每週聖人分享 Saints of the week

2024-04-28
	按此詳閲: 今週聖人 按此详阅: 今周圣人 Saint of the week, read more...

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今週聖人: 聖依納爵．羅耀拉

生平

聖依納爵生於1491年的西班牙羅耀拉。父母是當地的望族。他有志以戰功追逐功名，但在一次戰役中右腿被炮彈打斷，回家接受手術，幾乎死去，但續骨突出，有礙觀瞻，為了繼續在宮廷追逐名利，在沒有麻醉藥的時代，依納爵請醫生再度施行痛苦的手術矯正，需要漫長的時間靜養，他想以閱讀英雄傳奇來解悶，但只找到《耶穌傳》和《聖人言行》兩本書籍，他看了後深受感動，驚覺世間權勢財富的虛幻而皈依。依納爵開始痊癒便把華衣送給窮人，行乞度日，在茫萊撒小村莊住了約10個月，他在一個洞穴默想祈禱，與天主密切交談。有一段時間他飽受疑心病之苦，做什麼事都擔憂有犯罪的危險，他把自己的經歷紀錄下來，成為日後名著《神操》的資料。1523年，他為了希望跟隨耶穌的足跡到聖地朝聖，並希望留下傳教，但教會不准這個平信徒逗留宣道，為了傳揚福音，依納爵需研讀神學及晉鐸。33歲的他回到西班牙開始進修，後來赤足步行到法國，43歲時在巴黎大學取得碩士學位。在巴黎求學時，他結識了志同道合的同伴，包括方濟各沙勿略（日後的傳教主保），他們幾人在不同的時期領受神品，其後感到天主召喚組成一個新的修會團體，除神貧、貞潔、服從外，絕對服從教宗。依納爵就在這名為「耶穌會」的新團體中被選為首任的總會長，耶穌會迅速成長，廣設學校。依納爵病逝於1556年，獲教會封為神修和退省的主保。

反省/效法

我們遇到不如意事時容易怨天尤人，但聖依納爵的人生規劃不斷被破壞，他卻以積極的態度面對：

• 一個炮彈打碎了他的宮廷夢，連看喜愛的書籍都做不到，但他卻肯閱讀別的書籍，因而認識耶穌，繼而轉化，開始不同的人生。
• 他開始接受召喚想成為基督的勇兵時，卻飽受疑心病之苦，但他以祈禱辨別天主的旨意，這些經驗幫助他日後完成《神操》一書。
• 他的手術並不成功，餘生走路都會微跛。他忍受疼痛到耶路撒冷朝聖，並想留在當地服務，但卻遭受拒絕，他開始研讀神學，後來晉鐸並與同伴一起創立耶穌會，傳教救靈。

讓我們學習聖依納爵不執於己見，以祈禱辨別天主的旨意，做出正確的抉擇，緊隨上主。

祈禱

聖依納爵藉《神操》一書分享了自己深刻的靈性皈依旅程，也指引人踏上同樣的旅程。它不是靈修理論，而是一本在神師指導下進行靈性操練的實用手冊，《神操》包括的祈禱方式十分多元化，書中指出：「神操這個名詞，是指任何省察、默觀、口禱、心禱，以及下面要說的其他靈修神工。…準備整理靈魂，驅除邪情，好能認清天主的聖意，以便調整自己的生活，拯救靈魂，也都叫『神操』。」（《神操》凡例一）依納爵神操幫助辨別天主的旨意，讓人自由地做出抉擇，為天主生活，原本要一個月完成，亦有較簡化的課程，有志學習者可參考一些耶穌會網站，先體驗「依納爵靈修」及「依納爵祈禱方法」，打好基礎後再在靈修輔導的陪伴下學習神操。

願我們學習聖依納爵以積極的態度面對不如意的事，並以祈禱辨別天主的旨意，然後努力跟隨。

聖依納爵，為我等祈。

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今周圣人: 圣依纳爵．罗耀拉

生平

圣依纳爵生于1491年的西班牙罗耀拉。父母是当地的望族。他有志以战功追逐功名，但在一次战役中右腿被炮弹打断，回家接受手术，几乎死去，但续骨突出，有碍观瞻，为了继续在宫廷追逐名利，在没有麻醉药的时代，依纳爵请医生再度施行痛苦的手术矫正，需要漫长的时间静养，他想以阅读英雄传奇来解闷，但只找到《耶稣传》和《圣人言行》两本书籍，他看了后深受感动，惊觉世间权势财富的虚幻而皈依。依纳爵开始痊愈便把华衣送给穷人，行乞度日，在茫莱撒小村庄住了约10个月，他在一个洞穴默想祈祷，与天主密切交谈。有一段时间他饱受疑心病之苦，做什么事都担忧有犯罪的危险，他把自己的经历纪录下来，成为日后名著《神操》的资料。1523年，他为了希望跟随耶稣的足迹到圣地朝圣，并希望留下传教，但教会不准这个平信徒逗留宣道，为了传扬福音，依纳爵需研读神学及晋铎。33岁的他回到西班牙开始进修，后来赤足步行到法国，43岁时在巴黎大学取得硕士学位。在巴黎求学时，他结识了志同道合的同伴，包括方济各沙勿略（日后的传教主保），他们几人在不同的时期领受神品，其后感到天主召唤组成一个新的修会团体，除神贫、贞洁、服从外，绝对服从教宗。依纳爵就在这名为「耶稣会」的新团体中被选为首任的总会长，耶稣会迅速成长，广设学校。依纳爵病逝于1556年，获教会封为神修和退省的主保。

反省/效法

我们遇到不如意事时容易怨天尤人，但圣依纳爵的人生规划不断被破坏，他却以积极的态度面对：

• 一个炮弹打碎了他的宫廷梦，连看喜爱的书籍都做不到，但他却肯阅读别的书籍，因而认识耶稣，继而转化，开始不同的人生。
• 他开始接受召唤想成为基督的勇兵时，却饱受疑心病之苦，但他以祈祷辨别天主的旨意，这些经验帮助他日后完成《神操》一书。
• 他的手术并不成功，余生走路都会微跛。他忍受疼痛到耶路撒冷朝圣，并想留在当地服务，但却遭受拒绝，他开始研读神学，后来晋铎并与同伴一起创立耶稣会，传教救灵。

让我们学习圣依纳爵不执于己见，以祈祷辨别天主的旨意，做出正确的抉择，紧随上主。

祈祷

圣依纳爵藉《神操》一书分享了自己深刻的灵性皈依旅程，也指引人踏上同样的旅程。它不是灵修理论，而是一本在神师指导下进行灵性操练的实用手册，《神操》包括的祈祷方式十分多元化，书中指出：「神操这个名词，是指任何省察、默观、口祷、心祷，以及下面要说的其他灵修神工。…准备整理灵魂，驱除邪情，好能认清天主的圣意，以便调整自己的生活，拯救灵魂，也都叫『神操』。」（《神操》凡例一）依纳爵神操帮助辨别天主的旨意，让人自由地做出抉择，为天主生活，原本要一个月完成，亦有较简化的课程，有志学习者可参考一些耶稣会网站，先体验「依纳爵灵修」及「依纳爵祈祷方法」，打好基础后再在灵修辅导的陪伴下学习神操。

愿我们学习圣依纳爵以积极的态度面对不如意的事，并以祈祷辨别天主的旨意，然后努力跟随。

圣依纳爵，为我等祈。

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Saint of the week: St. Ignatius of Loyola

Life

St. Ignatius was born in Loyola, Spain, in 1491. Both his parents were from noble families. He was determined to pursue fame through military exploits, but his right leg was fractured by a cannonball in a battle. He went home for surgery and almost died. His injured leg had a protruding bone which was unsightly. In order to continue pursuing fame and fortune in the court, in an era without anesthetics, Ignatius asked the doctor to perform another painful correctional surgery, which required a long period of rest. He wanted to relieve his boredom by reading chivalry novels, but he only found two books: “The life of Christ" and “Lives of the saints". He was deeply moved after reading them and was shocked to realize the illusion of worldly power and wealth and was converted. When Ignatius began to recover, he gave his luxurious clothes to the poor and begged to survive. He lived in the small village of Manresa for about 10 months. He meditated and prayed in a cave and communicated with God. For a period of time, he suffered from an anxiety disorder and was worried about committing a sin in everything he did. He recorded his experience, and it became the material for his later famous work “The Spiritual Exercises". In 1523, he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the hope of following the footsteps of Jesus. He wanted to stay and preach there, but the church did not allow a layman to do that. In order to spread the gospel, Ignatius needed to study theology and be ordained as a priest. At the age of 33, he returned to Spain to start his studies and later walked barefoot to France. At the age of 43, he obtained a master's degree from the University of Paris. While studying in Paris, he met like-minded companions, including Francis Xavier (the future patron saint of missionaries). All of them were ordained at different times, and later felt called by God to form a new religious order. Besides the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, this religious order, “The Society of Jesus”, must obey the Pope absolutely. Ignatius was appointed the first Superior General. The Jesuits grew rapidly and established many schools. Ignatius died of illness in 1556 and was ordained the patron of all spiritual retreats by the church.

Reflection/Imitation:

It is easy for us to blame God and others when we encounter difficulties. Although St. Ignatius' life plans were constantly destroyed, he faced it with a positive attitude:

• A cannonball shattered his vain desires, and he could not even read his favourite books, but he was willing to read other books, and thus got to know Jesus. This was how he was transformed and started a different life.
• When he began to accept the call to become a soldier of Christ, he suffered from anxiety. However, he discerned God's will through prayers. These experiences enabled him to complete "The Spiritual Exercises".
• His operation was unsuccessful and he would walk with a slight limp for the rest of his life. He endured the pain and made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, hoping to stay and serve there, but he was rejected. He began to study theology and was later ordained a priest. Then with his companions they founded the religious order of the Society of Jesus to preach and save souls.

Let us learn from St. Ignatius not to be obsessed with our own opinions but discern God’s will through prayers. Then we will make the right decision and follow the Lord.

Prayer

In St. Ignatius’ book “The Spiritual Exercises”, he shared his own profound journey of spiritual conversion and guided others on the same journey. It is not a theory of spiritual practice, but a practical manual for spiritual exercises under the guidance of a spiritual director. “The Spiritual Exercises” includes various ways to pray, the book pointed out that “The first Annotation is that by this name of Spiritual Exercises is meant every way of examining one’s conscience, of meditating, of contemplating, of praying vocally and mentally, and of performing other spiritual actions, as will be said later…. every way of preparing and disposing the soul to rid itself of all the disordered tendencies, and, after it is rid, to seek and find the Divine Will as to the management of one’s life for the salvation of the soul, is called a Spiritual Exercise.” (The Spiritual Exercises, First Annotation) The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises help us discern God's will, allowing people to make free choices and live for God. It originally takes one month to complete, but there are simplified courses. Aspiring learners can refer to some Jesuit websites to experience "Ignatian Spirituality" and "Ignatian Prayer Method" first. After laying a solid foundation, they can learn spiritual exercises under the guidance of a spiritual director.

May we learn from St. Ignatius to face challenges with a positive attitude, discern God’s will through prayer, and then strive to follow it.

St. Ignatius, pray for us.

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