“Are you done using this machine?” I asked the gentleman, his hair greying at the temples, his physique still fit and strong. I had never spoken to him before.
He nodded graciously and walked off. That’s when I noticed a limp in his gait, and deep scars running along both legs.
It was a busy weekday morning at the gym, but something about his quiet demeanor and visible wounds stirred my curiosity.
“Were you involved in an accident or something?” I asked gently.
There was a moment’s pause. Then came the calm reply: “I was injured in a grenade blast during the Kargil War.”
I looked at him with new eyes, grateful, humbled. Here was a man who had risked his life to safeguard our borders.
“Thank you for your service to our country,” I said, taking his scarred hands in mine.
As I returned to my workout, I couldn’t help but think of another soldier, injured in battle many centuries ago.
His leg was shattered, and the long months of recovery confined him to bed. Like the soldier I met, he was once full of worldly dreams, fame, honor, and romance. Bored and restless during convalescence, he asked for books of chivalry and adventure. Instead, he was given The Life of Christ by Ludolph of Saxony and The Flowers of the Saints.
With no other diversions, he began to read. And read again. Slowly, a transformation took place. He began to imagine himself not as a knight in shining armor, but as one of the saints, leading a holy, selfless life.
He realized that only Christ could offer lasting peace. The glamor of the world, its romance, its applause, might seem fulfilling at first, but it fades, leaving the soul craving something more.
That soldier’s name was Ignatius of Loyola. His injury marked the beginning of a lifelong journey to God.
Ignatius would go on to found the Society of Jesus, committed to serving the Pope and the missions. His masterpiece, the Spiritual Exercises, has become a cornerstone of Christian spirituality, guiding countless people in contemplative prayer and discernment.
His life was driven by one clear motto: AMDG – Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam: For the Greater Glory of God.
His famous prayer captures his total surrender:
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.
Sometimes, what sparks a transformation is as simple as reading the right book.
What are you reading now?
Is it something that draws you toward God—or away from Him?
Let us look to the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola and be inspired to live each day for the Greater Glory of God.
