In the Jesuit Constitution, Ignatius tells the novice master to ask the applicant if he finds in him the desire to suffer with Christ. If the applicant says there’s none, Ignatius tells the novice master to inquire further. Ignatius tells the novice master to ask the applicant if he can find in him the desire to desire the desire to suffer with Christ. For Ignatius, this question is a way of surfacing the person’s unfreedoms, a way of testing one’s readiness to be a companion of the Lord. Reflect on Phil 2:5-9. And beg the Lord for the grace of sensus Christ, that one’s heart may beat with His heart.

The danger of attachment can happen to the best of us. We only have to listen to God’s words through the prophet Isaiah (Is 29:9-13) and Jesus’ teaching in the gospel of Matthew (e.g. Mt 15:1-9). 1 Cor 13:3 reminds us that love comes as God’s gift. Jesus’ love probes and purifies our hearts. He speaks to us: Where is your heart? For your prayer: Read Is 29:9-13 for the danger of attachment and 1 Cor 10:31-11:1 for Paul as a model of indifference. How do these readings speak to you? Listen to what the Lord might be saying to you. And what response to the Lord do you sense within you?

In this time of the pandemic, our use of the internet and social media has increased. To continue to be Lux Oriens we need to be online. At the same time, this means that we ought to be discerning online as well. Rallying his troops under the banner of the cross, El Capitan issues his clarion call: We need to choose our battles (code for discernment). For instance, not every trending tidbit in social media is worth our time and attention. Apparently, screen fatigue is a thing. And this can happen to us as we work online and to our students as they study online. And there are probably many other challenges that we shall encounter as we spend more and more time online. Does discernment apply online - discerning whether our use of the internet and social media comes from our love of Christ? Do Ignatius’ Magis and Indifference apply online? As the captain of the company says, each one will have to choose his battles. What does this mean to you concretely? Bring the fruit of your prayer to the Lord and ask for the grace of indifference, the grace of interior freedom.