A year after the departure of Father Ignacio to His Father’s House the Guides of the Prayer and Life Workshops continue working with the same energy, joy and peace we had when he was still with us.
He was sure that after his departure, the Workshops would continue their unswerving way, strongly holding on to prayer, humility and fraternity.
Now, he has seen the face of the Lord and from the Heavenly Homeland he sends us his blessing and inspiration. He will continue next to us, Guides, illuminating us in order to advance in the art of teaching others how to pray, and advancing every day in our Permanent Conversion. He will also accompany all those who will search in his writings for a full life or the face of God.
The spiritual riches and wisdom he left us, are our greatest legacy in order to continue his work for the Glory of God, and to implement the living God in the hearts of mankind, giving cups of joy to all the suffering, as he used to say.
His words live in each one of us, and we are the privileged witnesses of so many teachings that he engraved in us from the beginning. Many of us were moved by his profound teachings, which gave peace and calm to the hectic lives we have been called to live.
His great talent as a communicator allowed him to give us the themes found in the EEG and PLW, based on his personal experience grounded in God, in a direct and simple language, accessible to all; an original vision that surprises and captivates the ones who receive them.
His personality, at the same time both shy and assertive, allowed him to evangelize throughout the world, year after year, with the consent of his Capuchin fraternity, in an admirable way. His dedication and effort, love for music and humanism, unbreakable faith, in short, his example, have left a deep mark on us.
I look back, and see what his personality was like in 1984, and I see him, distant, moderate; his expressions and gestures wrapped in an air of authority, inspiring respect…and then, how he changed during his last 30 years. As he became tender, loving, giving hugs and kisses one and a thousand time without getting tired.
In the last 5 years when the communication between Father and us, the International Coordination, was very close and fluid, we had enriching conversations that were very edifying, and he always had a smile on his face and peace in his heart. When we were preparing the Re-founding Document, and we had to refer to rescuing the concept of Permanent Conversion. He told me write down what I am going to say for it is important:
“I am already at the end of my life, my words will be a last will and testament: put every effort into your personal prayer, it is the greatest secret in the life with God; we must know Him, relate to Him; everything else are just pretty words; He is vital. And then, you will beat down the ego, our great enemy: if you put him to sleep, you will have won the great battle of inner freedom. You will be happier. Remember, in a few brief words, this is the path of Permanent Conversion. It has more obstacles, but stay within these guidelines.
He alone, He without any name, does wonders in the human soul. And hearts will be filled with sweetness; peace will dance throughout humanity because they have discovered the Face of the Father, the One who the Son of Man revealed to us.”
International Coordination words in the cemetery, October 26th 2014
