The New Wine Press vol 25 no 3 November 2016 | Page 13

Precious Blood Volunteers

Ryan Cornelissen on the job for Habitat for Humanity

Prepared for Impact

by Ryan Cornelissen, Precious Blood Volunteers Alumnus
One of the most identifiable themes of Advent is
preparation. But preparation for what? The birth of
Jesus? The Catholic tradition of Christmas includes the
season of Advent, because we are to understand how the
radical truth of Jesus’ message provokes conversion and
change of behavior. In the readings for the First Week
of Advent-Year A, both Romans 13: 11-14 and Matthew
24: 37-44 point to the urgency and necessity to prepare
ourselves to best interact with the body of Christ in
the world as Jesus did. Of course, it is important to be
mindful of the actions and behaviors we should avoid—
as Paul mentions in the second reading—as an effort to
condone proper conduct. But, in my opinion, the gospel
reading from Matthew better points us to a lifestyle of
being awake! Instead of merely avoiding attitudes and
practices, the conscious choice to be awake promotes a
proactive searching and preparation for the truth that
we are to live out.
As a Construction Site Supervisor for Habitat for
Humanity in Boston, I lead volunteer groups through

the process of building homes for those in need in
the greater Boston area. In addition to working with
volunteers, I have the pleasure of working alongside the
families who are selected for each home to complete
their 300 hours of “sweat-equity” on their future home
(the equivalent of a down-payment on their house).
Working alongside the mothers and fathers, I have the
privilege of hearing stories of the reality of life before
Habitat for these families.
This month, two new families were selected for
the final duplex of a three duplex development in
Roslindale, a Boston suburb. Felipe, one of the selected
fathers, continues to share with me different pieces
of the complex puzzle that is his life. Living in a 700
square foot apartment with his wife and two daughters (ages 3 and 8) was not exactly his dream. Felipe’s
family is originally from the Dominican Republic,
but he grew up in the United States. He works as a
maintenance supervisor for a homeless shelter and
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