Fr. Mark Soehner, OFM, sends message of hope this Advent
The light of Advent
At times in this pandemic, we're tempted to give up. We're tempted to think the candles of Advent have gone out. Mother Teresa, with her great work with the poor, lit a candle in Calcutta that became a fire. Pretty soon young reporters were trailing Mother Teresa. They were amazed at her care of people they would overlook. And they would ask her why she loved the poor so much. She could honor the poor with dignity in such difficult situations. In response, she'd like to grasp their hand and slowly wiggle one finger at a time and explain, "This is how. You did it for me."
In her mind she could count the whole Gospel on just five fingers. She wasn't doing something for people, she was doing it for someone, the poor and humble Jesus. The Jesus who said, "Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do it for me."
The Province of St. John the Baptist serves the poor and humble through many ministries: Friars Club, St. Francis Seraph Ministries, Roger Bacon High School, St. Francis Retreat House, Franciscan Media, St. Francis Seraph School, ministries in Jamaica such as: Get Kids to School, Revival Medical Center, Bok Spot Learning Centers, and St. Anthony's Kitchen.
Thank you for your support, won't you continue to help us serve those and say, "You did it for me."
(Fr. Mark Soehner, OFM, is the Provincial Minister of the Province of St. John the Baptist.)
Posted in: Advent and Christmas, Missions
