http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/031814.cfm
I find that the humility we are called to in the gospel is
possible because of the forgiveness that is extended to us by God as shown in
Isaiah. It often seems to me that
one of the most scandalous aspects of Catholicism is forgiveness. It has been easier for me to forgive
others than it has been for me to forgive myself. I find this to be especially true in one given moment in my
time here at Fordham.
One day I was going to the Grace Baptist Church Soup Kitchen with the
Pedro Arrupe Faith and Justice Council.
However, I was tired because I had stayed out and up late the night
before, even though I knew that I was supposed to be heading to the soup
kitchen at 11:15 in the morning.
While we were working there, for the first half, I tried to hectically
account for all the factors of the work.
Instead, in my exhaustion I made countless mistakes, up to and including
spilling juice on the serving table.
While I ameliorated the spill to the best of my ability, I had to take a
moment’s pause to assess what to do next.
While I regretted my choices from the previous night as selfish in the
light of the current charitable work, I could not let that paralyze me. So I decided that I should focus on
pouring the soup into the containers.
I honed my attention upon the importance of cleaning each container, for
the sake of each person that I was not even able to see enter the soup kitchen as
others were now serving. The
attention transformed the work from one of exhaustion to one of joy. The whole ordeal reminded me of how God
does forgive, even as I remembered to recount this at Confession. It also reminded me that Christ wants
us to flourish in the simple expression of our fullest selves, and that there
is strength in the grace of this recognition to walk on joyfully.
Thomas Ginch
FCRH 2015
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