Last year I spent four days in Venice at the end of September. The early autumn weather was kind and I was able to walk around most of the city exploring its churches and art galleries and also to sit in the Piazza of St Mark where St Ignatius spent two months in the autumn of 1523 waiting for a ship to Jerusalem. Ignatius was without money, having given all away to someone more deserving, and had to sleep under the colonnades of St Mark’s Square. He says,' I enjoyed the great certainty that God would provide the means of getting to Jerusalem.’ This long awaited pilgrimage of Ignatius to the birthplace of Christianity lasted only twelve days because of the arrival of Turkish cavalry in Jerusalem and the pilgrims had to stay out of sight. Ignatius petitioned the Franciscan Superior to be able to stay and spend his life ‘saving souls’ as a modern crusader. As with many of our own best laid plans, Ignatius also had to change. He was too keen and the Superior threatened to levy an excommunication on him and he promptly left with the other pilgrims and returned to Venice.

Fourteen years later i n December 1536 we find Ignatius back in Venice about to embark on another trip to Jerusalem but this time with six of his companions who had vowed to evangelise the infidel. Their mission had the blessing of Pope Paul III and he had even given them funds for the passage. Ignatius and his companions waited many months for suitable weather and a peaceful political climate to prevail In the meanwhile they worked in the many hospitals and other institutions in the city, as well as giving the Spiritual Exercises. On 24 June, six of them were ordained by Bishop Nigusanti. By the end of October that year they all realised that they would not be able to make their way to Jerusalem so they went to Rome, presented themselves to the Pope and offered their service to him. Thus the future of the Society of Jesus took a very different direction than the one which the first group had planned and the turning point was again the city of Venice.

Ignatius spent most of his life searching for God’s will for himself, his companions and ultimately the Society of Jesus. In his discernment he was always open to God speaking to him through the events of life, the inspiration of others, the Word of God and his own mission to serve God’s people. Ignatius never rushed a decision during his later life but allowed God’s will to grow and develop like any good farmer would as expressed by Jesus in the parable of the seed (Mark’s gospel 4:26-29), the gospel we read on 12 June this year. In the spiritual exercises, Ignatius suggests that impulsive acting on feelings is inappropriate but that each person hold a dialogue with their inner self and pose questions whose answers lead to a change of heart. The exercises originated in religious experience and being based on the common Christian heritage they now help each individual to translate the Christian message into their life with all their heart.