringing every soul, every society, every corner of creation into the light of Jesus Christ.
A New Model for Religious Life
What set the Jesuits apart—what saint Ignatius of Loyola envisioned—was a religious order deeply rooted in prayer, but equally committed to action. They were not monks hidden behind monastery walls. They were contemplatives in action.
Jesuits taught in schools, advised kings, served in leper colonies, and debated atheists. They went to dangerous lands, learned foreign languages, and laid down their lives for Christ. By the time Ignatius died in 1556, there were over 1,000 Jesuits serving around the world. By the end of the century, that number would more than quadruple.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola built more than a community—he launched a movement. A spiritual army, not with swords, but with truth; not with force, but with faith.
And at the center of it all was Jesus—always Jesus.
What the Church Says About Saint Ignatius of Loyola
His Canonization and Feast Day
The life of St. Ignatius of Loyola was a testament to divine grace—how God can take a wounded soldier and shape him into a saint who changes the world. After decades of tireless service to Christ, Ignatius died on July 31, 1556, in Rome. His death was quiet, but the ripple effects of his life were already spreading across continents.
Just sixty-six years after his birth in the castle of Loyola, the world remembered him not as a nobleman or military man—but as a spiritual giant, a founder of renewal, and a servant of Christ.
Recognizing his holiness and heroic virtue, Pope Gregory XV canonized saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1622—on the same day as St. Francis Xavier, his friend and fellow Jesuit, and alongside other spiritual giants like St. Teresa of Ávila and St. Philip Neri. This moment in Church history was not just about honoring individuals—it was about celebrating a wave of spiritual renewal God had brought through their lives.
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola every year on July 31—a day to remember his conversion, his mission, and his undying passion for Jesus.
But the Church does not venerate Ignatius simply because he founded a successful religious order. The Church honors him because he embodied the Gospel, lived a life of total surrender to Christ, and left a legacy of holiness that still shapes the world.
Recognized Contributions to Catholic Renewal
The Catholic Church sees St. Ignatius of Loyola as a crucial figure in the Counter-Reformation—the era when the Church responded not with political defense, but with deep internal reform. And Ignatius was at the forefront of this movement—not by arguments alone, but by example.
His emphasis on spiritual formation, personal discernment, and missionary zeal helped form generations of priests and religious who would serve the Church with integrity, humility, and clarity of vision.
Perhaps no contribution was more impactful than his role in Catholic education. Saint Ignatius of Loyola founded Jesuit colleges and universities that continue to influence the world today. From the Gregorian University in Rome to institutions across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, Jesuit education shaped minds and souls alike.
These schools were not just about academic excellence—they were about forming men and women for others, people who lived their faith through service, intellect, and love.
The Church also treasures the Spiritual Exercises as a masterwork of Christian spirituality. Popes, saints, theologians, and ordinary believers alike have found in them a path to deeper intimacy with God. Their enduring relevance is a sign of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in Ignatius’ writing.
In fact, Pope Pius XI named St. Ignatius of Loyola the “Patron Saint of Spiritual Retreats”—recognizing that his Exercises were not bound by time or culture. They speak to every soul who longs to follow Christ more deeply.
A Saint for All Generations
In every age, God raises up saints not to be admired from a distance, but to show us how to live the Gospel now. And saint Ignatius of Loyola remains one of those living lights.
He was not born holy. He was proud, impulsive, and deeply ambitious. But God met him in his brokenness and turned his fire toward heaven. His life shows us that the saints are not made from perfection—they are made from surrender.
The Church calls us not just to honor him, but to imitate his desire: “to know Christ more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly.”
Why the Life of St. Ignatius Still Matters
A Model of Radical Conversion
In a world obsessed with image, achievement, and control, St. Ignatius of Loyola speaks a different word—a call to surrender.
He did not start out holy. He was a man of pride, wounded dreams, and worldly ambition. And yet, through a painful collapse of everything he once pursued, he encountered the grace of Jesus Christ. That grace did not shame him. It remade him.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola shows us that it is never too late to be changed by God. His story is not reserved for scholars, monks, or religious professionals. It is for every person who has ever failed, fallen, or wondered if they could start over.
His life reveals the heart of the Gospel: Jesus does not call the righteous—He calls the lost, the limping, the longing.
If God can turn a wounded knight into a spiritual general, He can transform your life too.
Tools for Deep Spiritual Growth
St. Ignatius of Loyola didn’t just experience a personal conversion—he gave the world tools to help others experience the same.
Through the Spiritual Exercises, he taught the Church how to listen to God in everyday life. Through the practice of discernment, he offered a roadmap to navigate anxiety, temptation, and indecision. Through the Society of Jesus, he trained men to preach, teach, serve, and suffer for the sake of Christ.
Today, his legacy remains one of formation, not performance. He calls us to inner renewal, not outer image. In a noisy, anxious, and distracted world, his spirituality is more relevant than ever.
When we don’t know what to do next, when our souls feel cluttered or cold, St. Ignatius invites us to return to the voice of the Shepherd—the voice of Jesus, who still calls His sheep by name.
An Answer to Modern Confusion
Saint Ignatius of Loyola lived in a time of deep confusion and division within the Church. He saw spiritual laziness, moral decay, and the rise of doubt. Yet instead of running from the Church or attacking others, he chose to kneel, pray, and reform himself first.
That’s a lesson we desperately need today.
In an era where many walk away from faith, where scandals and politics have tainted the witness of the Church, Ignatius offers a better way: renewal through repentance, clarity through prayer, and transformation through Christ.
He doesn’t offer quick fixes. He offers deep roots. He doesn’t give formulas. He gives the Holy Spirit room to speak.
And through it all, he reminds us that holiness is not just for saints in stained glass—it is the calling of every baptized heart.
A Picture of Redemption: From Sword to Cross
The Soldier Who Learned to Kneel
Before he was a saint, St. Ignatius of Loyola was a soldier—ambitious, proud, and burning with the desire for glory. He knew the weight of armor and the thrill of command. But when God entered his story, He did not call Ignatius to sharpen his sword—He called him to lay it down.
That moment at Montserrat, when he placed his military sword before the image of the Virgin Mary, was more than symbolic. It was a total surrender of an old identity, a letting go of everything he had clung to for meaning. In that surrender, something eternal was born.
The sword was exchanged for a rosary. The battlefield for a cave. The ambition for obedience. And slowly, the man who once fought for kingdoms of this world began to live only for the Kingdom of God.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola learned that the greatest victories come not through conquest, but through crucifixion—not by gaining the world, but by losing oneself in Christ.
And this wasn’t weakness—it was spiritual strength. He became a different kind of warrior:
– A warrior of prayer
– A soldier of discernment
– A champion of grace
He discovered what many never do: the soul is never stronger than when it kneels before God.
Testimony of Enduring Legacy
The fruit of this transformation can still be seen today—not in statues alone, but in living witnesses.
The Society of Jesus, founded by saint Ignatius of Loyola, has sent missionaries to the most remote corners of the earth. It has built schools, universities, and seminaries that continue to shape culture, science, politics, and faith. From spiritual retreats to theological reflection, from education to evangelization, his influence has reached more hearts than any sword ever could.
But more powerful than all of that is this simple truth: his story continues to change lives. Why? Because it is not the story of one man—it is the story of what God can do with a life fully surrendered.
When someone lays down their sword—whatever that “sword” may be—and chooses the cross, heaven rejoices. And the world changes.
Ignatius of Loyola never returned to battlefields. He never wore a soldier’s uniform again. But his courage, his discipline, his passion—they were not lost. They were redeemed.
And that is the image his life leaves with us: a man who once fought for himself now kneels for Christ. A sword exchanged for a Savior. A cross that conquered his heart.
Your Invitation: The Greater Glory of God
Come and Be Transformed
What are you living for?
Is it comfort? Control? Approval? Success? Like St. Ignatius of Loyola before his conversion, many of us chase dreams that promise glory but deliver emptiness. We fight battles that exhaust us. We wear masks to hide our fears. We strive, we fall, we ache—and deep down, we wonder:
Is there more than this?
Saint Ignatius of Loyola would tell you: Yes. Infinitely more.
But to receive it, you must lay something down.
You must lay down your own sword—your pride, your plans, your illusions of control—and take up the cross of Jesus Christ. For it is only through dying to self that we begin to truly live.
The Call to Surrender and Follow
Ignatius thought his life was over when he was crushed by a cannonball. In truth, it had only just begun.
What feels like the end for you may be God’s beginning.
Jesus Christ—the same Lord who called Ignatius from the ashes of ambition—is calling you today. Not to religion as performance. Not to a checklist of rituals. But to a real, living, life-altering relationship with Him.
The Gospel is simple, yet stunning:
You were made for God.
But sin separated you from Him.
No amount of effort could bridge the gap.
So Jesus came.
He lived without sin.
He died on the cross to bear your sin.
He rose from the dead to give you new life.
And He now invites you to turn, trust, and follow Him—forever.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola responded to that invitation—and the world changed.
Now, it’s your turn.
A Prayer to Begin Again
If you are ready to start over—if you are ready to follow Jesus like Ignatius did—then you can begin right now.
You can pray something like this:
“Lord Jesus,
I’ve been chasing the wrong things.
I’ve lived for my own glory, not Yours.
I’ve sinned, I’ve fallen, and I cannot save myself.
But I believe You came to rescue me.
You died for my sins. You rose again.
You love me. You call me.
Today, I surrender.
Take my past, my future, my whole life—
and lead me in Your truth.
I want to live for the greater glory of God.
In Your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.”
What to Do Next
- Start reading the Gospel of Luke or John. Begin to meet Jesus in His own words.
- Find a Bible-believing community. Don’t walk this journey alone.
- Set time daily to pray honestly. God wants your heart—not just your habits.
- Look into a spiritual retreat. Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises can guide you more deeply into surrender and joy.
- Ask: “Lord, what do You want from my life?” And listen.
Your story, like his, can become a picture of redemption. A life that burns—not for fading glory, but for the glory of God that never ends.
So come. Lay down your sword. Pick up the cross.
And live—for the greater glory of God.