Journal of Michelle Smith

This past weekend I was at The Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois, for a course on Justice and Service provided by the Center for Ministry Development. As part of my MAPS degree, I have chosen a Youth Ministry Concentration and this was the second of eight classes working toward a certificate with graduate credit in Youth Ministry.

What has been wonderful about both classes so far has been their immediate applicability to my ministry. Pastoral Care was the first course and the psychology and information about things like birth order have been useful tools in just two months after the course.

Better still, was my conversation yesterday with my pastor, who actually asked about the weekend, “So what made it so wonderful.” I was able to share about the concept of applying a “pastoral circle” methodolgy of involvement, exploration, reflection and action to any given social justice issue or service object. My pastor especially liked the reflection component, since he’s been asking me to pursue reflections from my teens after each activity.

I also learned a lot about Catholic Social Teaching on various issues, like just wars. Did you know that the Catholic Church has a seven-step criteria for approaching every war in determining whether it’s just and that under NO circumstances is the use of nuclear weapons ever justified? Well I didn’t, but I was enlightened.

Some of us could do with educating ourselves more about our church and the faith that we claim as our own. It is the only responsible thing to do.

Blessings to you.

I witnessed something beautiful today. I was sitting, minding my own business eating my lunch at Sonic, when I looked up and saw an older African American woman struggling with some very large and heavy bags from Deals. She’d brought them out as far as the basket would let her (you know some are equipped with brakes that will only let you take the basket so far).

The lady had gotten the bags out of the basket and was really struggling to pick them up and walk to the bus stop that was maybe 150 feet away. After about the second time I saw her drop the bags she was trying to pick up, I decided to put my corn dog down and go help her. Before I could finish chewing, though, her knight in a BMW arrived.

A business casual white male, driving a red BMW roadster got out of his car and ran, didn’t walk, to her aid. He said a few words, which were probably “Let me help you.” He then took her bags to his car and she followed.

I thought, “Wow, he just did what I was going to do. There’s more than just me out here.” When I backed out and drove off, I could see the lady sitting rather comfortably in that BMW. Instantly, I thought of the love that Jesus had for the poor and I flashed back to how quickly the man ran to her aid to pick up those heavy bags. Then, I thought, he must see Jesus in her to take her to her destination on faith; for as we give, we receive.

One important point is also the faith and courage it took for the lady, in this day and age, to admit she needed help and to take a ride from a complete stranger.

So, where are the heavy bags in your life? Are you struggling to carry them or are you the one helping to lighten the load? Either way, help is on the way and his name is Jesus.