Cinco de Mayo, May 5, was an exceptionally beautiful day at the Jesuit West Province’s retirement/health care center in Los Gatos, California. The Jesuits there were in a festive mood. Covid-19 had robbed these men of eight of their brother Jesuits, and after months of mourning, isolating and social distancing, it felt good to sit in the sunshine to celebrate something.
This March 25, the Annunciation story is a timely reminder that nothing in life is certain, no matter how much we might long for control and clarity. But we can always count on the Lord’s loving presence to be with us in the mess despite the unknown road ahead.
For many of us, the last year was a grueling challenge. With 2020 officially over, we have the opportunity to reflect — to find God’s presence in our lives and to carry these lessons into 2021. In the spirit of an Ignatian Examen, we look back at some of 2020’s major moments from a Jesuit perspective.
Three gifts that I have discovered during this coronavirus — gifts that are available to all of us — are gratitude, hope and compassion. Each of these is both a gift and a spiritual practice that can help us navigate the storm of this pandemic.
Fr. Duc Vu, SJ, reflects on moments of hope during the coronavirus pandemic.
Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix debuted an “AMDG” graphic for the new school year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: Awareness, Masks, Distance, Greater Good.
“There is something which lies at the very center of the Ignatian spirit, and which enables us to renew ourselves ceaselessly and thus to adapt ourselves to new situations as they arise,” Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus, once said.
What this Jesuit saint’s experience can teach us for today’s pandemic.