A Reflection on "The Just Soul"

Mary Ward, the foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, believed to have had a vision or illumination of “the Just Soul” while she was making her Ignatian Spiritual Exercises in 1615. This inner and depth spiritual understanding of God’s initiative into his works was a unique experience for her. She revealed it to her confessor and spiritual director Fr. Roger Lee, SJ through a letter. We notice how unworthy she feels in putting down the experiences in writing showing her utter humility in front of her Saviour and Lord. The vision of the Just Soul has a significant role in the establishment of the Institution of the IBVM. It plays the role of leaven in dough which God had already revealed to her earlier to take “the same of the Society”.  Here I will present the significance of the Just Soul and its comparison to the Institute of the Society of Jesus.

The vision of the Just Soul could be seen as the confirmation from God for Mary Ward to initiate a new Institute in the Mother Church for the spread of God’s kingdom with sincerity, justice and freedom. A soul that is free from hampering earthly attachments, utterly committed to the truth, disposed and ready for every good works that serve God and the neighbours. The state of justice and virtue of sincerity are seen as the foundations of all the other virtues which flow from these principal virtues. She experiences that everyone who joins the new Institution should be “rooted and grounded” (Ignatian terms) in virtues of justice and sincerity in order to gain from “God’s hands true wisdom and ability” (“The Just Soul”, p. 353) to perform everything with perfection.

A Just Soul can be understood as good, true, just, and acceptable way of dispositions before others irrespective of circumstances, contexts, or demographic alterations. Since a just person knows what is to be right or wrong, and, true or false. It invites one to remove one’s mask before reality, so it calls for sincerity and justice. To do justice is to set a right relationship with oneself, with others, with the universe, and, above all, with the Creator and Lord. Consequently, Mary expects to be called “just persons, works of justice, done in innocence, and that we be such as we appear, and appear such as we are” (“The Just Soul”, p. 353) being aware of the possible consequences if not taken seriously and diligently.

Mary Ward marks “virtues of sincerity and justice” as foundational requirement for all who wish to join the Institute, from which all other virtues flow. She knew, at that time, that to begin an Institute different from others (Carmelites or St Clare) was almost next to impossible. But she trusted and pondered over the inspiration and aspiration of the Holy Spirit. She realized that to do something different required a great courage and patience. One also needs to be ready for anything which would include imprisonment or even executions for proclaiming the word of God. During 1618-19, she was committed to prison in London and was soon sentenced to death but she was released, it appears, “by her friends paying down money” (Till God Will: Mary Ward through her writings, 1985, p. xvi). The Just Soul calls to have “great love of God, and desire to do good and a readiness to follow the way of justice and sincerity in lightness of spirit” (Volume II, 1.11, p. 289). She was aware that a man was the master and a woman was his tool. She had hardly any rights, only duties; it was either marriage or the cloister (H. Peters & Mary Ward, 1994, p. 118.)

Conversely, Ignatius would urge his fellow companions to develop the virtue of humility as foundation which helps one to set freedom before others, freedom before things as well as freedom before self-will. He does not use the word ‘justice’ explicitly in his writings but he expresses it through various ways through examination of consciousness, discernment, and diligent attention (Third Decree). The Just Soul of Mary Ward could be compared or equated by the expression “virtuous and learned” [308], sincerity [34, 51, 398, 825] of Ignatius. However, many expressions have developed later and are found in Complimentary Norms. I was also intrigued by the expressions  “Work with all your heart like good vinedressers” (Cum ex Plurium and the Summula) of the Formula of the Institute which could certainly be used to explain the implication of the Just Soul. Just as a vinedresser has to commit himself or herself fully without any excuse in order to get abundant fruits in the vineyard, so as once ready to join the ‘militia of Christ’ being clad for battle day and night (Cum ex Plurium and the Summula, Second Decree) in the propagation of faith and saving the souls of all.

Finally, the experience of the Just Soul of Mary Ward could be compared with Ignatius’ experience at Manresa, however, with different intensity which, in a way, led them to start new Institutes to serve God and his people under the banner of the Cross. The deep spiritual experience compels and propels one to act against one’s self- will. It opens up the horizons for the greater service of Christ and his people especially for those who are neglected and are downtrodden.

I was greatly influenced by the visions of Mary Ward who, like Ignatius, wanted to do something different during her time, in the midst of hardships and challenges. The desire to follow Christ more closely and uniquely was highly remarkable. It invokes in me a sense of eagerness to know more about her. The idea of justice, freedom and sincerity marks the ideal of the Institution. It challenges me today to examine myself deeply since I have been provided with every possible thing. I hardly encounter any opposition in my way of life today as a Jesuit.

Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California

 The maiden journey to USA, especially to the Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, from 15th June to 20th June, was an impressive and unforgettable one. It was a moment where I was able to meet more than 300 Jesuits including Provincials, Formation In-charges, and Scholastics from USA and Canada. The theme which brought all the Jesuits in formation as well as the Provincials and other formators was "Global Mission in a Digital Age," which reflected both (1) the nature of our vocation as Jesuits to be sent anywhere throughout the world and (2) the technological and social media context in which we do ministry and live today.  The Planning Committee worked diligently to put together a group of presenters, panels and various break-out sessions which helped us engage the broad topic in interesting and diverse ways.

It was amazing to see the panel of nine Jesuit Provincials who shared their dreams and aspirations for their respective provinces, for the new Canada- USA Conference as well as for the global mission of the Society. On Wednesday, June 17th, the Archbishop Gomez, the archbishop of Los Angeles, presided over the holy Eucharistic celebration. He was extremely happy to see so many young Jesuit Scholastics representing all over the world. He prayed for the vocation to the priesthood, especially for the Society of Jesus. The archbishop Gomez acknowledged how Pope Francis shows his interests about the vocation to the Jesuits in the USA.

Glimpses of Los Angeles, California:

A Short Reflection: [101] & [102] of the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus

The original documents of the Society of Jesus keep everyone in awe and wonder. They are highly rich and condensed that volumes of books could be written based on each section or even on a single word. Having gone through the readings, I was moved to write my reflection on two sections [101] and [102] of the Constitutions. This part of the Constitutions deals with some observances within the Society which are more important for the candidates to know. I will flag mainly number [101]. I would not see this section as in isolation, rather, I would observe it as one of the central parts of the whole which flows from the Cum ex Plurium and the Summula.

The sections invite the candidates, who want to join “the militia of Jesus Christ” (Cum ex Plurium and the Summula, Fifth Decree), to place the Creator and Lord at the centre of their lives in order to progress in the spiritual life. The invitation to make Jesus as centre also means to imitate him very closely. They need to develop the friendship so well that they would be ready and willing to put themselves on with the same clothing and uniform of their Lord because of the love and reverence which he deserves. It is much surprising to notice how cleverly Ignatius asks the candidates to abhor whatever world loves and embraces in its totality and not in part, and to accept and desire with all possible energy whatever Christ has loved and embraced. On the one hand, Ignatius was aware with the force and energy one requires to gain worldly fame, honour, and esteem for a great name on earth as world teaches, on the other hand, he also had learnt through his own experience that it was possible to swim against the current of the world, to tensely desire the opposite.

The meditations of the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises deal with desire for God and also desire for the world, mainly the Kingdom Meditations (Sp. Ex. [136 – 147]). The meditation on two standards, the one of Christ, our supreme commander and Lord, and the other of Lucifer, the mortal enemy of our human nature, put this fundamental question before the candidates to make their choices either of eternal life or of suffering (death).  It is the result of his intellectual and mystical favours Ignatius received to guide the way of life in the new society he founded and to strengthen the body of the society. Hunger for worldly name, fame, and honours have been the core hindrance in imitating Christ in one’s life. Jesus Christ himself was tempted in the wilderness on the account of one’s fundamental needs for survival, worship and honours (Matthew 4: 1-11). Therefore, Ignatius asks all who wish to join the militia of Christ to free themselves from the inordinate attachments of the world. He asks everyone to tread in the path of Christ who laid the example to follow and to imitate him, “since he is the way which leads people to life” [101].

Moreover, it is fascinating to know the love of Ignatius for the candidate, who wishes to join, but due to some human weakness and personal misery, does not experience the Lord with ardent desires. Nonetheless, if he has at least some desires to have desires in our Lord, and pursues to imitate Christ in everyway possible, then he should be kept in the society, but should be questioned further if he is determined and ready to accept and suffer with patience, through the help of God’s grace, any injuries, affronts, even death, entailed by the wearing of the uniform and clothing of our Lord Jesus Christ [102]. Consequently, the Society of Jesus has the highest number of martyr saints in the Mother Church. The imitation of Christ in every way possible would surely create oppositions in the world, since Christ loves the things which the world hates. For instance, Christ loves the poor and downtrodden people, but world hates them. It invites all who join the society to be humble, to be available, and to seek for greater in all they do (for Magis), and not to retaliate with evil for evil but good for evil.

These sections also affirm the basis of foundation for the vow of perpetual and evangelical poverty in the society based on the Fourth Decree of the Formula of the Institute as well as the Pauperes Christi sacerdotes, poor of Christ who are priests.

It is exciting to note the grammatical exegesis in these sections. There is a sharp contrast between the things which the men of the world love, and the things which Christ loves and all who wish to follow him, should love without any offence to his Divine Majesty, nor, to any imputation of sin to the neighbours, because of their desire and love for Christ. Since, it was for the humanity (for our sake, for our spiritual profits) that Christ clothed himself as he did, even accepting the Cross, to set an example before us to follow and to pursue in his path, since he himself is our way which leads all to life. The desire to follow him closely is possible through the aid of his grace.

I wonder the intelligence and vision of Ignatius, who wrote these documents almost five hundred years ago and still very insightful. The following of Christ and abhorring the world is even more relevant now, I feel, than it was then. Since, the world has become more materialistic and self-centred, many fail to give their attention to God. God alone should be the object of worship, but today the things of this passing world are becoming the objects of worship. Ignatius was a visionary who foresaw things much ahead in future and thus his writings are so relevant today to ponder and to follow Christ in his mission of spreading the love, faith, and to save souls in the midst of challenges, misunderstandings, and even, to face death.