Parent letter faith reflection
At times our own light goes out and is kindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flames within us. - Albert Schweitzer
During his homily on Sunday Fr. Erik used a story about a man taking a large unattractive rock in his front yard turning it into a beautiful elephant. One of his neighbors asked him how he was able to do that. His response was he just chipped away at anything that wasn’t an elephant. Fr. Erik used this story to illustrate the Gospel’s reading. Sunday’s reading reminded us that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.
To love God and our neighbor, empathy, Fr. Erik said, was the tool we use to chip away everything that doesn’t look like tender heartedness. Empathy chips away the ugly rock of selfishness to reveal the beautiful elephant hidden within.
Someone who put Fr. Erik’s words into action many years ago is Venerable Pierre Toussaint. A former enslaved person, he became a very successful hairdresser in New York and used his earnings for others. After gaining his freedom Venerable Toussaint, along with his wife Juliette, opened their home to those in need, as well as making it an orphanage and an employment bureau. They also contributed to the building of (old) St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Venerable Pierre and his wife refused to be selfish or hateful. Instead they showed their love for God and their neighbor, leaving behind a legacy of tender heartedness which played a large role in his cause for sainthood being opened.
When we think of ourselves more and more as a single family dwelling in a common home, as Pope Francis has asked of us in his encyclical Fratelli e Sorelle Tutti, we can be like the Toussaints and create beautiful sculptures out of ugly stones we see around us. I’m glad I went to the 8am Mass last Sunday so I could be inspired by Fr. Erik (as well as the Toussaints) to look at how I, too, can chip away at anything that doesn’t look like tenderheartedness.
Showcasing 7th grade’s talents: Fittingly Anthony had drawn a beautiful elephant for 7th grade's Windblown assignment.
God bless,
Mrs. Alhadef
Campus Minister
4th Grade Aide
Jr. High ELA Aide