BASE Camp - Day Three+

Day Three+ of our BASE Camp experience is winding down and if nothing else I can honestly say I saw mountains moved today. Our theme for the day was "Witness," and our young people were very visible witnesses to God's presence in Southwest Baltimore.

For the past few years there is a rather large property at the corners of Pratt and Mount Streets that our group has been working on. The property is owned by Southwest Visions, one of the many organizations that Sr. Kitty is associated with. The intent when the property was originally purchased was to one day build housing for low-income families. But changes in the economy - at both the national and neighborhood level - thwarted those plans. The property sits in the shadows of a former Catholic parish, Fourteen Holy Martyrs. The building now houses a Baptist Church and Dismas House, the objective of which "is to aid residents in making a smooth transition from the penal system, or to act as an alternative to incarceration for those serving sentences of three years or less."

Since we have been working the property for a number of years (primarily to keep it in compliance with city regulations) our group has taken a real sense of ownership and pride in the work that we've done there. As we drove by on Monday morning it was evident that the property was in serious need of attention. Our group wasn't disheartened by what they saw - the saw it merely as a challenge, and one they were prepared to take on.

It took the better part of two days, but the work our young people did was extraordinary. Not only did they cut the very high and thick grass, they removed dozens of bags of trash and debris, moved huge mounds of vines, clippings and branches, weeded, swept and sweated buckets, all the while maintaining their good humor and enthusiasm. Throughout the day people stopped by the tell our youth how much they appreciated what was being done, and how impressed they were that this group of young people gave of their time and talents to make this part of Baltimore a better place for it's residents.

During our lunch break we heard from Stefan, a success story from Hezekiah Movement, yet another of Sr. Kitty's connections. Stefan spoke of his coming to America from his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago, and how he fell into a pattern of substance abuse and the darkness that enveloped his life. His rollercoaster ride through recovery and drug-taking came to a screeching halt when his 7 year old daughter - just two days in the United States - was murdered in front of him. It was a heart-rending story, but one of hope and trust in God. Stefan spoke proudly of his three years of being clean, and his efforts now to help others in recovery.

Each evening we have an assessment of the day and prayer, and each time we gather the youth speak of the wonderful experiences they're having. Most of all they have learned that Baltimore is much more than the Orioles and the Ravens; much more than Harborplace and Little Italy; much more than drugs and guns and violence. It is a city of people like them, people just trying to make it through each day. People that are warm and friendly and appreciate the efforts of our young people. People that need a little help to see the light of Christ in the world. People that have their hearts touched by the amazing witness of BASE Camp 2009.

BASE Camp - Day Two+

The theme for today's BASE Camp experience was care for God's creation. We returned to Stockton Street to help our friend Steve with a community park he has built and we have returned to year after year to assist with landscaping, dredging of the pond, painting, and general cleanup of the area. Steve has built a little oasis of peace in the middle of one of Baltimore's poorer neighborhoods, but it's a sizable task to maintain the property. There is a pond, which includes a masonry structure topped by a cross and water fountain, many, many trees and bushes and open space. But it's a quiet, peaceful place nestled just a stone's throw away from the bustle of Pratt Street. This is our fourth year working this property and it's something our group has taken a sense of pride and ownership about. Even our "newbs" jumped into the project with gusto, and were rewarded with a walking tour of the area which included a visit to Hollins Market and then snowballs from a streetside vendor on the way back (featuring four - count 'em, FOUR - delicious flavors to choose from... grape, strawberry, banana and egg custard). Tommy noted the providential nature of our snowball stand visit - after a discussion of snowballs and sausages at Hollins Market we bought snowballs from a vendor that was using a sausage machine to grind the ice. God has a sense of humor as well as tying things up neatly with a bow.

As always our youth dove in with enthusiasm, clearing and trimming shrubs, repairing masonry and painting walls that have been damaged by graffiti. Steve feels it important to share God's Word with all who visit the park, and the nearby walls are another way of getting that Word out. The artists in our group loved re-painting the walls and adding new verses to those we've painted in the past. They even were able to demonstrate their creative side on one of the walls. We also finished our work on Poppleton Street, and look forward to tomorrow when we'll tackle the big lot at the corners of Pratt and Mount Streets.

We met many, many new people today, and the one thing that has been particularly exciting to see is the boundless enthusiasm of our young people. They have worked hard while maintaining a good humor, have gone out of their way to meet and greet the local residents of the community, and displayed humility in accepting the "Thank Yous" for the fine work they've done. One of our young people was told today by a resident that they are so grateful to have us come there and help them once again have a community they can feel proud of.

Our young people have been models of prayer, justice and love in all they have done these first two days. As we chanted "Veni Sancte Spiritus" to open our evening prayer I couldn't help but be moved by their young voices singing as one, asking for the Holy Spirit to be with us this day and throughout BASE Camp. Their youth is a gift. Not just to the community of South Baltimore where we do our work, but to all of us. They ARE Christ present among us, and like Christ they are (in the words of Walter Brueggemann, from our closing prayer) "giving gladly... giving in abundance... giving in joy... giving as he gave himself up for us all."

BASE Camp - Day One+

We've just finished prayer to close out Day One+ of our 2009 BASE Camp experience. The "+" because we really started yesterday with Mass, orientation, and some time getting to know one another. But today was our first on-site day. The exciting thing for me was to hear how the "newbs" were touched by today's many happenings in such a positive way, despite a somewhat ominous start (a drug bust in progress on Monroe Street as we were driving down at 8:45am).

It was great as always to see Sr. Kitty and to see her excitement at having a large group of BASE Camp young people to be at her service throughout this week. I know this sort of thing energizes her a great deal and I know it gives her hope for the future - a future where understanding will help to break down the barriers that separate people from one another.

There were a number of interesting moments today, but one struck me especially as the epitome of how small gestures can reap great rewards. Early in the day as we were preparing to move off in different directions we were scrambling a bit with deciding which tools to send where because we had a tool shortage. The shortage being that all of Sr. Kitty's tools had recently been stolen out of her back yard. But we worked it out and divided up our groups and began the work. At the Poppleton St. site where we had groups weeding and picking up trash I noticed a pile of trash laying in the middle of one of the alleys. As I walked closer I could see that this small pile of trash was the end of a trail that ran behind a house where there were literally hundreds of books, papers, articles of clothing and a wide variety of "knick-knacks" strewn about. When I reached the pile in the middle of the alley I realized that laying there amongst the trash were about a dozen bottles of prescription medications. Since there were small children about I immediately called over two of our young people - Megan and Joey - and asked them to clean up the trash in the street and especially dispose of the medications.

A few minutes later I was approached by a man - Tom - who asked me if I had seen who dumped the trash. He was very upset because he owned the house where all this trash was. As Tom later surmised, he had renters that had left recently and their idea of cleaning out the house was to dump everything out the back windows and into the yard. He left, and when I related the story to our youth they immediately took it upon themselves to clean up the man's yard. It took a while, and yielded about a dozen large bags of trash. When Tom returned a few hours later he was blown away that we had done the work. He tried to give me money, to buy the youth "pizzas or something." When I refused it he asked if he could make some kind of donation. I suggested he walk down the street to the Hezekiah House (a substance abuse rehabilitation center and our base of operations) a make a donation there, which he promptly did. When he returned he again thanked us and was getting ready to load all the trash in his truck when our youth again pitched in and loaded it for him. He came to me again and asked if he could buy us something - maybe tools. I told him about Sr. Kitty and how all her tools were recently stolen. At that moment she came out the front door of her house. Tom rushed across the street and offered to replace her stolen tools.

Answered prayers. In his homily Sunday morning Fr. Marty Demek talked of how this week these young people were going to be the answer to someone's prayers. And we saw it today, a ripple effect that began with picking up some prescription drugs in the middle of the street. Perhaps a mother whose prayer was her child never get started in the drug trade had her prayer answered when we removed that temptation from the middle of the alley. And perhaps Tom's prayer was answered for a relief from the stress and anxiety he was feeling because of what happened to his property. And perhaps Sr. Kitty's prayers to have her tools replaced was also answered.

Ripples... answered prayers... we all have the opportunity to be someone's answer to prayer. I saw it tangibly today, at BASE Camp - Day One+.

Barnabas the Peacemaker

I had never really given St. Barnabas much thought before the last few days. I knew of him, but hadn’t considered his ministry, why he was a saint, why he was important. There are dozens of saints that are far more ‘popular.’ Everyone from Paul to Teresa to Francis to Therese to Maximilian Kolbe and someday Theresa of Calcutta and John Paul – they are more well known, more revered, more time spent in devotion to. They are invoked and looked to for intervention and assistance. Jude, Anthony, Joseph and Mary, of course, are called upon constantly in times of trouble and strife and worry and need. But honestly, when was the last time any of us prayed to Barnabas? Perhaps on June 11 of last year. Yet the more I have read and learned about Barnabas the more I want to understand his importance.

When we think of a saintly patron of peace, chances are we think of Francis of Assisi. And the great love of Francis by the faithful has probably overshadowed Barnabas. While Francis was a man of peace – a very Christ-centered virtue – Barnabas was a man who MADE peace. The patronage of Barnabas isn’t just peace, but peacemaking. He is the patron of mediators – according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Law “…one that works to effect reconciliation, settlement, or compromise between parties at variance.” While Christ is the one mediator between God and people (I Timothy 2:5) Barnabas was an earthly mediator, seeking compromise between groups in disagreement.

Being a mediator is not glamorous work. Nor is it fun. I’m sure everyone has had the experience of being the ‘go-between’ in an argument or disagreement. Whether between family members, co-workers, acquaintances or friends each of us has had times where we had to act as the one that brings those two sides together, to find a common ground with which everyone can be reconciled with if not completely satisfied. And occasionally, the task seems almost impossible. Or we lose the trust and confidence of one or both sides and then we are not just the one in the middle, we are the one that ends up caught in the crossfire. We end up damaged and beaten down and no one is any the better.

But being a mediator can also be incredibly rewarding work. And there is every indication that Barnabas was very good at what he did. He was a sponsor of Paul to the other apostles and was his close companion. He was one who visited the various communities of early Christians, encouraging them and helping them understand their new-born and developing faith. He brought communities together that were moving in different directions and helped them understand the centrality of Christ to their faith. And like many early Christians who shared and evangelized their faith in a very public manner he was martyred. In the Acts of the Apostles he is described as “a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” (Acts 11:22-24) There really isn’t a higher compliment.

In the Sermon on the Mount Christ exhorts those gathered – and us today – to be reconciled with one another (Matthew 5:23-24). We can’t live a true Christian life if we are constantly at odds with one another, if we are criticizing one another, if we’re constantly holding others in judgment. In everything we do we have to open our hearts to one another – even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. In everything we must “go first and be reconciled.” These commands are ones Barnabas was surely familiar with because he carried his own handwritten copy of the Gospel of Matthew, a copy he had with him at the time of his death. Not just commands he was familiar with, but commands he lived by, and commands he was willing to give up his life for.

In the days, months and years ahead I know Barnabas will be much more in my thoughts and prayers. Two of the great evils in the world are misunderstanding and distrust. Barnabas’ life was all about helping people understand one another, and helping people to learn to trust one another. Besides his patronage of peacemakers, he truly is a model of what it means to be an apostle of Christ even though like Barnabas we aren’t one of the original twelve. A model of what it means to live as a Christian – to go out and share God’s love with others and help them understand through our efforts God’s place in their lives. A model of evangelization, reconciliation, and great faith. St. Barnabas, the peacemaker. St. Barnabas, the good man filled with the Holy Spirit.

When Salt Loses its Flavor...

The reading from the Gospel of Matthew on the similes of salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) is a favorite reference point when we want to address the themes of justice and service, of sharing our gifts and talents, of putting our faith into action. We often cite it in youth ministry circles as a rallying cry for the young church – “You are the salt of the earth! You are the light of the world! Your light must shine before others!” These are powerful words, a powerful command directly from Christ. But as I thought about this passage I began to approach it from a different perspective. I keyed in on a phrase that perhaps doesn’t always get the same amount of 'attention.' “If salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?”

I’m into the beginning of what will become the busiest, craziest time of year for me. Multiple programs with a couple of hundred participants. Each program presenting a different set of challenges and problems. Six weeks of coordinating volunteers, meals, locations, transportation, teenagers, sleeping arrangements. And if that wasn’t enough, there are prayer experiences and liturgies to plan. Prayers and liturgies that I need to make sure are meaningful for the participants.

Now I’m not trying to make myself out to be some sort of superman. I know each of you has times in your life where you have to juggle work and family and activities and church and recreation and major decision-making and all the other crazy things that we try to stuff into this box we call 'Life.' And each of us has periods where all this seems to converge like a runaway train hurtling down the tracks and no matter how hard we try we can’t put the brakes on to stop it. These times in our lives, these times when we feel lost or overwhelmed or spiritually barren are the times when the salt has lost its flavor. When we are so spiritually drained we cannot 'season' life and our relationships with others and our relationship with our God.

The problem for many of us is that this puts our living on the edge. It’s a fine balance, and a balance easily tipped. Maybe an illness, an unexpected financial need, something that comes to us from out of nowhere that begins to tip the balance the wrong way. And we feel it. We feel our grasp slipping away, we feel the foundation beneath us crumbling, we start dog-paddling, desperately trying to keep our heads above water. The salt that we are has lost its flavor.


Sometimes we need to treat life as a marathon. The next eight weeks for me are a marathon. And I know it’s coming. And like a marathon, I need to train. I need to be on top of my planning and not allow things to slip by. But most importantly, I need to see to it that my spiritual needs are being met. Because if they aren’t I’m not going to be able to facilitate the spiritual needs of others. I cannot give something to someone that I don’t have myself. I need to spend time in prayer. I need to make time to have quiet reflection. I need to come to worship with an open heart and mind and actively seek Christ’s embrace. We all do! I can’t wait four, six weeks to do this. I need to do it NOW. I need to build up my spiritual stamina NOW. Some of us have the opportunity to go away on retreat, and we need to take those opportunities. My friend Deacon John Langmead used to call it "retreat to advance." Stepping back, assessing, resting, and praying, and then moving forward.

Now I know that no matter how much I try to plan and prepare, there will be things that will go awry. That’s part of life as well. The trick is not seeing those interruptions to our routine as setbacks. We need to be ready to recognize God in those interruptions. And ask ourselves, “What is God saying to me in this moment? Do I need to slow down? Am I doing too much, trying too hard? Do I need to rely less on myself and more on God’s will? What do I need to do to remind myself that it is God – not me – that is in control?”

In his book “The Cost of Discipleship” Dietrich Bonhoeffer talks about how Christ doesn’t say we MUST be salt or that we HAVE salt. Christ says we ARE salt. We are the essence of seasoning on earth, and on earth we have been entrusted with the work of Christ. We are what Bonhoeffer calls “The Visible Community.” Yes, Christ wants us to be salt and light for the world. But we cannot give what we do not possess ourselves. We need to pray, we need to make time to pray. We have to come to God in worship; we have to meet Christ in the Eucharist. And we have to be serious about it. Christ is the salt that seasons our lives, the light in times of darkness. And if we have Christ in us we can be salt and light for others.

Beautiful Morning

Today was my day off, and I wasn't much looking forward to the prospects of yet another rainy day. It's been raining here for the last five days. And raining. And raining.

I started the day busily. My usual 5:30am walk with Watson, our dog (and listening to Billie Holiday on the iPod - what a great way to begin the day). Making lunch for my son, Grady. Then, feeling a sense of needing to do something I decided to make banana bread. We had some bananas here that were well beyond being comfortably served as finger-food, but ideal for banana bread... mushy, sticky, sugar and flavor content at the max. So I threw that together.

Still feeling energetic. I drafted Grady into service before the bus came and we pulled out the slow cooker and threw together a ham stew... pork shoulder bones, a pound of ham, carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, apple, dark red kidney beans, cannelloni beans, butterbeans, salt, pepper and a sprinkling of ground cloves. A veritable smorgasbord of whatever I could find that seemed like it may work and probably needed to have something done with it before it didn't resemble edible food any longer (and it all worked quite well - the stew was delicious).

7am... Grady leaves for the bus, and I decide to grab a cup of coffee, take a break and sit on the back porch to read.

It was really quite pleasant out. Not too warm, not too chilly. If you know me you know I love coffee, but this coffee... this coffee was particularly wonderful. Grady has been on a Melitta kick, and he makes it extra strong. Hot and steamy and muddy and black, sipped outdoors on the porch when there's a bit of a damp edge in the air. I settled into a chair, put up my feet, started playing Beethoven's "Triple Concerto" on my iPod and began to read.

Within about half an hour above the strains of the concerto (which seemed amazingly spring-like on this morning) I became very aware of the chatter of the birds. A chatter that grew louder and louder as the moments passed. I decided to put the book down and just spend time watching them go through their morning routine. We have a small bird house that my Dad built for us that hangs next to our porch and a family of sparrows has taken up residence there. Another family is building a nest under the overhang of the porch roof. I then noticed a pair of robins building a nest in our lilac tree (the female became quite agitated when I ventured out into the yard for a better look). And a variety of other birds - including a brilliant yellow one that looked like a finch - shooting this way and that, carrying worms and bits a dried grass or twigs. All of them busily flitting around, doing their thing, preparing for new life. And despite the rain, and the chill, the dreary dampness and the smoky looking sky in a multitude of shades of gray I really started to enjoy - even revel - in this morning. On a day which I initially felt would be a literal washout I had managed to get some things going on the stove and in the oven that were slowly filling the house with wonderful smells. I had listened to some really extraordinary music that warmed my heart and filled my soul. And I took a few quiet moments from what could have been an insanely busy day of errands and tasks to watch the new life happening... the excitement of springtime even on a dreary day. And I felt very fortunate and grateful. Grateful for a beautiful morning... and for a really nice steamy cup of black coffee. God is good.