Matt. 13:36-43
Seeds are the beginning of things, not the end. Good and evil will be separated at the end of time. Our faith calls us to love God, to plant the seeds–that is our joy and freedom. That is why I do not worry about having “success” stories–I simply plant seeds-and the rest is in God’s hands. St. Therese of Lisieux puts it so well: “Your love has gone before me; it has grown with me, and now it is an abyss whose depths I can not fathom.” Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
Jn. 6:1-15 When Jesus asks Philip how the people will be fed, Jesus refers to the amount of money he has. Last night a guy was telling me “when I get enough money, I will do what you do.” I wanted to laugh. There are times I have so little money–but I continue to feed people for I have found that like the little boy–the food of the poor–that if I am willing to give Jesus takes what I have and I always have enough–, just enough. We will never have enough–but once we realize that and start giving it away like the disciples we will find it multiplied. Feeding people is a Eucharistic celebration to me–the sharing of the body and blood of Jesus–for it brings wholeness. Each night the expressions I see as I give out food thank me enough. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!
Strange how life happens. Last night I was helping a young kid who was hurt and another one tried to stabb me, he was simply out of his mind; Strange, I held him down, and let him go, he just wandered off. I called ambulance for the other kid, got him to hospital, and moved in a daze through the rest of the night–hitting me how precarious life is. A friend called asking me to go protest the new archbishop’s appointment and I thought of Thomas Merton’s quote: “To be detached from all systems, and without rancor towards them, but with insights and compassion. To be truly “catholic” is to be able to enter into evderybody’s problems and joys and be all things to all humans.” I told him “no”-he became angry. My daily work is simply to serve God to best of my ability, and let God be the judge. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
Mt. 12:46-50 I was asked today why I work with “those feral” kids–they are people who were not raised in a family to be “domesticated”. is one word, but raised to blend in with society, they are “wild”. In other words they are considered unworkable. For me they are never unworkable. Through the years I have been labeled by people as “unworkable”–largely because I did not fit into their realm of doing things–and so I see these guys as my brothers and sisters–and they are lovable regardless of what they do. “Feral”–no they are simply lovable children of God.
St, James the Apostle 2Cor. 4:7-15, Mt. 20:20-28
In both passages we are reminded that the call of Jesus is not easy–but difficult and painful. For me that call began at church camp many years ago, and has lead me hear. Easy–hell no-but fulfilling–hell yes. Last night in the Haight a young kid called me “Father”, and it was with affection and respect. These are feral kids–and yet they show me respect, and that moment was enough for the month. For ministry is not easy, my calling is not to having a stable income, or a nice place, bot be with these feral kids. I read this quotation this morning and this is how I seek to live everyday–to survive, some days:
If you think of the name ‘Jesus’ continually and cling to it devotedly, then it will cleanse you from sin and set your heart aflame; it will enlighten your soul, remove turbulence, and eliminate lethargy; it will give the wound of love and fill the soul to overflowing with love; it will chase off the devil and eliminate terror, open heaven, and create a mystic.” – Richard Rolle, The Form of Living
Matt. 12:46-50. .”These are my mother and brothers..who ever does the will of God is my brother and sister.” I remember being told twenty years ago I could choose–when I was considering adopting a youth–you can have the “one or the thousands,” and I chose the thousands, for we are all one family, when we love our neighbors as ourselves–to do that would eliminate many problems,divisions from hunger to war. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
A Twist of Faith An America Christian’s Quest to Help Orphans in Africa
This book is about David Nixon’s faith based journy to save the destitute in Malawi. John Donnelly explores the tenets of true service to underserved communities and with the poor. He explores Nixon’s journey of conversion, disappointments and ultimate frustation. Donnelly explores the approaches of other American faith groups who come in with their own way of helping and ultimately simply become like their colonial ancesters. For me this journe with Nixon opened up my own feelings with my own journey working on the fringes of society, with the most destitued and the most rejected. I have experienced many of the same disappointments and pain. My journey is about me, as well as my call, and for me what I have learned is serveral things: First live simply, and do not over extend yourself, secondly, walk and live with the one’s you serve, and finally to be single focused in your committment. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
WHITE FLOUR written by David LaMotte and illustrated by Jean Hales
Matt. 12:1-8 Apollinarius
“Mercy”–or “love”–the word Hosea used towards his young spouse. God’s love is like that. I find myself going my own way–both liberals and conservatives seem set in their ways–and so I move out separately. These days I see my life narrowing to two priorities: Loving Jesus, which leads me to serve as inadequately as I can the people on the street–“John, James, Vanessa”–last night joking around, yet homeless. For me that is all that matters. Today I celebrate the Eucharist, go to the foodbank, demonstrate against the death penalty and so outreach. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
