Friday, November 17, 2017

Healing Kinships



Reunions

There are mixed responses when you announce that you will be attending a reunion.  Popular forms are family and educational reunions.  For some it is just a nostalgic extravagance.  For others it is a chance to hear both old and new stories that you have shared.  I prefer to see reunions as the later.

This reunion may stretch the definition - It was attending a presentation supporting prison ministry in Grand Haven, Michigan (10/12/17).  The reunion part was hearing Father Gregory Boyle recount many of the stories I first heard in 2012 while reading Tattoos on the heart: The power of boundless compassion.  It was a great reunion.  It was at that reunion I heard an announcement of new stories that will appear this month Barking to the choir: The power of radical kinship.

A more classic reunion, 50 years since medical school graduation, actually began before the formal event with the collection and distribution of a brief histories.  I was impressed with the stories of mission and community involvement.  Even better was their love of their vocation.  When the reunion occurred (October 26-28, 2017) it was a great cerebration.   We are “kin” who shared a common beginning and remain connected to a common purpose of healing.

Thanks, 
Marvin

References:

Humanity for Prisoners

Boyle, G. (2011). Tattoos on the heart: The power of boundless compassion. Simon and Schuster.

Hage, M. L. (2012). Techniques and Transformation.

Boyle, G. (2017). Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship. Simon & Schuster.

Hage, M.L. (2017) Healing Covenant

No comments:

Post a Comment