prophets of a future not our own
Posted by Bryan Appel, St. Paul's Youth Minister:
As the team was unloading the truck to begin another day of 'sheet rocking' this morning, Tommy, our Team Leader from the Disaster Response Office, told us it was 'Hump Day.'
As you may have read in our Blog, we struggled with our work yesterday. It was difficult and, for the most part, we felt our skills were insignificant. Even worse, we felt like our work was too little to be worthy to our mission. This morning we were dragging, got a little bit of a late start, but made time to check in with each other and stand together in prayer and reflection.
Barbara, Thomas, and Dom, the St. Paul's leaders for the day, chose the piece 'Prophets of a Future Not Our Own' by Archbishop Oscar Romero to share with our group this morning. This beautiful poem finishes with this: We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.
The Holy Spirit must have worked on us through Romero's words.
Not only did we get stuff done, but the more we got done, the more we were energized and the more we understood. We placed 8 pieces of sheet rock and were just about to place a very difficult piece right as they called quitting time. We recognized that this house would not be done when we leave here on Easter Sunday, but even though we leave this house unfinished, the work will always continue. Others will build on our work as we have built on others' work. And our work as God's servants does not finish when we put down the hammers and nails-- It continues when we return home. When Woodville has students who need mentored, or when Emmaus Lunch needs servers, or when trash needs picked up on Earth Day, or when books are needed for The Carpenter's Kids, or when we see a friend who feels alone, or a family in need of support, we are called to serve. Ours is always but a small role, but it is a role that we have been called to play by God. And though we do not see our part in the whole, we know it is there because God has told us it is there! We are grateful that God allows us to play a part!
What a fantastic day! What a fantastic community! What a fantastic team!
It feels darn good to be here and get to be a part of this experience!!!
It’s great to hear that quote again, to remember El Salvador and to feel the connections with St. Paul’s wherever its people go. Thanks!