Pamplona by Fr Andy Bullen SJ

The Ignatian Year celebrates the 500th anniversary of St Ignatius’ cannonball wound at the battle of Pamplona and his subsequent conversion to commit himself to God’s work, to walk with the marginalised. While recovering from his injury, St Ignatius discerned a call to the religious life, leaving his desire for fame and glory as a military leader behind to found the Society of Jesus and the Spiritual Exercises.

We invite you to reflect on Fr Andy Bullen’s SJ poem on St Ignatius, ‘Pamplona’.

Pamplona

Wherever Pamplona is:
you mistake the enemy
and overtrust your own boldness,
flourish an outdated flag
for the last time and with style:
you’re on the defensive.

The yells and roar and fire
are a dazzling confusion:
then the long quiet proclaims defeat.
Pain tells the soldier his leg
is turned to a mess of blood
– the wound will heal all his life.
Call this Pamplona.

Pamplona is whatever
wrenches failure into blessing.
It is the end of noise
and can happen anywhere.
Whenever fame goes – and style goes –
and you’re useless is Pamplona.
Only later will it announce
a new away of being history.

Pamplona is the lifelong beginning
of the journey into silence.

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