the good news is… together, the impossible is possible

READ

Mark 6:32-44

And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

REFLECTION

“Take care.” I say this often – daily in fact, to a friend, a colleague or a child as they are leaving. I consider it a term of endearment that conveys my love and concern for them especially if they are traveling. The response is usually a smile and “you too.”

As I spoke those words to a guest leaving our church after spending the night with Room In The Inn, her response was a downcast face, hunched shoulders, and a fierce tug of her rolling suitcase. She conveyed to me that she takes care of herself, and her being safe out in the world is so very different for her than me.

My silent prayer for her well-being, and maybe a return visit to our church and even maybe someday permanent housing, followed her into the Day Center. Thinking back on the scene, I am reminded of the very first words taught in Sunday school classes to “love thy neighbor.” This commandment forms the bedrock of our Christian faith. As adults, we recognize that it is not about affection, it is about presence, care, and assistance.

During this Lenten season, make it a daily practice to recognize and acknowledge our unsheltered neighbors’ humanity. Be attentive. Be present. Be kind. Listen. Share some of their burdens even when you cannot take them away. Participate in our outreach ministry’s largest endeavor, Room In The Inn by making beds, preparing a meal, spending the night or dropping off winter clothing, paperbacks, puzzle or coloring books or snacks.

Even small talk shared over a plate of chicken parmesan in the Frances Browne Dining Room might mean more to a neighbor than you can fathom.

Written by Flo Bryan

REFLECT

What do you need to put aside to be truly present with someone else? Could “taking care” of yourself include taking care of others too?