MOTHER IGNACIA’S LEGACY OF PRAYER:
TO JESUS WITH MARY
Sharing of Reflection
March 1, 2007
by S. Ma. Anicia B. Co, RVM

Introduction

I am happy to be with you this evening to share some reflections on one of our Ignacian tradition, the legacy of prayer of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo. This prayer is especially distinguished by Marian character as expressed in our motto “To Jesus with Mary.” Our acceptance of this Ignacian Marian legacy is expressed in our Custom Book:

The identity of our Congregation is expressed in the motto “To Jesus with Mary” (Ad Jesum cum Maria – A.J.C.M.). This motto inspires our evangelical life. Our deep devotion to Mary leads us to a vibrant relationship with Jesus her Son.

Christian Prayer

The Gospels present to us many of Jesus’ teachings on prayer. Among the evangelists, St. Luke is considered the evangelist of prayer. He has more teachings on prayer and shows how prayer is very much part of Jesus’ life and ministry. Chapter 11 is one of the chapters where Luke gives us Jesus’ teachings on prayer. This chapter begins thus:

He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.” (Lk 11:1-4).

In this passage Luke describes the context of Jesus’ teaching. First Jesus was at prayer. His disciples saw him praying. It is Jesus’ example of prayer that encourages and inspires his disciples to ask him to teach them. Second, the disciples’ request expresses a particular understanding of prayer as a bond between the Teacher and the disciples. They asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” Thus, disciples of a teacher are known by the prayer a teacher hands on to them. For us Christians, it is the Lord’s prayer, the Our Father, that distinguishes us as disciples of Jesus Christ.

The version of the Lord’s prayer in Luke is simpler and shorter than that found in the Gospel of Matthew. It is the version of St. Matthew that has been adopted by our Church through the centuries. What is clear is that when we pray the Our Father, we affirm and proclaim our identity as followers of Jesus Christ.

From this understanding of prayer as a bond of unity among members of a believing community, we shall now look into the prayer of our Foundress, Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo and the foundational community.

The Prayer of Mother Ignacia

Our beloved Mother Ignacia was steeped in the spiritual tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola. In his short account of the life of Mother Ignacia, Pedro Murillo Velarde tells us that Mother Ignacia went to retreat, that is, she went through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. In her allegation attached to the 1726 Rules, Mother Ignacia herself mentions the spiritual direction and guidance given by the Fathers of the Society of Jesus. Thus, Mother Ignacia and her companion beatas were shaped by the Ignatian tradition of prayer, meditation and contemplation. It is a spirituality that is based on a deep understanding of the Triune God, is centered on Jesus Christ and distinguished by a Marian character. Mother Ignacia inherited from the Jesuits a balanced spirituality of prayer and action, of prayer-in-action, of activity-in-prayer. We understand this as contemplation-in-action.

In the 1726 Rules, this understanding of prayer is expressed in the phrase “Living in God’s presence.” Mother Ignacia had experienced living as a beata for 42 years when the rules were formally written down. She had learned what is so important for living a holy life and staying “in the service of the Divine Majesty.” Through the example of her life and the 1726 Rules she shared with her companions her vision and way of life that is rooted in prayer of intimate union with God..

As a way of life, “living in God’s presence” presupposes a fundamental belief in God as creator who is lovingly present in all creation. It calls for an awareness of God who is present everywhere, who gives being to all things and sustains them in existence (Spiritual Exercises, 235-236). It is an acknowledgment of the generosity of God who shares Himself to all creatures through manifold blessings (Spiritual Exercises 234-237). This prayer of the divine presence is being constantly aware of God who is personally concerned for each individual who “works and labors for me” (Spiritual Exercises 236). It expresses faith in God who continues to fashion me, according to his image and likeness, to the extent that I allow it. God who is present everywhere, who is the source of everything I am and have, still respects my human freedom. God does not coerce me; God invites me to experience this loving companionship which is made possible through and in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Mother Ignacia specifies in the 1726 Rules the context of living in the divine presence: “All should at all times and in all places be in God’s presence” (I.2). “In all that they do and say, all should place themselves in the presence of God” (I.7). They “shold not neglect…living in the divine presence in everything” (II.25). “At all times” and “in all places,” “in all that they do and say,” “in everything” – these imply that the whole life of the beatas is to be permeated by the presence of God. These provisions echo the worlds of St. Paul, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (I Cor 10:31).

Thus, to be in God’s presence “at all times” and “in all places” means constant awareness of God. This is contemplation in action, a “habitual and abiding consciousness at the periphery of awareness where one tastes the Lord, rests in him, and finds there the continual source and encouragement.” The daily schedule (III.1-17) of the beatas was meant to lead them to constant union and intimacy with God.

The beatas woke up at 4 o’clock in the morning, began the day with the sign of the cross, a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings received during the night and an offering of themselves “to serve God with greater fervor during this day, dedicating all their thoughts, words and actions” (III.1). Daily, Mother Ignacia and her companion beatas engaged in mental prayer and prayed the rosary before going to the Church to attend Mass. At specified times during the day, the beatas lifted their minds and hearts to God in vocal prayer. Throughout the day, they maintained silence and a recollected spirit. Their spiritual exercises enabled them to grow in sensitivity to God’s loving presence and saving will. This growth can be gauged by the way they spoke and related to one another. They joy of sharing at mealtime was continued in an hour of conversation where the beatas had to opportunity to show modesty, love and affability to all (III.7). The beatas were exhorted to avoid uncharitable conversations which cool the fervor of the spirit. Their constant awareness of God’s presence nourished their common life and forged their solidarity as a community, being together in joy and sorrows, sharing blessings as well as deprivations, bearing one another’s burden with love, understanding and compassion.

Mother Ignacia’s love for Jesus was enhanced and strengthened by her love and devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary. Mother Ignacia taught her beatas to consider Mary as the mother of their community which can be called “a great family of Mary” (cf. I.6). She dedicated their house to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the principal feast of the community (I.21). Mary is hailed as the model of virginal purity and the virtues which the beatas were to imitate (I.221). Pleasing the Blessed Mother was presented as a motive for developing purity of heart and observing proper use of the tongue (I.41). Mary is invoked for the grace of perseverance in the divine service (I.14). Before the election of the Rectora and other officers of the Beaterio, the community would pray through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for a successful election that is pleasing to God. In this connection, the community prayed together the litany of the Most Holy Virgin (V.2).

The community of M. Ignacia expressed their devotion to Mary through praying the rosary (I.17; III.3.14; III.17iv), observance of the feasts of Mary together with the feast of Jesus Christ (I.18.20), Saturday Mass in honor of the Blessed Mother (III.17), prayer in consideration of the sorrows of the Blessed Mother (III.10).

M. Ignacia exhorted her beatas to wake up each day giving thanks to God for the benefits received during the night (III.1). She taught her companions to live in constant gratitude to God for the blessings they received and hoped to receive from His infinite mercy (I.48). Like Mary, who exclaimed her song of praise in acknowledgment of God’s wonders in her life, Mother Ignacia never stopped thanking the Lord for the great things He had done in her life, how God looked upon her lowliness and made her a blessing to others. Mother Ignacia’s sense of gratitude echoes Mary’s Magnificat. This constant remembrance of the many blessings of God in our life awakens in us a sense of gratitude that leads to and sustains a generous disposition of ourselves toward God and neighbor.

What a wonderful legacy of prayer and spirituality Mother Ignacia has given us. This spirituality which is distinctly Marian can be summed up in the motto, “To Jesus with Mary.”

To Jesus with Mary

“To Jesus with Mary” aptly expresses the Marian character of our Congregation as a fruit of the original inspiration of our Foundress, Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo. Many will recall the original phrase “To Jesus through Mary.” With this motto, we affirm what the Catholic Church consistently teaches about our Blessed Mother. Mary “occupies a place in the Church which is the highest after Christ and yet very close to us” (Lumen Gentium, 54). We recall these words from Pope Pius XII

As God chose Mary as the instrument through whom He would come to us, so He chose Mary as the instrument through whom we should go to Him. And both the mystery of God coming to us through Mary, and our being led to God through Mary, is a work of the Holy Spirit. So when we speak of Mary’s unique role in our sanctification, she is but the instrument the Holy Spirit uses in sharing with us the divine life of grace. It is in this sense that Mary fashions us into the likeness of Christ.

“To Jesus through Mary” is the fundamental theme of Marian devotion. We affirm Mary’s singular role in God’s work of salvation. Mary is not the Savior and she is not the source of salvation but she leads us to the Savior and to salvation. This is the mission assigned to Mary by God that we see in Scriptures.

Sometimes we hear people ask, “Can’t I go directly to God? Do I have to go through Mary to God?’ This is a false opposition. There is no competition between God and Mary, between Jesus and Mary. We affirm that Jesus is the only Mediator but we also recognize that in our history of salvation God has chosen a woman, Mary, to bring Jesus into the world. This is a special privilege God has given to humanity. Mary is the symbol of humanity’s openness to God’s grace, a grace that is also mediated by anticipation of the fruits of the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The following thought conveys clearly the meaning of “To Jesus through Mary”:

When we talk about going "to Jesus through Mary" we are not suggesting that Mary's function is to "introduce" us to Jesus. We are talking about growing deeper in our life in Jesus with and through Mary's assistance. With Mary as our model, teacher and guide we become the kind of Christian God wants us to be. With and through Mary we become more and more like Jesus. Thus "through Mary" does not mean that she functions as a door-opening "go-between". In actuality, it means that she is acting as our Mother trying to make us more like her divine Son. We are simply doing what Jesus commanded in John 19 and what the book of Revelation teaches when it says that those who "keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" are "her seed." (Revelation 12:17).

“To go to Jesus through Mary is to have a maternal companion at our side given to us by Jesus to help us follow His footsteps and stay faithful to Him. We may ask why we need this companion when Jesus can do this for us just as well. In developing our relationship with Mary, we must realize that there is no "competition" between devotion to Jesus and to Mary. Once we realize that she is our Mother, a Mother who leads us to God, to the Holy Trinity, we realize that devotion is a matter of understanding relationships. When we realize that God is infinite love, we see this love expressed as a human Mother in Mary. All human beings long for the love of a mother and God Who has implanted this yearning in us gives us a Mother in Mary. We have a relationship with her on one level as mother and on another level we have a relationship with the Trinity, with God. She is the Mother who draws us closer to the God to Whom she is so intimately united. Does a focus on Mary and the saints take us away from attention to God? The answer to this question is a question: Does attention to our closest friends and family in this world take us away from God? In both instances we see the love of God expressed through these other human persons. They enable us to appreciate His glory in newer and fuller ways. At the same time we should and can pray to Him without restraint.” (Montfort Missionaries)

. The infinite love of God is central to our Christian experience. In embracing Mary as Mother we enter more fully into this great Love. She loves us like she loves Jesus and we should love her like Jesus loves her. Mary is intimately united with the Triune God. None of us can fathom the mystery of God. Mary helps us in growing in our understanding and experience of God’s love and mystery.

The awareness of Mary’s intercessory prayer and maternal presence was a secure part of Christian experience from the very beginning. This is a tradition that our Mother Foundress also handed on to us. Mary has been hailed as our mother who nourished the small community of beatas led by Mother Ignacia. The growth of the Beaterio into a congregation can also be attributed to the maternal guidance of our Blessed Mother. Mary has guided the steps of our predecessors in this Congregation and up to now Mary continues to guide us on our journey.

The change from “through Mary” to “with Mary” highlights the teaching of Vatican II. It emphasizes Mary’s closeness to us. Mary belongs to the Church. Our LANDAS calls us to have, personally and communally, an authentic friendship with the Blessed Mother as a living person. For us who have experienced Mary’s loving guidance, we can say how sweet it is to have a Mother, a friend and a guide like her.

How blest we are to have Mary as our mother and model of faith, humility, service, charity and fidelity to God’s will. In Mary, we find the fulfillment of the Lord’s prayer:

Our Father in heaven…

Mary teaches us to learn from Jesus who God our Father is. Assumed into heaven, our Blessed Mother continues to pray for us and to guide us to the mystery of God’s great goodness and love. Mary reminds us of Jesus’ words, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it” (Lk 8:21).

Holy be your name

We recall Mary’s words in the Magnificat: “The Almighty has done great things for me, Holy is His name.”

Your kingdom come,

We see Mary after the Ascension, with the community of believers awaiting the gift of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised to guide His disciples to continue His mission of proclaiming God’s kingdom.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven

This is the spirit of Mary’s response to the angel “behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). Mary is the woman who heard the word of God and kept it (Lk 8:21)

Give us this day our daily bread

We recall Mary at Bethlehem when she brought forth her firstborn Son and laid Him in a manger, a place for food. Thus, we have an image of Mary giving us Jesus, the nourishment of our Life, the Bread of Life.

And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us

We see Mary at the foot of the Cross praying as Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Do not bring us to the test

We see Mary standing by Jesus as passers-by, the scribes and Jewish leaders deriding Jesus, putting him to the test, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross, save yourself and we will believe.” Mary prayed with Jesus, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.”

But deliver us from evil

We recall Mary at Cana where she protected the couple at the wedding from shame by anticipating their need. She brought their need to Jesus who granted Mary’s request for their welfare and the joy of community celebration.

Mary experienced what it means to have one’s life threatened by death. We recall how she was saved from death by God’s intervention that helped Joseph come to the right decision. We also remember how both Mary and Joseph had to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus’ life from Herod’s murderous plan. Mary, our mother knew what sufferings, loss and pain mean, especially the pain of losing one’s dearly beloved son. She is a mother who knows what it truly means to believe and trust in God.

Conclusion

We thank Mother Ignacia for giving us this precious legacy of following Jesus in the spirit of Mary. May we be like Mother Ignacia in her closeness to our Blessed Mother and may we, who are called by the name of Mary, truly live and act like Her beloved daughters. May we hear Mary telling us, “Behold my children whom I love!” May we ever say that sweet word to Mary, “My Mother” and truly mean it in our hearts and in our lives.