I have spent some time this week with Fr. Martin’s friends at Food For The Poor in South Florida. There is grief and sadness here, much as there is in Virginia, Rhode Island, Haiti, and Cameroon – across the street and around the world. But here I have also found hope, which is something Fr. Martin always encouraged us to seek. Often, when dedicating a new project in Haiti, he would instruct us that this is “hope realized.” Yesterday morning in the Good Shepherd Chapel here at Food For The Poor’s headquarters, Bishop Pierre-André Dumas of Haiti began his homily by asking what language God speaks, and answering “God speaks the language of love.” Fr. Martin always started his own homilies in Haiti with that same question. Bishop Dumas apologized for his English; Fr. Martin apologized for his Creole, but their message was exactly the same – a message of love. I had a chance to speak with the bishop after mass and told him about the homily similarity. He told me that all of Haiti was praying for Fr. Martin and for us. Our pastor was well-known and loved in Haiti. Food For The Poor employees pray. They pray a lot! The organizational culture here is one of ministry. In a prayer service for all employees later yesterday, the reflection theme was that of the Good Shepherd. With every image on the screen, with every scripture, every song, I was brought back to Fr. Martin’s vision of Jesus as a shepherd. I kept seeing our pastor in my memory with a lamb on his lap, as he encouraged children who had just made their First Communion to come up and have their pictures taken. I also thought about Pope Francis’ challenge to our bishops and priests to “smell like sheep,” – to get out and be with the people, to encounter them where they are, to love them where they are. Fr. Martin literally smelled like sheep when the lambs would do what they do naturally while he was holding them! Fr. Martin was indeed a good shepherd to all of us, across the street and around the world. Today, we celebrated “Thankful Thursday.” This was to have been the event when Fr. Martin presented our annual Operation Starfish gift. Instead, Fr. Korpi and Dn. Dale Avery will be coming to Food For The Poor on June 11 to celebrate Fr. Martin’s life and to bring a gift that will be used to make another big difference in the lives of the poor. Two significant projects will be developed in memory of Fr. Martin and they will be announced at the June 11 prayer service here. Today, Thankful Thursday went on, and it was a spiritually moving reflection by Fr. John Amsberry, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon. Fr. John is a noted speaker and author and he just returned from a mission trip with Food For The Poor to Haiti. In his reflection today, Fr. John began to move us from sadness to joy. He talked about the special nature of our relationship with the poor – about how they lead us home to God. They don’t have the possessions that often possess us. They don’t need to spend time protecting and defending their possessions like we do. They have nothing but God and each other, and that’s enough to put joy in their lives. Fr. John helped us see joy in what otherwise is sadness and sorrow, and that’s a good thing right now for all of us who miss Fr. Martin. We are blessed by the Best. Tomorrow morning, Food For The Poor employees will take a further step in their journey of dealing with the loss of their good friend, Fr. Martin. At the morning prayer service, Alberto Gonzalez and the Food For The Poor choir will perform a special piece of music in honor of Fr. Martin. I can’t say I’m surprised by the depth of feeling here in South Florida for our pastor. People have stopped me constantly in the corridors, at lunch, even in the rest room. I have been hugged to the point of wondering what my wife will think of the lipstick and makeup smudges on my shirts. This outpouring of compassion and love is not mine alone, however. Every word, every expression of compassion, is meant for Fr. Martin’s family, his parishioners, his friends, and those he has helped. Wherever he went, he listened, he healed, he sent flowers and candy, and he loved. He loved people where they are; he never waited for them to come to him. He loved unconditionally, to the point of exhaustion. And he is loved in return.
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 20:43:44 +0000
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