commit.

I’m not sure if anyone knows what is the best political strategy for making life more livable for all… but I do know that we need a critical mass of people who will respond to suffering, who are ready for long term commitment and who will make wise choices along the way. Without such new human beings… no amount of money, sophisticated strategies, religious programming, social education, even structural change, will make our world more human. - the late Fr. Dean Brackley, SJ

there are people. these are not just countries. go where the people are.

Sr. Terezinha and I began our day today by reflecting on this quote by the late Fr. Dean Brackley. What part did we really focus on? The phrase, "long term commitment." We discussed how important it is to be committed. Sure, it is always great to have volunteers for a day, for an event, for a month at a time, but really, to make some substantial, livable change, we need individuals with a "long term commitment" to this very cause. Sr. T and I reflected on our experiences working with the barangays in our pastoral ministry work. When we first started, we had all this momentum going - we had all these plans, and then through careful weekly, monthly evaluation, we learned how to go with the flow, and worth within this cultural context.

While still progressing, we also had to get used to the pace of and way of life, around here. Most of all, we had to work with the people, learn how to do so, and be committed to this. While we have been missioned here for a couple of years or so, wow, does this define long-term? If you asked me a year and a half ago, I would have thought of two years and thought, THAT IS A LONGGGGGG TIME. well, I suppose it is. But now that I am living here in the PI, on mission, and I have lived here for over a year now, I am realizing, wow, two years is really not THAT long. Crazy that I can come to that realization and say that confidently.

What I do know though, is that this "long term commitment" that Sr. T and I spoke about so passionately this morning, this is what I want to be about. While I may not be in the PI for forever, this "long term commitment" to responding to suffering, to making the "wise choices along the way," I want to do that. And I want to be part of this revolution of God's love that is making its way to all the ends of the earth. I want to serve and make that happen.

Some people have a fear of commitment, but I suppose when you find a cause worth committing too, it lessens the fear a bit more. And before you know it, that fear lightens itself with love, passion, dedication, and grace-filled boldness, courage and strength. To all the ends of the earth.