Realizing I'm Exhausted

From June 5 – 14 I spent 5 days in the desert camp (“Byrd Camp”) with No Mas Muertes and 5 days on a Borderlinks delegation which took me into Nogales, Mexico. Over the next several days I will write about some of my experiences. The days were FULL - and I was so busy living them that I did not have much time to reflect. Now that I have had a few days away from the encounters I am realizing how exhausted I am – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I need some time to process. I will write when I am ready and able.

In the meantime I share this Franciscan Blessing:

May God bless you with discomfort . . .

at easy answers, hard hearts,

half-truths and superficial relationships.

May God Bless you so that you may live

from deep within your heart

where God’s Spirit dwells.

May God bless you with anger . . .

at injustice, oppression and exploitation

of people.

May God bless you with tears . . .

to shed for those who suffer from pain,

rejection, starvation and war.

May God bless you

so that you may reach out your hand to

comfort them

and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough

foolishness

to believe that you can make a difference

in this world, in your neighborhood,

so that you will courageously try

what you don’t think you can do, but,

in Jesus Christ, you’ll have all the strength necessary.

May God bless you to fearlessly

speak out about injustice,

unjust laws, corrupt politicians,

unjust and cruel treatment of prisoners,

and senseless wars,

genocides, starvations, and poverty that is

so pervasive.

May God bless you that you remember

We are all called to continue God’s

redemptive work

of love and healing

in God’s place, in and through God’s name,

in God’s Spirit, continually creating

and breathing new life and grace

into everything and everyone we touch.