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One morning, Dorothy Day was working at her desk in the front room of her Catholic Worker House in New York City when a donor came in and gave Dorothy a diamond ring. Dorothy thanked her for it and put it in her pocket. Later a rather ornery woman came in, one of the more irritating regulars at the house. Dorothy took the diamond ring out of her pocket and gave it to the woman to wear.
Some of the staff saw her do this and immediately began berating her, saying, "Wouldn't it have been better if we took the ring to the diamond exchange, sold it, and paid that woman's rent for a year?"
Dorothy replied that the woman had her dignity and could do what she liked with the ring. She could sell it for rent money or take a trip to the Bahamas. Or she could enjoy wearing a diamond ring on her hand like the woman who gave it away. "Or do you suppose," Dorothy asked, "that God created diamonds only for the rich?"
Do you suppose that God created diamonds only for the rich? Do you suppose that God created beauty only for a select few?
The gospels are full of stories showcasing God’s healing power. Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead. The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Even the story of Jesus celebrating at a wedding with fresh water-turned-wine. And the common thread that runs through these stories is that Jesus cares, he unites, he builds. There’s a mission here that Jesus wants to highlight. It is a mistake to assume that Jesus came to make bad people good. He didn’t. Rather, Jesus came to make all people live. Like, actually live lives full of goodness and beauty, enjoying the fullness of creation and the gift of community.
Jesus didn’t come to save the righteous. He didn’t come because there were a select few people who were super holy or really good and he just wanted to hang out with them. He came to bring hope. He came to bring peace. He came to challenge the way folks look at the world and act in the world, in the hope that the world might be different.
So, no. God didn’t create diamonds only for the rich. And God didn’t create beauty only for a few. God continually creates, with reckless abandon. Hoping beyond hope that this creative beauty challenges us to rethink and reimagine the ways in which we live and move and love.
St. Ambrose University extends a special invitation to students, faculty and staff to join us this spring for a 3-day event celebrating 10 years of Pope Francis!
A leader from and for the margins, this humble servant of God has captured the imagination of people across the globe. Attendees will hear from experts from around the world as they examine Pope Francis, including his theology, his ministry, and the future directions he has set for the Church and Christianity. Presentation topics will range from environmental concerns, economics and justice to a church on the margins, world religions, evangelization and inclusion.
We are honored to share that the event's closing mass will be hosted by the Papal Nuncio to the United States, His Excellency Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Titular Archbishop of Gunela.
Students, Faculty, and Staff are invited to attend any of the keynote or concurrent sessions Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18 without charge by registering for the conference and using the promo code PAPAL23.
Those who would like to attend the dinner Thursday night and/or the lunches Friday and Saturday, are asked to pay $40 and register using the promo code HUNGRYBEE.
