The Spirit of the Sodality
From Fr. Hugo Rahner, S.J. True Source of the Sodality Spirit.
Striving for the Fullness of Christ
“Without doubt, it is characteristic of a youthful attitude of soul to be always more receptive to that which is greater, to remain forever one who grows (since God is never attained), never to say ‘it is enough’. For all those moulded in the spirit of the Exercises that one word more, so full of youthful energy, is the criterion of genuineness. What is common to all Sodalities at all levels is Christian ‘growing’. This is a tending toward a state of life unattained; it is, in simple Christian terms, the striving for the fullness of Christ, a maturing grace. In 1610 Father Spinelli remarked that the Sodality strives not only to accomplish faithfully what divine law commands, but also to labour zealously that all Sodalists may the more distinguish themselves day by day in their efforts after piety. We see at once that every Sodality must be a group of Christians who, far from ‘retiring’, are still wide awake, who are still receptive to the more, (that is, of these constantly increasing demands of Christianity), who are not the drab uninspired citizens, the complacent bourgeois of God’s kingdom.”
“The Sodality, then, is an association of souls who, like Ignatius, realize that, though it is in the disguise of purely visible earthly, political and social affairs, there is a secret struggle of tremendous consequence taking place in this world; the struggle between Christ and Satan, the epic drama of Redemption from the death of Our Lord to His visible and second coming. The Sodality is a union of souls who understand that ‘the Devil is at large’ (Rev. 20:3) and ‘the Good Friend is present’ every day unto the end of time. The world is secretly and forever marching under two standards. ‘Babylon’ and ‘Jerusalem’ clashing in open battle. The purpose of the Sodality is to unite under one standard those souls who in the heat of combat have come to realize that mere conformism, self-complacency and unaggressiveness will never win the victory.”
Qualities of a Sodalist
“From a realization of this truth stems one of the essential principles of the Sodality: its membership must be selective; it must be formed from the spiritual élite. Even more today than in the past, the Sodality must be a union of Christians who embody the whole case of mind, the spirit of the first Christians so often stressed in the Gospels, which is called ‘watchfulness’ or ‘alertness’ (cf. Mkr 13:35; 1Cor. 16:13; Rev. 16:15). “Be sober and watch, because your adversary the Devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” (1Pet. 5:8)”
“Every true Sodalist must become one of those total Christians who has made his decision, who fully appreciates what is involved and what is expected of him. Mary must become for him in very truth the Domina Mundi: the Mistress of the world. Above all, he must look upon her and love her as the Conqueror of the Serpent (Gen. 3:15; Rev. 12:1-15). She is Our Lady of the Discernment of Spirits.”
Readiness to Struggle Against the World
“The pre-eminence accorded to the interior life in every genuine Sodality is based on the insight which transforms all thinking and living: the realization that all enthusiasm for the call of Christ the King must be translated into the keen readiness to struggle against the world and sensuality.”
“They alone are true apostles who have realized that in a vital, prayer way – that is to say: souls to whom the invisible, but so much more real, actuality of interior things has been revealed, souls who have experienced the genuinely lasting, the genuinely celestial things of the kingdom of Heaven. But these things are reserved only and always for those who lovingly and joyously devote themselves during the whole of life to the fundamental law of Christ the King: ‘You must labour with Me and so enter the glory of My Father’ (SpEx. 95). The formation of this type of soul is the first, the basic task of the Sodality. High demands of this kind strike a responsive chord in the mind and heart of youth. To belong to those who are virile lovers, to those who are ready for action, to those who do not always treat themselves delicately, who are willing to make sacrifices, to those who will begin the struggle right within themselves – this is to have the true spirit of youth. Only with this type of soul can Christ undertake anything for the advancement of His kingdom. Every reformation in the Church has always had its origin in this greater demand made on the youthful generosity. We cannot start early enough to form such an élite. This is the reason why the total hope of the Church depends on the constant, the renewed formation of such groups of faithful souls. This is the noblest commission of the Sodality.”
Devoted to Mary
“It is no accident of history that the first Sodality in Rome was dedicated to the mystery of the Annunciation. Nor was it pure coincidence that in 1522 Ignatius at Montserrat made his own dedication to Mary on the feast of the Annunciation. On that occasion he offered his weapons to his Queen and exchanged his worldly garb for pilgrim’s dress. Under the banner of his Queen he turned away from the vanity of the world toward the poor Christ. This is the conversion, which must take place in the soul of every Sodalist. This is the realization in the spiritual order of the juridical fact that every Sodality is aggregated to the Primaria of the Annunciation. All real putting on of Christ, all growth into a ‘genuinely Catholic adulthood’ within the Sodality means to imitate Mary’s Fiat, its design in Christ’s redemption of the world. This is the Fiat that accepts the Cross of Christ that challenges all that is noble in the soul, that longs for a more perfect following of the suffering of Christ. In this way the Sodalist must learn through the Sodality to love Mary as the exalted Queen of his magis. She is Our Lady of Christian Discontent. She will lead him to the Cross.”
Filled with a Holy Restlessness
“The Sodality should verify that fundamental law of all spiritual life within the Church: in proportion to the degree to which a man puts himself at the disposal of Christ the King with a joyful life and heartfelt intimacy does he become fit to be a witness, to give testimony for the living, the demanding, the fighting Christ. He is ready, alert enough to take his place in the line of battle wheresoever he may be needed, with the strong, sure hands which only they possess who have first sacrificed their hearts.”
“The Exercises draw a distinctive portrait of Mary in which she is presented under a dual aspect. First she is the humble woman of the Gospels. She is forever disappearing into the background only to re-emerge suddenly at some critical stage in the moulding the exercitant. Now she becomes the noble Lady, assuming her queenly role in the life of the Christian. She collaborates as she did in the life of her Son. After her example we must fashion all our own collaboration in the kingdom of God.”
“the authentic Sodality must mould Christians who, filled with a holy discontent, are ardent followers of the Cross and valiant servants of the Church. Their ideal is Our Lady who has crushed the serpent’s head, who stood beneath the Cross and who epitomizes the Church.”