We as a people are driven to reciprocate in kind. I am not sure where this comes from. I would hope it comes from the part in us that makes us generous but I suspect it may be more out of trying to look good and worrying about what others think of us. To illustrate, if you have ever had a son or daughter (or maybe this happened to you) that received a gift from their boyfriend or girlfriend, you say this in action. Within the hour, your child knew where the gift was purchased and how much it cost. They were consumed with returning the favor but they wanted to make sure that their gift in return met the same cost and quality thresholds. The entire idea of doing something for others out of love and concern was thrown out immediately. In fact, take a look at magazines that give tips on dating and this concept is still very much alive. Not only do the writers give tips on matching price but attention is paid to what the gift will "really" mean. And the game continues. Maybe that is why we find it so hard to allow Jesus to do things for us. Maybe that is why it is so hard for us to simply turn to Him and ask for help. We might be thinking that we have to reciprocate. That is ludicrous of course. How on earth could we ever match the ultimate gift that Jesus provides for us every day, namely salvation. When we look at Jesus hanging on the cross it reminds us of the suffering he endured for our sins. I recently placed myself at the foot of that cross on that day that Jesus died. I was standing with Mary, John and Mary Magdalen. Others were around as well and Peter approached towards the end time. I found myself weeping for the pain and suffering that Jesus was enduring. I cried out for someone to help Him. I prayed to God to relieve his pain. It was a truly moving reflection. It allowed me to grow closer to Jesus in a unique way other than prayer, worship or song. It certainly touched me deep inside. I also felt a warm embrace, a hug from Jesus while I was in the moment. It helped me to realize that Jesus did this out of his great love and desire for us. He wants us to have eternal live. He wants us to join Him in heaven. I also realized that I can never reciprocate. What could I ever do to match that sacrifice? The good news is that Jesus does not expect me too. He merely expects me to try. Try to tend to the needs of others. Try to put others first. Try to bring his message to as many people as possible. Try to live like He did while on earth. And in the end, that is all I can do. I have to allow the Messiah do what He does for us. He solves our problems. He fixes things. He is.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...
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