Mission Week begins next week. Now is the time to reflect, pray, share, listen and learn. Four years ago, Mission Week began a journey where we spent a week of each year following a story from the life of the founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola. Each story has been paired with a theme from the time that Ignatius first realized that God was in everything through to the formation of the Society of Jesus.
In 2019, we started our journey with the theme of being Open to your Life’s Purpose. As St. Ignatius sat quietly by the River Cardoner, he experienced an opening of his heart, his mind, and his soul. He saw everything in a new way. With this new perspective, he understood his life’s purpose: to live God’s will.
In 2020, we became Open to Gratitude. While St. Ignatius struggled to leave behind his privileged life as a noble, he spent many nights in prayer looking in awe and wonder at the expansiveness of the sky. Stirred to profound gratitude, Ignatius came to see the beauty of God’s presence in all things.
In 2021, during the middle of the pandemic, we dared to Open to Hope. When St. Ignatius was called to serve God, he found a deep sense of meaning and fulfillment and discovered a new hope. It gave his life direction and purpose. Even in times of darkness, he did not lose hope because he trusted God.
And now, during the Ignatian Year, as we enter the final year of our four-year journey, we set our sights on being Open to Possibility. When St. Ignatius finished his studies, he was open to possibilities. He and the first companions created the Society of Jesus to take God’s ministry out into the world. By empowering others to “go, set the world on fire,” he ignited a movement that, almost 500 years later, has a global outreach and impact.
This year, Mission Week aims to be more hands-on and activity–based to bring the Marquette community together through the many offerings and opportunities. Look for many giveaways including posters, stickers, journals, wristlet key holders, free food, games, and of course, Mission Week’s famous butterflies in February. Visit the Mission Week website to learn more.
