The Ignatian Lay Volunteer group I belong to met tonight to discuss the next chapters in this book. This is the line that struck me as I read and what I shared on. I think that many of us have fragile self-esteems but that many people have a support network that help them heal and become strong. We learn we are loveable and loving. However, some children never do. I see it in the men at the federal prison here and in some of the Deaf students that I work with. I recognize in myself my long journey to believe that I am worthy of love.
I wondered how many of us in that circle tonight have never had anyone believe in us. I would venture a guess that everyone there has someone who believes that they are worthy of love and that experience has caused profound healing in their lives. Whether the volunteers work in the prison as I do, or with street people at the Drop-In Centre, we encounter people who do not believe in themselves or their own goodness. Even the sea urchins in the above photo needed to believe they had something to offer the world besides their cunning and hustling.
The gospel reading tonight was the feeding of the five thousand which was very powerful for those who volunteer at the Drop-In. The line tonight that struck me was "Give them something to eat yourselves!" It jumped out as a command, awoke me from my complacency and weariness of the day. It some ways it slapped me across the face and made me accountable as a disciple of Christ. It called me to action. I am the one who must make these people understand that they are worthy of love. I am the one who must feed them with the Bread of Life. Me. No shifting the responsibility here.
What do you see as your responsibility to bring Love to this World? Will you feed the hunger yourself or wait for someone else to do it?
peace,
Suzanne
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