Think of People

Last week, I was talking to my friend, Ennie, who has worked in ministry for over ten years, and was asking him how he maintains his drive in ministry. I wanted to know how one can fully sustain the desire to serve the Lord and be committed to preaching the Gospel. In asking this, I was expecting a long dissertation on prayer or encouragement to fast more regularly. But what he said was so straightforward, yet it is these words that have re-convicted me in my desire to commit to the apostolic mission. These words have helped me understand more fully how to persevere in preaching the Gospel. His words to me were simply "People. Think of people."

Think of people. People who are thirsty. People who are yearning. People who don't know the Jesus we know. People who have never felt the presence of God. People who have no idea the way the Spirit wants to direct their steps. People who are ensnared by sin. People who lack basic necessities. People who suffer physically and who ache spiritually. People who are lost. People who are hurting. People who are desperate for love. Think of people.

When asked by the Pharisees what the greatest commandment is, Jesus responded "you shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind....and you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). Echoing these words in his message for Lent 2012, Pope Benedict said that we are "to look at others, first of all at Jesus, to be concerned for one another, and not to remain isolated and indifferent to the fate of our brothers and sisters." This is the way we are to love. This is the mission entrusted to us by Christ. This is the way in which we are to live our lives, faithful to the Gospel. Think of God. Love God. Think of people. Love people FOR God.

But entangled in our own interests and affairs, we struggle to even see anyone outside of ourselves. Entrenched in excess of material riches and worldly pursuits, we forget the mission entrusted to us from heaven. Enmeshed in this culture of indifference and disinterest, we fail to see the selfishness that is ridding us from being "guardians" of our brothers and sisters (Genesis 4:9). Embedded in our own wills, we fail to hear the voice of God calling us to the aid of this broken world. But it must not be so with us! "In a world which demands of Christians a renewed witness of love and fidelity to the Lord, may all of us feel the urgent need to anticipate one another in charity, service and good works " (Pope Benedict XVI).

In Genesis 1, there is only ONE creation that God said was very good--HUMANITY. The people he formed from the dust. The people into whom he breathed his OWN breath. The people who were modeled off of his own image. HUMANITY. The ones whom God loved so desperately that he sent his Son to bridge the distance. HUMANITY. For whom Jesus Christ shed his life. HUMANITY. In whom the Spirit has chosen to dwell. And it is with this same dignity that we should look upon our brothers and sisters. Oh, the love of God for humanity! Oh, his desire for reunification with us! Oh, how precious we are in his sight!

This Lent, through our prayer, fasting and almsgiving, may the Lord change our vision to see humanity as he does. May he detangle us from the mess of our sin and the entrapment of selfishness that we might freely serve him and love his people as generously and lavishly as he does. May he de-clog our ears so as to hear the voice of the disenfranchised, the mourning, the suffering. May he heal us from the crippling bonds of pride and greed that, walking in faith, we might seek out those who need Christ most. May he open our mouths by the power of his Spirit that we might not remain silent before evil. As we continue this journey to Easter, may we ask with sincerity of heart for the grace to commit more fully "to the very heart of Christian life: charity" (Pope Benedict).