The Invisible Poor

“Today it is fashionable to talk about the poor. Unfortunately, it is not fashionable to talk with them.” ~ Mother Teresa

Remembering my time at Sojourners has sparked within me that desire to work once again with the poor. Some of the people I lived and worked with at Sojos really have given their lives to making change in this world. I was talking about this with a friend today. Of course, I realize that I have created change for many people throughout my life both here and in various places around the world. Some days though, I feel like I have not done enough or not worked consistently to bring Gospel values to the world.

Last week, one of the regular visitors to the chapel at the federal prison where I volunteer was murdered. My last visit there, I sat with him and some of the other guys. One of the other men said that this guy was not well liked and sort of insinuated that something might happen. The man does not hear very well so I asked him if it was true. He nodded. I was thinking of that conversation these past few days, wondering what it was like to know you were a moving target. That must have been a painful and frightening existence.

If we do not take time to talk to the poor and vulnerable, I wonder how things ever change. In the photo above, I am listening to women from Rwanda discuss their concerns fourteen years after the genocide. These women were reaching out making a difference. They were talking with the poor, not just about them. I think sometimes we don't even see the poor; they are invisible to us by choice.

Matthew 25 has been on my mind a lot these days. I want to be with the sheep on that Day.

Peace,

Suzanne

School's Out!

"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson." ~ Tom Bodett

It has been a busy week with graduation celebrations and year-end activities. Grads went off well; a surprise retirement party was great fun, and a debut of the mime troupe from the Deaf School was amazing. Really, the year draws to an end with a good sense of accomplishment.

Now summer begins. For some students who are on to life and done with high school, there is much to consider and enjoy. It is an exciting time. This quote is a powerful one and I am holding it close to my heart these days.

School's out!!! Enjoy the summer. May you find some time to rejuvenate, catch up with life and review any lessons learned thus far this year.

Peace,

Suzanne

Friends and Memories

“A friend is someone who sees through you and still enjoys the view.” ~ Wilma Askinas

When I worked at Sojourners, I had the fortune of making many good friends. I was on Facebook recently and discovered that one of the women had posted some old photos of us. It was such a walk down memory lane. There were people in those photos who knew the dark side of me as only spouses or community members can, I think. There were people I had not thought about in years. There were people I had remembered and prayed for only a few short weeks ago.

I posted a comment saying that I was going to also post some photos this summer if I found a quiet moment to scan and upload them. I may do one or two tonight just to get a reaction from folks.

I think one of the things that I will be ever grateful for is how people saw me, really saw me, when I lived in that community. They saw through me and they saw deep into my heart. The photo is of the farewell party for the interns (of which I was one) who had come that year. The staff had everyone in stitches doing spoofs on us and we had pay back time at the end. Our demons could be laughed at because we knew that we had been loved and accepted despite and because of our weaknesses. What a blessing!

How many friends do you have that see through you and still enjoy the view?

Peace,

Suzanne

Knowing for Certain

"All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him."~ Luke 1:66

John the Baptist has a Feast Day today, but the secular world also celebrates him too. He is a character who is fascinating. From his birth of aged parents to his desert wanderings to his eventual beheading, John is not unnoticed.

What will this child become? I am sure that many parents wonder as they hold their beloved babe in their arms. John's parents had every reason to wonder, given the nature of his conception. Not all of us have an angel appear to bring the news of our birth. In this man's life, the hand of the Lord did seem to be upon him.

What about in our lives? Will the Lord's hand be upon us? Personally I get so caught up in stressful situations that I do not always remember that the Lord's hand may be upon me. A lot of potential changes are pending in my life right now and I feel sometimes like I can barely breathe. I have had some decisions to make in these past few weeks and I think all of the stress of rethinking everything has caught up with me. For about a week now, I wake up, feeling ill. I get glimpses of the Lord's hand upon me and yet I still panic. I wonder how John felt as he sat in his prison cell, waiting for Herod to make a decision about his future.

I went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel last night with friends. There was a quote that resonated with me by one of the lead characters, Sonny, who owns the establishment: Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end. I know that God will take care of the issues that are unsettling me right now and even if I make wrong choices, I know that God will continue to bless me. The former pastor of my parish would quote Thomas Merton on occasion--and it fits right now for me:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where
it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am
following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you
and I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.
And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road although I may
know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of
death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face
my perils alone.

Perhaps the only thing that I know for certain is that God is with me through it all.

Peace,

Suzanne

Trusting in the Lord

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these." ` Matthew 6:28

This week has been insane. On Sunday night my home computer caught a virus and I had to shut it down in the middle of doing an important project. Luckily, I had my trusty Netbook and so I completed some tasks and then went to bed. I knew I would be on the road for a few days with work, so I packed up my Netbook and went off. That evening, I was again working on the project when the same virus attacked. Ack!! I was computerless. How frustrating!

When I finally arrived home, I phoned my internet provider and spent five hours trying to fix both of them. Night three of going to bed after midnight. Sigh.

I have been stressed about a number of deadlines this week and without a computer I could not even write my blog. Today I am back in a somewhat more relaxed mode and hoping to get caught up on a number of things that this virus hijacked. Careful surfing the internet! There is a wicked virus out there--and do NOT click on the demand to pay for having it removed immediately. The virus is called false security alert I think. The server tech guy said I was one of the few people who he could actually help over the phone because I could still log on to my computer. Those that clicked on any of the links that came up were worse off than me.

I am considering the lilies of the field today with the projects that I have started. God will take care of me because I am much more to God than these beautiful lilies or the birds of the air. I am going to strive first for the Kingdom of God these next few weeks and hope that all I need will be given.

Peace,

Suzanne

Faith Walk

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:7

Here we are, back in Ordinary Time, with no special feast day to celebrate today. The readings are challenging, using metaphoric language to make their point. Ezekiel talks about a cedar sprig being planted on a mountaintop that bears much fruit. Within its branches will live every kind of bird—a testimony to a community that grows in numbers, influence and strength and supports its members. The Lord has decreed that the dry tree will flourish. Make no mistake—the Lord will accomplish this. The power of God is at hand then and always.

In Psalm 92 we hear that the righteous will flourish, grow and produce fruit. In the Second Reading, we are reminded that this is not our home. We walk by faith and not by sight. Our goal is to please the Lord with what we do and to prepare ourselves to stand before the Judgment seat. The Gospel speaks again with the metaphor of nature, mentioning seeds of grain and mustard. Seeds sprout and grow, allowing community members to reap the benefits. We are called to service and we will be held accountable in the end in how we have given back the gifts that were loaned to us.

How are you tending the seed that you were given? Is it growing, sprouting, bearing much or little fruit? Are you depending on your sight or your faith to help it become what it is supposed to be?

Peace,

Suzanne

Pure, Immaculate Heart

"Mary, give me your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor."
~ Blessed Mother Teresa

At this time of year, when I am overwhelmed with trying to finish the school year effectively, I can forget the matters of the heart. Today I set out for mass and knew I would be a wee bit late but as it turned out I arrived well after the speedy Gonazales priest had completed the homily and the gifts were arriving at the altar. I actually pulled out my cell phone and looked at the time. Sorry, Mary, I guess I missed any homily on you after all. I had wanted to hear about you today but I guess that was not to be.

As I drove to church I realized how much stress I am carrying around these days and how I have not been able to show caring and love towards friends, family, and colleagues as I would normally. Yesterday though, a dear friend thanked me for birthday wishes and said I was so good at remembering people so I am probably being somewhat hard on myself.

One thing I mused over was how if I am not being fed at my church then how am I to feed others. Yesterday was the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; today is the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I knew that I needed to receive the Eucharist today. I wish I had had enough energy to make it to mass yesterday too. I love both Hearts, though as a child the photos of these feast days used to scare me. I place all of my needs and desires in the cathedral of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts and pray that I may serve God in the distressing guise of the poor, however that may appear.

Peace,

Suzanne