What Happened to Elliot?!
Hey everybody, sorry for not updating in a while. Inspiration to write (not that life is uninspiring), time, and computer access have been lacking.
Anyways, I am currently in North Carolina visiting some friends. In the past few weeks I have been to a Catholic Worker farm in eastern New York, visiting friends in Philadelphia, and, most recently, protesting the death penalty in Washington D.C. Soon I'll be heading to western NC for a music festival then to a Catholic Worker called the Open Door in Atlanta.
What I am Learning
An important characteristic of my journey on the road is voluntary poverty. I carry little in order to gain much. St. Francis of Assisi once said that marrying Lady Poverty was like marrying the most beautiful girl in the world and I think I'm beginning to understand what he meant.
Recently, poverty is teaching me that everything is a gift. In theory, especially as Christians, we can know that everything we have was given to us. All is undeservedly received from the Lord, a gift. Yet often when much is owned the experienced value of each possession is diminished in the dilution of abundance. A house is worth less when there are several, a dollar when there are hundreds, or a pair of shoes when there are many.
Last week I left my one pair of streets shoes in a friend's car who was driving to Canada. Realizing my loss, I suddenly understood how valuable my shoes were to me. My only other footwear on the trip are flip-flops and hiking boots so every other occasion where these are not in use I wear my sneakers. Fortunately, I have great friends who will mail my shoes to me, who wear my same size and will lend me their own in time of need. In poverty, I see how my wealth, my few possessions owned, are of much value and are ultimately gifts, things given to me by the goodness of others, God and people.
Poverty has placed me in a position to see a new perspective and thus she is my teacher. She has much wisdom to share. Like Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor."
If You are Interested (Further References):
The death penalty protest in D.C.
- Pictures from the event (I'm not in too many!):
https: //www.facebook.com/fastandvigil/timeline
- Information about the event and its organizers: http://www.abolition.org/fastandvigil/index.html
- A good introduction to why the death penalty should be abolished (Made by Catholic bishops but relevant to all Christians!): http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/death-penalty-capital-punishment/upload/5-723DEATHBI.pdf
The festival I'll go to: http://wildgoosefestival.org
The Open Door:http://opendoorcommunity.org
Hey everybody, sorry for not updating in a while. Inspiration to write (not that life is uninspiring), time, and computer access have been lacking.
Anyways, I am currently in North Carolina visiting some friends. In the past few weeks I have been to a Catholic Worker farm in eastern New York, visiting friends in Philadelphia, and, most recently, protesting the death penalty in Washington D.C. Soon I'll be heading to western NC for a music festival then to a Catholic Worker called the Open Door in Atlanta.
What I am Learning
An important characteristic of my journey on the road is voluntary poverty. I carry little in order to gain much. St. Francis of Assisi once said that marrying Lady Poverty was like marrying the most beautiful girl in the world and I think I'm beginning to understand what he meant.
Recently, poverty is teaching me that everything is a gift. In theory, especially as Christians, we can know that everything we have was given to us. All is undeservedly received from the Lord, a gift. Yet often when much is owned the experienced value of each possession is diminished in the dilution of abundance. A house is worth less when there are several, a dollar when there are hundreds, or a pair of shoes when there are many.
Last week I left my one pair of streets shoes in a friend's car who was driving to Canada. Realizing my loss, I suddenly understood how valuable my shoes were to me. My only other footwear on the trip are flip-flops and hiking boots so every other occasion where these are not in use I wear my sneakers. Fortunately, I have great friends who will mail my shoes to me, who wear my same size and will lend me their own in time of need. In poverty, I see how my wealth, my few possessions owned, are of much value and are ultimately gifts, things given to me by the goodness of others, God and people.
Poverty has placed me in a position to see a new perspective and thus she is my teacher. She has much wisdom to share. Like Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor."
If You are Interested (Further References):
The death penalty protest in D.C.
- Pictures from the event (I'm not in too many!):
https: //www.facebook.com/fastandvigil/timeline
- Information about the event and its organizers: http://www.abolition.org/fastandvigil/index.html
- A good introduction to why the death penalty should be abolished (Made by Catholic bishops but relevant to all Christians!): http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/death-penalty-capital-punishment/upload/5-723DEATHBI.pdf
The festival I'll go to: http://wildgoosefestival.org
The Open Door:http://opendoorcommunity.org
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