Name: Joanne D’Anca
Title: Receptionist
Department/College: School of Law
Scripture of the Day: LV 19: 1-2, 11-18; MT 25: 31-46
As I read the readings and Gospel for this week, I could not help but reflect upon what God might say if I came before Him to assess my life. I hope that He would be reminded of the story of Francis as he looked at my constant attempt to see God in all people; even those who caused me the greatest sadness or repulsion. I was recently told a story of a young boy who heard a knock at his front door. Upon opening it, he was met with a disheveled and, to him, scary looking gentleman. His father came and was met with this man’s plea for help. The father calmly explained that he should return in an hour when he would help him find a job and a place to stay. When the young boy asked his father why he chose to help the man rather than send him away, his response was simple: “Because you never know when you will meet God.”
Our reaction to human need, whether easily seen or not, is what truly shows us the face of God.
His heartbeat is found in others, whether it be the hurting student, the smiling young child, the elderly person at the supermarket and the drunken person on the subway platform. It’s about looking beyond what you see at first glance, which is my prayer for you. Life is a series of tiny miracles; may you always stop to notice them.
Read more reflections from Come Back to Me: Lenten Reflections from St. John’s University.