First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a blessed Easter season! Each year, these liturgical seasons seem to take on more meaning to me and this year is no exception! Up until maybe last year, my excitement for Easter revolved around the breaking of whatever fast I'd been doing since Ash Wednesday. This year as Holy Week approached, I found myself anxiously anticipating not only our services here, but the entire spirit of the miracle of the Resurrection.
Friday at the Good Friday services we went to at Saint Thomas of Villanova parish, I sat contemplating what it meant for the disciples of Jesus to be witnesses to the death of their leader. Jesus was charismatic and somehow convinced everyone to get on board with this whole "salvation" business by performing miracles and teaching the people mercy, justice and love. At the time of his death, I can't even begin to imagine how his followers felt not only at his death but at the prospect that perhaps their "leader" wasn't legitimate at all. When they laid him in the tomb on Friday, their entire comprehension of salvation and their entire faith in God was on the line. Had they opened up the tomb Sunday morning and found Jesus' lifeless body still wrapped in the burial cloths, salvation would only be something that we continue to long for in this day.
As I began to reflect on patience, I realized that my impatience is no match for the disciples of Jesus on that Saturday two thousand years ago. Much more was on the line for them. If Jesus was in that tomb, their discipleship would've been mocked and they would be admonished by all those who sought to discredit and undermine the presence of Jesus as Savior. A lot was at stake and all they could do was wait. It makes my suffering seem a bit more manageable.
So as I approached our Easter Vigil last night, I got more and more excited. You see, we know that Jesus wasn't in the tomb and yet we still maintain this anticipation of the benchmark of our salvation history. It should be that way, that we still get excited, still act as if we don't know what's going to happen. The renewal of our baptismal promises is a reaffirmation of our faith in God's loving kindness for us.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only son
May the coming fifty days of Easter be a time of renewal of hope and faith! Blessings to you!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The past couple of weeks have brought on some fascinating insights, some enlightening conversations and many, many laighs. We had visitors from Lenox, Massachusetts, former FVM Frederick Keator and his lovely wife, Renee just before we left for retreat. We also were invited to a Ball... yep, like Cinderella. Then we departed for our Spring Retreat! With some great conversations along the way, we made it to the Mountain in about 7 hours (it should normally be about 5.5... thanks to my bladder). Reuniting with Emily and Joanne was comforting and so unbelievably necessary, which I didn't realize until I was there.
During retreat, we were at morning prayer one day and one of the favored Scripture meditations at the Mountain is "Be still and know that I am God." We break it down until we are instructed simply to just "be". One particular morning, as Katie was guiding us in this meditation, just as the word "Be" came out of her mouth, this brilliant and all-encompassing ray of sunshine poured through the wall of windows of the chapel that overlooks the mountains of western New York. It was God. There's no doubt in my mind. Later in the day, I mentioned the moment of grace and everyone indicated that they'd taken note of it as well. It got me to thinking how individual God's love is for us that He uses messages/signs that we can see, that I as a person am able to receive. For me, I hear a lot of what God is speaking to me through lyrics, stories... essentially through words. I can take the occasional ethereal sunbeam or moment of "coincidence," but because I thrive so much in the concrete, the written word, that is how God speaks to me. For others, He uses those mystical instances, or other people, or silent meditation, or whatever else it might be, but because He desires so much for us to be close to Him, He'll do whatever He can to get us to that point. It was a pretty comforting and certainly reassuring revelation for me.
So retreat was wonderful. We got back to a week of insanity! Friends of mine from high school came down to visit. I was initially apprehensive because they profess, as their religious views, agnosticism at best. My life here in Philadelphia has become so rooted in my faith I was nervous that either a)it would be too overbearing for them or b)I would find little to talk with them about. However, we spent the weekend as we spent our high school days and many after that, laughing and having a great time. In addition to working, we were able to get out and see the city a bit! My friends and I certainly don't see eye-to-eye on religion or spirituality yet we both thoroughly enjoy serving, we enjoy helping others and we have a lot of fun doing it. It made me realize that all I care about is that people do good for each other, that people help one another and that each person treats everyone they meet with love and respect. It doesn't matter their rationale for doing it or their motivation, but as long as people are being treated fairly and lovingly, then who can really say that they are wrong? Mine so happens to be that we are all children of God and that I try to see God in every person I meet, but that may not work for everyone. So I think we're called to be open to whatever it is that drives people to help others and to recognize them as grace in our lives.
Since the visit from Courtney and Lindsay, I've been spending a lot of time with our summer intern from last year, Will and his friend, David. We've been really busy but it's been a really great couple of days!
Monday, however, we were notified that one of our guests, Cheryl, was murdered about 5 blocks from us here at the Inn. She leaves behind a boyfriend and 6-month-old son, Michael. Please pray for them, they are in great need. We're all dealing with Cheryl's death and are doing what we can to support little Michael's dad so that he can maintain his sobriety and continue to care for his son. Again, any prayers you can send would be greatly appreciated!
Well, I'm sorry this post was so long! Thank you all for all your prayers! Much love and peace are sent your way from the City of Brotherly Love!
During retreat, we were at morning prayer one day and one of the favored Scripture meditations at the Mountain is "Be still and know that I am God." We break it down until we are instructed simply to just "be". One particular morning, as Katie was guiding us in this meditation, just as the word "Be" came out of her mouth, this brilliant and all-encompassing ray of sunshine poured through the wall of windows of the chapel that overlooks the mountains of western New York. It was God. There's no doubt in my mind. Later in the day, I mentioned the moment of grace and everyone indicated that they'd taken note of it as well. It got me to thinking how individual God's love is for us that He uses messages/signs that we can see, that I as a person am able to receive. For me, I hear a lot of what God is speaking to me through lyrics, stories... essentially through words. I can take the occasional ethereal sunbeam or moment of "coincidence," but because I thrive so much in the concrete, the written word, that is how God speaks to me. For others, He uses those mystical instances, or other people, or silent meditation, or whatever else it might be, but because He desires so much for us to be close to Him, He'll do whatever He can to get us to that point. It was a pretty comforting and certainly reassuring revelation for me.
So retreat was wonderful. We got back to a week of insanity! Friends of mine from high school came down to visit. I was initially apprehensive because they profess, as their religious views, agnosticism at best. My life here in Philadelphia has become so rooted in my faith I was nervous that either a)it would be too overbearing for them or b)I would find little to talk with them about. However, we spent the weekend as we spent our high school days and many after that, laughing and having a great time. In addition to working, we were able to get out and see the city a bit! My friends and I certainly don't see eye-to-eye on religion or spirituality yet we both thoroughly enjoy serving, we enjoy helping others and we have a lot of fun doing it. It made me realize that all I care about is that people do good for each other, that people help one another and that each person treats everyone they meet with love and respect. It doesn't matter their rationale for doing it or their motivation, but as long as people are being treated fairly and lovingly, then who can really say that they are wrong? Mine so happens to be that we are all children of God and that I try to see God in every person I meet, but that may not work for everyone. So I think we're called to be open to whatever it is that drives people to help others and to recognize them as grace in our lives.
Since the visit from Courtney and Lindsay, I've been spending a lot of time with our summer intern from last year, Will and his friend, David. We've been really busy but it's been a really great couple of days!
Monday, however, we were notified that one of our guests, Cheryl, was murdered about 5 blocks from us here at the Inn. She leaves behind a boyfriend and 6-month-old son, Michael. Please pray for them, they are in great need. We're all dealing with Cheryl's death and are doing what we can to support little Michael's dad so that he can maintain his sobriety and continue to care for his son. Again, any prayers you can send would be greatly appreciated!
Well, I'm sorry this post was so long! Thank you all for all your prayers! Much love and peace are sent your way from the City of Brotherly Love!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Smile. Jesus is at the door.
The reading for daily mass today was the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Fr. Pat's homily talked about grace, about God's presence in our lives. He talked about how while Jesus looked to perform tangible miracles, feeding the thousands, healing the sick and suffering, he also sought to perform spiritual and faith miracles, about transforming the spirit within someone. When we are able to walk, when we are able to eat, we are better able to be in communion with others.
He then went on to talk about seeing God in the big miracles but also in the spirit and sanctity of our daily meals and our daily activities. This is something that I've learned since I've been here in Philadelphia. It's easy to see God in the big miracles but it's increasingly difficult to see Him in the miracle of a donation or in getting to work on time despite the traffic. We get so confounded with our daily routine that we forget to find God. It's a challenge to see God in the face of someone who is confronting you. It's especially hard to see God when your day isn't quite living up to your expectations. But that's where grace and faith come in. That's when God works best in us.
Enough with the preaching. January and February have been pretty much a whirlwind! Between recovering from the holidays to speaking at schools to a trip home and submitting graduate school applications, I am grateful that breathing is an automatic reflex otherwise I'm not entirely sure I'd remember to do it! As I sit in the exact middle of the month of February (yes it's Valentine's Day and yes I am sitting at my computer), I am hopeful and excited for what the next couple of months bring.
I recently found out that I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice for a Masters of Social Work. I am still waiting to hear from Temple University and the University of New Hampshire. Although UPenn is not my first choice, I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited and impressed with my own humble ability to be accepted to an ivy league school. In that, however, making plans for the coming year have become increasingly difficult. Deciding what is best for me six months from now seems to be a challenge that proves more daunting that I would have hoped. But there's no use complaining and I should be counting myself blessed and should be grateful for the amazing opportunities that lay before me.
I have begun work at the Saint Francis Urban Center, a social service agency run/funded by the Inn under the direction of Brother John, a friar here in Kensington. His ministry is not limited to the guests of the Inn but also manages to assist many people in navigating and maneuvering the housing market. My role there is not yet defined but hopefully as the next month or so unfolds, will be more concrete. As of now, I am looking to develop a resource database of agencies in Philadelphia as well as to manage my own small caseload with the goal to get some practice and to help John out a bit. This is an incredible opportunity to gain experience in a field that isn't so far in the future!
March proves to be a busy month yet again. Saint Anselm College will be coming down for the week, then comes a visit from a former FVM and his wife, then a Ball (like Cinderella), then retreat, then a visit from some friends from home, and a new friend from Florida, then probably a trip home! So don't be surprised if I don't write for awhile (I know, it seems shocking). Again, thank you for your support and prayers! They sustain me in ways that both you and I will never know!
He then went on to talk about seeing God in the big miracles but also in the spirit and sanctity of our daily meals and our daily activities. This is something that I've learned since I've been here in Philadelphia. It's easy to see God in the big miracles but it's increasingly difficult to see Him in the miracle of a donation or in getting to work on time despite the traffic. We get so confounded with our daily routine that we forget to find God. It's a challenge to see God in the face of someone who is confronting you. It's especially hard to see God when your day isn't quite living up to your expectations. But that's where grace and faith come in. That's when God works best in us.
Enough with the preaching. January and February have been pretty much a whirlwind! Between recovering from the holidays to speaking at schools to a trip home and submitting graduate school applications, I am grateful that breathing is an automatic reflex otherwise I'm not entirely sure I'd remember to do it! As I sit in the exact middle of the month of February (yes it's Valentine's Day and yes I am sitting at my computer), I am hopeful and excited for what the next couple of months bring.
I recently found out that I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice for a Masters of Social Work. I am still waiting to hear from Temple University and the University of New Hampshire. Although UPenn is not my first choice, I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited and impressed with my own humble ability to be accepted to an ivy league school. In that, however, making plans for the coming year have become increasingly difficult. Deciding what is best for me six months from now seems to be a challenge that proves more daunting that I would have hoped. But there's no use complaining and I should be counting myself blessed and should be grateful for the amazing opportunities that lay before me.
I have begun work at the Saint Francis Urban Center, a social service agency run/funded by the Inn under the direction of Brother John, a friar here in Kensington. His ministry is not limited to the guests of the Inn but also manages to assist many people in navigating and maneuvering the housing market. My role there is not yet defined but hopefully as the next month or so unfolds, will be more concrete. As of now, I am looking to develop a resource database of agencies in Philadelphia as well as to manage my own small caseload with the goal to get some practice and to help John out a bit. This is an incredible opportunity to gain experience in a field that isn't so far in the future!
March proves to be a busy month yet again. Saint Anselm College will be coming down for the week, then comes a visit from a former FVM and his wife, then a Ball (like Cinderella), then retreat, then a visit from some friends from home, and a new friend from Florida, then probably a trip home! So don't be surprised if I don't write for awhile (I know, it seems shocking). Again, thank you for your support and prayers! They sustain me in ways that both you and I will never know!
Friday, December 19, 2008
New Year's Resolution?
Post more! hahahaha
Things have been wonderful down here in Kensington! Since the last post, we plowed through Thanksgiving with only minor bumps and bruises! I was blessed to have been able to work the meal that day, as Maitre'd and then have dinner with the Team. It was a very special dinner with lots of fun and laughs!
As soon as we finished cleaning up from Thanksgiving dinner, it seemed like we were getting the Christmas tree out and plunging into the annual kids' Christmas party! Nazareth Academy again sponsored the party, joined this year by Father Judge High School for Boys! We had TONS of volunteers and 13 children! Overall the party went splendidly and we celebrated after with a mystery ride to Washington DC with Fr. Michael!
This time, the FVMs hosted the mystery ride, bringing him to El Tamarindo, a Salvadorian restaurant just outside of DC. We met up with an FVM alum who actually graduated from Saint Anselm College in 2000, accompanied by her husband (another SAC alum) and their son, who is 4 months old! After dinner, we blindfolded Michael and drove to the Verizon Center in Chinatown. He walked across the street, into the arena, and up to his seat completely blindfolded and it wasn't until the event was introduced did he find out that we took him to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra! We all had a really great time and got back super late!
This past week we all wrestled with various forms of a stomach bug that has taken down more than half of the Team here! Luckily it's only a 24-hour thing so we bounced back pretty quickly.
As I write, I am killing time before we head to the Saint Francis Inn Team Christmas Party!!! We hold a Secret Santa exchange which is stunted by the loud mouths of everyone on the Team who tells everyone who they have, but is loads of fun no less! In the coming days, we are anticipating Christmas Day here at the Inn! The decorations for the chapel are being bought, volunteers are coming all the way from New Hampshire (represent!), and we are opening the door to donation after donation!
Amidst all the insanity, we were challenged this morning at mass to find a bit of peace. As Zechariah was silenced by Gabriel because of the gift of his son, John, we are called to prepare our hearts for the peace and salvation that is coming. It's not easy, but certainly necessary to maintain the integrity of such a beautiful holy-day.
So, in case I don't get to wish you a blessed Christmas, may this special time of year fill your heart with peace and love and may you and your families be abundantly blessed in the coming year!
Things have been wonderful down here in Kensington! Since the last post, we plowed through Thanksgiving with only minor bumps and bruises! I was blessed to have been able to work the meal that day, as Maitre'd and then have dinner with the Team. It was a very special dinner with lots of fun and laughs!
As soon as we finished cleaning up from Thanksgiving dinner, it seemed like we were getting the Christmas tree out and plunging into the annual kids' Christmas party! Nazareth Academy again sponsored the party, joined this year by Father Judge High School for Boys! We had TONS of volunteers and 13 children! Overall the party went splendidly and we celebrated after with a mystery ride to Washington DC with Fr. Michael!
This time, the FVMs hosted the mystery ride, bringing him to El Tamarindo, a Salvadorian restaurant just outside of DC. We met up with an FVM alum who actually graduated from Saint Anselm College in 2000, accompanied by her husband (another SAC alum) and their son, who is 4 months old! After dinner, we blindfolded Michael and drove to the Verizon Center in Chinatown. He walked across the street, into the arena, and up to his seat completely blindfolded and it wasn't until the event was introduced did he find out that we took him to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra! We all had a really great time and got back super late!
This past week we all wrestled with various forms of a stomach bug that has taken down more than half of the Team here! Luckily it's only a 24-hour thing so we bounced back pretty quickly.
As I write, I am killing time before we head to the Saint Francis Inn Team Christmas Party!!! We hold a Secret Santa exchange which is stunted by the loud mouths of everyone on the Team who tells everyone who they have, but is loads of fun no less! In the coming days, we are anticipating Christmas Day here at the Inn! The decorations for the chapel are being bought, volunteers are coming all the way from New Hampshire (represent!), and we are opening the door to donation after donation!
Amidst all the insanity, we were challenged this morning at mass to find a bit of peace. As Zechariah was silenced by Gabriel because of the gift of his son, John, we are called to prepare our hearts for the peace and salvation that is coming. It's not easy, but certainly necessary to maintain the integrity of such a beautiful holy-day.
So, in case I don't get to wish you a blessed Christmas, may this special time of year fill your heart with peace and love and may you and your families be abundantly blessed in the coming year!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
2 months since the last post... oops!
After MUCH harrassment from my family, here it is. An update!!!
The winter weather has hit. I spent my first night in the yard last night and was not sufficiently bundled, as Jamie had to give me her coat so I could put it on top of the button-down shirt, fleece, and jacket I already had on. But I must say that I LOVE being outside when it's cold! There is something special and sacred about being able to identify with the guests in this respect, even if for just an hour and a half. Cold weather is in full-swing and the holiday madness has begun!
But to give an update of what's been going on here for the past two months...
The end of September brought a journey by me, Michael and Jamie out to Ohio to meet Emily, Joanne and Katie to celebrate Maureen's (my housemate from last year) wedding! It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony and reception and it was wonderful to see someone I love begin her life with someone she loves! This is a picture of Emily, Maureen and I at the reception!
Early October brought the beginning of my birthday celebration! My housemates surprised me with tickets to see Jason Mraz in concert up in Scranton, Pennsylvania! The concert was absolutely AMAZING!!! It was the first birthday my dad and I did not celebrate together and we've resolved not to do that again, but it was good for both of us to learn that.
October also brought on a steady stream of guests. My mom visited the second weekend of November, worked the meal and made a delicious dinner for my housemates, Jamie and I. The following weekend, while I was at home, Tom, Amanda's boyfriend, visited for the weekend. Without getting too much flack from Michael, Tom left with the promise to return soon! The NEXT WEEKEND, Amanda's mom came for a brief visit! We also hosted the kids' Halloween party!!!
Amanda's mom also made us a delicious home-cooked meal and left us Sunday. We celebrated Noe's 29th birthday with a semi-Salvadorian feast! Amanda and I tried our hands at cooking Central American food and though it didn't quite resemble Noe's traditional cuisine, he said it was good! We plowed through the final week before retreat, all of us really looking forward to the break that would be coming.
Sr. Madonna, Myers-Briggs extraordinairre, joined us for a couple of afternoon sessions, telling us about our personality types. It was informative and a good start to our retreat.
We headed to the Mountain, as we did last year for fall retreat, Sunday afternoon after the meal. We had 3 full days of rest at the Moutain with a couple of talks by former FVMs, my housemate from last year, Emily, included! We were given much opportunity for personal prayer time and PLENTY of rest! While we were away, so much of the Team was away for other reasons, so in our absence, they worked extra hard and appreciated our return that much more!
Being back from retreat has been wonderful! We have all dove into ministry and are still doing our best to cater to our community. In upcoming weeks we will be heading down to Columbus, Georgia for the School of the Americas protest. Check out www.soaw.org for information. It's a great resource for learning about the SOA and all that is being done to put an end to it. The following week brings Thanksgiving and the insanity that follows it and then we jump head-first into Christmas!
I am anxiously awaiting the holidays here. Last year, despite the busy-ness, I can recall having this wonderful sense of gratitude and inner peace that I had never previously felt. I'm still trying to work out travel plans for Christmas and am not quite sure when I'll be able to make it home, but am excited nonetheless!
I would like to say that I'll try to update more frequently but the truth is, I'm just not that good at it. Hopefully I'll be able to put up some stories of what is going on around here at the Inn, but no promises! Take care and God bless!
The winter weather has hit. I spent my first night in the yard last night and was not sufficiently bundled, as Jamie had to give me her coat so I could put it on top of the button-down shirt, fleece, and jacket I already had on. But I must say that I LOVE being outside when it's cold! There is something special and sacred about being able to identify with the guests in this respect, even if for just an hour and a half. Cold weather is in full-swing and the holiday madness has begun!
But to give an update of what's been going on here for the past two months...
The end of September brought a journey by me, Michael and Jamie out to Ohio to meet Emily, Joanne and Katie to celebrate Maureen's (my housemate from last year) wedding! It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony and reception and it was wonderful to see someone I love begin her life with someone she loves! This is a picture of Emily, Maureen and I at the reception!
Early October brought the beginning of my birthday celebration! My housemates surprised me with tickets to see Jason Mraz in concert up in Scranton, Pennsylvania! The concert was absolutely AMAZING!!! It was the first birthday my dad and I did not celebrate together and we've resolved not to do that again, but it was good for both of us to learn that.
October also brought on a steady stream of guests. My mom visited the second weekend of November, worked the meal and made a delicious dinner for my housemates, Jamie and I. The following weekend, while I was at home, Tom, Amanda's boyfriend, visited for the weekend. Without getting too much flack from Michael, Tom left with the promise to return soon! The NEXT WEEKEND, Amanda's mom came for a brief visit! We also hosted the kids' Halloween party!!!
Amanda's mom also made us a delicious home-cooked meal and left us Sunday. We celebrated Noe's 29th birthday with a semi-Salvadorian feast! Amanda and I tried our hands at cooking Central American food and though it didn't quite resemble Noe's traditional cuisine, he said it was good! We plowed through the final week before retreat, all of us really looking forward to the break that would be coming.
Sr. Madonna, Myers-Briggs extraordinairre, joined us for a couple of afternoon sessions, telling us about our personality types. It was informative and a good start to our retreat.
We headed to the Mountain, as we did last year for fall retreat, Sunday afternoon after the meal. We had 3 full days of rest at the Moutain with a couple of talks by former FVMs, my housemate from last year, Emily, included! We were given much opportunity for personal prayer time and PLENTY of rest! While we were away, so much of the Team was away for other reasons, so in our absence, they worked extra hard and appreciated our return that much more!
Being back from retreat has been wonderful! We have all dove into ministry and are still doing our best to cater to our community. In upcoming weeks we will be heading down to Columbus, Georgia for the School of the Americas protest. Check out www.soaw.org for information. It's a great resource for learning about the SOA and all that is being done to put an end to it. The following week brings Thanksgiving and the insanity that follows it and then we jump head-first into Christmas!
I am anxiously awaiting the holidays here. Last year, despite the busy-ness, I can recall having this wonderful sense of gratitude and inner peace that I had never previously felt. I'm still trying to work out travel plans for Christmas and am not quite sure when I'll be able to make it home, but am excited nonetheless!
I would like to say that I'll try to update more frequently but the truth is, I'm just not that good at it. Hopefully I'll be able to put up some stories of what is going on around here at the Inn, but no promises! Take care and God bless!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Hot, hot, hot!!!
Yet another heat wave has struck Philadelphia and I'm not all that happy about it! Fortunately, relief is in sight as it is supposed to cool down tomorrow and then drop into the 70s on Tuesday! I guess a good sweat is good for the body...
In the wake of remembering the national tragedy of September 11th seven years later, I was graced with the presence of a true survivor of the attack. Chaz, a new guest to the Inn, was on the 82nd floor of the North Tower of the Twin Towers in New York City at the time of the attacks. The specific details of the day are unclear as Chaz himself cannot remember the events himself, but amidst successfully escaping the rubble, Fr. Mychal Judge (the friend of Fr. Michael Duffy and the first listed on the death toll) prayed over Chaz and he managed to get to a hospital. He had a very long road to recovery ahead of him that was persistently interrupted by other tragedies that plagued his life. Chaz's wife, mother and father all died within the year following 9/11/01 from cancer, leaving Chaz unable to fully focus his time and energy on his own recovery but into dealing with the loss of his entire family. Because of hospital bills and his inability to work, Chaz lost his job as a communications analyst in NYC and was therefore unable to afford his housing.
I'm not entirely sure how Chaz ended up in Philadelphia, but he is currently staying in a shelter in the city receiving services and thriving in the work programs designed for your stereotypical homeless person. Chaz recently got a job in his field and is slowly getting back on his feet, seven whole years later.
You hear a story like this and it really causes you to stumble. It seriously causes your heart to ache for the continued effects of the devastation that occured so long ago. For many of us, it is a distant memory, filed in there with who was at our eighth birthday party or the lyrics to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song. But Chaz's story reminds me, and hopefully you too, that those survivors and their families are still trying to overcome hurdles that were put before them on that day seven years ago.
I'm not asking you to relive that horrible day all over again because I think many of the survivors would do anything to erase that memory and move on. But I encourage you to continue to send prayers their way and to be conscious of the battle that others are fighting that we will never, ever know about. I heard a quote once that went something like this, "Be kind to everyone you meet for they're fighting a battle you'll never know about." You see, this experience, both with Chaz and on the more broad scope of working at the Inn, has really given me more insight into this idea than I could've gotten anywhere else.
The thing is, we're all carrying baggage. We're all fighting our own fights, with ourselves, with others, with God. So it is our calling to be sure that we don't throw another wrench into someone else's life. I'm not talking about changing everything about your life or to leave your baggage at the door; it's what makes you who you are. But what I am suggesting is meet everyone with the respect and love that both you and they deserve.
Chaz is an incredible example of strength and perseverance and his humble and graceful demeanor provide insight into the very love and peace God imparts on us. Of the many salutations St. Francis of Assisi gives us, the most fitting here is this: peace and all good. Be well and God bless!
In the wake of remembering the national tragedy of September 11th seven years later, I was graced with the presence of a true survivor of the attack. Chaz, a new guest to the Inn, was on the 82nd floor of the North Tower of the Twin Towers in New York City at the time of the attacks. The specific details of the day are unclear as Chaz himself cannot remember the events himself, but amidst successfully escaping the rubble, Fr. Mychal Judge (the friend of Fr. Michael Duffy and the first listed on the death toll) prayed over Chaz and he managed to get to a hospital. He had a very long road to recovery ahead of him that was persistently interrupted by other tragedies that plagued his life. Chaz's wife, mother and father all died within the year following 9/11/01 from cancer, leaving Chaz unable to fully focus his time and energy on his own recovery but into dealing with the loss of his entire family. Because of hospital bills and his inability to work, Chaz lost his job as a communications analyst in NYC and was therefore unable to afford his housing.
I'm not entirely sure how Chaz ended up in Philadelphia, but he is currently staying in a shelter in the city receiving services and thriving in the work programs designed for your stereotypical homeless person. Chaz recently got a job in his field and is slowly getting back on his feet, seven whole years later.
You hear a story like this and it really causes you to stumble. It seriously causes your heart to ache for the continued effects of the devastation that occured so long ago. For many of us, it is a distant memory, filed in there with who was at our eighth birthday party or the lyrics to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song. But Chaz's story reminds me, and hopefully you too, that those survivors and their families are still trying to overcome hurdles that were put before them on that day seven years ago.
I'm not asking you to relive that horrible day all over again because I think many of the survivors would do anything to erase that memory and move on. But I encourage you to continue to send prayers their way and to be conscious of the battle that others are fighting that we will never, ever know about. I heard a quote once that went something like this, "Be kind to everyone you meet for they're fighting a battle you'll never know about." You see, this experience, both with Chaz and on the more broad scope of working at the Inn, has really given me more insight into this idea than I could've gotten anywhere else.
The thing is, we're all carrying baggage. We're all fighting our own fights, with ourselves, with others, with God. So it is our calling to be sure that we don't throw another wrench into someone else's life. I'm not talking about changing everything about your life or to leave your baggage at the door; it's what makes you who you are. But what I am suggesting is meet everyone with the respect and love that both you and they deserve.
Chaz is an incredible example of strength and perseverance and his humble and graceful demeanor provide insight into the very love and peace God imparts on us. Of the many salutations St. Francis of Assisi gives us, the most fitting here is this: peace and all good. Be well and God bless!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Small man, Big heart
(this photo was taken in Newport, RI on our way back from Opening Retreat!)
As I type, Philadelphia is experiencing more rain than I've seen in the year I've lived here. Hurricane Hanna has struck and is leaving me stranded indoors so I figured what better time to update than on a day when there's nothing else I could be doing?
My community and I have spent the better part of the last week at the Philadelphia Water Ice Company enjoying more water ice than any three people should consume. But we were doing it all in an effort to beat the intense heat we've been having! In the last week, we went for water ice 5 times... not too bad, I say!
We've been quite busy around these parts this week... Monday we celebrated Labor Day by having a picnic and an intense volleyball game at Linden Park just outside of Philadelphia along the Delaware River. Who knew Franciscans would get so excited about playing a simple game?! In addition to volleyball, the sisters played frisbee, I tossed a football with Fr. Patrick, and we ate and ate and ate! Needless to say, I was a bit sore on Tuesday, but it was all in good fun!
Tuesday I got to try my hand at cooking in the kitchen! We made corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and carrots... in sort of a soup/stew form. I know, I don't really like it either but you make do with what you got. We had plenty of food and the meal overall went off without a hitch! Maybe this week they'll trust me to do it all by myself! :-)
After having two days off, during which I got LOTS of things done around the house, I jumped back into the coordinator role for the first time since I've been back! Everyone was well-behaved today and the volunteers that came were amazing so it was a very easy day!
On Wednesday we found out that one of our beloved guests, Darryl, passed away on Sunday. At age 43, his health has been fading drastically in the past year and it finally got the best of him. He had AIDS and emphysema, among many other severe and chronic illnesses that just overtook his tiny body. I was blessed to go to the funeral today with Karen and Fr. Michael. While it was very sad, remembering Darryl's smile and his generosity help me and hopefully his family during this difficult time. So, if you get a chance, please says prayers for Darryl and for his family, I think they could use all they can get!
On a happier note, Amanda, Noe and I participated in our first community fun night together last night! We went to a Camden Riversharks game (a very minor league baseball team across the river). It was Noe's first baseball game and we had a lot of fun singing and dancing to the music! We're really off to a great start here!!!
For those of you who continue to read my blog and send your love and prayers my way, thank you! I couldn't be here without your support!
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