Recently, I read the book Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times by Gregory Boyle, SJ. Father Greg works with gang members in Los Angeles through the organization Homeboy Industries, the largest gang rehabilitation program in the world. This book builds upon, enhances, reiterates, and reaffirms the message he shared in his previous books—namely, that compassion is the answer to every question.
The principles at Homeboy that apply to all situations are: (1) everyone is unshakably good (no exceptions), and (2) we belong to each other (no exceptions). In these times of deadlock and impasse in so many areas of our personal lives, our society, our country, and our world, imagine if we could all embrace these principles and live them fully.
“Compassion is the answer to every question…”
He speaks of committing to creating a culture and community of cherished belonging, which is God’s dream come true. He says, “When we embrace relational wholeness, our divisions tremble.”
This is a big message to ponder and an even bigger one to live, but it is what we must do, day after day, to dissolve what divides us.
-Sister Nancy Sullivan, csj
Image: Martin Martz/Unsplash
