Are you a slave of Christ Jesus? In the readings for this Sunday's Mass, St. Paul proclaims his allegiance to Christ. He declares that he is indeed a slave to Christ Jesus. The word slave in American conjures up different images than Paul is describing here but the essence is the same. Essentially, it was an honor and privilege according to the Old Testament, to be bound as a slave to God. Paul is bound to Jesus in all aspects. He is willing to do anything for Jesus. In fact, remembering Paul's conversion story, it makes this statement even more amazing. Saul, as Paul was known before his conversion on the road to Damascus, was indeed a Christ-hater. He despised the growing movement led by Christ. He tortured and persecuted people who were followers of Christ. But as we all know, his conversion experience turned everything around. St. Paul became, arguable, the most fervent disciple of Christ Jesus. Paul certainly devoted his life to spreading the message of Christ. So I go back to my first question. Are you a slave of Christ Jesus? Do you live every waking moment to bring Christ to the unchurched? Do you share the salvation message with everyone you come in contact with throughout the day? Or perhaps you define becoming a slave to Christ Jesus in another way. It is a deep and complex issue. Spend some time on it today. It is important to make a decision on this important question. Are you ready to make the kind of commitment that St. Paul made?
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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