Holy Thursday
The Triduum is upon us, friends. Tonight we celebrate the washing of the feet and the institution of the Eucharist. I have long been grateful for the humble, practical way that we enter into the low lows and high highs of this week; that the story of salvation begins with a posture of service toward others. How, in recent years, Pope Francis has continued to make this tangible by celebrating Holy Thursday in detention centers and prisons.
As I prepare to enter into these holiest of days, and with this reminder, there is one idea and invitation that I am bringing with me:
Stagnant
Maybe it has been the anniversary of pandemic living that has me thinking in terms of the broader community that shaped me before my whole life took place from my kitchen table. I have been thinking back to when the needs of those on the margins were part of my daily and professional conversation and reflection. While our kiddos have certainly provided a place to intentionally practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, it has been an isolating year, to say the least. Intentionally being around the unmet needs of others kept me from becoming complacent, spiritually or otherwise, and to be honest, I don’t feel like I am in that place of constant examination and call to conversion of heart anymore…and I don’t like it.
I am also looking ahead with hope to a time when won’t feel the burden of public health guidelines to inform our interactions with others. The concept of time when we can be physically present to one another again. What will that even look like?!
Staying in the mix
I recently prepared a reflection on Jonah, my (humbling) Scriptural personality twin, who also likes to keep the peace and doubts seriously the clear invitations laid out before him, by God. He’s just that guy who reminds me of my ugly tendencies to get comfortable and stay there. So in honor of Holy Thursday, and in an act of self-awareness that could pull me from a place of comfort and back into the mix a bit, I’ll share with you something I’ve been waiting for someone else to do for a long time.
Since they haven’t, I’m hoping that you’ll consider joining me as I respond to my inner promptings.
As a grad student, and a parishioner working in outreach, I’ve been disappointed by the lack of user-friendly materials that invite the faithful to incorporate and deepen their relationship between faith and service, faith and justice. For ages, I have wished for an accessible way to engage people in the wealth of life-giving resources the Church has in her reserves in terms of teachings for times such as these. What could/should outreach look like? Where do we put our resources? Amidst the litany of unmet needs, where do we begin? How does our tradition stay Ever Ancient and Ever New? And why does the Church come off from time to time as, a bit nosy?
‘Best kept secret‘
You might recognize what I’m getting at as Catholic Social Teaching, but if you don’t—you’re not alone! One unfortunate tag-line that is associated with these beautiful teachings is that they remain the ‘best-kept secret in the Catholic Church.’ Of course, you don’t have to be Catholic to participate, but if you are I hope that delving deeper into what is already ours is an enriching experience.
I hope to provide an evergreen foundation that offers an introduction to these teachings and a challenge to participants to grow in their understanding of what it means to be a Church that serves Christ in those they encounter on the margins; in the other.
What you can expect
In this bi-monthly undertaking, I’ll include my curated reflections and prayers in addition to incorporating the source documents that make up Catholic Social Teaching. You will also get to hear from holy men and women who have contributed to and continue this tradition today. If you subscribe, you’ll receive two additional e-mails from me each month during this series. *I’m also planning for some fun giveaways and ways to continue the conversation!
The Invitation
As I mentioned, this is new territory for me and I’m learning as I go. In a perfect world, I would *love* for this to serve as a pilot for a resource I could someday make more widely available for others, so your feedback is essential!
If this has you as excited as it has me, subscribe here to be sure you’re on the CST Spotlight email list as we’ll begin next Thursday! I am only making this available for those who subscribe. That said I’d deeply appreciate your passing along the invitation to others you know who might be interested in delving deeper, too! For those with schedules that do not allow for anything extra right now, fear not, you will continue to receive periodic e-mails from me, but nothing additional.
Here’s to embracing the call to wash feet, committing to growth in the Easter season & stepping away from *those* tendencies that bog us down. I’m looking forward to diving deeper together!
But first, delve into Holy week. I pray that it is nourishing, challenging, and celebratory in all of the ways we most need!