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
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