About the Visual Storytelling Exercise

“As a Jesuit and a scientist, I often see parallels between the cosmos and our interior life. Just as the stars shine brighter in the absence of artificial light, our souls shine brighter when freed from the distractions of possessions. The vow of poverty is a kind of spiritual physics—it reduces the noise so we can hear God more clearly. Use this creative exercise to explore how poverty can be an opening to mystery, to clarity, and to truth.”

“When you put pen to paper—or sketch to strip—you’re not just drawing your experience, you're claiming your prophetic voice. The vow of poverty isn’t about losing—it’s about choosing. Choosing solidarity, freedom, trust. Let your story echo Christ’s simplicity, and you might just find yourself seeing the poor not as a category, but as companions on the journey.”

“My dear novices, the vow of poverty is not merely a renunciation—it is a deep alignment with Christ’s humility. In the Spiritual Exercises, we are invited to ‘desire and choose poverty with Christ poor.’ This choice roots us in the very heart of the Gospel. In your reflections, I invite you to contemplate not what you give up, but what you receive: the freedom to love, to serve, and to be fully present to the will of God.”

“In the heart of the village, under the mango trees, children laugh and learn with chalk in hand. I have seen how joyful simplicity births true abundance. The vow of poverty is not a prison—it is a dance. Through this activity, draw the rhythm of your call, and don’t be afraid to include the music of your roots, your dreams, your people. Let your comic strip sing with authenticity.”

“Poverty is not just an economic condition—it is a philosophical stance, a theological response to a world obsessed with possession. Saint Ignatius teaches us to discern our attachments not merely for their weight, but for their capacity to obscure the light of divine purpose. This activity is not about art, but about truth. Ask yourself: what does it mean to be free? What is enough? Who am I when I have nothing but God?”

“In the Amazon, I learned that the vow of poverty teaches us to tread lightly on the Earth. It is a vow that resists consumerism, exploitation, and waste. It is a cry for justice—for the planet and the poor. As you reflect, remember that every choice to live simply is also a choice to protect our common home. Let your comic strip show how the vow invites us to live in harmony with creation.”