Do I Burn?

On Thursday night, I was in the community's spirituality room, and stopped for a minute to look at the poster we made at the last JVC retreat. At first, I remembered the way we made it, through a mature discussion and mutual creative effort. We decided to represent our community as a firework, since we are a burst of vibrancy to the cities and agencies where we live and work. The firework is fitting, also, because its shimmer is fleeting. We, too, will transform when our time comes, the immediacy of intimate community will be replaced by the lasting ties of having tried to live out our faith and its values in a unique way.

I quickly put the thought of our departure out of my mind. Although I am not afraid of the future, I also am not ready to think about saying goodbye to this piece of my life's mosaic. The quote in the poster, however, continued to hold my attention. "Go forth," St. Ignatius of Loyola said, "and set the world on fire." He seemed to be questioning me: "Greg, are you setting the world on fire?"

The easy answer is no. But the easy answer is often not the most accurate. If the "world" St. Ignatius speaks of is not the globe or the state or the county, but the day-to-day world I inhabit, the outlook is more positive. While I would not say I have set that world on fire with God's love, I have helped make the West Side Catholic Center an even better place to volunteer. I have helped the leadership save energy and resources by not having to shift staff while my supervisor is out recovering from surgery that will be important for her longevity. This is important for the organization because she is kind, generous, and attentive to detail in her ministry of directing the 400+ volunteers who come through our doors. I have tried to be friendly and reserve judgment in my interactions with the people of the street. I have made friends doing so with people that would not seem to share much in common. Not like St. Francis would have, but then, my calling is not his. Within the community, I have been as open and honest as I know how to be, sharing laughs and sorrows. We are imperfect, but I believe that we all are committed to one another and living intentional lives of faith. In doing so, we bear strong witness to how young people can seek God in an often secular country and world.

My community and this Cleveland experience has changed the way I will live. When my firework fades in Cleveland, it will begin anew in Chicago, all the brighter for what I have learned about living the Gospel here in Cleveland. God-willing, I will find an avenue to share His love at every step of the journey that is faith.