Living for Others

When preparing to speak at all the Masses at St. Pancratius in Lakewood, I scoured resources and reflections on Sunday’s readings.
I came across a link from St. Louis University, that while I didn’t share it directly, it did impact the way I looked at what I was there to speak about – Mission Doctors and their families are truly ‘people for others’

“…our relation to God is a new life in ‘existence for others,’ through participation in the being of Jesus... the ‘man for others,’ and therefore the crucified, the man who lives out of the transcendent” (D. Bonhoeffer).

The sacrifices made by doctors who leave the comforts of friends, family and a practice in familiar surroundings; availability to necessary medications and knowing that they have additional treatment options… they leave behind these reassuring personal and professional connections, to practice medicine in resource poor settings, because they are called – because they are sent.

Their relationship to God is a new life truly lived in ‘existence for others’.