Memorial of St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
St. Paul is attempting to fulfill the command of Jesus to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, with the request that the Christians in Rome support him in continuing beyond Rome to what is now Spain. At this time, the Spanish peninsula would have been considered the farthest west that one could go, and Paul intended to bring them the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Salvation he accomplished for all people.
St. Paul was always an ambitious man. Before he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was working to advance among the Jewish leadership by his precise adherence to the Law and by persecuting the followers of Jesus. Once he met the Risen Lord himself, Paul changed his ways and devoted himself completely to spreading the Gospel message, suffering numerous persecutions for his efforts and, eventually, death. He no longer had ambition for his own station, but he was still a driven man who put every ounce of effort he had into whatever mission he was given.
We, too, are called by God to proclaim the Gospel message. Most of us are not called to travel the world in this mission like St. Paul did, but each of us should be communicating the message that Jesus is our Savior through our words and our actions. If the people we encounter cannot recognize our faith in Jesus, particularly in our loving care for one another, how can we claim to be his disciples? The world needs to be reminded about Jesus and to hear how he has affected our lives so that they might open themselves to receive him.
Reflection by Fr. Victor Schinstock, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections