saint of the week

 

Saint of Week September 9, 2007

 

 

Sunday morning at INTERSECTION (Teen Bible Study), it was very hot.  Even though I had the fan on and the windows open, the second story of an aging brick building was not the place to be.  The room was quite full, which I am sure, added to our perspiration problem. 

It seemed however that everyone tolerated the warmness fairly well.  There was minimal complaint and generally earnest interest in the message, which was about discipleship.  Today's reading from Luke urged us to be fully committed disciples. 

 

St. Peter Claver was a fully committed disciple (I image you would have guessed that given the prefix of "saint" before his name!).  Born in 1580, he became a Jesuit priest and ministered to slaves.  For 33 years he ministered to the Negro slaves disembarking in Columbia.  Whenever a slave ship would come into port, he would enter the hold and begin ministering to the slaves.  He would provide drink, food and the gospel.  His ministry did not end there though, as he would then minister to them aft erwards in their places of residence.

 

I don't pretend to know much about slave ships but I image the ship's hold to be an infernally hot- putrid smelling-standing room only type of place.  I don't know if I am impressed more by his insight and creativity or his stamina.  Catholic Online says that St. Peter Claver converted some 330,000 slaves to Catholicism.

 

I guess that is what Jesus wants from us, stamina.  He wants us to have staying power.  He wants us to rise above the perspiration and distractions of this world to become fully committed disciples and love Him above all things, even air conditioning.