THESE MAKE ME RICH, ALL ELSE WILL I FOREGO

Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest 
Jeremiah 18:1-6/Psalm 146/Matthew 13:47-53 

In the Philippines, the Jesuits is one of the famous priests in the country. The Jesuit priests in the Philippines run the Ateneo de Manila University. They evangelize through their programs on television, such as Kape't Pandasal every Monday-Friday mornings on ABS-CBN and The Word Exposed with Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle every Sunday mornings on ABS-CBN Sports+Action, ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), and PTV Channel 4. Asides from media, most songs that is sung during Mass in the Philippines, English or Filipino, are mostly composed by Jesuit priests, such as Fr. Manoling Francisco and Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros. 

I know some Jesuit priests and some priests who studied at the San Jose Seminary at the Ateneo de Manila University. The San Jose Seminary at the Ateneo does not only train seminarians to become Jesuit priests. They also train Diocesan priests. Priests such as Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Msgr. Clem Ignacio of Quiapo Church, among others. These priests are not Jesuits, but they are Diocesan priests who studied at San Jose Seminary. Diocesan priests who are alumni of San Jose Seminary are also known as Josefinos. 

Today is a very special day for Atenista (people who studies in Ateneo) and Jesuit priests around the world. Why? Today we remember the founder of the Jesuit Order, St. Ignatius of Loyola. Before he became a saint, Ignatius of Loyola was a soldier for Spain. He suffered a very bad, if not fatal, injury during a war. That injury started the process of St. Ignatius of Loyola's conversion. While he was recovering from his injury, he read books about the life of the Lord Jesus and other saints. These books inspired him to change his life and become a soldier of our Lord. 

If an ordinary person would see that Ignatius quitting being a soldier, he would probably think, "Why would he do that? He got all the riches in the world. He is living in novelty. Why would he leave all his riches behind?" For some people, they would think that St. Ignatius of Loyola is not being smart. They would think he is being dumb. Why? Because according to them, if they had the amount of riches Ignatius of Loyola had, they would literally keep it and have it only for themselves. They would think it would make them richer and richer and richer. 

But, Ignatius is exchanging things. St. Ignatius is exchanging all his riches for God, the true treasure. He has chosen God over all the riches of the world. St. Ignatius made the right decision in choosing God over all the riches in this world. In God, St. Ignatius found the true treasure. He is more than satisfied because he has chosen God. Ignatius became poor in spirit. He chose to become poor in spirit and God has rewarded him. For St. Ignatius, he is truly rich because he has chosen God. St. Ignatius feels more richer than ever because he has chosen God to reign over his life. He allowed God to reign on him and this makes him richer than he was when he was a soldier. 

The song "Take and Receive" was taken from the Suscipe Prayer of St. Ignatius. The very first words of this prayer, "Take, Lord, and receive my understanding, my memory..." By surrendering everything he has and his whole life to God, Ignatius is gaining more than what the world could give him. St. Ignatius of Loyola surrendered everything about him and was rewarded by God. In surrendering all of his riches in this world, Ignatius gave glory to God. As the motto of the Jesuits says, "Ad majorem Dei gloriam." (For the greater glory of God) St. Ignatius of Loyola surrendered everything for the glory of God. 

Today's Gospel is about a Parable of Jesus. We heard the last part of it in the long form of the Sunday Gospel. It is now being used again for today. The message from today's Gospel reading is if you choose God above everything and do as he wishes, you will be rewarded by God. God will reward you by allowing you to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of God in Heaven is our main goal. What are we supposed to do in order for God to reward us being under the kingdom of Heaven? By being poor in spirit and allowing God to reign in our hearts and in our lives. 

Like St. Ignatius of Loyola, let us surrender ourselves to God for the greater glory of God. By surrendering ourselves to God, we are giving glory to God and becoming truly rich. God Himself is the true treasure that we should seek for. St. Ignatius became poor in spirit by leaving all his earthly riches. But, by losing his earthly possessions, he is gaining something better - the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the greatest treasure of all. Being under the reign of God is much greater than any treasure in the world. Because of surrendering his whole life to God, St. Ignatius became truly rich. By surrendering ourselves to God, we are giving glory to God. We are gaining something better - much better than all the treasures of this world.