"Slave of Slaves"

Today we remember a remarkable saint: Peter Claver, who spent 40 years in helping in any way possible, the thousands of slaves who were shipped for Africa to Cartegena, Colombia.  He and the helpers he gathered to work with him, would board the slave ships, bringing food, medicine, and comfort to all who had survived the arduous voyage from Africa.  He even visited them on the plantations, sleeping in the slave barracks along with them, as the "slave of slaves," as he called himself. He used to say, "We must serve first with our hands before we serve with hour lips."   When the plague struck, he visited hospitals and ministered to physical and spiritual needs until he himself came down with the dreaded disease in 1650.  He survived, but continued to suffer so badly that he often couldn't even say Mass.  He died in 1654 after having ministered to an estimated 300,000 slaves.  One man can make a difference.
As we look at needs in our own community, and in the wake of earthquakes and hurricanes, we might keep the example of St. Peter Claver before us and see where we can serve "first with our hands"
Bro. Rene