{"id":8231,"date":"2014-03-28T12:21:53","date_gmt":"2014-03-28T16:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/evetushnet\/?p=8231"},"modified":"2014-03-28T12:21:53","modified_gmt":"2014-03-28T16:21:53","slug":"in-which-im-inspired-by-direct-mail-really","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/evetushnet\/2014\/03\/in-which-im-inspired-by-direct-mail-really.html","title":{"rendered":"In Which I’m Inspired by Direct Mail. Really."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I just finished The New Evangelization: 2003 \u2013 2013 Missionary Letters<\/em><\/a>, which is basically a collection of fundraising letters from A Simple House<\/a>, an intentional Catholic community which practices \u201cfriendship evangelization\u201d among the poor in DC and Kansas City, MO. It\u2019s a genuinely moving book with solid reflections on the theory and practice of charity. There are good explanations of why the authors focus on friendship as vs. efficient meeting of material needs, and there are countless personal stories which show the spiritual battles being waged every day in poor neighborhoods. It\u2019s a slim book and I absolutely recommend it.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing it lacked, it was more of what founder Clark Massey describes here:<\/p>\n

The Gospels portray the apostles as a befuddled and fumbling group of men following Jesus. All of their worst mistakes and most embarrassing remarks seem to be recorded in the Gospels. There is a special evangelical teaching hidden in these stories. We know the apostles messed up because they told everyone how they messed up. The apostles used their personal weaknesses and defeats to testify about God\u2019s greatness. It takes humility and courage to talk about our mistakes and weaknesses, but it is our confessions which cut to the heart of our fellow man. It is less powerful (and less true) to say, \u201cFollow God because it has sure worked out great for me!\u201d than to say, \u201cDespite all of my failed efforts, hard-heartedness, and self-deceit, God keeps blessing me.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are some descriptions of failure and frustration in the volunteers\u2019 relationships with the people they serve, but a) not enough! These are some of the most inspiring parts of the book, because they show people trying to figure out tough situations and seeking to surrender their own egos and goals\u2013even their own spiritual goals.<\/p>\n

And b) I know this is an unrealistic thing to ask of the particular kind of book this is, but I would have liked some description of how interpersonal conflicts among the volunteers get dealt with. Otherwise there\u2019s an impression that the volunteers are basically solid, well-meaning people whose big problem (and it is big) is that they can be clueless, \u201cmy will is God\u2019s will,\u201d striving children of privilege, but the conflicts and frustrations of charity are mostly caused by poor people<\/em>. This framing reinforces the division between those who serve and those who are served\u2013a division all of A Simple House\u2019s work seeks to diminish.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I realize that the things I wanted aren\u2019t really things this kind of book can provide. If you\u2019d like a more raw look at somewhat similar projects, Dorothy Day\u2019s letters<\/a> are a great place to start. But if you\u2019d like to know about a thoughtful, beautiful form of evangelization and service taking place right here in the District, A Simple House\u2019s book is for you.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I just finished The New Evangelization: 2003 \u2013 2013 Missionary Letters, which is basically a collection of fundraising letters from A Simple House, an intentional Catholic community which practices \u201cfriendship evangelization\u201d among the poor in DC and Kansas City, MO. It\u2019s a genuinely moving book with solid reflections on the theory and practice of charity. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1071,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[142,35,56,11,30,77,210],"class_list":["post-8231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mackerel-snapping","tag-corporal-works-of-mercy","tag-district-of-chaos","tag-friendship","tag-his-banner-over-me-was-love","tag-mackerel-snapping-2","tag-prepare-for-life-in-capitalist-america-play-class-struggle-the-game","tag-read-the-catholic-worker-romance-on-every-page"],"yoast_head":"\nIn Which I'm Inspired by Direct Mail. 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