Madre: Anyone of us can say,“ Well look at the church, or look at the government, or look at the other guy.” I think that you and I, and Padre all suffer from our own grade of spiritual poverty. And we have an obligation to examine ourselves and to see to what extent that is true, because if I can really face myself I am going to stop pointing the finger at you, because I have something to deal with in myself. To what extent do I seek really the good of poor people at some sacrifice to myself? Those people who have done great works for the poor have had to face themselves first. Don’ t call yourself Christian if you’ re so focused on yourself that it is about“ me first”.
Padre: We talked about the rowboat [ analogy ].
[ A man ] is sitting there [ in a rowboat ] watching the scene. He has one rowboat and there are thousands out there [ at sea ]. If he puts that rowboat down to the middle of them, the rowboat is going to go down. Everyone is panicking, and he is going to go down with them.
Does he have a right not to row out there? [ After all ] he’ s got to save himself. That’ s a reinterpretation of“ Love God and love your neighbor.”“ I’ m saving number one and I have a right to do that. I have a right to be sustainable. If I set myself on fire we’ re all going down to the bottom of the lake!”
But if I obey God’ s command, maybe... I’ d send 1000 rowboats out there following me. But all [ God ] wants me to do is to get that boat out there.
Madre: I think that is the important thing; do your part.
OJ: What is the most valuable lesson you’ ve learned from your service work at the Center?
Madre: I’ ve learned the great power of loving because it transforms people’ s lives. The Center is all about loving the people who come to you.
Padre: I’ ve learned that God is amazing. He even takes evil and turns it into some kind of good. The poverty that is all over the world is a huge opportunity to show love.
OJ: What advice would you have for undergraduate students interested in doing work like yours?
Madre: Come!
Padre: Do it! By doing it, God will reward you with more lights in the darkness.
Madre: In line with our belief that God puts us all in a place at a time for a reason, that’ s a good question to ask God.“ How and why did you bring me here”? Think about it. You gotta figure it out.
I’ ve learned that God is amazing. He even takes evil and turns it into some kind of good. The poverty that is all over the world is a huge opportunity to show love.
OJ: Finally, what is your life verse?
Madre: Matt 11:25, John 16:15-16
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.( Matt 11:25, NIV)
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me because I go to the Father.( John 16:15-16, NIV)
Padre:“ Don’ t be afraid,” because my temptation in life is to criticize and do nothing.
Olugbenga Joseph is a senior concentrating in Education.
Faith Sujay Natson’ 16
Spring 2016 19 15