Supplements

Commentary

By Liz Quirin

Finding the Face of Christ in Others

Taking a stand would be easier if we didn’t have to worry about losing our jobs when we do. That is as true today as it has always been: We can’t afford to stand up for something or someone because of the price we ourselves would have to pay. Speaking out when you’re retired or independently wealthy doesn’t take any of the courage it would take for the rest of us. Even if the cause is just or the person is worthy of defense, we just can’t always find a way to do it no matter what era we’re discussing.

However, thankfully, some people are willing to take risks, to open a dialogue, to refuse to accept the status quo. Maybe in this age, it is our turn to move the conversation forward. Many good people may just be waiting for an invitation.

The first step, of course, is to find a topic, an issue, a people set apart to receive the wrath, the disdain or the indifference of society. When I visited Croatia in the 1990s, I met an ASC, Sister Caroline. Through a translator, she explained how she had found her ministry. “I looked around for the people who were least valued in our society,” she said. “These are the people God wants me to help.” Her “people” were those called “travelers” in her country. We know them better by another name: gypsies. She went to their camps, brought them whatever they needed, including the word of God from a friend. After a time, they trusted her, and she said she would continue to help them as long as she was needed.

While religious and clergy can assist people from a unique perspective, that doesn’t exclude the rest of us from finding our own ministry. Here’s a short list: those suffering from mental illness fall somewhere near the bottom of anybody’s list to help unless they belong to your family. Many people with mental disabilities live on the streets, are members of our homeless populations and of our prison population. They are not easy to help; they may not express their gratitude for our magnanimity; and they just don’t fit easily into any category in society.

Okay, maybe going out to mingle with the street people is too risky, too hard. Here’s a thought: Try to find a way to help their families, their parents, brothers and sisters. Being supportive of families either directly or through services they need would be a giant step in the right direction. Endorsing legislation that would give people and their families living with mental illness would be a tremendous relief for them. So often, these folks and their families have exhausted their options and have nowhere else to turn to find help.

While assisting people with mental disabilities covers just one category of those in need, the list is long; the numbers of volunteers are few. If we just remember to look for the face of Christ in whomever we meet, we can’t go wrong.