Writer will live simple life in Jesuit Volunteer Corps

In less than six months I will begin a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, where I will work at a pregnancy resource center and maternity home in Washington, D.C. As supportive as most of my loved ones are about this new adventure, I understand the hesitation and concern they have about my decision.

Taking on this role is going to be challenging and emotionally taxing. I am going to be asked to counsel women facing severe poverty in crisis situations, learn a new language and, most importantly as a Jesuit volunteer, live by the values of simplicity, social justice, spirituality and community.

As I discerned serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, I was asked to reflect upon these values and truly decide what it would mean for me to live a year of my life devoted to them. At first, I was confused as to what there was to discern. I figured that I already lived a life according to these values with my commitment to attending Mass regularly, hanging with friends and working with pro-life groups. But after reading about what it truly means to devote oneself to these four pillars, I realized how far away from that life I am.

Truly living these four values is radical, countercultural and tough. It takes a denial of oneself, humility, self-control and determination. But it’s a life that we are called to live as Christians. Not just for a year after graduation, but for a lifetime.

Two of my closest friends are serving as Jesuit volunteers as well, and we discussed what these values meant to us and how we hope to live them during the next year and beyond. Simplicity is my favorite and has a strong focus on solidarity. We will be serving and living among some of the most marginalized members of society.

To better serve and understand their situation, we will live a simple life on a simple budget to bring our experiences and life closer to theirs and gain a freedom from the material. It will allow us to look past material things and truly see and experience the humanity of each person we encounter, while trusting on God to provide the necessities.

A document on liberation theology written by Jesuit Alfred Hennelly explains that the church as an institution is called to make a commitment to poverty. He writes, “Poverty as a commitment, through which one assumes voluntarily and lovingly the conditions of the needy of this world … follows the example of Christ … who ‘being rich became poor’ in order to redeem us.”

This spiritual poverty will bring us closer to those we serve and closer to the heart of humanity.

A commitment to social justice is, in my opinion, a commitment to desiring and working toward the common good for all people, because of each person’s inherent dignity that cannot be stripped away. Not only is social justice advocating for compassion and equality for all people; it also is serving in a way that shows each person they are loved. It is getting to know the homeless man on the side of the road, rather than just throwing money his way or avoiding him entirely. It is seeing the face of Christ in each person we meet.

Spirituality and community seem like an aspect of everyday life, but often they get lost in the hustle and bustle of busy lives. A commitment to spirituality means finding God in all things and putting one’s faith into action. Community means holding one another accountable, lending support and building respect. It is intentionally learning about a group of people and committing to serve and love them eternally. This is what our churches should be for our families, and what we should bring to our churches – a commitment to serve and love one another perpetually.

Living in community with a focus on social justice, spirituality and simplicity is not always conducive to our often materialistic and economically driven society. But the root of our Catholic faith calls for us to position them as the pillars of our lives. It calls for us to be radical, countercultural and tough to bring about the common good for all people – each and every day of our lives.

Lindsey Frechou can be reached at lfrechou@clarionherald.org.