“APOSTOLIC WITNESSING:
LIVING BY THE SWEAT OF OUR BROW
OUR IGNACIAN LEGACY, AN RVM GIFT FOR ALL TIMES”
by S. Ma. Consuelo B. Alvino, RVM
March 2, 2007

My dear Sister-Friends,

Allow me to start by sharing the introduction the late Fr. Alfeo Nudas, SJ in his homily during the Ist RVM Vocation Promoters’ National Convention taken from Ancilla Domini, Special Issue, 2004.

“The tiny mustard seed buried in the ground rises above ground with a new look, a new body which then subdivides into branch 1 and branch 2. And branch 1 like branch 2 subdivides into two or three other branches. And the growing and the branching out multiply not for itself but for others. For the birds of the air who find home and shelter in the branches. In some way is the Reign of God. The seed buried in the ground is Our Lord who rose on the first Easter Morning with a new body, the Church, a tiny community of 12 Apostles, who subdivided into different communities and moved into different parts of the world. These different communities further subdivided into different communities, one community branching out from another community as the Church spread across time and space. To come to my point quickly, the Religious of the Virgin Mary that branched out from the main branch of Ignatian Spirituality or Charism.”

A charism is a gift of the Spirit to build the Church. This means that the origin is the Holy Spirit and the beneficiary or beneficiaries is/are someone or a group for God’s people in response to the signs of the times. What is the charism of St. Ignatius? The late Fr. Murphy, SJ describes it as a mysticism of service. For Mother Ignacia it is service by living by the sweat of her brow in short, self-reliance or sariling sikap. Like St. Ignatius, service is apostolic meaning serving to save – its depth is a mission to save. How? By reaching out to people through prayer and service. In short, Mother Ignacia following St. Ignatius gives an apostolic orientation in all aspects of religious life. She was sent to save our people following Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

In the light of the mustard seed, Fr. Jose Ma. Clotet, SJ (1915) writing about the biography of Mother Ignacia in an article “Galleria de Hombres Celebres en Filipinas La Madre Ignacia del Espiritu Santo (Cultura Social III) and translated into English in the RVM Archives saw in her

A distinguished Filipino woman, revered for her solid Christian virtues, consecrated to God through her religious vows, and radiant with the halo of a Foundress of an Institution, humble in its beginnings, but like the mustard seed of the Holy Writ, has grown to be a big tree with its branches reaching far to the remotest regions of the Philippines, actively alive and vigorous after two hundred years of fruitful existence.

He continued that her work is appreciated by all, praised very highly by some bishops, and heartily endorsed and commended by Pope Pius X of happy memory.

What was the implication of living by the sweat of her brow? What would be the depth of the needle and pair of scissors that started from Mother Ignacia and was passed on from one generation to the next?

The symbol of the needle and pair of scissors was the external life force of Mother Ignacia finding depth in a steadfast heart and a docile will imitating our Blessed Mother as Ancilla Domini. For Mother Ignacia, she heeded Mary’s loving advice “Do what Jesus tells you.” She followed Christ’s “Duc et altum.” Launch into the deep. Leave familiar shores. Trust me. Hold on to Divine Providence. I am with you. I have chosen you.

Guided by Fr. Pablo Clain, SJ, the deep was the society with women seen in its surface as only for the home and the church and for religious monastic. Off limits to the natives. She was being called to leave familiar shores of family life and having her own family like the rest. The deep was to break the mold of society and make a bold initiative, by being an active participant in the love and service of God in society, by leaving parents, not bringing anything except needle and pair of scissors. For Mother Ignacia, the needle and pair of scissors symbolized her investment in serving rooted in a heart in love with Christ who was drawing her to Him and a will docile to seek and do God’s will imitating our Blessed Mother’ fiat. Ang aba po Ninyong lingkod. At your service. Be it done as you say. With this step, she was making a statement, look at what you can give first before seeking assistance from others. Her lifestyle was neither to beg nor to have doled out on anyone in need. The dignity of the person is preserved. I have something to give. You have something to give. Let’s share for the reign of God. She was the first native working woman as her group later would become a pioneering working Congregation in the Philippines as she was being surrounded and challenged by religious orders, beaterios and educational institutions subsidized by the King of Spain in form of the Royal Patronage or helped by the Encomienda system. Furthermore, she was not only opening her Beaterio de la Compañia de Jesus to the less privileged but to the poor as well. She had not only one ministry but a Beaterio for the Beatas, recogidas, educandas and niñas as a convent, retreat house, school cum dormitory. Hers was to be self-supporting demonstrating an attitude of ‘bukas-loob at bukas-palad.’ The needle and pair of scissors represented her yes commitment to address the signs of the times. Trusting in Divine Providence, she was to make use of her talent and potential and for her as a Chinese mestiza, this was sewing. This was the external capital but the inner investment was her heart passionately in love with Christ with a will open to serve where God would lead her. Coming out from discernment, her life was focused on what Christ had done for her and on her part what she could do for Christ adopting the discerning posture of Mary in her humble servanthood. Coming from two cultures, she was entering into a business, like and with Christ. the Father’s business and money was the last priority. “My meat is to do the Father’s will.” Her main aim was to follow Christ who came to save us. “Come take up your cross and follow Me. This was reflected in her devotion to the Passion of Christ who carried the cross that we may live.

As she took this inspiration into action, she was empowered by the Holy Spirit to have confidence to face the issues affecting the Church and society, a society ruled by patriarchy, a country being discriminated by a colonial power and a people considered third class citizens with women still lower than men. The country was bereft of wealth, power and influence deprived of rights to aspire in the realm of religion, education and economics.

Through service by living by the sweat of her brow, she would show to the people that she would identify herself to Christ by serving Him through equally two areas: prayer and service as contemplative in mission. This would color her response to God and to the Church. Practical as a Chinese mestiza, she would start being useful and contribute her share to the Church – her skill in sewing. This would be the springboard of her goal which she articulated in the 1726 Rule: to serve God our Lord (I, 1) and their ordinary support should come from the labor of their hands and they should place their confidence in the providence of the merciful and compassionate God. (I, 22) and the apostolic dimension is to save all men. (I, 44). Here Ignacia was bringing out the positive value of Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa putting themselves in a bahala na attitude of Do your best and God will do the rest. Basically Mother Ignacia was called to intimacy with Christ as seen in her devotion to the Passion of Christ, carrying the cross under the noonday sun and the fervor she prepared, received and afterwards spent time to thank the Lord after receiving the Holy Eucharist and contribute or continue the work of Christ on earth – His mission of spreading the Good News through a ministry. This was following Christ praying in the mountain at night and proclaiming His being the Way, the Truth and the Life of His Father as He alleviated the needs of the people as a Teacher working as a carpenter He learned from His foster father, St. Joseph. Following St. Ignatius for Ignacia was to serve which meant to have intimacy with God and openness to give oneself where one was called to respond directly to people. Gifted by the Holy Spirit with the legacy of service and enlightened to pursue it by living by the sweat of her brow, Ignacia was empowered to draw followers who would not only follow her but spread her legacy.

What is to live by the sweat of one’s brow is to face a society of men who dictates the growth, development and progress of the country. It is to uplift the dignity of women that they too can make a difference in the world they live in. It is an indirect creation of a partnership in the building of a nation under the fatherhood of God. It is a silent protest to discrimination in many ways. Her move to assert womanhood is pioneering and representing the will of God that women do count, are important and worthy of recognition.

Starting from Mother Ignacia and on to her Beatas and Sisters, our forbears were open to anyone, yet belonging to no one for they were exclusively for Jesus. Self-reliance unleashed their creativity, resourcefulness and generosity as they put their trust in Divine Providence. Because of their status, they were not beholden to anyone yet they respected and collaborated with others for the common good. They were not attached to any superpower so that the rise and fall of powers did not affect them at all. As a group, they have been born to be on their own. Hence, they were accustomed to a life of hard knocks in peace and war, flexible and available to shift roles, from teachers to caregivers, from urban to rural tasks, ready, willing and able to be sent to ministries which in reality were vehicle of evangelization. Piety, industry, self-reliance and the dignity of labor, these were the values they were formed, they upheld and passed on to others.

Mother Ignacia and the Beatas were focused to serve. Their simplicity echoed the song of the Miller of the Dee. “I envy no body no not I and nobody envies me.” Unknown to them, they were praised and their apostolic witnessing was having impact on society. Her bold initiative to have confidence to face life and make her own decision affected the social process in society and was influencing the direction to change. As written, “The fragrance of her life spread in the surrounding.” Women got attracted to her way of life while others supported her group bringing forth a multiplier effect. “From the thorn-choke desert blossomed flowers of virtues and virginity.” Money did not become an issue as the group became 9, 33, 50. “As they increased in number they grew in the esteem of the island.” Their union of mind and heart won admiration around them. “In the 50 years of their foundation, they caused no gossip in the town.” The pressure of the demand of the ministries did not weaken their apostolic witnessing. “Every September, October and November 150 to 300 women of all walks of life avail of their retreats.” Taking in children of different races did not cause a problem on discrimination and quality education. They, the youth were not only taught but formed to the “right path to life.” Harmony characterized their dormitory. Beatas and recogidas had no problem in relationship and in following the rules of the dormitory. In fact, three recogidas later inspired by their zeal, volunteered to Mindanao to expand their service there. There was no clash or rivalry or clique in governance. “What impressed Murillo Velarde was the humility of the Foundress to relinquish her position and for Dominga del Rosario, the successor, it was a feather to her cap that when Spanish officials and Church authorities looked into the Beaterio they saw no discrepancy between what the Foundress started and what was envisioned in the 1726 Rules and Constitution as well as what they were doing, thus receiving the Royal or Civil Protection because closure or suppression of the autonomous and self-supporting Beaterio is prejudicial to the Republic. Again without their knowledge, this took place because the Archbishop of Manila was edified with them and was impressed by their life of prayer and service with no financial burden from the government. For the Beatas their only motivation was to serve God our Lord, to live by the sweat of their brow, to please God in all things, to have zeal for souls all for the greater honor and glory of God as they trusted in Divine Providence with Mary their Mother, Model and Patroness. The end product was a transformed society where women and children and families intermingled in the community and ministries of Mother Ignacia’s beaterio providing opportunities for the poor and less privileged.

On September 10, 1748, Mother Ignacia returned to her God after receiving Jesus, her Redeemer and Spouse in Holy Communion. Intramuros mourned her death, especially those whose lives she had touched first as a young pioneer-foundress-leader, later, as a midlife teacher-administrator and at the sunset of her life, as an elderly spiritual leader-confidant in community and in the ministries. As the grieving crowd witnessed her coffin being carried by Spanish officials in the presence of Spanish ecclesiastics to be laid to rest, the saints and angels in heaven rejoiced as our Blessed Mother met Ignacia to present her to the Father for a work well done in the vineyard of the Lord. Journey ended. Journey began. Ignacia had left the earth but del Espiritu Santo lives.

My dear Sisters, Mother Ignacia launched into the deep and the rest is history. Today, we thank the Lord that her legacy stood the test of time. Her charismatic leadership for service made her and her foundation to be prophets, pioneers and take the role of spiritual leadership in society. For the past year, we have journeyed with our Beatas and Sisters and reflected on how they thrived in crises and survived the challenges that came their way to hand on to us the fruits of their labor in the love and service of God. Our recent vision and mission are challenging us to be the Mother Ignacia of our time. To be the Mother Ignacia of our time is to continue God’s work which was what our dear Mother Foundress lived and died for and what the Church is looking and discerning for her beatification. As I end this sharing, let us ask ourselves. In this age of materialism and consumerism, in a world seemingly so much to offer in this cyberspace age yet confronted by a people in dire need amidst a selfish generation, do we still believe in our needle and pair of scissors? Do we still have the heart to live by the sweat of our brow? How passionate are we in our love for Jesus to truly have compassion in our mission that would move us with faith, hope and love “to launch into the deep?” Then and only then can we in our time truly say: Dear Lord thank you for giving us Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, our beloved Foundress and Mother. Mother of God, our Blessed Virgin Mary, thank you for journeying with Mother Ignacia to be the servant of God. Our beloved Mother Ignacia, Servant of God, we have received your legacy and we are passing it to others for all times for the good of the Church and the greater honor and glory of God.

What might be the parting message of Mother Ignacia for us this evening that I believe is her life force:

If you who belong to the fallen and you who belong to the weak
Cannot rise for you say you are beaten and your lips cannot happily speak;
Come out of the glooms of your chamber and list to the prayers to Mary
She can give you the balm of your spirit and reap the blooms of glory.