The Only Thing I Got

Last updated on: April 4, 2011 at 10:13 am by Sarah Babbs

The Only Thing I Got 2011-04-04T10:13:24-04:00 Sarah Babbs

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We’re having a parish mission this week, coinciding with a 40 hours devotion (that’s where a parish has 40 hours of Eucharistic Adoration). The priest who is preaching the mission, Fr. Chris Crotty, is part of an order that is known for its charism of preaching parish missions on the power of the holy Spirit. Fr. Crotty, who reminds me a little bit of how friar Tuck may have looked, said all of the Masses yesterday. His wonderful homily is still rolling around in my brain, so I’ve got to just write a little bit about it.

His talk was long. You could tell he is trying to jam in as much as he can while he’s here. Here’s the part I keep thinking of:

Fr. Crotty told us the story of something that happened to him in Louisville, KY a few years ago. His car was on E in a depressed neighborhood, so he pulled into the local gas station. He went into the station, and when he came out, there were five “gangbangers” standing in front of his car, looking him up and down, since he was in his clerics. One of the guys said to him,

“You a priest or something?” to which he responded “Yes, I’m a priest.”

Then the young man said to him, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ?” At this point Fr. Crotty told us he was waiting for the candid camera people to jump out and say, “gotcha!”. But something so much more interesting happened.

Fr. Crotty, wondering where this was going, answered, “Yes, I do. Do you believe in Jesus Christ?”

The young man paused and said, “My father is dead, my brother is in jail, and my mom cleans houses for a living. Jesus Christ is the only thing I got.“

And then…the young man pulls open his jacket and there on his shirt is a full sized image of Our Lord’s face. This guy, with pants around his hips, and gold chains dangling, begins rapping about Jesus, at the gas station, with his friends providing a beat box in the background.

Fr. Crotty relays this tale, and then says, “I knew this exchange was a gift from God. He wanted me to see that He is in the places where people think he never could be.”

He then went on to talk about the power of Jesus to enter into our hearts and change them radically. The power of spiritual and moral healing in our lives. This is powerful stuff.

I was thinking about it later that day; what he said about God being in places where we never think He could be, and it made me think of the 40 Days for Life vigils that are happening around the country this Lent.

40 Days for Life is a national time of prayer and fasting to end abortion. Vigil participants pray silently or in small groups outside of abortion facilities around the nation. According to the national leadership, so far during this Spring’s vigils, 253 babies have been saved from death, and 253 mothers have been saved from heartache and regret. The vigil is only halfway complete.

This vigil is a tool that God is using to enter into people’s hearts and change them radically. A revolution of the heart. This is the only thing that will start to stem the tide of cultural destruction we see around us.

Like that gangbanger that Fr. Crotty encountered at the gas station in Louisville, who was there praising God as a sign that He *is* everywhere, the 40 Days for Life vigil participants are there praising God and praying for deliverance right in front of the very place where innocent human life is purposefully and violently ended day after day.

Their silent, peaceful presence stands as a witness that God is everywhere, most especially in those places where all hope seems lost.

Catholic

Culture

Previous Post

April 1, 2011

Quick Take!

Next Post

April 8, 2011 From Blossoms

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 7 QT Beauty and Style Blogging Books Catholic Culture Family Funny Making House Poetry Social Justice The Children Uncategorized Various Women

Select a Month December 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 December 2017 November 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz