musing...

although i settled for shitty customer service jobs for six+ years, i always wanted to work in social services. towards that end, i applied for jobs at local agencies, volunteered my time and made feeble attempts to network with people in the field. however, though i always suspected my days would be best invested in the helping professions, i worried that working a social service job during the day and continuing to work with sinners and saints would relationally exhaust me.

right now, i realize that my suspicions were not without merit.

don't get me wrong, i love my new job, but some days, after i've spent two hours in traffic, eight hours accompanying people with disabilities and another hour or two discussing, dreaming and investing in the mission of the church i am utterly exhausted. at such moments, my head pounds, i lose my sense of humor and i start looking for a reasonable route of retreat.

not that i'm comparing myself with him or anything, but i realize that Jesus felt this way on a number of occasions as well. there is this wonderful scene in the gospel of mark where Jesus and the disciples are sailing away to a retreat only to be intercepted by massive, clamoring crowds at their port of call. at that moment, as mark tells it, the disciples are fonching at the bit to get the hell out of dodge and trying to remind Jesus of their original intentions. but in that moment, Jesus looks at the crowd and has compassion on them. quite literally, as mark tells it, Jesus looks at the clamoring crowd and loves them from his gut.

right now i want to find a reasonable route of retreat - painting the nursery tonight all by my lonesome sounds really good right now - but i also want to learn to love my clamoring clients from my own gut even when i'm utterly exhausted.

i suspect that such empowerment on the Holy Spirit's agenda. i hope he can find a moment to slot me in.

check out my brother's bunghole

connect with the boston cohort on march 13th at 7 pm

a couple of weeks ago, on ash wednesday, i heard a sermon on Isaiah 58:6-8, the text i have printed below.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

since i have been pondering this text since the beginning of my lenten fast* i am truly glad that the boston cohort is gathering at the boston beer works fenway (61 brookline ave, boston, ma) location on march 13th at 7 pm to eat, drink, listen to one another’s stories and at 8 pm we'll be heading over to the offices of reunion church (655 beacon st., suite #301, boston) to discuss the overwhelming importance of acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God.

this month’s discussion will be facilitated by rachel anderson of the boston faith and justice network (BFJN). rachel will be introducing us to – and inviting us to participate in - the bfjn’s mission to “seek God’s justice as an expression of his faith and love.” i cannot think of a more important matter for the cohort to consider and i hope you can take an hour or two to join us.

may God bless you as you continue to pursue His justice and seek His Kingdom in this world.

jeff gentry, on behalf of craig, anna and the rest of the cohort crew

* i’m tempted to tell you what i’m abstaining from and what i’m straining towards this season, but i wouldn’t want to squander yet another jewel in my crown!