“Works of Love” is an adventure into what it means to love God and love our neighbor. Our belief is that these are not separate acts, but both are completely intertwined, our spirituality and our works of love.
For the ten weeks, we are going deeper. Each week we will consider works of love in the context of a different topic or issue. Join us as we pray, reflect, and take action!
In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis writes: “Works of love directed to one's neighbor are the most perfect external manifestation of the internal grace of the Spirit.” What we do for our neighbor — and our neighborhood for that matter — is an expression of our faith in God and the love of Christ in our hearts. What’s happening on the outside reflects what’s happening on the inside. And vice versa.
God can be found in all things, St. Ignatius tells us in the Spiritual Exercises. Scripture tells us that God is found more readily in some places than others. “For I was hungry and you gave me food,” Jesus says, “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (Matt. 25:35-36).
When we don’t know where to look, we should begin here. As we share the love of God with our neighbors — our literal neighbors, the hungry, refugees and immigrants, the homeless, etc. — we see the face of Christ.
And in the natural world God’s presence is also abundant and immanent. How we love all of God’s Creation is a matter a deep spiritual consequence. In creatures and in Creation we come to know the Creator. By our works of love, we participate in Christ’s work of redemption.
God is inviting each of us to greater works of love, to the "most perfect manifestations" of the graces we have received.
“Works of love directed to one's neighbor are the most perfect external manifestation of the internal grace of the Spirit.”
— Pope Francis
The World Day of Migrants and Refugees (Sunday, September 29, 2019) is a special opportunity to focus our attention on the urgent needs of fellow human beings.
The need to offer hospitality is of particular concern for those of us fortunate enough to remain in the communities we call home. We must begin with the conversion of our own hearts. Do we believe in the dignity of all people, regardless of where they come from? Do we believe that it is our duty, as a matter of faith, to care for the needy, to feed the hungry, and to welcome the stranger? Then we must act, sharing through works of love the graces we have received.
God is inviting us to go deeper. Below are some resources to help us pray, reflect, and ultimately take action in response to the needs of migrants and refugees.
This is an issue that affects nearly every aspect of our lives. The increasing threats to Creation and the natural world are well documented, as are the impacts of these changes on human life and society. Moreover, we know that it is the poor and marginalized around the world, who are enduring, and will continue to suffer, the effects most acutely.
We must also see this for the spiritual and moral crisis that it is — the product of a "throwaway culture" that views Creation as a disposable resource to be used without limitation. We must encourage our governments, work-places, communities, and families to act decisively. And we must seek the continuing conversion of our own hearts. What in our lives do we take for granted? Do we approach all of Creation in gratitude to God — even down to the little things like a tasty meal or a gallon of gas?
Chapter 3: The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice
In 1975, the Jesuits held their 32nd General Congregation. One of the documents composed at that meeting was "Our Mission Today: the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice." This document has since had an enormous influence on the work of Jesuits around the world, and it articulates a compelling message for all of us seeking to live out our faith.
What follows are some resources for prayer, reflection, and ways to take action, which explore the significance and demands of the pursuit of justice for all of us inspired by Ignatian spirituality.
Chapter 4: Shelter the Homeless
Homelessness is a complicated issue. People experience homelessness for many reasons, and there are different types of homelessness.
The experience itself differs from person to person and family and to family — families represent about a third of all those experiencing homelessness, a significant increase in recent years. And, while stable housing is the ultimate goal for all, the challenges to getting there can be numerous and complicated.
Homelessness is not a problem unique to big cities and urban areas. People experience homeless all across the country. Misconceptions about this issue abound, and the needs of people and the demands of justice are many.
All of us who are inspired by the spirituality and mission of the Jesuits are invited to join in their mission through prayer and action. Though we may not be Jesuits, we are all called to love more deeply. In Chapter Five of "Works of Love," we consider the second Universal Apostolic Preference, "walking with the excluded," and what this means for each of us.
Of this Preference, the Jesuits write:
"To become companions on the way in the style of Jesus, we need closeness to the poor. Our mission continues to be the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Today, we are particularly called to strive for a path that promotes social justice and reconciliation, for a culture of hospitality for all forcibly displaced, for the promotion of a culture of safeguard of all vulnerable persons."
Chapter Six of "Works of Love" focuses on the Jesuits’ fourth Universal Apostolic Preference: "Caring for Our Common Home."
At the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius Loyola has us reflect deeply on the fact that we and all of the world around us are created by God. We are creatures capable of recognizing and experiencing God's handiwork, from beautiful mountain vistas to mundane objects on a desk. We relate to God in a most basic way by inhabiting and interacting with Creation.
The invitation to "care for our common home" is fundamentally about our relationship to Creation. The demands of the environmental crisis are many and its effects severe. Action is urgently needed, and conversion is the first step — conversion of our hearts to encounter God in Creation.
Racism has been described as America's original sin. It is an injustice woven into the fabric of American society, politics, and culture long before the Constitution was written. It has evolved over time. Racism today looks different than it did 50 years ago, but its effects are still devastating.
Every American has some understanding of racism — some conception of what they think it is, at least, and what its effects are. There are a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings out there. So, first we need to get clear on what racism looks like in America today.
The resources below are meant to help guide prayerful reflection on this issue. St. Ignatius Loyola teaches that we should seek spiritual freedom, where we are aware of our biases and strive not to be mastered by them. If ever there were an issue that demanded consideration from a place of spiritual freedom, racism in America is it.
The United Nations estimates that 24.9 million people worldwide are currently being trafficked in some form. As the U.S. State Department points out, that's more than three times the population of New York City. And women and girls make up more than 70 percent of victims.
Human trafficking happens on every continent, a fact that can be difficult for those of us in North America to accept. We may not even realize that it is happening in our communities, and that we are connected to human trafficking through the things we do and the products we consume.
The first step in our response must be the conversion of our own hearts. We need to critique our attitudes and behaviors — how we treat people, how we spend our money, what we are amused by. As we seek deeper conversion ourselves, we are better able to see the ways we might be participating in human trafficking, as well as the ways we can help prevent it. Armed with this knowledge, we can take action.
November 16, 2019, marks the 30th anniversary of the murder of six Jesuits and two of their companions at the University of Central America in El Salvador. People across the Jesuit and Ignatian community are commemorating this anniversary and reflecting on the lives and legacies of these martyrs.
Leaning about the social and political circumstances that led to their deaths is important, insofar as we are able to see how these men and women responded to the heart of God and the cry of the poor. They saw the suffering of the world as God sees it — through eyes focused on love and justice — they discerned their response, and they acted. Their faithful witness should inspire us to align our hearts to God's in compassion for the poor and a desire for justice, and then to respond by promoting justice in the world today.
As we approach Thanksgiving, let us ask God for two simple graces: gratitude for what we have and empathy for those who have less.
May these graces together lead us to love God more fully through works of love in our world — feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, welcoming the stranger, serving the poor, and pursuing justice for the oppressed.