June 24, 2023

I used to spend time serving coffee and doing laundry at a place for people experiencing homelessness.  We had a couple of showers and it always amazed me how precious shower time was for some of our guests.  They would ritualize picking up their towels, practice great intentionality in setting up the shower room, and then rejoice in the privacy of a locked door and a space to themselves (sometimes relinquishing the peace and quiet only after pleading from the staff!).  Maybe this scenario captures the essence of our own lives.  Though we do not like to think of ourselves as homeless, we are lost to ourselves, playing in some imaginary world because we fear what life is really like (Lk 15:13).  We blindly construct shower rooms – fancy houses, social statuses, important careers, etc. –  that serve as safe havens from the risk of living.  The good news is that we carry a room within ourselves, and we can choose to close the door and experience enduring privacy while immersed in the drama of our daily environments (Mt 6:6).  The key which unlocks the door and makes this lifestyle possible is deep trust in and prayerful communion with our heavenly father (Mt 6:9-15) who constantly invites us home (Lk 15:20).  May we simply have the courage to go home.  Ave Crux, Spes Unica.