“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God–what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:1-2, NRSV)
Saint Francis of Assisi may be the best-known saint today, but he reemerged in the world’s attention when Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope in 2013. According to reports, the new pope’s friend Cardinal Claudio Hummes was sitting with him in the conclave; when the vote was announced, Bergoglio later shared, “My friend comforted me,” telling him, “Don’t forget the poor.” The newly elected pope shared with journalists that he took the name Francis because this saint was ardently and sacrificially committed to the poor.
In his youth, Saint Francis of Assisi gave no promise of such a life. The son of a prosperous merchant, he was reared in carefree comfort, dreaming of a career in which, “wealth, gaiety, romance, and military prestige would be blended to the full measure of enjoyment.” But seeking and achieving it did not bring satisfaction. He soon realized that peace came in proportion to his seeking more earnestly to imitate the life of Jesus. Resolving to devote his life in obedience to Jesus, he renounced possessions, family ties, and success. “Henceforth he would take Lady Poverty as his bride.”
Saint Francis wrote, “What [God] asks of us is a will which will no longer be divided. The road leading to God does not entail a multiplicity of considerations, methods, manners, and experiences, but demands only the one thing necessary: true self-denial, exterior and interior, through surrender of self, both in surrender to and suffering for Christ in all things.” This single-minded devotion determined daily living: “We should never desire to be above others, but ought rather to be servants and subject ‘to every human creature for God’s sake.’ And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon all those who do these things and who shall persevere to the end, and He shall make His abode and dwelling in them, and they shall be children of the heavenly Father, whose works they do.”
Paul made this truth clear to the Romans: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” Genuine Christian living is not defined by how happy we are, how prosperous or healthy we are, or even by how many people we have led to the Lord. Christian health is ultimately defined by how sincerely we wave our flag of surrender. True Christianity is a state in which we are utterly, absolutely, and completely surrendered to God. Some questions to ask oneself leading to spiritual growth and health include: What is God’s will for me in this hour and day? Where is God leading? How can I surrender to God?
Moment of Reflection: Our Christian faith is defined by how sincerely we wave the flag of surrender. What does that mean for your life today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, my will is weak. I surrender only by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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