Tuesday, 9 May 2017 "Material Things"
One of the signs that a community is alive can be found in material things. Cleanliness, furnishings, the way flowers are arranged and meals prepared, are among the things which reflect the quality of people's hearts. Some people may find material chores irksome; they would prefer to use their time to talk and be with others. They haven't yet realized that the thousand and one small things that have to be done each day, the cycle of dirtying and cleaning, were given by God to enable us to communicate through matter. Cooking and washing floors can become a way of showing our love for others. It is celebration to be able to give.[Jean Vanier, Community and Growth, page 297]
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Jean Vanier - Daily Thought - Monday, 8 May 2017 "The Gift of the Poor" from L'Arche Canada in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Monday, 8 May 2017 "The Gift of the Poor"
The people with the best sense of what is essential to a community, of what gives and maintains its spirit, are often doing very humble, manual tasks. It is often the poorest person - the one who has a handicap or who is ill or old - who is the most prophetic. People who carry responsibility must be close to them and know what they think, because it is often they who are free enough to see with the greatest clarity the needs, beauty and pain of the community.[Jean Vanier, Community and Growth, page 262]-------
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