Jesuit Lessons

According to Ignatian spirituality, life comes down to the power of love and how it will change the world. As such, as an Ignatian scholar, artist, and person, I chose to go to a Jesuit school not only to become educated but to become a better person. This means that social justice is part of my Jesuit identity, requiring that I have a respect for all people, that I never profit from my privilege of being educated, that my work in justice must take down injustice. I wanted to share some of my favorite Jesuit-inspired teachings that I have found particularly useful during my first year of college and now, a year later, during my first week of RA training.

Ask for what you need.
As a student, an RA, an artist, and a human being, I often feel as though I need to do everything by myself. There is absolutely no shame in asking for help, and I find that doing so greatly relieves my own stress and anxiety every single time.

Be positive.

St. Ignatius practiced something that today we call Ignatian presupposition. Essentially, he committed to believing the best of people, even when they may be rude, wrong, or misguided. It is so hard for me to practice this kind of critical hope; I generally tend to be far more critical than hopeful. Ignatian presupposition challenges me to assume that the person with whom I am interacting has the best intentions, and to treat them as valid and correct, even if I disagree. St. Ignatius urges to seek to understand one another by asking for clarification and then expressing disagreement with kindness. In our polarized society, I wish that I could implement this a bit more, as well as those around me, to bride the conversational gap when both parties refuse to hear opposing views.

Authenticity is not scripted.

"When the heart is touched by direct experience, the mind may be challenged to change" (Peter Hans Kolvenbach, SJ). In this quote, we are challenged to engage in meaningful conversations and relationships, to challenge authority with respect, and to always present our honest selves. This requires a kind of vulnerability, but reaps the joy of communion.

Have a healthy disregard for the impossible.

St. Ignatius formed the Jesuit order after years of being deemed a failure by society. Deuteronomy 16:20 reads, "Justice, justice, you shall pursue." This verse is particularly emphasized by the Jewish faith, and it provides a deep interfaith meaning found by the universality of love present in many faiths and spiritual mindsets.

Cura personalis - the care of the whole person

This Jesuit principle encourages the cultivation of the mind, body, and soul. All elements of a person's existence are so important to personal and communal health. Thus, spiritual, physical, or mental health alone are not enough; all together, they form the whole person. We are called to walk alongside the people in our lives,and to provide support for everyone's growth into their existence.

Cultural humility
Every human being has a different life experience. Each person falls along a gradient of traits; no two Christians are the same, just as no two women or two African Americans or two university students. When we practice cultural humility, we acknowledge that aspects of cultural identity may be different for each person, even though he or she falls under an umbrella identity. Cultural humility calls us to a lifelong committment to self evaluation, self critique, and self reflexivity, a desire to fix power imbalances where none should exist, and an aspiring to develop partnerships with people that advocate for others.

Listen

The simplest, and yet, the hardest trait to follow, if all else fails, we must listen to others. I often find myself distracted when others talk to me, and I am actively working on emptying my mind (and my hands of technology) to focus on others as they share their experiences.

"It's not who you stand with, it's where you stand"

Father Greg Boyle, SJ