Over Thanksgiving, Mt. Sinai had its very first retreat group, EVER!!! As a house we were able to make our own totally new format for retreat groups... Neighborhood visits, work site visits, and involvement with the parish were all included! For each group, one of us (the volunteers) takes the week off of work to be with the group 24/7, and I was lucky enough to host Pope John Paul II High School from Cape Cod, led by their wonderful theology and Spanish teachers! The group was absolutely wonderful, and such a breath of fresh air for me and for my community.
One of the many things I appreciated about leading this group was how they were able to open my eyes and remind me all over again to the impressions arriving here for the very first time. It's no suburbia here, and sometimes I tend to forget that, because now it's so easy to just see Mt. Sinai as 'home'. One the one hand, I am so thankful that the first thing I see is not a person living in poverty, but a person with dignity, a person who smiles and laughs and cries just like I do. But on the other hand, it's important to recognize that my neighbors do live in a totally different world than I grew up in, and to reflect on that as the year moves on, and what that means for after this year. But I was very thankful to JPII for helping me remember where exactly I am, and why I'm here.
I know it's short today... but things are getting pretty crazy as we prep for Christmas!
One of the many things I appreciated about leading this group was how they were able to open my eyes and remind me all over again to the impressions arriving here for the very first time. It's no suburbia here, and sometimes I tend to forget that, because now it's so easy to just see Mt. Sinai as 'home'. One the one hand, I am so thankful that the first thing I see is not a person living in poverty, but a person with dignity, a person who smiles and laughs and cries just like I do. But on the other hand, it's important to recognize that my neighbors do live in a totally different world than I grew up in, and to reflect on that as the year moves on, and what that means for after this year. But I was very thankful to JPII for helping me remember where exactly I am, and why I'm here.
I know it's short today... but things are getting pretty crazy as we prep for Christmas!
