Conversion by way of a poorly stocked library

Today is the feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the most difficult hymn in the hymnal.

And it all began with a lack of books!

Ignatius was a child of a notoriously hot-tempered noble family, who became a courtier and warrior with all the standard virtues and vices thereof. Then, he was fighting in a battle at Pamplona, caught a cannonball in the leg, and was discharged to home in a stretcher. The leg didn't heal right, had to have repeated suurgeries, poor Ignatius was confined to bed and utterly bored.

He begged his family for some good rip-roaring chivalric romances to pass the time and improve his spirits, but in all the family castle there were only two books --- a life of Christ, and a book of saint stories called the Golden Readings. Well, something to read, anything to read, was better than staring at the ceiling. And so he read.

And, to his shock, he discovered that the saints lived lives more interesting, challenging, and honorable than any hero of chivalry, and, as soon as he could manage to get out of bed, he would put aside court life and warfare and set his sights to become a saint himself. And so he did.

Take, Lord, receive
all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
my entire will.

Take. Lord, receive
all I have and possess.
You have given all to me;
now I return it.

Give me only Your love and Your grace;
that's enough for me.
Your love and Your grace
are enough for me.

Take, Lord, receive;
all is Yours now.
Dispose of it
wholly according to Your will.

Give me only Your love and Your grace;
that's enough for me.
Your love and Your grace
are enough for me.

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