St. Ignatius of Loyola suffered a serious military battle injury in 1521. One of his legs was crushed by a cannon ball. After three surgeries to repair his leg, he went through a prolonged period of convalescence. Because his health was otherwise strong, he looked for ways to occupy himself during that season. His sister-in-law, Magdalena, gave him two books to help pass the time—the Life of Jesus and a book about the lives of the saints. Inspired by reading about the life of Jesus Christ and about the lives of the saints, he began to think about the implications of these lives for his life.
Biographer W.W. Meisner (Ignatius of Loyola: The Psychology of a Saint) writes that St. Ignatius began to ask himself, “Suppose that I should do what St. Francis did, what St. Dominic did?” After a while, his thinking began to shift from questions to self-declarations: “St. Dominic did this, therefore, I must do it. St. Francis did this, therefore, I must do it.” It was out of this experience that a worldly soldier experienced a dramatic conversion into a deeply spiritual man. His profound devotion to Christ and his deep faith have shaped Christianity in remarkable ways over the centuries since.
Imitation is a profound source of motivation.
Some say that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” but it may be more important to say that “imitation is a profound source of motivation.” Scripture is full of examples where imitation is the motivation for how to live our lives. Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34). Peter says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1Peter 2:21). And, in what many would consider the flagship verse regarding the deep spiritual importance of imitation, Paul says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2).
As the conversion of St. Ignatius demonstrates, so inspiring and motivating is the life of one whom we long to imitate. And there is no life we long to imitate more than the life of Christ. “Because Jesus did” is powerful motivation for our lives. What makes us love without boundaries, without conditions, without stopping? Because Jesus did. What makes us persevere through hardship, through suffering, through unanswered prayer? Because Jesus did. What makes us bear with each other, carry each other’s burdens, and forgive each other? Because Jesus did. What makes us surrender our will to the Father, sacrifice our lives for His purposes, and focus on abiding in Him? Because Jesus did!