The Meaning of Magis

Web Posted: October 6, 2003

"Magis" is a term dear to the Ignatian tradition and used often at Marquette. It appears on banners around campus, surfaces in talks, retreats and brochures -- and of course the University's current campaign is also titled "Magis."

What then do we mean when we say,"Magis," in the context of Ignatian spirituality? The following brief description gives some sense of the word's richness and invitation:

The yardstick of Ignatius was always to undertake that which was the better choice, the more effective work, the more widely influential, meeting the greater need -- not simply because such a course was harder, but because it would yield the greater good and lead one toward a deeper love of God and other human beings. This constant striving toward the next horizon of love and service is the essence of the magis -- literally, "the more. "