40 days of hope

One Sunday, while running late to church, I made an unspoken New York City faux pas: I locked eyes with a woman lingering by the subway turnstiles.

Have you ever felt like life just pushed you into the ground? Where circumstances were so overwhelming, you not only fall, but you feel crushed under the weight of it all? I have.

Lent is a season spent in the wilderness that leads to strengthened hope and perfect shalom.

Lord, we bring before you the needs of the church, the world, and all in need. For those feeling hopeless and wondering, “Where are you, God?”: reveal yourself to us. Come to us in our time of desperation.

Work and purpose are closely connected. Especially in America. Especially in New York City.

Whatever you may [or may not] abstain from during this Lenten Season, I encourage you to walk toward Resurrection Sunday with expectation.

Lent has traditionally been a liturgical season of ‘alms-giving’, where we let go of our own desires and focus on the needs of others, especially the poor and needy.

Fasting helps to holistically create a bridge into the condition of the poor—it creates a connection that’s not just contemplated, but felt.

Volunteering and engaging volunteers as part of my full-time work at The Bowery Mission stems from my own turbulent experiences in New York City.