{"id":3966,"date":"2019-06-10T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2019-06-10T14:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/?p=3966"},"modified":"2019-06-11T13:25:57","modified_gmt":"2019-06-11T18:25:57","slug":"may-god-stir-our-hearts-to-reach-the-poor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/2019\/06\/10\/may-god-stir-our-hearts-to-reach-the-poor\/","title":{"rendered":"May God Stir Our Hearts to Reach the Poor"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the early 1990s I read the late Henri Nouwen\u2019s book, The Road to Daybreak, <\/i>his account of leaving the prestige and comfort of Harvard University to join L\u2019Arche Daybreak, a ministry serving severely mentally challenged adults in Toronto, Canada. This new ministry was part of a network of L\u2019Arche homes begun by Jean Vanier in 1965 in Trosly-Breuil, France.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

L\u2019Arche, in French, means \u201cthe ark,\u201d and the image is of Noah\u2019s boat of safety and salvation. As I read about L\u2019Arche and Jean Vanier, my heart was opened to ministry \u201cto the least of these.\u201d Now, for the second time, I\u2019m reading Vanier\u2019s book, From Brokenness to Community.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Nouwen\u2019s faith journey in The Road to Daybreak<\/i> is a book to which I return periodically. It moved me so deeply when I first read it that I ordered copies for my then teenage children.<\/p>\n

Nouwen died in 1996. Vanier died on May 7, 2019. But the impact of both continues through their ministries and writings.<\/p>\n

I think of these faith heroes as I ponder the IPHC\u2019s core value of justice. Nouwen and Vanier had a keen understanding of \u201cthe poor\u201d that arose from their ministry with mentally challenged men and women.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From Brokenness to Community<\/i> is a book taken from Vanier\u2019s 1988 lectures at Harvard Divinity School. It describes aspects of Christian community that challenge my sometimes-idealistic views.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vanier wrote: \u201cJesus calls his friends into community with others who have been chosen for the same path. This is when all the problems begin! We see the disciples squabbling among themselves, wondering who is the greatest, the most important among them! Community is a wonderful place, it is life-giving; but it is also a place of pain because it is a place of truth and of growth \u2013 the revelation of our pride, our fear, and our brokenness.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his Harvard lectures, Vanier described his call to ministry in 1964, when he took two mentally disabled men, Raphael and Philip, from an asylum and provided a real home and constant care for them. He described what he learned: \u201cWhen I had begun living with them, I soon started to discover the immense pain in their hearts. When we talk of the poor, or of announcing the good news to the poor, we should never idealize the poor. Poor people are hurt; they are in pain. They can be very angry, in revolt or in depression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vanier gave almost his entire adult life to those living in the margins of life. In fact, we usually find ways to put such people totally out of sight\u2014even farther away than the margins! But Vanier found them hidden in institutional shadows and brought them into the margins where they could be loved and served. He saw that these people could become instruments of Christ\u2019s grace. In the last years of his life, Nouwen took the same path to the margins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are different kinds of poverty. Besides those who are poor due to disabilities, there are those Jesus called \u201cthe poor in spirit\u201d (Matthew 5:3). There are also the poor who lack food and other provisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The law of Moses instructed those with much to insure the poor could gather grain and other food supplies around the edges of fields (see Exodus 23:11; Leviticus 19:10; 23:22). Their efforts to gather for themselves was a way of providing the dignity of work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are also the poor who are homeless and live on the streets (see Luke 14:21; 16:20). There are those who are oppressed and persecuted, and become poor refugees (see Psalm 12:5; 109:16; Proverbs 14:31). And yes, there are those who become poor through their foolishness (see Proverbs 10:4; 21:17).<\/p>\n

In the gospels, Jesus made numerous references to the poor. The songs of praise at Jesus\u2019 birth expressed hope and deliverance for the poor and lowly (Luke 1:52, 53). Though Jesus was not destitute and had resources from several sources, He accepted the \u201cpoverty\u201d of our fallen humanity when He stepped into this earth in the Incarnation. And, the Bible says, \u201cthough He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich\u201d (2 Corinthians 8:9).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Christian communities are to be places where social status, wealth and prestige are not used to differentiate people by worldly categories of worth or importance (see James 2:1-9). The members of the church at Laodicea believed themselves to be rich, wealthy and in need of nothing, yet they were actually \u201cwretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked\u201d (Revelation 3:17).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Care for the poor is never easy, whether the poor lack the basic needs of this life\u2014shelter, food, clothing, and protection\u2014or they are the proud, self-sufficient people who don\u2019t realize how desperately poor they really are. As Vanier understood, disillusionment, disappointment, anger, resentment and a host of other responses quickly eliminate the not so subtle self-congratulations of our efforts to help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As followers of Jesus seeking to be messengers of reconciliation, we must not be na\u00efve or discouraged when we work with the poor. We must persevere, ever recognizing that our often-loving efforts of generosity and compassion are often rejected, ridiculed and even squandered.<\/p>\n

May God raise up new \u201ckingdom outposts\u201d of faithful servants in the IPHC who will move among those living in the margins. May our presence in this world bring grace, patience, and lovingkindness.<\/p>\n

\n

This article was originally published in the Encourage<\/a> magazine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":3967,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,305,1],"tags":[46,149,760,761],"class_list":{"0":"post-3966","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bishops-blog","8":"category-encourage-magazine","9":"category-general","10":"tag-doug-beacham","11":"tag-encourage-magazine","12":"tag-june-2019","13":"tag-may-god-stir-our-hearts-to-reach-the-poor","14":"entry"},"title_es":"Que Dios agite nuestros corazones para alcanzar a los pobres","content_es":"A principios de la d\u00e9cada de 1990, le\u00ed el libro de Henri Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak,<\/i> su relato de haber dejado el prestigio y la comodidad de la Universidad de Harvard para unirse a L'Arche Daybreak, un ministerio que atiende a adultos con discapacidades mentales en Toronto, Canad\u00e1. Este nuevo ministerio fue parte de una red de hogares de El Arca iniciada por Jean Vanier en 1965 en Trosly-Breuil, Francia. \u00a0<\/span> L'Arche, en franc\u00e9s, significa \"el arca\", y la imagen es del bote de seguridad y salvaci\u00f3n de No\u00e9. Cuando le\u00ed sobre L'Arche y Jean Vanier, mi coraz\u00f3n se abri\u00f3 al ministerio \"a los m\u00e1s peque\u00f1os<\/i> \". Ahora, por segunda vez, estoy leyendo el libro de Vanier, De lo quebrantado a la comunidad. \u00a0<\/span><\/i> El viaje de fe de Nouwen en The Road to Daybreak<\/i> es un libro al que vuelvo peri\u00f3dicamente. Me emocion\u00f3 tanto cuando lo le\u00ed por primera vez que ped\u00ed copias para mis hijos adolescentes. Nouwen muri\u00f3 en 1996. Vanier muri\u00f3 el 7 de mayo de 2019. Pero el impacto de ambos contin\u00faa a trav\u00e9s de sus ministerios y escritos. Pienso en estos h\u00e9roes de fe mientras reflexiono sobre el valor fundamental de la justicia de la IPHC. Nouwen y Vanier ten\u00edan un profundo entendimiento de \"los pobres\" que surgieron de su ministerio con hombres y mujeres con problemas mentales. \u00a0<\/span> From Brokenness to Community<\/i> es un libro tomado de las conferencias de Vanier en 1988 en Harvard Divinity School. Describe aspectos de la comunidad cristiana que desaf\u00edan mis puntos de vista a veces idealistas. \u00a0<\/span> Vanier escribi\u00f3: \u201cJes\u00fas llama a sus amigos a la comunidad con otros que han sido elegidos para el mismo camino. Esto es cuando todos los problemas comienzan! Vemos a los disc\u00edpulos peleando entre ellos, pregunt\u00e1ndose qui\u00e9n es el m\u00e1s grande, \u00a1el m\u00e1s importante entre ellos! La comunidad es un lugar maravilloso, es vivificante; pero tambi\u00e9n es un lugar de dolor porque es un lugar de verdad y de crecimiento: la revelaci\u00f3n de nuestro orgullo, nuestro miedo y nuestro quebrantamiento \u201d. En sus conferencias de Harvard, Vanier describi\u00f3 su llamado al ministerio en 1964, cuando tom\u00f3 Dos hombres con discapacidad mental, Rafael y Felipe, tomaron un asilo y les proporcionaron un hogar real y un cuidado constante. Describi\u00f3 lo que aprendi\u00f3: \u201cCuando comenc\u00e9 a vivir con ellos, pronto comenc\u00e9 a descubrir el inmenso dolor en sus corazones. Cuando hablamos de los pobres, o de anunciar las buenas nuevas a los pobres, nunca debemos idealizar a los pobres. Los pobres son heridos; ellos estan en el dolor Pueden estar muy enojados, en revuelta o en depresi\u00f3n \u201d. Vanier dio casi toda su vida adulta a quienes viven en los m\u00e1rgenes de la vida. De hecho, por lo general, encontramos formas de alejar totalmente a esas personas, \u00a1incluso m\u00e1s lejos que los m\u00e1rgenes! Pero Vanier los encontr\u00f3 escondidos en sombras institucionales y los llev\u00f3 a los m\u00e1rgenes donde pod\u00edan ser amados y servidos. Vio que estas personas podr\u00edan convertirse en instrumentos de la gracia de Cristo. En los \u00faltimos a\u00f1os de su vida, Nouwen tom\u00f3 el mismo camino hacia los m\u00e1rgenes. \u00a0<\/span> Hay diferentes tipos de pobreza. Adem\u00e1s de aquellos que son pobres debido a discapacidades, hay aquellos que Jes\u00fas llama \"los pobres de esp\u00edritu\" (Mateo 5: 3). Tambi\u00e9n est\u00e1n los pobres que carecen de alimentos y otras provisiones. \u00a0<\/span> La ley de Mois\u00e9s instruy\u00f3 a los que ten\u00edan mucho para asegurar que los pobres pudieran recolectar cereales y otros suministros de alimentos alrededor de los bordes de los campos (v\u00e9ase \u00c9xodo 23:11; Lev\u00edtico 19:10; 23:22). Sus esfuerzos para reunirse por s\u00ed mismos era una forma de proporcionar la dignidad del trabajo. \u00a0<\/span> Tambi\u00e9n hay pobres que est\u00e1n sin hogar y viven en las calles (vea Lucas 14:21; 16:20). Hay quienes est\u00e1n oprimidos y perseguidos, y se convierten en refugiados pobres (vea Salmo 12: 5; 109: 16; Proverbios 14:31). Y s\u00ed, hay quienes se vuelven pobres por su insensatez (vea Proverbios 10: 4; 21:17). En los evangelios, Jes\u00fas hizo numerosas referencias a los pobres. Las canciones de alabanza en el nacimiento de Jes\u00fas expresaron esperanza y liberaci\u00f3n para los pobres y humildes (Lucas 1:52, 53). Aunque Jes\u00fas no estaba en la miseria y ten\u00eda recursos de varias fuentes, acept\u00f3 la \"pobreza\" de nuestra humanidad ca\u00edda cuando entr\u00f3 en esta tierra en la Encarnaci\u00f3n. Y, como dice la Biblia, \u201caunque era rico, por su causa se hizo pobre, para que a trav\u00e9s de su pobreza se haga rico\u201d (2 Corintios 8: 9). \u00a0<\/span> Las comunidades cristianas deben ser lugares donde el estatus social, la riqueza y el prestigio no se usan para diferenciar a las personas por categor\u00edas mundanas de valor o importancia (v\u00e9ase Santiago 2: 1-9). Los miembros de la iglesia en Laodicea cre\u00edan que eran ricos, ricos y que no necesitaban nada, sin embargo, en realidad eran \"miserables, miserables, pobres, ciegos y desnudos\" (Apocalipsis 3:17). \u00a0<\/span> Cuidar de los pobres nunca es f\u00e1cil, ya sea que los pobres no tengan las necesidades b\u00e1sicas de esta vida (refugio, comida, ropa y protecci\u00f3n) o que sean personas orgullosas y autosuficientes que no se dan cuenta de lo desesperadamente pobres que son. Como comprendi\u00f3 Vanier, la desilusi\u00f3n, la decepci\u00f3n, la ira, el resentimiento y muchas otras respuestas eliminan r\u00e1pidamente la no tan sutil auto-felicitaci\u00f3n de nuestros esfuerzos por ayudar. \u00a0<\/span> Como seguidores de Jes\u00fas que buscan ser mensajeros de reconciliaci\u00f3n, no debemos ser ingenuos ni desanimados cuando trabajamos con los pobres. Debemos perseverar, reconociendo siempre que nuestros esfuerzos a menudo amorosos de generosidad y compasi\u00f3n a menudo son rechazados, ridiculizados e incluso malgastados. Que Dios levante nuevos \"puestos de avanzada del reino\" de fieles servidores en la IPHC que se mover\u00e1n entre los que viven en los m\u00e1rgenes. Que nuestra presencia en este mundo traiga gracia, paciencia y bondad.","author_name":"Doug Beacham","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/06\/Reach-the-Poor.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Bx-11Y","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}