The Presence of the Lord is Here

The Presence of the Lord is Here

Twelve students, three Marianists Universities, one goal – to serve; however, it has turned into a journey of serving ourselves and our spiritual walk with Christ. My name is Angel-Baby a Criminal Justice Major at Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii, and my favorite type of prayer is through service; seeing how God is present in the people we have encountered throughout this week, whether it be the people without homes of Skid Row, the fellow Marianists family we’ve met along the way, and within our little community we’ve formed this week. Today I was blessed enough to help out at Catholic Worker, and it was such a beautiful experience; having the simple tasks of chopping up tomatoes and lettuce, to passing our sporks and napkins and just smiling and wishing people a good day. This might have been a minor task, but it played a huge role to those that have been fighting with the cold streets for so long. Often times these people are shunned by society and are judged harshly, and so seeing them happy today was a reward in itself. It’s true when they say that a smile is contagious. After the chaotic yet amazingly fun kitchen shenanigans, I grabbed a plate and sat with a man who was sitting by himself. As he was sharing his story, all I could think of was the teachings of my grandfather which went like “We are given two ears and one mouth so we can hear twice as much as we speak”, and quite frankly, that’s what these people need, just someone to listen to them. They are constantly either being told what to do, being pushed around, having to follow ridiculous laws that make it almost illegal to be homeless, that they feel their voice having little to no value. It has become the norm for them to not have any genuine interactions, that they become bitter. After our talk, I had a great sense of respect towards these people and the burdens they carry, and their untold stories. It was really nice to have made someone’s day just being present.

 

Secondly, I felt the presence of Christ at the Santa Monica Beach through the laughter and the new memories made. God was present in all that surrounded us, and especially in the Californian sweet sunset. After the beach, we met with Fr. Jim and his community and they greeted us with warm hugs and loving hearts. What I found most sentimental of the evening had to open up to the Marianist Community let alone our community of Immersioners, our deepest fear and our challenges. There was no hesitation as we shared and it was just an amazing feeling to having the privilege to hear what everyone had to say. It goes to show how there is a great foundation to fall back on for support and guidance as we perform the immaculate work of God. God is truly among our community for the bond we’ve made here has been overflowing with his Love.

 

It truly is a great honor to be used as God’s vessel to proclaim His word and His act of Love. To be used as a Beacon of Light for the people we have encountered in Skid Row has strengthened my walk with Christ and has truly opened my eyes and heart to things far bigger. Expressing my faith through my actions and by the way I live to serve, has helped point the next stepping stone closer to God.

 

#God’sLove