As we moved through fall and the harvest season, we members of the SND Eco Spirituality Center gave thanks to God for the bountiful harvests of the earth. We considered how we could share these gifts with our neighbors, especially the poor and marginalized.
Then we remembered Sister Lucia from the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres who has been preparing meals for the homeless every Friday evening since the pandemic. We spoke to her about our desire to provide a meal for the homeless and she gladly accepted our offer.
In anticipation of the World Day of the Poor, on the evening of November 15, we made a hot meal and headed to Namdaemun Market and Seoul Central Train Station. Many sisters from different communities, lay volunteers, and a priest came to help us. We were able to serve about 280 people a hot stew made from our harvest along with steamed sweet potatoes and ripe persimmons which had been donated by residents. The homeless people were delighted to receive a warm meal.
This sharing was a loving gesture to the homeless people from those of us who served the meal and those who donated to it. It almost seemed like a miracle in which Jesus received our small intentions and good deeds and multiplied them into many loaves of bread.
On the World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis said that we need to make the prayer of the poor our own, quoting, “The prayer of the poor rises up to God.” (Sir 21:5). He emphasized that if prayer does not translate into concrete action, it is in vain.
We pray our small action, serving meals to the poor, might remind them of God caring for them.
And we hope that our action may be seen as God’s response to the prayer of those who turn to Him.
by Dreamhost