# Becoming Fully Involved with Others
*2016-03-23*

> Bill Young reflects on the Holy Week reading from 1 Corinthians and the example of St. Toribio, urging us to enter fully into the lives of others, sharing in their joys and sorrows.

## A Holy Week Reflection

Good morning, this is Bill Young and welcome to the Prayer at Lunch podcast. Today is Wednesday of Holy Week, and we continue praying from our little book *Renew Our Hearts*, a personal invitation to conversion from Pope Francis. The reading for today is 1 Corinthians 10:33‑11:1: “I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

## St. Toribio: A Model of Full Involvement

The feast day we celebrate is St. Toribio (also known as St. Toribio de Mogrovejo). He was born in 1538 in Spain, a layman who served the Church as a judge. The Pope appointed him bishop of Peru, a position he initially resisted, feeling unprepared. Eventually he accepted, was ordained a priest, and then sent to Peru, a journey of about 18,000 miles that he made on foot and donkey. He learned the native languages and preached to the indigenous peoples in their own tongues. In doing so, he became fully involved with others, embodying the call to share in the lives of those we serve.

## Living the Gospel in Our Daily Lives

Pope Francis reminds us that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the culmination of a life lived for others. Moved by that example, we are called to enter fully into the fabric of society—listening to others’ concerns, helping them materially and spiritually, rejoicing with those who rejoice, and weeping with those who weep. This commitment is not a duty or a partisan obligation; it is a personal decision that brings joy and meaning to our lives.

We are often tempted to keep the Lord’s word at arm’s length, to shelter ourselves in comfortable niches that protect us from human suffering. Jesus invites us instead to be touched by humanity’s misery, to share in the suffering of others, and to stop seeking safe, isolated spaces. When we do, our lives become richer and we truly experience what it means to be part of a people.

## Prayer for the World

Let us pray: “Jesus, help me reach out to others and make their lives better. May we be instruments of your love in a world that often knows hate and violence. Bless those who have suffered in Brussels and elsewhere, and grant quick healing to the injured. Fill the hearts of those who live in hatred with your love, that they may realize God is love. Love your neighbor as yourself. Amen.”

*Fully involving ourselves with others is a joyful, personal response to Christ’s call to love and serve.*