Dorothy

Today is the birthday of Dorothy Day, a personal saint of mine, and one entry on the list of people I wish I could have dinner with.  I think we would eat soup and good bread.

Her memoir, The Long Loneliness, is an important book for me.  In it, she describes how she came to Catholicism, how she started responding to the poor and hungry people she saw in New York City, and how the Catholic Worker movement came about.  It is a beautiful, honest account of a woman who was searching for something, for some way to bring about a more socially just world, and about how she did not stop searching until she found it.  She never gave up on what she knew, in her core, was right.

For those who do not know more about her, here is a lovely introduction to her life story:

And here are some of her beautiful words, words to live by.  Words that I want to live by.

“The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us?” 

“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.” 

“Don't worry about being effective. Just concentrate on being faithful to the truth.” 

“I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least.” 

“Our problems stem from our acceptance of this filthy, rotten system.”

“You will know your vocation by the joy that it brings you. You will know. You will know when it's right.” 

“The Gospel takes away our right forever, to discriminate between the deserving and the undeserving poor.” 

She shares a birthday with the anniversary of Kristallnacht.  I am thankful that on such a dark and dreadful anniversary, we have Dorothy to celebrate as well, to raise up as an answer to the suffering and evil in the world.

Thank you Dorothy.

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