Let it begin with me...
Monday, December 13, 2010
*Marta Vargas
Years back, while working on a school paper, a series of questions meant to test decisions found in a philosophy book impacted me profoundly, in particular: If everyone were to do what I am about to do, would the world be better or worse off? Talk about a test that can make the seemingly small and irrelevant suddenly become anything but insignificant in eye-opening ways!
One of my favorite songs goes “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” Sounds so simple, yet it is so profound and true considering the world is simply a conglomeration of countries, which in turn are made up of states or provinces, made up of towns or cities, made up of communities and other groups (including churches), made up of families, made up of individuals, and those individuals are you and me!
We are where our family begins, and in turn where our Church begins, and where the rest begins. And the more our relationships and daily choices reflect this, the more profound and positive an impact we make as our individual realities come together into one whole.
What if this Advent more of us entered into a deepened commitment to be “Let it begin with me” people? People who more consistently think about what might come after what we do (or don’t do) or what we say (or don’t say)? People of appreciation and gratitude, who give our best, who honor each other totally (yes, including each other’s time in the practice of common courtesy), who use the power of the word to build each other up? And what if we embraced and lived such a life-giving life so authentically that this would pour into our Church and work? What Church, what community, what country, what world might we be living in?
This third week of Advent, let us reflect: In what ways can you and I grow as a “Let it begin with me” person? What areas might God be calling us to more authentically reflect the love and hope of Christ to family, neighbor, parish, and workplace?
May God’s grace and Holy Spirit aid and guide us on this quest, with fruits leading to “transformation that transforms and blesses” both our domestic church and greater Church; our parishes, ministries, and archdiocese. May we rise from glory to glory together in ways that reach into every place we go and every face we meet, one heart and family at a time, beginning right here, with you and me. This Advent and always, “Let it begin with me.”
Comments from readers
Interesting comments on the call to encourage each other so we persevere on the quest to be 'let it begin with me' people. The words that come to mind are Mother Teresa's quote that essentially says to "do it anyway" even if it is difficult, even if the work gets undone or isn't appreciated. And as we 'do it anyway' we will in turn encourage others to do so and in this pulling through together we will come out stronger, closer and more blessed. No less important is to be praying for those who undo, who don't appreciate, and for the wisdom and love to kindly and patiently help light their path and offer them our hand (here it might help to remember our times when we didn't and still may struggle to meet the call) :) . For the children and youth, definitely, leading by example is key. Some tools, Matthew Kelly has written a new 8 or so session program in follow up to his book "'Why Am I Here?" for children to learn behaviors that help them become as he calls it "the best version of themselves", which includes "being the difference that makes a difference". Info on this spring 2011 release and schools programs at www.matthewkelly.org or www.thebestversionofyourself.com. Alsoo important for the older youth is Pope John Paul IIs teachings on the Theology of the Body, which provide a key foundation to understand the gift of every human being including themselves. Information on great study programs at www.theologyofthebodyforteens.com and www.theologyofthebody.com including a study program for middle school spring 2011. We plan to bring Damon Owens down to inspire and further train adult youth leaders target date May 2011. anyone interested in co-sponsoring or supporting these programs please contact me at the office.
There is so much more we could say, so many ways we could go, guess the bottom line is "responsibility, community, love and grace". To embrace the responsibility of the call, to thinks of those around us as much as or perhaps more than ourselves, and because this is not an easy task, to be sure to rely on God, seek His grace and to be open to the idea of community becoming also a source of mutual support as we help each other on this quest. In combining these elements His love shall shine through us to make a difference as we each say "let it begin with me" with our lives for the blessings of all.
PS- Ana, I heard the same homily from Fr Raul and yes, it was AWESOME! // Chuck, so glad your son shared the blog with you and glad to hear you love the song too. I can tell you dont just like it but live it in seeing how your son lives it too, and has been a true blessing to our ministry!
Thank you everyone. Have a wonderful last week of Advent and a Blessed Christmas. And already looking forward to our next conversation... see you next time...
Of course.... if as you said we would simply say "let it begin with me" just by how we are living our lives, the rest would follow anyway. Let it begin with me!
Another thing I like to do is to make sure I am kind to everyone who serves me, and make it a point to speak words of appreciation when I see they are working hard especially thankless jobs. Today, I ran into the cleaning crew in a public bathroom of a very very busy place so in seeing your comments surely you dont need me to tell you how hard they were probably working to keep the place nice for the rest of us. So I made it a point to, before leaving, saying 'thank you for the hard work you are putting into keeping this area nice. I am so glad you are here, and so grateful for you. God bless you!'
Their big smiles told me they were not quite expecting that, but it really blessed them.
It is nice how an affirming word or act of kindness towards people who serve us, many of whom are challenged daily, will help them realize they are appreciated even when it might seem as if they are not by the others. And this could be what they need to keep them motivated to keep on keeping on working hard and doing a good job even if it might get undone in 5 minutes or some person here or there may not notice it. Let's each take a moment to appreciate a service worker today and let it begin with me!
Another thing that comes to mind is how at the grocery store I may find say frozen meat someone left by the spaghetti, mindful of how that stuff spoils and could be wasted I help by either putting it back if its still frozen or giving it to a staff person if there is any question as to whether it stayed out too long.
I also like to do random acts of kindness.
Thanks again. Very good eork. We should be talking about things like this and thinking about it more and I dont just mean here. Take and God bless
Bishop Estevez' , special thanks as in reading your comments, you led me to another treasure from our great Pope John Paul II that I had not read yet. So I went to www.Vatican.va to read Novo Millenium Ineunte, and what a blessing that was. As our he said in this wonderful letter, in our call to be love and be 'Witnesses to love", we are called to " think of our brothers and sisters in faith ...as "those who are a part of me" and warns us that "unless we follow this spiritual path, external structures of communion will serve very little purpose. They would become mechanisms without a soul, "masks" of communion rather than its means of expression and growth".
Indeed! Let it begin with me and let's 'be the difference' we wish to see!
Case in point, a good time to share something someone recently shared that is so very appropriate: "Just the other day, someone confused me with someone who worked at a store. The sad and somewhat scary part is that this happened because in seeing so many clothes all over the children's department floor I simply couldn't walk past without putting them back up, the people seemed surprised that I would do that not working there as opposed to being surprised that nobody else would bother, especially as easy and quick as it was to do. And while maybe it comes naturally due to having the blessing of having parents who taught me to always seek to leave a place as or better than you found it, even if (and perhaps especially if) it is not your own, we all know just because people don't do it doesn't necessarily mean their parents didnt try to teach this... Either way, gotta wonder: What would happen if even 10% more people would embrace that philosophy, of leaving every place (and person) they encounter better than before passed through or made contact?"
Great point!
Perhaps the bottom line, or part of it, is that too often people take people for granted. We have become a society of users who feel entitled to be waited on, as opposed to a world of givers who feel a call to not just serve but hold up those around us beyond our circles regardless of relation or situation, who think of other people besides ourselves, our own little world and needs. There seems to be more "What have you done for me lately?" than "What else can I do for you?" out there. So much so that we will be quick to blame the store clerks for the messy children's clothing floor, or the janitors for the messy (sometimes downright horrible) bathrooms, without stopping for a moment to think about the origin of the mess which sometimes may seem ' perpetual' not because people aren't doing their job but because there may be more people entering in and out who have little to no regard for the next person doing visiting the site too consistently and repetitively (and who knows if the person questioning is themselves leaving a mess behind as well).
To be clear, this is not to downplay that jobs due have their connected tasks, so, while yes, keeping things tidy are a function of their job, and an important one at that, as is for each of us to do our best at whatever it is we have committed to at work and elsewhere with excellence (let it begin with me again!), does the fact that someone else's job description include cleaning up after us justify acting carelessly and abdicating responsibility for the messes we make? (which if we take this a little deeper we may be beginning to see an analogy with other areas of life, perhaps another major reason why living as if the phrase "let it begin with me" matters might be so important. Not to mention with as much as expanded as job descriptions are becoming these days due to downsizing, some might argue there would still be plenty responsibilities these hard working folks could tend to in a more efficient manner if only the rest of us would treat their place of business -and every place we visit for that matter- with a little more dignity and respect... or in other words, as if it were our own home. Another person commented on this "If we can't do that, then time to self examine and ask ourselves (a)What do our houses look like and if our houses are tidy and we only make a mess when the place is somebody else's then the question becomes (b)What does my heart and its supply of love and charity really look like? " Good questions indeed.
Leaving places better (or at least not worse) than how we found them, whether that's our workplace, our Church, or the corner store by picking up the clothes, or public rest areas by cleaning up after ourselves, basically treating places as if they were our own home, mindful of how this will benefit or affect others (even if for the selfish reason that this could be our mother, father, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, favorite aunt or uncle, spouse, how would we want someone to treat their place of work or play)
And yet as much sense as this makes, important to make note that many of you brought up another very important point or two: God, who is love, and His grace are integral par of this equation without which our efforts would be feeble at best. God, Love and Grace ... along with community as we support each other on this quest, then and only then can we truly "rise to transcend" as we grow in love to become bearers of hope and meet this challenging yet exciting call, TOGETHER, with and in Him!
(Chuck, one reason why I love this song! :) )
What other ways can we think of applying this? Can we list additional specific examples that might come to mind?
Again, can't thank you all enough for your comments and emails that are helping make this a great conversation for all of us! Looking forward to hearing more of your comments! :)
1 John 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Luke 6:32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
So as we can see, Love is everything, it's the key to unlock the mystery of God's love in each and one of us. Without it we have nothing and nothing will be accomplished.
So this third week of Advent I will reflect upon my lack of love for my brothers and sisters and ask the Holy Spirit of God to guide me. Am confident that with Love for one another will transport peace on earth, Thank you I really like your reflection, I wish you many blessings
Bishop Felipe J. Estevez
It will be song at my fare well mass, when I go hometo the Lord. I have requested that my sons remind everyone to think about what they are singing! And do do something about what they are mouthing.
Thank you for your writing about our song. PS: MY SON SENT THIS TO ME BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT THIS SONG IS TO ME.
God Bless to you & yours,
chuck