“Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service?” – Venerable Fulton Sheen
When I first read this quote by Venerable Sheen, I was tremendously affected by his words and his questions reverberated through my mind for quite some time. It disturbed my soul because it probed something deep within me. What have I really done to serve my brothers and sisters? Aware of how much God has blessed me, I wanted to give back to others the same love the Lord has given to me. Knowing the desires of my heart, the Lord presented me with an opportunity to do just that. News about a Gospel Roads mission trip to New York caught my attention and I immediately signed up.
With weeks of fundraising and God’s providence, I was blessed to travel with four fellow parishioners from Vancouver, Canada to Port Chester, New York. Upon arrival, we were received with a warm welcome from the Salesian priests residing at the Holy Rosary community, and we immediately felt right at home. They were gracious enough to let us participate in their daily activities enabling us to fully immerse into their lifestyle. Father Vince Paczkowski was the Salesian priest who was in charge of our mission group, and it was inspiring to witness the amount of sacrifice he makes for his ministry. I am very grateful for having the chance to live with the Salesians of Don Bosco, as it allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for priests. It really opened my eyes to the importance of their presence in our society. Priests are the greatest unsung heroes of today.
When I think of mission trips, building houses and other arduous activities immediately comes to mind. I tried to come to the mission trip with an open heart, but to be quite frank, I was acutely underwhelmed on the first day of service because we worked at the soup kitchen for a few hours and were sent home early afterwards. I was disappointed because I was expecting something more demanding and labor intensive than just chopping vegetables, plating cakes, and ladling soups. I wanted to see scars in my hands. I wanted to see wounds in my feet. However, God had a bigger message for me.
As our tasks intensified throughout the week, I quickly learned that the true spirit of service is not about what you do. It is all about who you are doing it with and who you are doing it for. I am reminded by “the little flower of Jesus,” Saint Therese of Lisieux, who believed that life should be spent scattering “flowers”…that is, small acts of love. She had said that even though we cannot do great things all the time, we can do small things with great love. It is no wonder she is the patron saint of missionaries!
I will never forget working alongside the volunteers at the community center, soup kitchen, food pantry, and clothing drive at Port Chester. I saw Christ in each of the people I encountered, and through them, I truly understood that it is not in the extravagant gestures that one can show love to God. It is in the small things done with great devotion and unwavering love that one is able to serve another. At the end of each day, it is God who is glorified, and He does not look at the exterior appearance and acts. Instead, He sees what man cannot see. He looks at the heart.
[This reflection written by Thea Respicio is her reflection from her trip with Salesian Gospel Roads II: Port Chester in 2013. The reflection was originally posted in Bosco News.]
When I first read this quote by Venerable Sheen, I was tremendously affected by his words and his questions reverberated through my mind for quite some time. It disturbed my soul because it probed something deep within me. What have I really done to serve my brothers and sisters? Aware of how much God has blessed me, I wanted to give back to others the same love the Lord has given to me. Knowing the desires of my heart, the Lord presented me with an opportunity to do just that. News about a Gospel Roads mission trip to New York caught my attention and I immediately signed up.
With weeks of fundraising and God’s providence, I was blessed to travel with four fellow parishioners from Vancouver, Canada to Port Chester, New York. Upon arrival, we were received with a warm welcome from the Salesian priests residing at the Holy Rosary community, and we immediately felt right at home. They were gracious enough to let us participate in their daily activities enabling us to fully immerse into their lifestyle. Father Vince Paczkowski was the Salesian priest who was in charge of our mission group, and it was inspiring to witness the amount of sacrifice he makes for his ministry. I am very grateful for having the chance to live with the Salesians of Don Bosco, as it allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for priests. It really opened my eyes to the importance of their presence in our society. Priests are the greatest unsung heroes of today.
When I think of mission trips, building houses and other arduous activities immediately comes to mind. I tried to come to the mission trip with an open heart, but to be quite frank, I was acutely underwhelmed on the first day of service because we worked at the soup kitchen for a few hours and were sent home early afterwards. I was disappointed because I was expecting something more demanding and labor intensive than just chopping vegetables, plating cakes, and ladling soups. I wanted to see scars in my hands. I wanted to see wounds in my feet. However, God had a bigger message for me.
As our tasks intensified throughout the week, I quickly learned that the true spirit of service is not about what you do. It is all about who you are doing it with and who you are doing it for. I am reminded by “the little flower of Jesus,” Saint Therese of Lisieux, who believed that life should be spent scattering “flowers”…that is, small acts of love. She had said that even though we cannot do great things all the time, we can do small things with great love. It is no wonder she is the patron saint of missionaries!
I will never forget working alongside the volunteers at the community center, soup kitchen, food pantry, and clothing drive at Port Chester. I saw Christ in each of the people I encountered, and through them, I truly understood that it is not in the extravagant gestures that one can show love to God. It is in the small things done with great devotion and unwavering love that one is able to serve another. At the end of each day, it is God who is glorified, and He does not look at the exterior appearance and acts. Instead, He sees what man cannot see. He looks at the heart.
[This reflection written by Thea Respicio is her reflection from her trip with Salesian Gospel Roads II: Port Chester in 2013. The reflection was originally posted in Bosco News.]