Mission & Identity
Generosity in the New Year
Lord teach me to be generous . Teach me to serve you as you deserve ; To give and not to count the cost ; To fight and not to heed the wounds ; To toil and not to seek for rest ; To labor and not to ask for reward Save that of knowing I do your will
Perhaps the most famous prayer associated with St . Ignatius of Loyola , the Prayer for Generosity , has also become well-known among Prep students in recent years with the entire community reciting the prayer at the close of each school day . While St . Ignatius himself may not have been the author of this prayer , it certainly captures the heart of his spirituality ; the desire to know , love and serve God . Its sentiment can be found in Ignatius ’ instructions before the Contemplation to Obtain Love , the exercise in the Spiritual Exercises where he reminds the retreatant that “ Love should consist more in deeds than in words .” Before this exercise the retreatant is instructed to “ ask the Lord for the grace to direct my thoughts , activities and deeds to the service and praise of His Divine Majesty ”, echoing the words of the Generosity Prayer .
Evidence of Ignatius ’ spirit of generosity has abounded at Fordham Prep in recent months . Our beautiful new chapel and group study center , constructed this past summer , are a testament to the generosity of our alumni . Our students once again shared so generously with our neighbors in the Bronx during the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive , collecting a record-setting 41,000 food items . Our faculty and staff have not only given generously in their work with students each day , but have also given generously of their time to support colleagues with serious medical conditions . These and many other acts of generosity point to the spirit of Ignatius that continues to animate life here at the Prep .
What might this prayer mean for us in our own lives this new year ? While the prayer may be rather simple , we know that living with a spirit of generosity is not always easy . Our lives can demand so much that at times it may seem we have nothing more to give . We can too easily find our days filled with long to-do lists and little time for generosity . Our culture , at times , can lead us to a self-centeredness that can leave little room for true generosity and service . Perhaps that is why this ancient prayer is needed more than ever these days . Its words are simple , but its message is profound as it calls us to seek the generosity in our lives that leads to genuine love and service . It reminds us to simply “ labor and not to ask for reward ” knowing that we can indeed do God ’ s will .
May God bless you and your families in 2018 !
Brian Carney Vice President for Mission & Identity
6 | RAMVIEW