Venice and Ordination
26. Companions teach in Venice and act as clowns
After his time in Paris Ignatius travelled around Spain visiting the homes of his Spanish companions and giving them news about their relatives who were still studying in the French capital. The group planned to walk to Venice later.
They all gathered in Venice in 1536. After a brief visit to Rome for an audience with the Pope who granted them permission to be ordained by any bishop, they returned to Venice for their ship to the Holy Land. While they were waiting for a ship they worked in hospitals, preached the Gospel.
They were ordained in Venice in June 1537.
The political situation between Turkey and the Italian states meant that ships were not travelling to the Holy Land. Eventually the companions moved on to plan B.
Lyrics
They’ll call me clown, they’ll stare and frown,
look down their nose at me,
They’ll say my dreams are all absurd,
Conventions always by most preferred.
They’ll say I lead you all astray,
they’ll say, they’ll say, they’ll say —
So let them say, just what they may,
it makes no difference to our way.
Let clowns be wise, with joy surprise:
They lead to true delight.
A thought to ponder
Imagine Jesus calling you to go and proclaim the good news and cast out demons.
What message do you passionately want to proclaim and what demons do you feel most need casting out in our century?
Scripture for the Day
As a way of praying today’s Scripture we suggest Imaginative Contemplation.
Mark 3:13-15 NRSVACE
Jesus went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.
And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons.
Music for Today
The Magnificat versified by Owen Alstott music written and sung by Bernadette Farrell
Purchase more of the music of Bernadette Farrell
St Mark’s Square Venice
Where the first Jesuit companions preached the Good News.
Photo by Birger Strahl on Unsplash