Student Life: Go and set BC aflame

As I was walking to class last week, I noticed a new addition to our campus. St. Ignatius of Loyola had taken up residence on the grassy knoll in front of Higgins Hall. The larger-than-life-sized statue seems to have appeared overnight. I had no idea a statue was even in the works; unfortunately writing for the campus newspaper doesn't mean I'm privy to all the insider information.

Personally, I don't think the 10-foot tribute is necessary. I always liked the sloping patch of grass, preserved amid the myriad stones and bricks of our walkways. One of my philosophy classes was held on the lawn, and sitting Indian-style in a circle there was one of the better memories I took from freshman year.

But, alas, the administration doesn't submit its decisions to me for approval. It's definitely an impressive statue - from what I gathered during the few seconds I observed it - and I like St. Iggy's "ready-for-action" pose. But it got me thinking.

"Ite incendite." "Go set the world aflame." Ignatius of Loyola spoke these words to Frances Xavier before he embarked on a mission to bring the Gospel to the East. At the time, the command filled Xavier with a sense of purpose as strong as iron. He knew what he had to do, and more importantly, why he had to do it.

As students at a Jesuit university, we often recall those words at graduation and other pomp-and-circumstance ceremonies. But I wonder how relevant they are - I wonder if the dictum rings as true today as it did 500 years ago. Certainly, there are students, staff, and faculty who devote their lives to serving others and understand what it means to be like Ignatius's "Solider of Christ." Yet the vast majority of us seem to possess no desire to change the world. We are conditioned from the outset to retain the status quo, because it offers us significant advantages. So we walk down Linden Lane, take a few classes, and four years later, leave with nothing to show but a diploma and a hangover.

Boston College is overflowing with "nice" people. Ours is a remarkably pleasant student body; it seems almost illegal to not be smiling. But in my experiences I've met very few who are truly passionate about something. School for many is simply a well-oiled conveyor belt that churns out nice, respectable graduates with fancy suits and an eagerness to stuff their wallets. The flame of passion has been snuffed out.

I have an incredible amount of respect for students who want to be social workers or teachers. There's very little money involved, but the reward for such work goes well beyond a weekly paycheck. This is not to say that everyone in the Caroll School of Management should switch majors, or that we have to drop everything and immediately plan a service trip to Nicaragua. You can have an impact everyday, no matter what you're doing. But you have to be doing something.

Join a club, and get as involved as you can. Be a leader and take responsibility. Create art. Help someone whenever you have the time and ability. Most importantly, leave an impression. BC should be a changed (and hopefully better) place because of your actions. If not, then you've wasted four years and a pile of money.

This doesn't mean that we all have to be missionaries like Xavier. But at the very least, we ought to feel obligated to use our talents toward some end and pursue something other than material possessions. After all, you can't set the world aflame without first lighting the match.