I think we all have people we consider truly great... role models, if you will. People we esteem and would like to be more like. One of those people for me is Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. Father Benedict passed away earlier this year after a great deal of suffering... I am quite sure he is in heaven, although he would always say he would be lucky to get to purgatory. If that is true, there is no hope for me!
I know of Fr. Benedict through the gift of Catholic radio. In Buffalo, when in my car or anytime I listened to the radio really, I usually had it tuned to our local Catholic radio station, WLOF 101.7, The Station of the Cross. I truly learned a lot from listening to that station, but my favorite person to listen to was Fr. Benedict Groeschel.
Fr. Benedict lived much of his life in Queens, New York working with the poor, the homeless, those with addictions and those who felt there was no hope left for them to believe in. I am sure that Fr. Benedict became hope personified for many, many people, because he did for me!
Anyways... In a story with too many twists and turns to tell, I ended up with a book written by Fr. Groeschel. It is called, "When Did We See You, Lord," written by Bishop Robert J. Baker and Fr. Benedict Groeschel. My mom wanted to send it to me, but Mary Jane ended up bringing it, neither one of them knew that I liked Fr. Groeschel so much. Below is one of the reasons why I like him. He has a way of taking things that may be difficult to address or perhaps uncomfortable, and laying it out so neatly. I have only begun this book, and already I have a list of quotes from it and 3 passages I love.
Here is one passage written by Fr. Benedict:
"The most imperative need of human beings, after air, is water. We can survive a couple of weeks without food, but only a few days without water. In a hot, arid climate like the Holy Land, where Our Lord preached, people are all the more aware of the desperate need for water. With abundant water and food supplies close at hand, we seldom think of thirst. We know other thirsts; many have a psychological thirst for companionship...recognition that they exist...appreciation for their efforts...some word of encouragement. A person with no recognition or reinforcement will begin to wither up- and, if this process goes on for a long time, they will become shallow, embittered, almost unapproachable. People will be repelled by them and a downward swirl will begin, leaving only a cinder of a human being behind where there once was a cute little baby or smiling child.
All around us, people are dying of psychological thirst while we write them off as intolerable. Every society has strong words for them: 'grouches,' 'crabs,' even 'snakes,' if they are a bit aggressive. It can be a great act of charity to try to reach out to them, and a good act of penance to get kicked in the teeth for your efforts. It takes persistence to keep trying, especially if your efforts are met with distain or ridicule.
Leon Bloy, one of the great Catholic novelists of the past century and author of The Woman who was Poor, once said, 'We know how much we love God by how we treat the ungrateful beggar.' Loneliness is a deeply troubling thirst. Most people in need smile and are grateful. That makes charity a joy. But what about the person too hurt to smile? Too trapped by mental illness to speak? Too hurt by many years of rejection, much of it self-inflicted? They don't allow anyone to get close to them.
I watched Mother Teresa be able, many times, to bring such people out of their shells. They didn't relate perhaps in a 'normal' way, but they could relate better than they ever had before. They could drink of that sweetest and most nutritious of blessings, a loving acceptance.
If you are reading this book, you wish to open the door to the practice of charity, and you may even be very experienced with works of love. But we are all challenged by the ugly, the rejecting, the nasty, and the manipulative. Nevertheless, they are all thirsty; by reaching out to them (and it is a risk), we take the chance to give a drink of water to someone who has been thirsty all of their lives."
How many times have I encountered someone, who was grouchy, crabby, mean and instead of presenting them with loving acceptance, I was mean right back, or at the very least walked away with bitterness in my head and my heart... without even a thought to what may be the root of their angst. Fr. Groschel is absolutely right - I have found great joy in giving to the poor and needy... when that joy is returned, which it usually is. But when my act of giving is met with anger, meanness, even indifference, I carry that darkness with me in my head and heart. Never have I really thought of it from their side, what they may be going through... the reason why accepting charity would arouse angry feelings in them. It doesn't matter if my act of giving is met with joy or indifference, with gratitude or entitlement, everyone I encounter is thirsty for something, and in giving them a drink I am giving it to Jesus. Humility is the answer... to many things in fact, but especially here. Thank you, Fr. Benedict... xxoo
