Back in the olden days I used to have a banner which read: “The truth will set you free … but first it will make you miserable.” Too true. The truth has misery-making potential because it shakes us out of our complacency and our accustomed behaviors. St. Ignatius sees freedom to say “whatever you want, God” as the key to the spiritual life. He asks us to look at how our preferences inhibit our spiritual freedom. Thus, we should not prefer health to sickness, a long life to a short one, honor to dishonor, riches to poverty but in all things to have the freedom to say “whatever” to God — even if that means freely accepting things we don’t prefer.
