While on his journey from Venice to Rome in 1537, Ignatius had been praying the colloquy of the Two Standards meditation in the Exercises (concentrating apparently on petitioning Our Lady), and at La Storta he had received the grace he asked for.
As so often, Ignatius merely gives the basic fact and omits all detail and embellishment. But from those who were with him we learn that as soon as Ignatius entered the church (it was really a small, dilapidated chapel) he felt a sudden change come over him.
He saw God the Father, together with Jesus who was carrying his cross. Both the Father and the Son were looking most kindly on him and he heard the Father say to the Son: 'I wish you to take this man as your servant'.
Jesus then directed his words to the kneeling pilgrim and said, 'I wish you to be our servant'. This was what Ignatius had always wanted.
Then he heard the Father add, 'I will be favourable to you (plural) in Rome'.
Whether this promise meant sucess or persecution Ignatius was unsure, but he knew for certain that the Lord would be with him.
- Brian O'Leary sj (2012)
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"At another time Ignatius said that it seemed to him he saw Christ with the cross on his shoulder and the Eternal Father behind, saying to Christ, 'I want you to accept this person as your servant', and thus Christ accepted him and said, 'I want you to serve us.' "
- Diego Laynez (1512-1565),
one of the First Companions of Ignatius.
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All Jesuits and true companions of Ignatius desire like him to be ”placed with Christ” by the Father, as happened to Ignatius at La Storta.
"At another time Ignatius said that it seemed to him he saw Christ with the cross on his shoulder and the Eternal Father behind, saying to Christ, 'I want you to accept this person as your servant', and thus Christ accepted him and said, 'I want you to serve us.' "
- Diego Laynez (1512-1565),
one of the First Companions of Ignatius.
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All Jesuits and true companions of Ignatius desire like him to be ”placed with Christ” by the Father, as happened to Ignatius at La Storta.
This is, in a very real sense, the mystical grace in the life of Ignatius that is at the explicit root and foundation of the Ignatian charism in the church.
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