Branching out

In the recent past, I've used this blog as a place to post sermons.  For a while I pulled them all off, and stopped posting, because of unwanted attention from an acquaintance that resulted in a permanent stalking order. While I'm unlikely to rejoin the social media world in sharing (or oversharing) personal information, I do think it's important to share good news, whether that's perspective, sermons, pictures. So I think I'm back.

So this morning's feel-good story..

This past week, I had the great joy of hearing Sister Simone Campbell talk about mercy and justice. She's got experience with both, as a Catholic nun and social justice lobbyist who was criticized (censured maybe) by the Vatican as focusing too much on poverty and income equality.  Huh?  I was pumped up and inspired by the good in the world. 

I returned to my day-job, where this week's challenges include convening a group to discuss how the police should respond to lone barricaded mentally ill subjects, to keep everyone safe and alive - the public, the officers, and the suspect.  Hard stuff.

The other big issue is what to do with a faith-based organization that provides food several times a week to our community's homeless.  The problem is that after the organizers leave, people remain and some misbehave in a serious way. There are drugs, pooping on neighbors' porches, and lots of litter.  I was dreading a meeting of city staff where we were going to talk about what to do about this genuine dilemma.  I do not want to excuse bad or illegal behavior.  But I also don't want to be in any way involved in discouraging this kindness.  What to do? 

Discussions will begin in earnest about how to do this in a way that has less negative impact on the neighbors. 

So the good  news.  This morning, I was at the grocery store, and there was a man in front of me, with hundreds of items - soap, shampoo, detergent. And lots of coupons.  It was going to take the checker a while, and I was heading to work.  I went and did a little more shopping so I wouldn't be too impatient with this man. 

I returned, and bought my two items.  Behind me, the same man was unloading his cart with a second payload of soap, shampoo, detergent, and lots of coupons.  I asked what this was about.  It turns out that he is a Dominican Priest, in town for a few days because he used to work in town.  Whenever he travels, he uses coupons to purchase a lot of dry goods to donate to good causes in town.  He averages $100 per day when travelling.  It's part of his continued ministry. 

He was musing about where he was going to bring his donation today. I asked if he was aware of the organization that provides the food.  He was not.  I gave him the contact info, and he was extremely grateful for the information and was going to head over to help them out.

God is good.