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St. John of God: Servant of the Sick
(1495-1555)
St. John of God, whose feast is celebrated on March 8th, is the patron of the sick and hospital workers. As a young man John became a mercenary soldier and led a very wild and reckless life. But that all changed when at the age of forty, by the grace and mercy of God, John went through a conversion experience that changed his life forever. From then on John’s sole desire was to serve God.
There are a number of lessons we can learn from St. John’s life, for instance, the love God placed within his heart for the sick and the poor. However, rather than focus on this or any other virtue he practiced I would like to look at something that I believe can teach us a great lesson about judging others and the mercy of God.
This "something" has to do with the way in which we view those who are living an immoral life. I am sure some of John’s companions, before his conversion, saw him as a lost soul who would never amount to anything good. To be honest, if I met St. John prior to his conversion I would probably think the same thing, "this guy is hopeless – salvation, yeah right!" It is not easy for me to admit the above because I know what Our Lord says about judging and condemning others. And this is why I think St. John’s life is a powerful witness that offers us a beautiful example as to why we should never judge or label others.
As long as the individual is open to God’s invitation to conversion, God can save the most hardened sinner and transform them into a saint. Like the parable of the vineyard – God calls each person, whether it be in the early morning or late afternoon, to work in His vineyard. The life of St. John of God makes me realize that no one is beyond salvation, therefore there is no reason to label or judge another. Remember what the Archangel Gabriel said to the Blessed Mother, "for nothing is impossible with God." (Lk.2: 37)
Let us not condemn those who lead immoral lives or seem to be far from God, but instead let us pray for them. You never know, they may be the next Mother Teresa, Mother Angelica, or even Pope John Paul II.
God bless!
St. John of God, pray for us!