Encountering Christ at the margins
A number of participants identified their volunteering as an encounter with Christ, as these excerpts illustrate:
I remember clearly one special moment one evening seeing a novice Jesuit talking to “Peter”, a suffering young man with multiple sclerosis. The novice would wait more than one minute for Peter’s replies each time with great love and patience. That special dialogue let me see Jesus Christ’s love through the Jesuit novice loving and respecting Peter unconditionally. In that moment, I understood “Anna’s” reflections - our former Reflection Group leader at London Jesuit Volunteers - about seeing Jesus Christ in others. I had been in Peter’s house several weeks - one and a half hour once a week - before, but honestly, I had avoided speaking to him because it was really hard for me, even, to look at him and actually, I thought he was not able to speak. Now, sometimes I enjoy giving Peter his dinner - if he agrees - and we have short chats. This experience has helped me too - sometimes - to reflect and decide to see Jesus Christ in others when I am not in really great situations, especially in the bus.
(Reflective Writing Five)
Every week, I visit a person with mental health problems. The person seems, to a large extent, unable to look after himself or his home. He throws everything on the floor. The main purpose of our weekly visit is to sweep up all the cigarette butts, food and empty containers from the floor. Everything goes into black bags and then to the bin near the flat. One thing that struck me as significant was a thought that occurred to me during such a visit. I was remembering the line from the Gospel ‘whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that
London Jesuit Volunteers 67 you do unto me’. It occurred to me that if I took this line literally - and really saw the person as Jesus - would I leave him like that? Could we not do more to help him?
(Reflective Writing Seven)
In reflecting on this, the ARCS team were noted how LJV achieved this coherence between espoused and operant theology for so many of its participants, enabling a deeply realised spirituality of seeing Christ in others:
In particular, the data evidences the emergence of a striking theology of the person, and a very strong sense of finding Christ in others. The relationships described are often deeply Christological, but at the same time, there is a sense of sharing a common humanity. This dual perspective seems to bring about in some of the encounters a sense, almost, of sacramental embodiment. This, in turn, feels very much in tune with the espoused Ignatian values of solidarity with the poor and marginalized, sharing the common need of those we accompany, and affirming the dignity of each human person. It is noticeable that the regular personal use of the ‘examen’ and reflection time with other volunteers strengthened the sense of God’s presence both in the ordinary, everyday, small events, and in particularly memorable moments:
“These reflections have enabled me to ... realise ... that I have been a God’s volunteer at home for many years and when I am aware of that, it makes it even easier to wash the dishes, for example”.
“This is where I find the examen prayer so powerful. You see God present in your life every day”.
“If... I really saw this person as Jesus - would I leave him like that?”
(Outsider Feedback Document, p 1)
The management insider team also commented that God is “all through this data - like a stick of Blackpool rock!” As people steeped in the Ignatian tradition, it was significant that they noted an “ethos - which is of the Spiritual Exercises, especially the Second Week - focussed on growth in faith and a personal love of Christ”.
