Goodbye NYC!

[corban711]

Since September, I have been living in a house of formation/discernment and a major part of our life is having the opportunity to do some mission work.  For us, this mission work usually takes the form of loving the poor, the rejected, and the homeless on the streets of NYC or visiting the lonely, the sick, and the suffering in local nursing homes or  soup kitchens.  3 days each week we are out on the streets of NYC seeking out the homeless, the abandoned, the rejected, the lonely, and the suffering with the hopes of befriending them and loving them.  

Many of these people, though materially poor, either have or receive food to eat each day and can often find places to stay.  But even those who receive food or stay in the shelters (many choose not to) have nobody in their life who listens to them, looks them in the eyes, loves them, and allows them to discover their dignity as persons by the way they are treated.  We do not have a goal of preaching or evangelizing (though from time to time the opportunities come up), but rather to manifest the goodness and mercy of God through love and friendship.  To (hopefully) show them who God is, by being (in a certain sense) the mercy of God, who seeks out the lost and the sinners who have the first right to His Mercy.  Through our life of prayer, adoration, community, and apostolate, our hope is that we are transformed in Christ so that we can love Christ in the poor and at the same time, show them His love through our presence.  

Today was both very blessed and also a bit sad for me.  Bittersweet to say the least.  Because it was very likely my last time going out to the city to visit many of my friends, brothers, and sisters who are out on the streets.  We did get to see many people that we know and even met a few new ones.  It was such a beautiful day.  Sadly, there were some people we weren't able to find today who I had hoped to see.  But it was such an incredible day and I give thanks to God for allowing me to participate for this time in such a powerful and beautiful work.  It has absolutely changed my life.  It was beautiful, humbling, and frequently very challenging work to be involved in.  I will greatly miss going to NYC.  It is an amazing place with a tremendous need and opportunity to share God's love and mercy with those who are thirsting for it.  

 

**ps. Thanks for listening pham.  There was so much on my heart after today and I needed to share some of that.  I tried to have mercy on you by not sharing too much!    I realize that many here don't know me very well so I did attempt to offer a little background so you could better understand the emotions I was feeling. ** 

 

Dear Blessed Mother, I offer you my heart, my life, my emotions, and all those whom we met and love so dearly.  Be with them, comfort them, help to heal and mend the many wounds in their hearts, and continue to bless them with all the tenderness and love of the Heart of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia!  What a graced year this has been thus far!