Knowing we’ve entered the cold and flu season, many of us have received our flu shot. At the last research council meeting at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lori Richter was asked how she was doing when she entered the Bonacum room where this monthly meeting is held. She is a privacy officer at St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center. "Not too good," she replied. She, her husband and one of her children were sick. When talking about her sick child I overheard her say in a compassionate tone, "I would rather be sick than my little ones!" Over the years I have heard many parents say the same thing. Many would rather suffer or even die rather than see one of their children do so. I can only imagine the Blessed Virgin Mary thinking the same thing watching her Son Jesus Christ suffer and die on the cross.
Being willing to suffer and die for a loved one or a good person is one thing, but what about for stranger or an enemy? "While we were yet helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man – though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us … while we were enemies we were reconciled by God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life" (Rom 5:7-10). These are the words we should meditate on whenever gazing upon a crucifix. Jesus chose to die so we who were dead in sin may live eternally.
After Lori’s words, I thought about St. Maximilian Kolbe dying for a complete stranger when he was in Auschwitz, Germany during WWII. It was there when after an escape of three inmates, the camp commander decided to execute ten men by starvation to deter any further escape attempts. Having not been chosen, St. Maximilian volunteered his life in the place of a married man with children. After several weeks of this cruel and inhumane treatment, in order to hasten his death he was given a lethal injection of deadly acid.
As we continue our Advent preparation for Christmas let us meditate on the greatest gift God the Father ever gave us, the gift of His only begotten Son who was born in utter poverty. He came to die in our place and to start a Church in which we find our salvation.
Please let me take this opportunity to thank once again our generous donors who help us spiritually with their prayers and penances, materially with items around their homes and farms not needed (including vehicles), and financially with cash donations according to their means so we can help individuals and families who come to us in crisis. Thank you for helping us decrease the suffering of fellow family members of the mystical body of Christ, done so because of selfless love in imitation of the examples outlined above.
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