Our Common Humanity by Fr . Dave Kelly , c . pp . s ., pbmr Director
To be honest , the title of this article was going to be “ The Good , the Bad and the Ugly ,” a take-off of the old Clint Eastwood film . It was what I was feeling at the time . Frankly , there are times when the joy of this work is eclipsed by the pain and disappointment . There are days that are very good and filled with amazement and joy . Other days are a challenge to see through the darkness to the other side .
June 2 nd was one of those good days . Cardinal Cupich came into Juvenile Detention Center to celebrate the Confirmation and First Communion of six young men . His pastoral style and generosity of time spoke of his dedication to those who so often have been judged unworthy of our care or concern . The glow on the faces of their mothers and fathers spoke of their pride and joy . The Cardinal saw what so few others claim to see — a child of God .
As he did the last time , he gave each of the young men a cross . The Cardinal explained to the young men that these crosses had been blessed by Pope Francis and were his gift to them on this special day .
June 6 th was a bad day . Olu , one of the youth who is at the Center each day , was shot three times . He survived because a police officer arrived on the scene before the ambulance could get there and put a tourniquet around his leg — the main artery was severed and without his quick thinking , Olu would have bled to death . Today , however , Olu has to try to deal with the aftermath , the trauma that he carries .
As I spoke to Olu , he told me that he didn ’ t want to go home . The shooting happened right in front of his house . We spoke about fear mixed with anger . He looked at me , holding back the tears , and talked about the flashbacks he was having . He said that he couldn ’ t sleep because of the nightmares .
To be honest , my heart broke looking at him with the multiple gunshot wounds that marked his body . as they carry their own hurt and trauma . There is high tension in the air and it can look , at times , ugly .
Lawyer and author Bryan Stevenson , in his book Just Mercy , writes , “ You can ’ t effectively fight abusive power , poverty , inequality , illness , oppression , or injustice and not be broken by it .” He goes on to say that being broken is what makes us human . He says that our brokenness is the source of our common humanity . Our shared vulnerability and imperfection nurtures and sustains our capacity for compassion . While he may not use the terminology , he is speaking of the spirituality that holds the ministry of reconciliation — to embrace the hope of a new creation , even as you hold the pain and suffering .
Certainly , it is evident to mothers who have lost children to homicide or incarceration . While they come from different backgrounds and life experiences , the brokenness that they experience brings them together in a way that I don ’ t think could happen otherwise . It is precisely in their woundedness that they find a common bond .
Embracing the brokenness within our own lives opens up the possibility of embracing those who suffer around us . When we deny our own pain , we deny a part of our humanity ; and we embark on a road that does not allow us to see the humanity of others . Perhaps that is why the resurrected Jesus appeared bearing the marks of the crucifixion . He knew that without the marks , he would be seen as a ghost or somehow untouchable . Jesus came to share in our humanity . His suffering and death allowed him to be fully human and allowed us to have an intimate relationship with our God .
While I long for more good days than bad , I do recognize that my suffering and pain allow me to share more fully in the humanity of my brothers and sisters . For that , I am grateful . �
The after-the-storm , as Shelly Rambo calls it , is the trauma that remains . I can see this on faces of the youth and the staff who try to accompany them , even
16 • The New Wine Press • July 2018