29 March 2019
Friday of the Third Week of Lent
The question asked in today’s reading was no doubt asked by one of the ancestors of my students who frequently inquire what exactly is going to be on the exam. The gospel recounts the story of the scribe who wants to know the most important of all the commandments. Preparing for what will be on the exam is not the worst way to study since it prepares you for what you need to know. Jesus was a good teacher, he basically left the field wide open as to what needs to be studied but provided some specific focus. Jesus identified the direction of “studies” towards the love of God and specific implementation of that direction towards love of neighbor as the means. Of course, our love of neighbor changes and we need to be adept at responding to needs. Ignatius wisely identified the correct use of creation in terms of this singular focus—the love of God. He went on to note that our life project is to understand creation in terms of how it can help us achieve that specific goal, the goal for which we are all created. This project demands all sorts of skills since the various aspects of creation present themselves often as a puzzle and a challenge. Loving our neighbor takes no little skill and it was for this reason Ignatius wisely turned to education as one of the primary works of the Jesuits. Throughout their history, the Jesuits have always held to the great commandment of Christ: love of God. To do this, they knew that responding to that challenge meant that a person had to have a good knowledge of creation.