Much joy to you this day. Thank you for giving us some of your valuable time. We promise to be relatively quick . . .
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Dylan checks the cornbread.
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we know you have other things waiting for you. Meet Dylan Wiand, our first-ever intern. A sociology student at Orange County Community College, Dylan plans to head off to SUNY New Paltz next year where he'll pursue a degree in psychology. "I just love it here," he said Saturday evening as he helped ready dinner for guests at Our House. "I learn something every time I'm here. I tell (classmates) 'You won't believe wh | |
Don at Hope
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at's right across the street from our school.' I've met the most amazing people."
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Dorothy Day: Challenge to Spirituality was the topic of a Don Bisson workshop here at the Hope Center October 18th, the day after our the Dorothy Day Dinner celebration. Don engaged us in a conversation about her life and 20 spiritualities ranging from the Spirituality of Endless Needs to the Spirituality of Self-Awareness. This was the second workshop given at Hope by Don, a Marist Brother who specializes in bringing Jungian Psychology and Christian Spirituality together in a most amazing way. Click here to learn more about Don who'll be giving a workshop December 6th at Mariandale Retreat Center titled Discerning the Difference between the Inner Child and the Divine Child. Drop us a note if you'd like more info on that one. |
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Meet "George" while you're waiting . . .
"George" came to Our House not long after the death of the girlfriend with whom he'd been living for several years.
Before we met him, George had spent nearly 37 of his 60 years picking the fruits and vegetables we eat. He can't do that any more. His health is poor. He has no source of support; no family willing or able to take him in. He is alone.
George is also undocumented. He is a man without a country. He is like one of the five "foolish" virgins in this coming Sunday's gospel reading (Matthew 25:1-13) - he'd shown up, trimm ed the wick on his lamp, done the best that he could and, at the end of the day, found himself on the outside looking in. He is no longer of any value and no longer has anything to "wait" for.
Last Saturday, a couple of our friends found George passed out, unconscious on the sidewalk about a block from Our House. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he was told he'd had a seizure and was sent "home." St. Ruth took him to the free walk-in clinic on Monday. There, the doctor said George shouldn't spend his days on the street, that George needs to spend his time indoors. Ruth went through a long list of agencies (one of whom referred her to us!!) before connecting with someone who would try to help get George stabilized.
But, then what? What are his options? What do we do? How do we serve this member of the "least of these?" Do we say, "Oh well George. Too late! Thanks for your service. Thanks for giving your life as a migrant farm worker. You had your chance; you could have done the "right thing." You could have gotten more oil and been ready before it was too late.
Well, that's the "conventional" wisdom isn't it? It certainly is in our culture and it certainly seems to be what the gospel parable is telling us.
Or it it? If we look at Matthew's parable in the light of all the other parables attributed to Jesus, the only conclusion we can draw is that the parable is an example of what God's Kingdom is not. God is the God who says it's never too late, that we're all God's beloved, and no one no matter how "great" or how "small" can be left behind.
We believe that here at Hope. In fact, we know it. That is why we do what we do and why we pray for God's guidance as we walk with George and other Our House friends when we have no clue where we are going.
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