WHO?! ME?!

Imagine this. You are participating in an international competition. As the competition draws to its close, there is excitement among the participants and viewers because of the imminent announcement of the winner. You are one of the many contestants. The speaker crackles indicating movement near the microphone. A voice excitedly announces the name of the winner. It is YOUR name! The crowd bursts into cheers and applause. What is most likely going to be your first response? “WHO?! ME?!” and a torrent of tears (if you’ve really struggled and overcome difficult opposition) or maybe a ‘cool’ nod (affirming the unspoken obvious)?

I guess most of us would meet this situation with shock and a sense of unbelief, especially if one feels inferior to the other contestants. Tennis is one sport where such a response to a ‘great’ result is common and aptly displayed. For example, Roger Federer beating Rafael Nadal in an intense 5-setter, to win the Wimbledon trophy. Another example is that of Marion Bartoli winning her first grand slam at 28 years, thus fulfilling a dream of hers. Even in our lives, there are some situations which are dramatic and have a transforming effect on us. For example, you win a scholarship for excellent performance in studies and get an opportunity to study abroad in one of the best colleges.

Now, when we are told that God loves us so much, that He gave His only Son out of love for us, so that we may not be doomed to a pitiable existence but may have the eternal joy of enjoying Paradise with Him, I wonder how many of us (if any at all) would be so incredulous as to exclaim, “WHO?! ME?! Was that for me?” Is this revelation not something dramatic? If it is, then why does it not transform us?

The problem with most of us, Christians, is that we have taken our God and His love for us, for granted. We see ourselves either as undeserving of God’s love because of our many sins and weaknesses or, hearing the phrase “God loves you” often, has led to a conditioning to this message, to an extent that it does not strike us as something amazing.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) article 52 tells us that, ‘God wants to communicate his own divine life to the men he freely created, in order to adopt them as his sons in his only begotten Son.’ The famous passage from the Gospel of John, Chapter 3 verse 16 reminds us that, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” No other religion conveys the message that we, human beings, are loved by God to the extent that God was willing to give Himself, just so that we would be with Him forever. Take a moment to think about this. You might find yourself saying “ME?! He would do all that just for me??”

Another thing which we, Christians find hard to stomach is the universal call to sanctity. I remember telling my companions, friends, juniors and students, that they could and ought to become saints. The usual response I received was either, “WHO?! ME?! Become a saint??” or a sarcastic smile and nod of the head. I wonder why such a response is given to this invitation and challenge. Do we think ourselves unworthy, unfit or unqualified for whatever reason to take up this challenge and way of life?

It could be that we have a misconception about ‘sanctity’ or ‘sainthood’. Maybe we feel that it is only for goody-goody people, people who practice severe mortification and self-abnegation. If this is the case, than I would like to present an alternative way to sanctity: the way traced out by Don Bosco.

Don Bosco told his boys that in order to become saints they would have to:

1.       Do their duties well

2.       Always remain cheerful

Don Bosco was shrewd enough to identify the desire for God in young people and to ‘design’ a path/way of life that is suited to their lifestyle and helps them to fulfill their thirst for God. He let each boy know that God loves them and that he wants them to be with Him.St. Dominic Savio, Michael Magone, Bl. Zeferino Namuncura and Francis Besucco are prominent names among those who have lived saintly lives by following the program of life chalked out by Don Bosco.

In conclusion, I would like to once again remind you that YOU are immensely LOVED by God and that YOU are called to be a SAINT. Let us allow God’s love to surprise us, to permeate us and to fill us. May the call to sanctity not serve as a surprise for us any more, but become a task to which we apply ourselves wholeheartedly.

Cl Ian Pinto sdb