Creating a Community of Compassion

 

Image Credit: 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-04/philippines-community-pantries-bishops-caritas-kindness-stations.html

Creating a Community of Compassion
- by Fr Richard Rohr OFM

(Published by the Center for Action and Contemplation) 

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 
— Matthew 14:14  

The gospel passage is quite good and delightful because it tells us very directly what God is about. Jesus is all about meeting immediate needs, right here and right now. There’s no mention of heaven at all. It seems we’ve missed the point of what the Christian religion should be about, but we see how the disciples themselves missed the point: “Tell them to go to the village and take care of themselves” (Matthew 14:15). But Jesus does not leave people on their own!  

Look at the setting. Jesus is tired. The gospel begins with him withdrawing to a deserted place to be by himself. Sure enough, the crowds follow after him, but he doesn’t get angry or send them away. He recognizes the situation and moves to deal with it. Then the passage goes further and states, “His heart was moved with pity” (Matthew 14:14). If Jesus is our image of God, then we know God has feelings for human pain, human need, and even basic human hunger. The gospel records that he cured the sick, so we know God is also about healing, what today we call healthcare. Sometimes, we don’t even believe everyone deserves that either! Jesus says, “There is no need for them to go away. We will feed them” (Matthew 14:16). 

The point in all the healing stories of the gospels is not simply that Jesus can work miracles. It is not for us to be astounded that Jesus can turn five loaves and two fish into enough for five thousand people, not counting women and children. That is pretty amazing, and I wish we could do it ourselves, but what Jesus does quite simply is feed people’s immediate needs. He doesn’t talk to them about spiritual things, heavenly things, or churchy things. He doesn’t give a sermon about going to church. He does not tell us what things we are supposed to be upset about today. He knows that we can’t talk about spiritual things until we take away people’s immediate physical hunger. When so much of the world is living at a mere survival level, how can we possibly talk about spiritual things?

The important thing that God seems to want to be doing in history is to create a community of compassion where people care about one another. It is not only the feeding that matters to us, it is also the caring for other people’s hunger and needs. Jesus never once talked about attending church services, but he talked constantly about healing the sick and feeding the hungry. That is what it seems to mean to be a follower of Jesus.  

(As published by the Center for Action and Contemplation) 

Words, Bones, Sticks and Stones

 

Image credit:
https://crossfitodyssey.com/sunday-story-sticks-and-stones/

When I was a little boy and people used unkind words I was told to retort, 

"Sticks and stones can break my bones,
  But words can never harm me."

At the time I believed this, and it helped me get past a few difficult situations as a young child, but I now know this not to be true. Words can and do harm; they have the power to harm or to heal, to instruct or to mislead. They can convey whether we are arrogant, officious, paternalistic and patronising, or genuinely compassionate, empathetic and caring. The words we use betray our unconscious attitudes and unchallenged stereotypes, or help us serve the poor with love, respect, justice and joy. 

For more on this, please have another look at our 8 minute training video "SSVP Mission, Respect and Stereotypes". 

What people remember - and forget

 

World Day of the Poor 2022

 

Next week Sunday, being the 33rd Sunday of the year, is designated "World Day of the Poor". Consider being a little more mindful than usual of those in need - far, near, and very close.

Our Newmarket Conference has two programs in need of donations:

- Our Christmas Program for families in Newmarket and East Gwillimbury

- Our North of 60 program for food for the Sanirajak community in Nunavut.

Click on these links to make a donation.

Hope: A spiritual reflection

 

Spiritual Reflection selected by Deacon Steve

“… I have experienced the Cross to mean mercy and not cruelty, truth and not deception: that the news of the truth and love of Jesus is indeed the true good news, but in our time it speaks out in strange places. And perhaps it speaks out in you more than it does in me: perhaps Christ is nearer to you than He is to me: this I say without shame or guilt because I have learned to rejoice that Jesus is in the world in people who know Him not, that He is at work in them when they think themselves far from Him, and it is my joy to tell you to hope even though you think that for you all hope is impossible.

Hope not because you think you can be good, but because God loves us irrespective of our merits and whatever is good in us comes from His love, not from our own doing. Hope because Jesus is with those who are poor and outcasts and perhaps despised even by those who should seek them and care for them most lovingly because they act in God’s name. No one on earth has reason to despair of Jesus because Jesus loves all humanity, loves them in their sin and we too must love all humanity in their sin.”

“Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours”, Kathleen Deignan, Sorin Books, Notre Dame, Indiana, p. 129

Watchful Servants - Reflection by Deacon Steve

Image: nhla.com

In our lives today there is no limit to the worries we face. Whether economic or financial matters, worries about our families, or our health.  Sometimes, no matter how much we try to remain focused on the important things in our life, remaining positive in our outlook and perspectives, these worries can cause us to be doubtful and maybe even negative about what lies ahead for us in life.

In the Gospel for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time our Lord suggests that we, “Be dressed for action… be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks…”

The parable about the watchful servant tells us that our Lord will show up at times we do not expect him to. It is a reminder that the Master will surprise us “ordinary servants” while just doing the best we can. For some spiritual writers surprise is another name for grace.

And so with God’s grace opening our hearts
there will occur from time to time special moments
where we will experience the divine, albeit in small bits.

Our Lord knocks on our door in the ordinary course of our lives when we are simply fulfilling our family or job responsibilities, but especially when presented with the opportunity to serve others, including notably, the poor and the suffering.

If we are alert and open the door when our Lord knocks, we will recognize the master arriving from the wedding feast. More importantly, the Master will bring the wedding feast to us, serving us and allowing his abundant life and our life to flow into each other. 

“Blessed are those… whom the master finds alert when he comes… he will come and serve them.”

Be Kind - Blessed Rosalie Rendu

 

Reflection submitted by Deacon Steve for the feast day of Blessed Rosalie Rendu - February 7, 2022

This Monday February 7th, is the feast of Blessed Rosalie Rendu, who was a member of the Daughters of Charity, an order cofounded by St. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. They were founded in 1633, when Louise de Marillac began a systematic training of the women, particularly for the care of the sick. The sisters lived in community in order to better develop the spiritual life so as to more effectively carry out their mission of service. The Daughters of Charity differed from other religious congregations of that time in that they were not cloistered. They maintained the necessary mobility and availability, and lived among those whom they served.

It was this order that Jeanne Marie joined at the age of 16, and a few years later received the habit, taking on the name of Sr. Rosalie. Over the years Sr. Rosalie became known for her creative, relentless and effective work in some of the worst conditions such as revolutions and epidemics, not to mention the horrible poverty and destitution in which the people whom they served were living.

But it was Bl. Sr. Rosalie’s guidance combined with the dedication of the students of the History Conference formed by Bl. Frederic Ozanam that led to the creation of the Conference of Charity, which eventually became the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Bl. Sr. Rosalie was constantly guiding young women and young men in works of charity. In the work titled “Life of the Souer Rosalie” speaking of some of Sr. Rosalie’s instruction, the author wrote,

“Then, teaching her pupils what she so admirably practiced herself, she cast the light of her experience on their first footsteps in the career of good. 

She recommended a patience which never counts time lost which is spent in listening to the poor, because they are comforted by the very good-will which stays to hear the tale of their sorrows; an indulgence ready to pity than to condemn the faults which arise from a wretched education; and lastly a courtesy most sweet to those who have been used to only slights and contempt.”

“Remember” added she, “that the poor are still more grateful for kindness than for alms. The surest way to gain their confidence is to show them consideration. Even if you have serious fault to find with them, always carefully avoid any harsh or contemptuous word.””

From the book, “Life of the Souer Rosalie: Jean Marie Rendu” p. 29 -30, published by Burns and Lambert, London, 1858 and reproduced in the same format as the original work. No attempt was made to update the language.

While the language is a little antiquated it does help us as we reflect on her life and allow ourselves to remember our beginnings.

As we celebrate Bl. Sr. Rosalie Rendu’s feast, let us reflect on her instruction and pray to her for an increase in kindness and our ability to spend time listening. By drawing ever closer to the poor may we be drawn closer to our Lord, whom we serve and who gives us the grace to do the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. 

Blessed Rosalie Rendu pray for us. As I said last year, may she say of us, “How good these young people are! Oh, how good they are.”  Enjoy the day all you “young people”!!!!

- Deacon Steve