In a recent homily Father Brendan McGuire shared this analogy:He was given samples of oil essence, of lavender and fennel. This oil essence was super, super concentrated oil like a whole bunch of lavender squeezed into tiny little drops and every drop containing a strong aroma of that particular flower or plant.
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Like the essence of flower in the oil drops, we need to be imbued with the Spirit of Jesus. That essence of Jesus will compel us to move as disciples. 鈥淚t is not enough to believe in Jesus,鈥� McGuire said, 鈥渨e have to follow Jesus. That is the essence of discipleship: to follow Jesus.鈥�
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In a later reflection McGuire shares his experience of a mission trip to Nicaragua made by his Holy Spirit parish of San Jose. As they mixed and cemented concrete for a new school, they shared stories with the families there.
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Jaime shared why the school was so important to him. When he was younger, he had to leave school to work in the field. 鈥淚 was so small I wasn't able to hold the plow really well. The line would get crooked and my father would beat me hard like he would a mule. I have scars on my back and many of the other workers on the school site have scars on their head and on their faces from being hit by their fathers."
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Jaime鈥檚 wife Victoria shared a similar story of having to drag water in and to wash the clothes and to cook from the age of grade three. As we share in the stories and lives of our fellowman we learn to care.
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Henri Nouwen makes a distinction between cure and care. 鈥淐are is what one does from the outset. 鈥↖t is an attitude. It is something that one does and it is not concerned about the necessary change; it is not directed towards change. Its end is in itself, to care for someone.
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鈥淐ure can bring about some wonderful change but it has the potential for harm because cure can be done at an accelerated pace; 鈥an cause pain. It鈥an bring about violence because it necessitates an agenda of speed.
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鈥淐are鈥rings about鈥entle change鈥ecause one recognizes that one is loved. When one is loved, that changes everything!鈥�
鈥∣f his Nicaraguan mission Father McGuire says, 鈥淲hat we do here is not about bringing a cure to people in Nicaragua. That is not our agenda. Our agenda is simply one thing and that is to love; to care; to treat every single person鈥s an equal. 鈥�
鈥淲e come to love them where they are, not to bring about a change in our time frame. We must understand that it would be somewhat absurd to think that we could bring about change in one week.鈥↖f there is going to be any change, it is going to be because we love them, because we care for them,鈥╞ecause we allow the Spirit of Christ into our hearts and to work through us.鈥�
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鈥淪ensitivity is the sign of a maturing soul. We are called to open our eyes; to open our ears; to open our heart to others in need.鈥� Father Brendan McGuire
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鈥淛esus is happy to come to us, as truth is happy to be spoken, as life to be lived, as light to be lit, as love to be loved, as joy to be given, as peace to be spread.鈥� St Francis of Assisi
