Lent - Giving It All - St. Damien of Molokai

St. Damien of Molokai

Sacrifice is a large component of what Lent is all about.  Some of us give up something that is dear to our heart for the forty days as a sacrifice to discipline ourselves.  This is a good thing to do.  Some people are called to do more and they give all that there is to give.  Such was the man we now call St. Damien of Molokai.  In previous times leprosy was considered highly contagious and incurable.  Modern science has found that about five percent of the world is predisposed to the disease. Back in the 1800's, however, those afflicted were removed from society and strictly quarantined.  Damien was sent to Hawaii by his order and there he was ordained a priest. The authorities built a leper colony on Molokai and Damien volunteered to work there with the lepers. 

When he arrived on Molokai, he found a colony beset with problems.  There was a lot of alcoholism and lawlessness ruled the land. He immediately began to get things organized and he began to serve his flock of sick men, women, and children.  The authorities thought that they had performed a magnificent work by setting aside the land that the leper colony was on. They felt all warm and fuzzy inside because of their act of charity. They then proceeded to forget the people that were sent there.  Damien fought for his congregation.  He fought for medicines and better food.  His work was not appreciated so much by the authorities and some even spread lurid stories about the young priest.  Damien continued his battle day by day.  He embraced his flock and tenderly cared for them.  One day, he stepped into a pot of boiling water. He felt no pain. It was a sign that he had contracted the dreaded disease.  He continued his work with love and devotion. At mass that day he began his sermon with the words, "We lepers..."   He died on April 15, 1889. 

Damien was a man who gave all he had to give. He is an example to us all of what a Christian should be. He was given work to do and he did his job each day with the attitude that he was serving Christ.  

Not all of us have the privilege of giving up our life for our ministry but we are all called to live a life of ministry.  Our ministry may be raising our family or caring for a sick spouse or being there for someone who is lonely.  Whatever we are called to do, we are called to do it with the same determination of St. Damien the Leper.  We should minister with love and remember no matter what the face of the person we are ministering to looks like, it is the face of Christ.