Anniversary celebration Sant'Egidio
More than a material gift...
In the Mozes and Aäron Church, dedicated to Saint Anthony, on the 9th of february the anniversary celebration of Sant’ Egidio took place. During the celebration of the Eucharist, Jesus asked us in the gospel: Go to the deep!
After Mass there was a beautiful reception, where I was able to meet many people: refugees from Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Volunteers, homeless people and many others.
Homily
WOUNDED HEALERS IN A FIELD HOSPITAL
5th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR C - SANT'EGIDIO MOZES AND AARON
-57th anniversary of the Community of Sant’ Egidio
It goes further...
Good things often happen in the hidden and the impact of a small gesture, an act of love cannot in fact be measured. We see a smile on a face, someone feeling at home, grateful to be received as a friend, but the scope of a word or gesture of love goes further: it touches a person's soul.
Wounded healers
We all know how seriously wounded a person can be spiritually by what he or she experienced in childhood or also by traumas incurred later. We are ‘wounded healers’, as Carl Jung called it, we are called to bring healing, to assist others, to do good, knowing that we ourselves are also in need of love and healing. Pope Francis described the church as a ‘fieldhospital’ but to be able to stand beside other wounded people, it is good if we can face our own wounds as well.
Experiencing love
We have all at one time or another experienced it as balm on our souls when we are understood and accepted, when we experience love and noticing that someone does something for you, that may cost him or her some effort, but is done anyway.
That love we have seen and experienced in our Lord Jesus Christ, who came into our midst for us. He has bent over our wounds. The healings He performed, the attention He paid to those in need, to the tax collector and the sinner, the comfort He offered, show His love for every human being.
They are at the same time signs of the spiritual healing He wants to offer, the healing of our inner wounds, the healing of sin, being withdrawn from the power of evil.
‘You I have called friends,’ were His words.
Make it visible!
We are called to make the love of Jesus visible and experienceable. by our benevolence, by friendship and human kindness, through forgiveness. Time and again, in every concrete encounter we are asked this question: How can I be another Jesus in these circumstances, for this person?In this day's gospel, we notice a great hunger among the people to hear Jesus' words - the Word of God.
It falls short
So much does the crowd insist that Jesus has to make use of a fishing boat to give His teaching. The spiritual hunger of the people can only be satisfied through the Word of God, through the healing of the soul and eternal life, for the longing of a human being is ultimately a longing for the eternal, the infinite. Nothing material can satisfy that hunger; any earthly meal feeds us only for a few hours, it cannot give us complete and ultimate satisfaction. Everything earthly falls short.
Therefore, our vocation as disciples of Jesus is in the material we give, in food and clothing we share, also to open a hatch to the love of Jesus, which is infinite and eternal love. With the material, therefore, we give our friendship, making it transcend the material as well.
Sail to the deep
When Jesus has appeased the spiritual hunger of that crowd of people, He turns to the fisherman in whose boat He had taken a seat, with the words: ‘Sail to the deep’.
Perhaps several of us will remember how Saint Pope John Paul II wrote and spoke these words at the beginning of this millennium: Duc in altum, sail to the deep! Do not be afraid, do not be deterred, overcome your human fears, perhaps with small steps, but go forward, go to the deep and cast out your nets.
Unreasonable?
The fishermen who then became disciples of the Lord did what Jesus had told them even though they had to overcome a lot of inner resistance to do so: all night they had toiled, but could catch nothing; and now, in the day, when conditions for fishing were much more unfavourable, they would have to go out again and the nets they had just rinsed clean again have to cast out again.
The demand seemed so unreasonable to a sane fisherman's mind, it evoked so much understandable resistance... and yet they did it! And then catched nets full of fish.
So it is with us. There may be much in our lives which a human fear or reluctance dictates. And yet: take a step, sail into the deep!
Distance
In our society, there is much fear of getting close to people. Because of the Covid era, distance has grown, as well as the constant use of our phones, social media and messaging services doesn't really help to concretely and directl go to people. For example, people find it difficult to call someone, they experience the threshold as much lower if they can app someone and we find it easier to say something about someone to someone else - especially if it is a critical comment - than to the person himself.
So there are many barriers we experience that prevent us from approaching another person. And many of us are busy, it is often difficult to make time. Again, other people are shy again and therefore find it more difficult to approach someone.
Taking a step
When you feel such an obstacle, there is much that threatens to hold you back from going out, from going to that other person.
In contrast, Jesus' command reads: Duc in altum! Don't listen to those all-too-human voices that may echo within you, take courage, take a step, a first step, sail to the deep.
Not only because human contact is essential to humans - we are social beings, we are each other's brother and sister -, but much more so: because you are called to be there for the one who has been given to you as a brother or sister, you are called to speak to them, to be with them and to be their friend, with the love of Jesus.
