Ignatian Insights 6: Agere contra

In his times, Inigo should have been not only a popular, much-sought-after spiritual master, but also an expert psychologist, psycho-analyst, who paved the way for the future Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. He was able to probe into the human mind and heart, and bring out the best in them. He was able to propose answers to some of the perennial problems seekers had been going through, especially in search of spiritual well-springs. One wonders how he was able to present the problems of the human mind and heart, and provide suitable solutions to counter them! It is obvious that Inigo began to observe his own self for a considerable amount of time, which resulted in his recommendations to tame the human mind and heart.

Since he knew how to tame and bring to full control the normal human tendencies, Inigo made use of simple tools to do this. Agere contra (in Latin, acting against) is one such tool, with which Inigo was able to bring an order or discipline in the life of a person. This notion is found in many of the works of the spiritual master, especially in his spiritual classic, the Spiritual Exercises. In the Introductory Explanations, no. 13, Inigo points out how agere contra could become a useful tool to defeat the enemy: “Hence, to act against the desolation and overcome the temptations, the exercitant ought to remain always a little longer than the full hour, and in this way become accustomed not merely to resist the enemy but even to defeat him”.

The same thing could also be applied to other spheres of one’s spiritual life, and the purpose of doing the opposite is to defeat the enemy, and not to give scope for falling. This is very much in tune with the new teachings of Jesus, as found in the Sermon on the Mount, showing our second cheek to someone who slaps us, and to give the tunic to the one who takes our cloak, and walk for two miles with the one who asks us to walk for a mile, though here the intention is to defeat the psychological victory of the person who imposes certain thing on us. This implies that we should be well-disposed to accept and even willingly embrace privation, humiliation, insults and ultimately to humble ourselves as our master was.

During the initial years of his new life, Inigo had studied the different tricks that the Satan had employed in him, and out of them he had drawn this practical implication. In his spiritual journal, popularly known as his autobiography, Inigo had narrated how he was tempted to keep his hair long and nails growing, because he wanted to be as close to the saints as possible, and as a sign of his penitent life, and after he realized that it was the temptation imposed on him by the evil one, he cut his hair and nail, and thus defeated the tricks of the enemy. Thus Inigo had found agere contra bringing a lot of spiritual fruit both in his personal life and in the life of those who practised it.

We shall find that the notion is very effective in the case of persons who would like to excel in their practice of spiritual virtues, so that they always go one step ahead of where they are left. They cannot afford to let the evil one take chance over them, and through a calculated move, the evil one had to be defeated, and the aspirant would deprive himself of the personal pleasure, comfort and other privileges. Agere contra could be practised only by persons who are well-disposed, and are generous enough not to count the personal loss or wounds inflicted by others. It is obvious then that this is meant for those who are good and virtuous, and wish to go ahead in coming closer to the Lord, and not meant for those who are struggling with their vices.

Making hay while the sun still shines

Meeting about 60 lively youth in a village, during their orientation program was a joy; I had gone to them for an official work, not so much to attend or help organize the orientation. But when the master of the ceremony announced that I say a word or two to the youth, I was at first puzzled as to what to tell the young people whom I had seen some eight years ago, when I served them as their co-pastor for one and half years. But for most of them, eight years would mean that they were either at the age of eight or nine, an age which is too small to remember persons. But I did remember to tell them something.

Today’s youth are the rulers of the nation tomorrow; the fate of the nation in fact, is in the hands of the youth. It is for them to decide what they want to make of the nation. On the one hand, they can just close their eyes and ears and let the nation go to hell, as it were, for it is none of their business to really bother about the fate of the nation. On the other, the can take their role as the future leaders of the country seriously, and prepare themselves to play a significant and responsible role in nation-building. It is for them to decide what they want to do with their lives.

Living in a village, with very limited facilities to forward thinking, one gets the feeling that due to the social and cultural setup, the youth tend to develop certain amount of narrow-mindedness from their early years; and it might hamper their very growth at a later stage. They may have to make an effort to really look beyond their nose, to realize that there is a world outside themselves, and it is for them to make it throb with life and vitality. They cannot look for life and vitality from outside, but they have to come from deep within.

Youth are a suspected lot, and they are suspected by everyone in society; even small children would hesitate to entrust the youth with something serious in nature. They are suspected to be far too frivolous, fun-loving, lacking any sense of seriousness, concerned primarily with enjoying life to the maximum, wasting time and energy in useless things, events and ultimately not taking life seriously. A group of youth which is often looked upon with suspicion cannot progress; they would be often bogged down by fear and refuse to give themselves fully for the work.

Anyone who has passed through youth, will realize that it is the most enjoyable phase in one’s life, because it is the time when one comes in contact with the outside world, but safeguarding oneself not to be drowned by the allurements placed at their disposal. There are important temptations which stare directly at the youth, and if they are not prepared to face them, they can become a problematic area. Today’s youth require role models, who can inspire and motivate them; until they see the fruits of undergoing certain training to spread the light of good life they have received from others, the light set up by others in our hearts will continue to shine in the midst of darkness.

Chasing the Wind

If there are two powers which govern our fate in the country, and the world at large, they are money and muscle. There is hardly any place for creativity, sincerity, honesty, genuineness, ingenuity, hard work... No one seems to care for these. But show a bundle of bills, you can get whatever you wish to; or just flex your muscle, and your work is done. Unfortunately this is the world we live in, and maybe this is the world we will die one day. Blessed are those who have either of these, for their lives are apparently secure, and their dreams may be realised at some time or other in their lives.

The fate of the nation is determined by who hold the reins of these two dominant powers in the society; in our country, unfortunately they are vested with politicians, who by no means can claim credibility. It is not the time to go back to the pages of history to see how we have given way to a corrupt form of governance, which is based on these two powers; rather it is for us to assume a greater role in the society, so that at least in the personal lives, we are not controlled and monitored by them.

I was joyed to read in the newspapers how two persons had reacted to politicians who tried to make hay while the sun shines - the father of slain National Security Guard Unnikrishnan, and the wife of the slain chief of NSG, Karkare. If each one of us who matter in the society were to keep the politicians at arms length, we would shape the world according to our dreams. Politicians are the people who do not know how to look beyond the tip of their noses, and such people can think of all reality only in terms of the vote-bank they crave for - for the vote bank is the seal of approval for making undue claim over money and muscle.

But let me not bemoan the fate of India, as regards the role of politicians in the life of a nation; the same is true of all developing nations. It is no different in Philippines, or Bangladesh. We have heard stories of how the Imelda Marcos had amassed national wealth in Philippines for herself and her posterity; if the bank accounts of all politicians were to be frozen, that would amount to a huge chunk of the national wealth, most of them ill-wrought. But what can we do about them. Unnikrishnan and Mrs Karkare have taught us something that we all can emulate - keep the politicians at arms length; don't let them come close to you. The famous adage is a constant reminder to all of us : no sincere person can survive in politics.

The fate of the nation is in the hands of the citizens, conscientious persons, who care for one another. If we can call the cards, then there is no place for the vile games of politicians. There is a greater power beyond that of the 2 m's that the politicians wield, the power that rules and governs the universe. Recognising the power of this supreme being flowing deep within us will give us the temptation to submit ourselves shamelessly to the powers of the world. Today my prayer therefore to the Lord of the Universe is : do not allow us to be tempted to the powers of the world.