Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent - March 24

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Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 John 5:1-16

Last summer I had the privilege of helping lead a group of young women on a service project in New York. This opened the door for me to the Catholic Worker movement at St. Joseph House in the lower east side of Manhattan. The house sits at the center of east 1st street and serves a community of friends. Occupying the five-story tenement house founded by Dorothy Day are about fifteen devoted workers who live and bunk together. Our two-day experience at this house opened a newfound friendship with several of the workers, volunteers, and guests who gather every morning for the soup line. I could not quite fi nd the exact words to describe my experience there so I decided to go back a month later on my own to stay and work at the house for a weekend. It was at that time that I was able to connect and open my heart to people I had just met - sick, homeless, tired strangers.

The house opened wide their doors to me – offering a bed in a shared room, food from their pantry, and the utmost hospitality from their hearts. It was at this time that I learned more of their conviction to serve the poor and to eat from a weekly delivery truck that says, “food for the poorest of the poor”.
This experience left a lasting impression and I made a commitment to visit and serve with them on a regular basis.

As I reflect on today’s readings, I can only stress the symbolic purpose of the Catholic Worker and its mission to give nourishment to the neighborhood community and opening their hearts without judgement.

Q: How do we go about serving one another? What can we offer to continue the abundance of life for one another?

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