The Breakfast Club Jay Mason

The Breakfast Club

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said. - A.A. Milne

By Jay Mason

Especially during the winter months, several dedicated individuals serve breakfast to the less fortunate among us. The Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s order) serve a hot lunch and sandwiches every day of the year. During the winter Catholic Charities and the Lighthouse Church serve breakfast to all comers early in the morning.

Some people say that this is not a good idea. You are just enabling the addicted to continue his or her problem. Really? I remember those days when it was common to have several deaths a year of the homeless who froze overnight during the winter. Remember when Gallup was famous for this phenomenon? Christ did not say, “Feed the hungry only when they agree to go to rehab.” He said, “Feed the hungry.” And who knows? One charitable act by a stranger might inspire that person to change their life. We must to try to help the poor.

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The ladies at Catholic Charities serve the poor Monday through Friday during the winter. The first volunteer comes at 5:00am to begin preparation of the meal. The doors open at 6:30am. These dedicated volunteers serve 60-75 persons every day. First everyone gets coffee and donuts. The facility can only serve 35 people at a time. Many days the line is around the block. The meal itself usually consists of a hearty stew or soup that hopefully will last until the next meal.

The director of Catholic Charities, Vicki Trujillo, says they are in constant need of paper plates and utensils to serve the poor. They also hand out winter clothing to those who need it. They receive some donations from the community, but more would be appreciated. Volunteers are needed as well. Why do these five or six ladies (and one guy) do what they do? It is not easy work. They do it because it needs to be done. They do not seek publicity or gratitude; they merely follow the words of Christ, “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do it for me.”

Another robust breakfast is organized by the Lighthouse Church. It happens on Saturday. The gang arrives at 6:30am and sets up the tables and chairs outside of Nizhoni Laundromat and serves the people that come until the last one is fed. Bill Camarota is the leader of the gang and very energetic. Everyone must be energetic because this breakfast is served outside. Once again, the volunteers come because there is a need. If you can prevent one person from freezing to death during the winter, it is worth the effort.

This project began five years ago when a group of men and women began a Share and Care discussion group at Lighthouse Church. That discussion group grew into an action group that started the Saturday breakfast. They get their food from the Food Pantry and other donations, and some volunteers bring food they make at home. They serve Saturday breakfast all year round.

The volunteers now come from around the community. Many report that there is as much healing that the volunteers receive from helping the poor as the homeless receive from the volunteers. A warm meal and a prayer go a long way to help the less fortunate. They give without thought of reward.

These acts prescribed by Christ in the Bible are generally called corporal acts of mercy. They are: • To feed the hungry; • To give drink to the thirsty; • To clothe the naked; • To shelter the homeless; • To visit the sick; • To visit the imprisoned or ransom the captive; • To bury the dead.

In our time it is considered a corporal act of mercy to visit the imprisoned. You remember when Pope John Paul II visited the person in prison who shot him and told him that he forgave him. I am not sure I would be able to do that, but that is why he is now known as St. John Paul the Great.

Christ does not mince words about these corporal acts of mercy. In Matthew 25:41, He said, “Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed in everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels for I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you covered me not; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.” This is not gentle Jesus, meek and mild. We all might consider taking up one or more of these acts of mercy.

A corporal act of mercy is not social work. It is an act of love. It is showing to another human being that you are extending your helping hand to him, just as you would want to be treated by someone else in your hour of need. These are simple, uncomplicated acts. All of us cannot spend all our time clothing the naked and feeding the hungry. But if given the opportunity to help, we should. It might be as simple as going to a funeral. After all, Jesus took the time to die for us to save us from our sins. 1500 S. SECOND ST. GALLUP, NM 87301