Feb. 6th, 2011: "The Power of Boundless Compassion"

A few days ago I finished reading Fr. Greg Boyle SJ's book, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion. I was inspired to read this book following Fr. Boyle's visit and presentation to a group of us in Albuquerque. The book is set in Boyle Heights, inner city Los Angeles. Fr. Boyle, a native of a more affluent part of Los Angeles, has been working in the Boyle Heights neighborhood for over 20 years. In Los Angeles county, according to Fr. Boyle's book, there are approximately 1,100 gangs and 86,000 gang members. In Fr. Boyle's time in Boyle Heights he has buried over 170 young people whom were connected to gangs. One of the poorest, high drug dealing, and most gang inhabited areas in Los Angeles is Boyle Heights. From my reading of his book, Fr. Boyle knew from the start of his placement in Boyle Heights that something needed to change. In 1986 Fr. Boyle created what is now known as Homeboy Industries (http://www.homeboy-industries.org/). Homeboy Industries is a multi-structred rehabilitation and gang intervention center for people who were part of a gang. There are free counseling services, tattoo removal, employment opportunities, legal services, and much more at Homeboy Industries. The book and Fr. Boyle's presentation goes beyond describing the services provided by Homeboy Industries, it breaks down exterior boundaries of tattoos and guns and provides a glimpse of the deep, hurt souls of those whom are bound in lives of turmoil, despair, and feeling unloved. These, for the most part children and young adults, through their encounter with Christ, in one another - including rival gangs, in Fr. Boyle, and in the trust of Homeboy Industries, go from harm and despair to hope and feeling loved.

One of the main themes I gathered from the book and Fr. Boyle's presentation is one that we learned in kindergarten, never judge a book by it's cover. There is always a story behind how and why someone ends up where they end up. And just because someones history is spotty, from our standards, God loves them and they still have a chance for success. To fully appreciate God we must allow ourselves to open our eyes and hearts to everyone, including those who have tattoos and dress like a homey. We must not feel pity for people rather we must be in kinship. When Jesus walked into a room full of people he usually went to the outcasts and sat with them. He ate with them. He didn't act superior to them. Rather, he was one of them...he, himself, was shunned, on the outskirts of society, and seen as different. Jesus was in kinship with the most vulnerable in his time. This is what Fr. Boyle describes, how we must all move towards kinship with those who are most vulnerable in our time. I don't think Fr. Boyle's intention is for all of his readers to work and be with people in gangs; I think Fr. Boyle's intention is much more broad, "Do the thing that is in front of you," spoken by Mother Theresa. This is what I believe is what Fr. Boyle is attempting to get his readers to understand, be in kinship with the most vulnerable in your neighborhoods, cities, and towns. In Albuquerque, in my opinion, the most vulnerable are children - due to the high poverty levels and poor education system we have in the state of New Mexico, immigrants and refugees, people who are homeless, and the incarcerated. We must open our eyes and our hearts to those in front of us. We cannot continue to hide behind our white picket fences and only pray that God will change the unjust structures in our societies; prayer and action are two components of faith that are intertwined so tightly that to have one and not the other will not challenge us to become fully whom Christ created us to become. Kinship, knowing the other, being in solidarity with the other, so that the word "other" one day does not exist, this is what Fr. Boyle and Jesus both challenge us to do.

On Friday night, for our two year anniversary of our proposal, Mike, took me to see the musical, Wicked. The plot to this musical, naturally, is very different from Fr. Boyle's book, yet, there are common threads that I think are important for us to digest. Essentially Wicked is a musical about how the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz become who they become. It gives us a glimpse of their histories, how they were treated when they were children, and how this influenced choices they made while they were adults. It's a story about betrayal, romance, and friendship. Ultimately I believe it is also about "not judging a book by its cover." There is a reason the Wicked Witch becomes the Wicked Witch (a story I will not tell on my blog, this is a must see musical). Again, we are called to look past the exterior of a person and look into the heart and soul of the person God created him or her to be. We must not allow the media and society to tell us how to look at people, rather, we must meet people face to face, listen to them and respond with care, love, and compassion. We must be in kinship.

I know that the message of this blog is quite simplistic, and some might think trite, yet, I think that we can use the reminder to not judge people, the homeless, gang members, people of different ethnicities, different sexual preferences, etc., and allow God who is within them and whom loves them without boundaries to shine through. We must be vessels of compassion always to everyone. This will allow us to grow closer to Christ. Also it will allow those whom we are showing compassion to, to see and feel Christ. We must also remember it's not about superiority its about kinship. And who knows where kinship and love might take you; you might be the first person to show those living on the margins that they are loved by God. Or, rather, you might recognize the deep love that God has for you.