Reflection by Sr. Jess Lambert
This spring, it was a great delight to host four different college groups for service immersion trips – Ferris State University, Notre Dame University, Iowa State University, and Northern State University in South Dakota. We refer to them as “the college groups” or simply “the kids” – NOT because we’re getting old – though we are admittedly moving day by day further from our own college experiences – but because the generosity of people so young is beautiful and energizing! No trip to Florida or the beach house for these students – they are spending their spring break in the lackluster westside of Chicago. The Westside – where the only natural beauty is the sky above the rooftops and the occasional tree; the only wildlife are the sparrows and the occasional seagull that came too far west.
So what did they come for? Jesus similarly asked the crowds that went to the periphery to see John the Baptist: “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces” (Mt 11:7-8). No – they didn’t go to have fun parties or dress in fine clothing – they went to see John, a man in funny clothes in a wasteland – who spoke to them of turning their hearts back to God! Jesus was highlighting that the people of His day and age were hungry for the love of God. Their hunger led them to unexpected places and people, following the tug of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this is also true for these young people who end up with some people in funny brown clothes in the ‘wasteland’ that is urban America: at the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels.
So what did they sign up for? The students join our community for Mass in the morning – at 6:30AM! No sleeping in late this trip. But they find it worth the effort. After breakfast, they help with morning tasks: anything from helping with the pantry to behind the scenes organizing and cleaning. They plug in to our ‘normal’ Franciscan week: Mondays are pantry prep days, Tuesdays are the pantries, Wednesdays – seniors’ program, Thursdays – chores, etc. In the afternoons, they take a short break, but also make sure to pray a holy hour in silence before Jesus in one of our Eucharistic chapels. The afternoon ends with a trip to Kelly Hall YMCA to help the neighborhood kids with homework or just to play basketball.
Typically the colleges are from out of town – so they usually take a day to go downtown or pick some sites to see. However – this year there were some atypical picks: Ferris State University decided to take a trip up to Mundelein to see the seminary and Marytown, while Northern State University of South Dakota visited the Shrine of Christ’s Passion in Indiana! In the end, you know they had a successful day when they bring home leftover deep dish Chicago-style pizza for the Franciscans!
One of the highlights for the Franciscans is the casual conversations that we have at meals or while working together. It is a special privilege to us to witness God at work in their lives, and to share what God has done in our own. It is common to tell our vocation stories again (and again and again!), to talk about our families, the challenges of the neighborhood, what it’s like to be a Franciscan, etc. We learn about the challenges they face trying to be faithful to the Church, to grow in their life of prayer, and simply to survive the ups and downs of life these days. In short summary – we are so grateful for these young people. Let’s continue to pray for them!