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Monday of the First Week of Advent

Readings of the Day
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I recently began working with the Society of
St. Vincent de Paul, and part of this holy work includes answering
calls on the
HelpLine. I answer the phone and on the other end of the line is my
neighbor, a
person living in King County, asking for real help. It could be
anything from
needing a few hundred dollars to make rent, to needing a crib for
their newborn
daughter just come home from the hospital, to needing someone to
listen as they
piece together all their needs for food and clothing and anything we
might
provide. When possible, I refer my neighbor to the local St. Vincent
de Paul
Conference, who will contact them to visit their home and assess how
to
respond.

 

In today's Gospel we read, Lord, I am not worthy to have you
enter
under my roof ... . The Home Visit is the core ministry of the Society
of
St. Vincent de Paul. It is a person-to-person encounter that literally
happens
under the "roof" of our suffering neighbor. It requires
the visiting Vincentians
to set down their judgments and biases, cross the threshold into the
life and
living room of another, and to embrace humility, compassion and mercy.
Like the
Centurion approaching Jesus in today's reading, this encounter
demands an
attitude of unlimited trust in Jesus, allowing ourselves to be
surprised at his
response - so much so, that we may feel unworthy of it.

 

We recite the words I am not worthy each time we prepare to receive
the sacrament of
the Eucharist, an invitation to remove our perceived entitlement to
the host
and to approach in humble awe. As we humble ourselves this Advent in
preparation for the miracle of the incarnation, God-with-us here on
earth, we
are called to stay grounded in faith, trusting and believing in the
words of Jesus.

 

Discomfort me, O God, that I might grow in
humility to better love you by loving my neighbor.

 

Kelly
Hickman currently serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for the
Society of
St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle/King County.

 

 

 

 




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