Coming home from Thanksgiving time in Philly and the gratitude for a prayerful and intimate celebration, we have been thrown back into reality! Life should be a prayerful and intimate celebration, but it is not easy amidst the happenings of everyday life...or is it?
I have been, as part of the 19th Annotation (Ignation Sprituality in Everyday Life), in the first part of the retreat that lasts 4 weeks (in the 9-month plan). It has been eye-opening to try to learn about and grow about in areas that need the most work, especially ones were Jesus is like "Hey Mare, I know you haven't realized this yet, but you should think about why you do this __________ " Ok, thanks, ....working on it! When I'm not in 'prayer' (like chapel), I've been in prayer (out and about), discerning more about community (large and small-just missioners) as well as my own ministry and possiblities for next year. It's almost scary the way that things just come about. My gut reaction is "No..." and that lasts about 1 min. before it's added to the mix of discernment and true way of living to see where I am following Him to next!
Oh, yeah, excuse the language in the post title, but today at work, I was reminded of that quote from Save the Last Dance....I know, I know, bare with me! We were talking about the line of people that come for Thanksgiving and the need for police presence for things that we really just cannot control in such times of great need. Comments had included things like, "We don't want to ...but we almost have to," "It's just hard, you don't want people to feel like they are being watched," etc. I chimed in after observing (a true 5 personality!), "Well, maybe having the police presence will help with a feeling of security, you know, knowing that people will be less likely to get violent if there is that authority presence." ...DENIED...."Well you also have to consider what people's perception of cops is. If you're from the suburbs, it's different than if you live on the Lower East Side....
So, ...she was right! In my mind I was like "You don't know I'm from the suburbs!" But then I realized...my comment was pretty subruban because that's how I view "police presence" I was informed that other people don't necessarily even trust police....among other things that I was not aware of in my own naivity! Great! That stinks that I don't know who I'm dealing with!
BUT that little conversation left me with a true desire to learn more about what it really means to not be living in Gramercy Park... What it means to have and increased police presence in my neighborhood because of an increase in drug dealing... What it means to not trust authority because of my experience (perhaps leading me not to trust)...What it truly means to be in another person's shoes. I've spent my ministry living in 'solidarity' with the people I'm serving, but the truth is, at least for now, that I really can't ever completely understand what other people's perspectives are. BUT that doesn't mean that I don't have the responsibility to learn and be as aware as I possibly can! Add this to the list :)
I was very thankful this evening after some time with Sr. Dianne and the girls to iron out a little bit of the not so goods from community retreat last weekend, and I am glad to have Gina coming next week to have a night together to touch on the logistics of what it means to be three 23-24 year-old girls on mission living with six (soon to be four) vowed religious. I couldn't have chosen a greater group to share and grow with this year, but there is an evident need to encourage and facilitate open communication that bridges the gap (no matter the size) between the two.
Thanks for listening/reading...I am going down to the chapel. Peace for now, and I hope to get more than 3 posts done in December! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment