Our verse for December comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans written around the year 57 A.D. to a diverse Christian community living at the heart of the Roman Empire. Paul had not yet visited Rome, but he wrote with pastoral urgency, encouraging Jewish and Gentile Christians to live in harmony and to persevere in faith amid social pressures and moral confusion. Chapter 13 of the letter deals with living honorably and preparing for the Lord’s return. When Paul urges the community to “awake from sleep,” he is calling them out of spiritual complacency. The “sleep” he speaks of is a state of moral drowsiness, a dullness of heart that forgets the nearness of Christ. For the early Church, salvation was not just a distant promise but an ever-approaching reality; each day brought them closer to the full unveiling of Christ’s Kingdom. Paul’s words were a trumpet blast to awaken the hearts of believers to live with vigilance, holiness, and hope.

“If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). This final week of November’s reflections brings us to the heart of Christian witness: belonging entirely to Christ. Few lives express this more fully than that of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, whose feast day is November 23rd. In the midst of violent anti-Catholic persecution in early 20th-century Mexico, Father Pro lived out St. Paul’s words with astonishing courage and serenity. As a Jesuit priest, he returned to his homeland knowing full well that public worship was outlawed, churches closed, and priests hunted. Still, he secretly celebrated the Eucharist, heard confessions, and brought Christ to a people starving for grace. He lived for the Lord joyfully, creatively, and without fear.

“If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). St. Paul’s words to the Romans continues to speak with profound relevance in every generation, and the Church has consistently drawn from it to articulate the Christian vision of life, death, and discipleship. It proclaims a truth that is central to Catholic teaching: that every human person, by virtue of creation and redemption, belongs to God. We are not our own. This conviction shapes not only how we understand our personal identity, but also how we live out our mission in the world. The Catechism of the Catholic Church declares, “The Christian who unites his own death to that of Jesus views it as a step towards him and an entrance into everlasting life” (CCC 1020). Our lives, our deaths, our very existence are oriented toward the Lord.

“If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). The Church Fathers interpreted this verse not poetically but as a profound declaration of Christian reality. St. John Chrysostom writes that Paul’s words remind us that “our lives are not our own,” and that true Christian freedom lies in surrender to Christ’s lordship. Chrysostom emphasizes that living or dying need not be our ultimate concern; rather, our focus should be fidelity to Christ. For the early Christians, many of whom faced persecution and martyrdom, this verse anchored them in courage and clarity. To live for the Lord meant to live differently- set apart, holy, self-giving. To die for the Lord was not defeat, but union with Christ crucified and risen.

“If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). With these words, St. Paul offers a profound statement of Christian identity and purpose. This verse comes from Paul’s letter to the Romans, written around the year 57 AD, likely from Corinth to a community he had not yet visited. The Roman Christians were a diverse group of Jewish and Gentile believers trying to live as one Church in the heart of the empire. Paul writes to address tensions within the community over matters of conscience, especially dietary practices and the observance of certain days. Some believers were judging others over their choices, creating divisions. Paul’s message is pastoral and theological: stop passing judgment and remember who you belong to- Christ. In this context, Romans 14:8 is a unifying declaration. Paul reminds them that every aspect of life and death belongs under the lordship of Jesus. Whether one eats or abstains, lives or dies, all of it must be oriented to the Lord. This was not simply moral instruction; it was an invitation to radical trust and unity grounded in their shared identity as God’s own people.