Vindication

For those of us who choose service, imposter syndrome is real. We often question if our efforts amount to anything, much less all we want to offer. We question our motives- is this really out of selflessness or is my ego, my need to seem and feel “right”, what drives my service? 

It is when those we offer our service to respond in love, we get an answer. When the answer to our doubts is trust and gratitude, a piece of our humanity comes back. We get a taste of the resurrection. And like the best of things-these gestures of trust and gratitude are free!! 

 

Objects of Pity or Subjects of Love?

As the school year here in Honduras winds down and we prepare for the advent of Our Lord, being surrounded by the onslaught of gifts, festive songs and firecrackers prompted me to meditate on the point of view of those we serve: so much of what they do and offer around this time of the year would be what Scrooge would consider wasteful, proof that the needs of poor people or nations are the product of irresponsibility. Instead, I see dignity- a refusal to accept being objects of pity or scorn because they know they are subjects of love, equal to the rich and powerful of the world. They’re entitled to celebrate, that’s why they do it. To feast is not a reward to be earned, but a revelation regarding what the core of existence really is-the great marriage feast of the lamb. Now enough pontificating- let us sing!!!

-Jacob

*Singing the Posadas, a Christmas song done in a call-and-response style between two groups: those on the “inside”, who refuse to shelter the holy family at first out of annoyance, and a group “outside” with the holy family, begging for shelter. The song ends with the inside group recognizing the holy family and letting them in.