Saved by Lael Johnson and
Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
At one time in his life he wanted to be in a religious order, but his mental health prevented it; nevertheless, his prayer life was rich and edifying. I think some of his happiest moments were the days he spent at a local monastery.
Gary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
I don’t kid myself; I know I can’t do this by myself. So I do my own kind of handing over. I hand over the mystery of death to God, and I hand myself over to the mystery of my vocation: to be there for these folks, living and dead. I am the divining rod in their search for the holy in their lives. I have confidence in these moments, because I know
... See moreGary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
There are two faces of grief worn by the partners of those who die: one is the face of emptiness that comes with the loss of the beloved, and the other is the face of fear precipitated by the reality of going it alone.
Gary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
That much money in an SRO is a fortune.
Gary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
My dearest Father Gary, I cannot adequately put into words what your friendship has meant to me over the past few years. You have been my steady rock in the raging storm. You’ve been the father to me that I always wished for when I was growing up. You’ve given so much, and I know you’ve got so much more to give. Your ministry has just begun. When t
... See moreGary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
It is worth the risks. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing that people who have been rejected by society for their entire life can find a moment of peace and happiness in the presence of someone who legitimately cares for them and has no other agenda but being with them.
Gary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
Mara and I visited him today. He talked at length about belief and faith and God. “My resistance to God,” he said, “has always been rooted in my feelings of being dirty. Like I am always a leper. But I know that we are all lepers to some degree and that in spite of that God still loves us. In fact, Jesus spent a lot of time with lepers, didn’t he,
... See moreGary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
Jesus was present to her, but the healing she wanted was going to be accomplished in a way that neither one of us would understand.
Gary Smith • Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor
But preaching the Gospel is a function of trying to reach the human heart, whether people are poor or rich or middle class. And the bad breaks and tragic mysteries of life exist in plenitude in a city parish.