Eager to intercede

Fr. Roy Cimagala

YES, we need to be eager and quick to help others. We should never be indifferent to the needs of others even if we have our own needs and predicaments. Actually, our attitude of interceding for others has a way of resolving or at least of giving some relief to our own problems and difficulties.

Our own problems and difficulties should not be a hindrance in our eagerness to intercede for the others. In fact, we should make use of our own predicaments to spur us to get more involved in the lives of others. By so doing, we would actually simplify our life, not complicate it.

We very likely would ask, how can that be when we already are burdened by our own problems? And the answer can be that this outlook in life and attitude to our problems can be the practical application of what Christ himself said and encouraged us to do: “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Mt 16,25)

The same divine logic can be found in these other words of Christ: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Lk 6,38)

Our eagerness to intercede for others should be based on our faith and love for God. It should never be a product of mere human calculations. We have to follow what Christ has taught and shown us.

To be sure, we always have the capacity to intercede because even if we can be very limited in helping others materially, our capacity to help others spiritually is unlimited. We can always pray for them, offer sacrifices for them. That’s the least that we can do for others but also the most indispensable.

We have to remind ourselves of the great truth of faith that we actually form one family, the family of God. Through the truth of our faith called the communion of saints, we are vitally united with one another here on earth, with those in heaven as well as with those still purifying themselves in purgatory.

We need to feel responsible for one another, asking the effective intercession of those already triumphant in heaven and generously helping those still in purgatory. And with those still struggling here on earth, we need to be pro-active in reaching out to all, including those who may not like us for one reason or another.

We need to train ourselves and form our mind and heart to immediately be mindful and thoughtful of them, getting to know them better, empathizing with them, helping bear with their burdens, whatever they may be.

As said earlier, we can always pray for them and offer sacrifices for them. In this way, we reflect the very redemptive life of Christ and assume his sentiments of love, compassion and mercy. We approach the ideal of our life which is to be “alter Christus,” another Christ!

E-mail: roycimagala@gmail.com