Listening to the
wisdom of the saints helps us remember there is much to celebrate. We are alive
for another day. While there is so much we can’t control, we can focus on what
we can do.
St. Francis de Sales
advocated for living in the moment. “Leave the past to God’s mercy, the future
to his Divine Providence and embrace the present willingly and lovingly,” he
said. He also advised us to “bloom where you are planted.” In other words, in
our own homes, work and communities, we should do what we can to make a
difference.
In his book, “33
Days to Merciful Love,” Father Michael E. Gaitley, with the Marian Fathers of
the Immaculate Conception, also offers us the example of St. Thérèse of
Lisieux, who advised, “Keep trying: Keep trying to grow in holiness and do
little things with great love.”
We witness this
wisdom lived out daily in the work of so many here on the frontera.
Daily, starting with how we care for our families, we are making a difference,
influencing the people in our lives with our actions, with our love.
And it’s not just
the saints who offer us this advice. Stephen Covey, in his book, 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People, points to being proactive as the first essential
habit. He notes as we look at being proactive, we should consider our circle of
influence, areas of which we have control instead of focusing on the circles of
concern, those areas which are out of our control.
Patrick Lencioni,
author and management consultant, spoke about the circle of influence and
circle of concern during the Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the
Gospel in America in Orlando, Florida, this past July.
He said we have to
focus on our circle of influence; otherwise, if we focus on the circle of
concern, there is a danger of doing nothing. People can lose hope and get
bitter, he said. However, hope grows with those who take action. This starts,
he said, with our faith life, our interior peace and personal holiness. We then
need to work with our teams (within an organization) with whom we share a
responsibility.
In August, we had a
chance to give Cardinal Blase Cupich and visitors from Catholic Extension who
traveled from Chicago a tour of some of the different areas in our diocese,
including the Humanitarian Respite Center at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen and
La Posada Providencia in San Benito. I emerged reenergized by witnessing again
the amazing work taking place.
During the visit to
La Posada Providencia, an emergency shelter for refugees fleeing from political
oppression, natural disasters and poverty, we had some time to hear the stories
of the residents. Some came from Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, South Africa and
the Ukraine. They met at the shelter as strangers, but under the guidance of
the sisters who run La Posada Providencia, they have formed a temporary family,
helping one another heal from some of the struggles they’ve lived as they learn
English together and share their talents at the shelter.
As they recounted
their stories, they each mentioned how much they appreciated Sister Zita
Telkamp, a Sister of the Divine Providence who has served as the director since
2008. In a story we published in our newspaper in 2013, Sister Telkamp, who
“welcomes the stranger” at all hours and from multiple countries, was noted as
not just an administrator, but also “a chauffeur, teacher, friend and much
more.” Sister Telkamp, who lives on the property where the shelter is located,
is virtually on call around the clock.
In our
communications ministry, we get to cover stories every day about the people in
our diocese here in the Rio Grande Valley like Sister Telkamp who put their
faith into action, people who use their gifts within their circle of influence
to help one another on this pilgrimage of life. We may be among the poorest
dioceses in the nation, relying on the generosity of founders such as Catholic
Extension and others, but we live in an abundance of love.
In our present
political environment, it is natural to worry about health care, immigration
and safety. We must do more than worry. We must stay informed, speak up, and
take action, remembering we can be more effective by focusing on what we can do
close to home in our own families, work environments and communities.
After our visitors
from Chicago leave, after the cameras and reporters disappear, after we return
to our day-to-day, the work continues within our circle of influence. Love
continues to overflow as well in our communities. It does so because of the
inspiring men and women, women like Sister Telkamp and so many others whose
stories we need to tell.
(Originally
published in September 2017 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper)
