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All of us are Anawim
by Sr. Marcia Buchard, F.M.I.
The words "Blessed
are ...all who live afflicted, pursued for the sake of justice..." have haunted
me. John Foley's translation of Jesus' words has invited me to question how I
pursue the goals of promoting a just society and what I have done to alleviate
the plight of the poor. In reflection, I have become more aware of the
influences which have shaped my thinking and, consequently, my desire to become
involved.
When I look back on my life, I realize that my sisters have been instrumental in
raising my consciousness of social justice. Our past General Chapter documents
have reminded us Marianists to work for peace and justice and have called us to
be in solidarity with the poor and oppressed. Our province Chapters have echoed
this theme as well, and it has impressed me greatly.
I realize that Adele de Batz de Trenquellon, our co-founder, has been an
inspiration in forming within me a desire to work with the poor. The effects of
oppression, displayed in the French Revolution, were all around Adele in her
earliest years. She directly assisted her mother in feeding the many people who
came to the door of the Chateau. During her teenage years, Adele had several
projects to assist persons in need. She continued this work during her religious
life as she and the first Marianist Sisters offered free classes for the poor
and worked with paupers, prostitutes, and other marginal people.
Today, hearing about the work of our Brothers in India and Mexico and learning
about the work of our Sisters in Africa and South America has given me the
courage to "get in there" and do what I can do. When faced last year with
choosing a new ministry, I had no doubt as to where I would begin. I decide to
explore the possibility of working with illiterate adults. The news media were
constantly reminding us of the lack of literacy in America and I had heard much
about the San Antonio Literacy Council. Having taught corrective reading for a
number of years and being versed in the elements of our English language, I felt
well-suited for this work/ministry.
Adult education is my present ministry. I have been teaching Civics and English
as a Second Language since September. The majority of my students are Hispanic
men and women; none of them are asked to pay for their courses. Since many of my
students are working toward permanent residency, they are studying the language
in order to pass the amnesty test with the Immigration and Naturalization
Service.
The people with whom I work are highly motivated and are trying to be
self-determining. Many have had only a minimum of education in their native
countries and are hoping to earn their GEDs so that they may find decent
employment. Many of the women I teach are raising families and want to be able
to help their bilingual children with their schoolwork.
In the nitty-gritty of everyday life, daily prayer is my real source of energy.
Christ the Lord emptied himself and became "poor so that we might become rich."
In addition to being poor, as one of us, Jesus constantly ministered to the
poor, the sick, and the alienated. Mary, too, one of the Anawim, shows me her
total dependency on Yahweh and, therefore, her total liberation of spirit. Her
life glows with those realities. The poor show me my poverty: they symbolize,
for me, who I am before God. They show me that all of us are the Anawim, that we
all are totally dependent on the loving mercy and kindness of God.
As I reflect on my social justice experiences, I realize that I have just begun
to delve into this whole area. I am a neophyte; however, I am eager to learn so
that I can do my share. I want to receive the gift that the poor can give me. I
pray that I can heed the unrelenting call of the prophets to work for justice
and to hear the cry of the poor.
Sr. Marcia is teaching
second grade in Toledo and lives with her community among the poor. |