Memorial of St. Ignatius Loyola

Today is the Memorial of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, and a Soldier for Christ.
Today's Divine Office Office of Readings included a wonderful reading from the Life of St. Ignatius:

" When Ignatius reflected on worldly thoughts, he felt intense pleasure; but when he gave them up out of weariness, he felt dry and depressed. Yet when he thought of living the rigorous sort of life he knew the saints had lived, he not only experienced pleasure when he actually thought about it, but even after he dismissed these thoughts, he still experienced great joy. Yet he did not pay attention to this, nor did he appreciate it until one day, in a moment of insight, he began to marvel at the difference. Then he understood his experience: thoughts of one kind left him sad, the others full of joy. And this was the first time he applied a process of reasoning to his religious experience. Later on, when he began to formulate his spiritual exercises, he used this experience as an illustration to explain the doctrine he taught his disciples on the discernment of spirits."
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Wow. What a day it's been!

My son is almost 14.
He is amazing.  Someday he wants to be a soldier, or a policeman, or a lacrosse coach.

He and I discussed St. Ignatius' observation today.

He sees the world with supernatural sight, which is truly a grace.

I love spending time just talking with him...
driving in the car, going for brunch at our local coffee shop & creperie,  browsing shops in the Design District.

Almost every topic he brings up blows me out of the water,
with awe for God and for this teenager he gave us.

The depth of perception, the clarity of vision, the ability to articulate things not of this world leave me utterly dumbfounded sometimes.

I pray for him, as every mother does for her son, but I pray in particular that he will
continue to ask for God's guidance,  hear God's will and have the courage to do whatever
God calls him to do with his life, with discerning his vocation.

I am so blessed and so thankful.