{"id":10027,"date":"2021-04-28T09:34:57","date_gmt":"2021-04-28T14:34:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legionariosdecristo.org\/?p=10027"},"modified":"2025-08-12T19:51:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T19:51:35","slug":"ordination-priesthood-p-ignacio-rubio-lc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/subdir.legionariosdecristo.org\/en\/blog\/2021\/04\/ordination-priesthood-p-ignacio-rubio-lc\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00abYou have been loved, strengthened, and sent by the Lord; let yourself be conquered by His love\u00bb"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ordination<\/a>Ordination of Father Ignacio Rubio, LC<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Father Ignacio Rubio H\u00edpola, L.C., was ordained a priest on Saturday, April 24th, at the parish of Santa Mar\u00eda de Can\u00e1, in Pozuelo de Alarc\u00f3n. After 20 years of formation within the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, Father Ignacio received the ordination from the hands of the Cardinal-Archbishop of Madrid, Don Carlos Osoro Sierra, who, in his homily, reminded him of three words he must always keep in mind: to know that he is \u201cloved, strengthened, and sent by the Lord,\u201d while also inviting him to \u201clet yourself be conquered by His love.\u201d His family and a large group of members of the Regnum Christi family\u2014laity, consecrated laity, women religious, and Legionaries of Christ\u2014both from Spain and Germany, where he is currently assigned, attended the ceremony.<\/p>\n

Don Carlos began his homily by asking Father Ignacio: \u201cHow will you repay all the good that the Lord has done for you?\u201d The responsibility entrusted to him through his priestly ordination is impressive: \u201cThe Lord will be in you and through you so that you continue breaking the chains that bind us to men,\u201d through \u201cthe forgiveness you will give, as well as the true communion that Jesus establishes on the day He institutes the Eucharist\u201d for mankind.<\/p>\n

The ministry entrusted to the new priest must be to offer \u201ca sacrifice of praise, so that those who see you give thanks to the Lord.\u201d For this, the Cardinal of Madrid reminded him of three words that must be fundamental in his life: \u201cYou have been loved by our Lord, strengthened, and sent by Him, but He wants to do so as we have heard in the Gospel: letting yourself be conquered by the Lord\u2019s love. That love is necessary to live out this sending you receive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ordination<\/a>\u201cYou have been loved\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Cardinal reminded him that \u201csince you were a child, you have felt the love of God, from your mother’s womb,\u201d and \u201ctoday you are the one who has been consecrated because the Lord wants you to be Him among men, so that you can deliver to men the mystery of His life wherever you are sent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps the temptation is that this mission overwhelms you, and it is true that it overwhelms us all,\u201d but he reminded him that \u201cthe Lord is with you and will give you everything you need and that is necessary for you to approach men, acting as Jesus: the Lord has conformed you with Him, you have been tremendously loved by the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have been strengthened\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cNot only are you loved, but before you were born, the Lord already planned this: you are strengthened, the grace of the Lord will overflow upon you,\u201d explained the Cardinal. At the same time, he asked everyone present to thank God because \u201cHe continues to trust us, and today He places this trust in Ignacio. Absolute trust for which he will need our prayer so that he can fulfill his mission: the Lord has considered you trustworthy to entrust you with this ministry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ordination<\/a>\u201cYou have been sent\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The third word Don Carlos addressed to him was that of knowing he is sent by the Lord, \u201cbecause He does not confine you to a cloister.\u201d Therefore, he again asked him: \u201cLet yourself be conquered by the love of the Lord.\u201d At this moment in the homily, the Archbishop of Madrid referred to the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd: \u201cThat is what the Lord will give you: you will not be just any shepherd.\u201d In Jesus\u2019 time, in Palestine, the shepherd cared for the sheep, which were like part of his family and whom he knew by name: \u201cJesus is the Good Shepherd who can fill our lives and give them meaning.\u201d In this sense, \u201cthe risen one will bring you great joy: the joy of announcing the Gospel,\u201d so he also advised him that when faced with difficulties in life, \u201creturn to this moment: the risen one, who ordains you today, fills you with joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current culture dismisses with disdain the role of the sheep and the role of the flock, yet we allow ourselves to be guided by all kinds of manipulation,\u201d denounced the bishop. Conversely, \u201cJesus proposes that we have a deep experience of liberation: belonging to His flock is entering a path of true freedom and happiness, which is fruitful for oneself and for those around us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caring for the lives of men<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cThe deepest threat to the human being,\u201d he continued, \u201cis the absence of love: he who does not feel loved despises himself.\u201d However, \u201cJesus wants men to feel loved.\u201d Like the good shepherd, Jesus wants all men \u201cto feel loved, forgiven, welcomed, and recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Therefore, the Cardinal asked Father Ignacio: \u201cYou must go to the lost sheep that are not part of this flock: the marginalized, the lost, those wandering aimlessly through life, those who find no reasons to live\u2026 Shepherding, ultimately, is caring for the lives of men.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his final words, Don Carlos explained that in the ordination, \u201cthe Lord will give you everything you need and will shape your existence, but naturally you must always turn to the source, which is Our Lord, and the Lord will send you to different places. But don\u2019t worry about where He sends you; instead, focus on carrying the face of Christ Our Lord, who is entrusting you this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n