FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART

– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade (bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

I WILL FIGHT

Remember the words of General William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army and a friend to the down and out? Three months before his death he wrote: “While women weep as they do now, I’ll fight; while little children go hungry as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight – fight to the very end.” What has happened to us? “If any man or woman would be my disciple,” Jesus says to us, “Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” That is the word we desperately need to hear.

THAT’S THE REASON, RUTH

You may know the thrilling story of Glen Cunningham, a young man whose legs were so badly burned when he was a boy that doctors said he would never walk again. However, this determined champion went on to win an Olympic gold medal as a miler. Even more importantly, Glen Cunningham devoted his life to helping troubled young people. Once, his wife asked, “Glen, why do we have to give so much more than others? No one else is doing what we are.” Glen answered, “That’s the reason, Ruth. No one else is doing it.”

THE LEAST COMPASSIONATE PEOPE I EVER KNEW

Michael Slaughter in his book, Unlearning Church, tells about a religion editor from a local newspaper who came to his Church to interview him about a conference they were having. At the end of the interview, he asked if she went to Church. He assumed she did, since she was a religion editor. She said, “No, I am a Buddhist. I was raised in the Church,” she went on, “but about ten years ago, I became interested in Buddhism because the highest value of Buddhism is the value of compassion.” Michael Slaughter says her next comment made him feel as if she had put her hand in his chest and squeezed his heart. “The people I grew up around in the Church,” she added, “were some of the least compassionate people I ever knew.” “Ouch,” says Michael Slaughter, and then he adds, “Yet Jesus is compassion made visible.” And he’s right. Jesus is compassion made visible. Having Jesus’ name, but not his heart is a dangerous combination. It can make us turn away people that Jesus is calling us to embrace.

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade