“Placidus, why do you persecute Me? Believe in Me, that I am Christ, and I have been looking for you for a long time. Since you give alms and practice mercy, I too will be merciful to you.” (Jesus’ words to St. Eustace)
These were Jesus’ words to today’s saint, St. Eustace, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He was hunting and was chasing a large deer. At one point, the animal turned around, and a brilliant cross shone between its antlers. Then Placido — that was his name before he was baptized — heard the voice of the Lord. After his conversion and after overcoming hard trials, Eustace and his family were crowned with martyrdom under the Emperor Hadrian for refusing to sacrifice to idols.
What can we draw from this story for our meditation on God the Father?
It was our Father who, through Jesus, had been looking for Placidus for a long time. He saw that he gave much alms and that he was merciful to people. Descriptions of his life before he encountered the Redeemer state that Placido “was meek and gentle in manner, virtuous and noble in his way of living, charitable to the poor and helpful to the afflicted.”
We could say that he was a “good pagan,” a man of good will.
Our Father looks with favor on such people. Thanks to their upright conduct, they are already on the right path, as they put into practice the good that the Lord has instilled in them, even if they are not yet aware of it. However, as we shall see, our Father did not consider that to be enough for Placido’s life. No! God’s mercy toward him consisted of allowing him to know Christ.
We, who have the joy of knowing Him, must not be satisfied with people doing good either, but we must implore the grace that they may meet the Son of God, the One who deposited in them all the good they have been able to do.