Serving Others With Love

Living The Faith After Sunday Service:

When I was an active member of the Antioch Youth Group at St. Francis de Sales parish, a few--okay more than a few--years ago, I volunteered to serve at a food kitchen in Newark, NJ. This experience changed me profoundly, opening my eyes to what it meant to truly see one’s neighbor, not just in the people who looked like me, who lived next door.

My neighbor was the woman who walked in with her dry cleaning, who had a full-time job in an office, but barely made enough income for her kids to eat, so she got her meal of the day at the kitchen. My neighbor was the elderly man who asked if I played basketball and chuckled when I told him I had the height, but no hand-eye coordination. My neighbors were the family, eating together around the table.

When Jesus’ was asked Him which of the Commandments was the greatest, this was his answer: To love God, and to love your neighbor as yourself. 

On January 26, our Youth Group will be taking the lead in volunteering at the Warming Center in Salinas. We will be looking for volunteers to serve, as well as families to sign up to cook part of the meal and deliver it to the church that afternoon.

As we get closer, we’ll have more information posted on the Church Website and Facebook page, and we will reach out via email to keep everyone up to date. If you and your family are interested in cooking and/or serving, please contact me at: youth@goodshepherdcorral.org, or via telephone at: (831) 484-2153 X5.