As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, we do so in society and world characterized by fear, division, hatred, and violence. Looking to the year ahead seems to offer little hope, especially for the most vulnerable in our nation. Yet as people of faith, we can go forward with gratitude. Such gratitude is not a simplistic or idealistic dismissal of the real challenges and dangers we face. Rather it is based on a deep commitment to the God of love and justice who promises to be with us on the journey of life and faith. This gratitude is also based on relationships with those who share the journey with us and who have blessed us along the way.
I invite you to practice deep gratitude this week by focusing on the life of one person who has blessed you by their commitment to love and justice. This person may be living or may have passed on to the next life. The person who comes to my mind and heart is Dr. Janelle Goetcheus. She recently passed away at the age of 84. I met her in 1992 when a group from our church started serving a montly meal at Christ House, a residential medical facility for homeless men in Washington, DC. Janelle was the founder and medical director of Christ House and went on to also direct Unity Health Care that provided medical services to homeless people throughout DC. She became known as the “Mother Teresa of DC.” Her deep faith and embodiment of the Way of Jesus had a profound impact on my life. The ministry of Christ House included both compassionate care for homeless men and advocacy for changing the healthcare system to be more just for the most vulnerable among us. This witness of love and justice was a major factor contributing to the shift in God’s call on my life that led to founding the Cornelius Corps in 2001. The life and witness of Dr. Janelle Goetcheus help me to go forward with gratitude in these difficult times knowing that faithfulness to the Way of Jesus is never in vain. The two videos posted below provide glimpses into the gift that Janelle Goetcheus was to so many including me.
Who is one person in your life who helps you to go forward with gratitude?