On the Road

What's left of the mission when all of the images fall away? What energy powers the mission? The will to participate is important. The many ways to participate are important. The energy coalesces in good will and and good works. Never completely prepared for what we encounter, along the way we rediscover what we need.

Señor,
hazme instrumento de tu paz:
donde haya odio, siempre siempre yo amor;
donde haya injuria, perdon;
donde haya duda, fe;
donde haya tristeza, alegria;
donde haya desaliento, esperanza;
donde haya sombras, luz.
Oh Divino Maestro!
que no busque
ser consolado, sino consolar;
ser amado, sino amar;
ser comprendido, sino comprender;
porque dando, es como recibimos;
perdonando, es como tu perdonas;
y muriendo en ti, es como nacemos
ala vida eterna.
(San Francisco)

[I'm still polishing my translation of this, but it was great to hear the words of a buddy at the dinner table of our host family.]