 A wonderful community of Ambrosians has formed around the family we are housing on campus through the Every Campus a Refuge Program. Volunteers have stepped up to teach English as a Second Language, provide enrichment opportunities for the kids, carpool, babysit, include them in opportunities on campus and connect them with support resources. We marvel at their resilience, celebrate their successes and empathize with their challenges. In serving “our family” together, we now have something in common - caring deeply about their well being.
Through reaching out past our comfort zone to connect across language and cultural barriers in solidarity with this family that has been forced to flee their homeland under grave threat, we have created a stronger sense of belonging with one another and our global community.
On service trips, the same phenomena occurs. While giving of ourselves, we gain a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves - to the best parts of ourselves and each other.
Pope Francis said “In the poor and outcast we see Christ’s face; by loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ.”
Truly, the poor and outcasts are all around us. In “The State of Religion & Young People: Navigating Uncertainty,” Springtide Research found that 1 of every 5 young people (aged 13-25) report that they do not have someone in their lives who really cares about them.
All around us, there are people in deep pain, rejected, lacking a sense of belonging that is an essential nutrient to a fulfilling life. All around us, there are opportunities to encounter Christ through caring deeply for one another. All around us, there are opportunities to truly be the refuge God created us to be.
-Nicky
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The scripture readings that are proclaimed throughout the 50 days of the Easter season recount many of the resurrection appearances of Jesus. I’ve often wondered why Jesus’ apostles do not recognize the resurrected Christ initially. Did he look different physically? Did their profound grief keep them from seeing him? Was the idea of Jesus coming back to life too unbelievable to comprehend? As I pondered these questions, it dawned on me that Jesus probably wonders why we STILL don’t always recognize him.
