For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty
does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).

Last fall, I began working on campus as a tutor in several subjects, including French and Philosophy. And while many of the students who make appointments are well-prepared and work alongside me to make improvements, there are some who prove more challenging to work with. These students are often unprepared, do not regularly attend class or keep up with readings, or simply expect answers instead of guidance.

When I have appointments with students from the latter group, I often find myself growing impatient and frustrated with them. It is a real challenge to find the motivation to want to help them, because they tend to seem less “deserving” of my time and energy. While I recognize that these students are the ones who probably need the most help, it is certainly easier to help those who work hard and want to succeed on their own.

But as I examined the Second Reading, I found a truly humbling message of God’s incredibly selfless love. St. Paul points out how much easier it can be to sacrifice one’s self if it is for a “good cause”, but my willingness to give fades if the recipient is less worthy of the gift.

While it might be easier for me to help those who are most deserving, Paul calls my attention to God’s gift of Christ’s life. God reached out to humanity, the sinful and undeserving, and gave us the ultimate gift of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. Time and again, humans turn away from God, but God continues to love and reach out to us.

If the Father can lovingly offer the Son for the very least, those who have turned away, then why can’t I offer a small portion of my time and energy to the most challenging students?

This Lenten season, I hope to use God’s love as a model for how to love others.