What is the Story of Saint John of God?

When my children were young, I used to coach the oldest on how to best be a “helper” to her little sister. It was a common phrase in our household: “Helping starts with learning what the struggle is.” The well-meaning big sister was all too quick to jump in with the things she was eager to show, sometimes forgetting that her sibling was content to sit and struggle with a scenario. It wasn’t helpful when she snatched a puzzle piece away, seeing the correct placement. It wasn’t helpful when she grabbed the shoelaces carefully twisted in her sister’s hands to make a perfect bow. 

It was self-satisfying and gave her a sense of pride in her own accomplishments, but in many cases, it brought more harm than good. I was reminded of these moments while reading about Saint John of God. 500 years ago, he struggled with a faith so fervent that his holy acts seemed to verge on pride. Through an internal prayer life and external counsel, St. John of God was able to aim his devotion in a faith-filled and fruitful direction.

Born in Portugal but taken to Spain to work as a shepherd in his childhood, John of God decided to join an army of the Holy Roman Emperor to avoid a marriage arrangement and indulge his desire to see more of the world. As a soldier, he lived far outside the tenets of his Christian faith, and at 40 years of age faced a crisis of conscience. The emptiness he experienced through worldly conquests was suddenly laid before him in contrast to the fullness of love Christ offered, and he experienced a deep desire for personal penance. In a spirit of atonement, he traveled to Africa where he hoped to free Christians held captive there. This noble quest was tethered to another hope of his heart - that he might be martyred for Christ.

I wrestled with that idea: To be open to martyrdom out of love for God seems different, albeit adjacent to, desiring martyrdom for the sake of displaying a love for God. I cannot know the heart of St. John of God or the nuances of his motivation, but his life certainly sparked a question in my mind. As we try to live out our faith, how easily and innocently does pride slip into place and begin to steer our souls? How often do we try to “help” God’s kingdom by doing what we think needs to be done without stopping to listen to what the struggle really is?

St. John of God returned to Spain, and there he encountered a powerful sermon from another great saint - John of Avila. The message further convicted him of his love for Jesus and his need for repentance. He went into the public streets to shout his sinfulness and engage in self-mortification. This time, his desire to atone publicly for his sins resulted in his confinement to an asylum for mental treatment.

St. John of Avila had heard of his plight and counseled him prior to and during his confinement. At the asylum, he endured torture for his treatment, as it was thought the best way to encourage patients to abandon their behaviors. This he bore with grace, but from it grew a desire in his heart to provide a safe and loving space for those suffering from mental conditions.

His yearning to be part of God’s kingdom on earth was finally lining up with a struggle that needed a solution. In Granada, Spain, he established a hospital that showed mercy to the poor and infirm. It was a place of mental, physical, and spiritual healing as he provided food, nursing care, and priests for confession. Eventually, his ministry expanded to include care for all those who might be considered abandoned or forgotten; widows, orphans, and those on the edge of society were all welcomed, loved, and cared for. He supported the hospital through begging and his labor, gathering not only monetary donations but also inspiring others to work alongside him.

His love for God poured over into a love of “the least” right up until his death. On March 8th, 1550, he succumbed to the pneumonia he contracted after jumping into cold waters to save a drowning man. It was his 55th birthday.

His mission continued long after his passing, and those who served with him at his hospital were officially recognized by the pope in 1572 as the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God.

Five hundred years ago, a man was so overcome with the Spirit of God that he was institutionalized and admonished. Today, there are more than 45,000 members of the Hospitallers serving 300 hospitals in 53 countries. St. John of God learned the struggle firsthand, forming him into the humble helper whose legacy we celebrate on March 8.

St. John of God is the patron of booksellers, printers, heart patients, hospitals, nurses, the sick, and firefighters (due to his miraculous emergence from the flames of another hospital after rushing to rescue the patients there). His life also calls to mind the importance of spiritual direction, without which his impulsive actions might never have gained the momentum needed to carry out his calling.