October 31, 2013

Rom 8: 31b-39

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations

Greeting Others as We Would Greet Christ

Today is the feast of Alphonsus Rodriguez, a Jesuit brother who lived from 1532 to 1617. Alfonso did not have an easy life. He had very little education. His father died when Alfonso was 14. He married at the age of 26, but his wife and 3 children all died before Alfonso reached the age of 40. He suffered poor health. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1571, after many delays because of concerns about his poor health and lack of education.

After his novitiate training, Alfonso was assigned to the Jesuit college in Majorca, Spain. He worked as the porter there for over 40 years, greeting students at the door, giving them advice and encouragement, disbursing alms, and running errands as needed for the school. Perhaps the tragedies of his life gave Alfonso compassion for others, for many students benefited from Alfonso’s counsel and wisdom.

Being a porter is humble work. Alfonso imagined, however, that every time he greeted a student, he was welcoming Christ into his life. Can we, like Alfonso, find joy in humbly serving our Lord? Can we greet everyone as we would greet Christ, and in particular be compassionate to those who are most in need?

—Ted Munz, S.J., Chicago-Detroit Province Jesuits

Prayer

Lord, we pray that the words of Saint Paul penetrate our thoughts, feelings, and actions so we live with profound hope and sincere service: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

—The Jesuit Prayer Team