He was eventually given the job of hall porter at the Jesuit College where, for forty years, he greeted everyone who called at the gate as if they were Christ Himself.
No great events marked the rest of his life. Alphonsus spent forty years at his post and left no special writings or distinctive teachings--just the impact of his personality on the countless people he met. He had responded to tragedy by opening his broken heart to God. Henceforth he encountered God in each person who passed through his open door. He performed his tasks with such infinite love that the act of opening the door became a sacramental gesture.
Reading the lines above out loud this morning (as my husband lay with hydrogen peroxide foaming in his stopped-up ear -- another story for another post), I was overcome with emotion. I had to pause between every sentence as I evaluated my own "rest of ...life".
- What impact will MY personality have on the people I meet?
- How will I respond to tragedies (hopefully lesser ones than Alphonsus Rodriguez encountered)?
- Will I remember to perform my seemingly insignificant tasks with such infinite love that they become sacramental gestures?
- What is MY "open door" and who passes through it?
God, help me!
♪ We're the People of God ♪
With our lips let us sing one confession
With our hearts hold to one truth alone
For He has erased our transgressions
Claimed us and called us His own, His very own
Hear us O spirits of darkness
So you will know where we stand
We are His servants purchased with scars
Bought by the Blood of the Lamb, the Blood of the Lamb
With our hearts hold to one truth alone
For He has erased our transgressions
Claimed us and called us His own, His very own
Hear us O spirits of darkness
So you will know where we stand
We are His servants purchased with scars
Bought by the Blood of the Lamb, the Blood of the Lamb
We're the people of God, called by His name
Called from the dark, and delivered from shame
One holy race, saints everyone
Because of the Blood of Christ, Jesus the Son
Called from the dark, and delivered from shame
One holy race, saints everyone
Because of the Blood of Christ, Jesus the Son
Lovely post this morning and something I needed right before going out to a group of people. On our trip I managed to finish the bio of Brennan Manning. Wow, lots to think about there. Do you read Brennan Manning?
ReplyDeleteI DO/HAVE read Brennan Manning! Not sure I've read his bio per se....but much of his writing is auto-biographical, in a sense.
DeletePraying my life would be as simple and devoted to God.
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring......and makes me stop to reflect my own actions and impact on everyone I meet.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's been so long since we sang that song! Thanks for reminding me of it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard it for quite awhile, either....but it came to my mind while I was writing this post and thinking of All Saints Day....I've been singing it ever since :)
DeleteI love this song because it's so victorious. "Hear us oh spirits of darkness so you will know where we stand." Love that!
ReplyDeleteMy son is reading a lot of Brennan Manning now. In fact, I believe he took some of his books to New Zealand with him.
Thinking of you often, Rebecca.
And I (thinking) of you, Sandy. Have you been able to skype to your New Zealand family?
DeleteYes, the song IS a victorious one! I love that line, too.