I've been writing quite a few letters in this past week because there were two groups of people returning to the States after visiting and I sent the letters with them to post there. Honduran mail isn't always reliable and can be quite slow, so people flying back to the States usually take a good amount of mail with them from our community. So the point of my mentioning the letter writing is that I am copying a bit of what I wrote in one letter to this post. I think about this quite a bit and it's sort of a soapbox of mine. In this letter I wrote it out more to the point with less "buts" and "ands" than a discussion would have. But I think about this a lot and even get scared or "depressed" about moving back to the States because of this. I love simplicity. I love the life here. We shall see.
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...After this (the completion of Casa Guadalupe), though, we do not know what God has planned for us. All of our family is still back in Texas & we could go back there, get a job, & be a “normal” family, but we're open to do more missionary work if it be God's will. So now we're just waiting and praying. We have really enjoyed living and working so closely with the Friars. The spiritual support & community we have down here is such a blessing . I pray that wherever we are sent, He blesses us with this type of community, especially if we return to Texas. Coming from here (one of the poorest countries in the world), we will definitely need support in adjusting to life in the States (one of the richest countries in the world) and learning how to take what we've learned and lived here, especially "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," (Mt. 5:3) and live it there.
I feel like the materialism in the States (and in many other places around the world) is out of control. I see many Catholics who do live their Catholic faith but have forgot or lost or never known the meaning of & call for all to evangelical poverty. It's like living in cultures of excessive materialism makes those that think themselves not materialistic still live way above what is truly necessary. What is considered “basic necessity” in 1st world countries is extravagance/luxury in 3rd world countries. I think back to the apartment that I lived in during college (which was by no means anything special but it had indoor plumbing, air conditioning, heating, doors in the doorways, 4 rooms – 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living room) & my neighbors here would thing it the lap of luxury to live there. Most people in the U.S. have no clue what “conditions” are like here. I shouldn't say conditions as if the people are all just miserable & we need to come in and save them. Yes, there are many things that could be done for them (electricity, running water, & some sort of toilet for those who don't have them), but most aren't looking to be put up in a brand new house with all the amenities. They are happy living in their simple, slow-paced lives. I just hope that if/when we do move back to the States or wherever, we won't be brainwashed or succumb to materialistic madness.
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...After this (the completion of Casa Guadalupe), though, we do not know what God has planned for us. All of our family is still back in Texas & we could go back there, get a job, & be a “normal” family, but we're open to do more missionary work if it be God's will. So now we're just waiting and praying. We have really enjoyed living and working so closely with the Friars. The spiritual support & community we have down here is such a blessing . I pray that wherever we are sent, He blesses us with this type of community, especially if we return to Texas. Coming from here (one of the poorest countries in the world), we will definitely need support in adjusting to life in the States (one of the richest countries in the world) and learning how to take what we've learned and lived here, especially "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," (Mt. 5:3) and live it there.
I feel like the materialism in the States (and in many other places around the world) is out of control. I see many Catholics who do live their Catholic faith but have forgot or lost or never known the meaning of & call for all to evangelical poverty. It's like living in cultures of excessive materialism makes those that think themselves not materialistic still live way above what is truly necessary. What is considered “basic necessity” in 1st world countries is extravagance/luxury in 3rd world countries. I think back to the apartment that I lived in during college (which was by no means anything special but it had indoor plumbing, air conditioning, heating, doors in the doorways, 4 rooms – 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living room) & my neighbors here would thing it the lap of luxury to live there. Most people in the U.S. have no clue what “conditions” are like here. I shouldn't say conditions as if the people are all just miserable & we need to come in and save them. Yes, there are many things that could be done for them (electricity, running water, & some sort of toilet for those who don't have them), but most aren't looking to be put up in a brand new house with all the amenities. They are happy living in their simple, slow-paced lives. I just hope that if/when we do move back to the States or wherever, we won't be brainwashed or succumb to materialistic madness.
~
Comments
I'm just getting back into blogging and can't believe how much I've missed!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm praying for you. I think my 3rd pregnancy was my hardest because Belle and Anna were only 1 and 3 too! I remember calling Maureen crying. 15 minutes later she showed up with Tess and told me to go take a nap while Tess played with the little ones. She returned 2 hours later to pick up Tess and had brought us dinner. I'll never forget that. Tess was only 8 or 9 at the time.
Now Belle is 9 and is such a big help. It gets easier as they get older.
And thank you soooo much for this reflection on materialism. You are so right! And I really needed this reminder. You're beautiful family is in my prayers!
After my wife found your blog the other day I feel called to offer you this insight from a friend of mine...
"There is a wide difference between having poison and being poisoned. All apothecaries have poison ready for special uses, but they are not consequently poisoned, because the poison is only in their shop, not in themselves; and so you may possess riches without being poisoned by them, so long as hey are in you house or purse only, and not in your heart. It is the Christian's privilege to be rich in material things, and poor in attachment to them, thereby having the use of riches in this world and the merit of poverty in the next."
--- St. Francis De Sales
So my invitation and challenge to you is to come back to the United States and become missionaries in your homeland. Dear friends, as you acknowledge in your letter, who could argue that our country (the U.S.) is poor spiritually, and in desperate need of missionary work. Come be examples of how Christians are called to use wealth in lavish generosity and the building up of The Kingdom. Living an interior life detached from riches is not easy. But indeed, God gives some riches so that they can use them in the good work that he has asked of them. Both the poor and the rich must practice virtue to obtain the gift of God himself. So I invite you... I plead with you to come back to us and live the moderation Our Lord is calling you to live. Minister to a people that is sunk in avarice and in so much need of humility.
In Christ,
Austin