It's not all about us

One of my goals for this year is to read through Butler's Lives of the Saints. Every day there is a brief, or not so brief, biography of some spiritual male or female forerunner from the past centuries. More often than not I am left challenged by the character, spirituality, and devotion that is seen in the lives of the saints.

A couple of days ago I was reading about a man named Peter Nolasco. He lived in Spain in the 13th century at a time when the Moors possessed a considerable part of Spain. Consequently, numerous Christians were suffering under the tyranny of slavery both in Spain and in Africa. Peter Nolasco was moved to compassion by the thought of all these believers being under the yoke of slavery, so he started an order whose specific objective was to free as many of these slaves as he possibly could. He and his order worked tirelessly to redeem captives from many locations and situations. His life was literally spent for others. Butler sums up Peter Nolasco's life with the following comments:

"Charity towards all mankind was a distinguishing feature in the character of the saints. This benevolent virtue so entirely possessed their hearts that they were constantly disposed to sacrifice even their lives to the relief and assistance of others. Zealously employed in removing their temporal necessities, they laboured with redoubled vigour to succour their spiritual wants, by rooting out from their souls the dominion of sin, and substituting in its room the kingdom of God's grace. This conduct of the saints, extraordinary as it is, ceases to appear surprising when we recollect the powerful arguments our Blessed Saviour makes use of to excite us to the love of our neighbour. But how shall we justify our unfeeling hard-heartedness, that seeks every trifling pretence to exempt us from the duty of succouring the unfortunate? Have we forgot that Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who alone has bestowed on us whatever we possess, has made charity towards our fellow-creature, but especially towards the needy, an indispensable precept? Do we not know that he bids us consider the suffering poor as members of the same head, heirs of the same promises, as our brothers and his children who represent him on earth?"

It's easy to forget, but the simple truth is that following Christ is so much more than getting our spiritual blessings and fulfilling our life goals. It's about living for Christ and for others. And one thing is certain: It's not all about us.