On Monday, June 29, Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries, spoke at a nearby hotel. Vanity Gee, a partner on another project Nothing Yet had told me about Greg and his ministry. I visited his the Homeboy booth at the famer’s market in Santa Monica a few months back and our book club is reading his book, Tattoos on the Heart, next month. So Greg came highly recommended and I was overwhelmed by his simple, straight message.

Greg Boyle is a Jesuit priest, typically Jesuits are more involved in social justice and helping the wounded in life. His words sang a sweet song to my soul. Here are some of the items he shared.

We are called to stand at the margin. Mother Teresa said, “We’ve forgotten that we belong to each other.”

Kinship is key. With no kinship, there is no peace. We lionize service and forget that it’s about connecting.

Service is the 1st step that gets you in the hallway to someone’s heart. Why do we have to look at us and them? It’s hard to demonize people you know.

Why can’t we realize that we are all healing?

What’s all this measuring about?

WOW! This one struck home with me…why are we constantly measuring? Not as smart, as capable, as quick, as funny, as savvy…ugh!!!

Greg explained an interesting concept that I’ve thought about in other situations. He said that tonight was "not what I go to, it’s where I will come from". Every event, interaction, contemplation changes the way we go forward.

Our own wounds welcome the wounds of others. If we don’t heal our own wounds, we cannot help the wounded.

Joy is loving the enemy. Are we fear driven or joy driven? If you are ruled by sadness and fear, this is a sign you are off-center. The key is to focus on hope and joy.

It’s about the joy of the gospel, not the demand of doctrine.

Tenderness should be our methodology.

And this is the one that has resonated in my heart time and time again since I heard Greg speak: God is too busy loving us to be disappointed.

Greg spoke at Chautauqua Institute this past Wednesday. My dear friend, Rebecca Manor heard his message this week. I'm excited to compare notes.

You don’t have to save anyone, you just have to show up. Powerful.