Inspiring messages from Habitat LA’s religion companions
“In search of to place God’s love into motion, Habitat for Humanity brings individuals collectively to construct houses, communities, and hope.” To assist execute on that mission assertion, Habitat LA welcomes and collaborates with a mess of companions all through the Better Los Angeles space.
“Bringing totally different religion traditions collectively to serve in ministry has by no means been extra vital,” says Chris Untiet, Habitat LA’s Director of Religion Relations. “In a time when a lot divides totally different faiths all over the world, how nice is it that our religion companions can unite to assist a household in want obtain the dream of homeownership?”
Every group of religion gives a wealthy religious custom that brings much more which means to Habitat LA’s mission. In celebration of spring’s many holidays, we requested members of our religion coalition to share their reflections on the season.
Within the phrases of Saint John of Damascus, the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ “is the chosen and holy day, first of sabbaths, king and lord of days, the feast of feasts, holy day of holy days…” With out the Resurrection, the preliminary disciples of Christ would have remained the damaged and hopeless band, which the Gospel of John describes them as being following the Crucifixion. However once they skilled the Risen Christ, his resurrection grew to become the idea of all the things they stated and did because it have to be for Christians at present.
In an actual and concrete manner, Habitat helps women and men transition from the darkness of Calvary to the splendor and hope of the Resurrection, from the darkness of not possessing a house to the sensible mild of being a house owner and contributing to the upbuilding of our communities.”
Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Passover celebrates the Jews’ escape from slavery and a return to their house in Israel. This vacation isn’t solely a celebration of freedom but in addition an opportunity to replicate on these at present who aren’t but free and would not have a house.
Habitat LA’s work to revive communities and to assist individuals discover house once more displays the sacred mission of Sinai in that everybody needs to be free and have a house to which they will return.
Gail Rodkin, Habitat LA Jewish Coalition
The significance of ‘doing,’ of arising to serve and to accompany fellow souls, have to be harmonized with the notion of ‘being,’ of accelerating one’s understanding of the divine teachings and mirroring forth religious qualities in a single’s life.” (Common Home of Justice, December 29, 2015) Final month, Bahá’ís all around the world celebrated the Bahá’í New 12 months, Naw Ruz, on the primary day of spring. In April, Bahá’ís have fun Ridván, considered the “Most Nice Pageant” and the “King of Festivals.” Ridván (pronounced “riz-wan”) is an Arabic phrase which means “paradise” and is a twelve-day pageant that remembers the beginnings of the Bahá’í Religion in 1863. Like Naw Ruz, which celebrates springtime and a religious renewal, Ridván additionally signifies a non secular renewal within the sense that Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed His Mission as the most recent Manifestation of God for at the present time, renewing the identical religious ideas revealed by the Messengers of the previous in what Bahá’ís confer with as “progressive revelation.”
“Come up, and proclaim unto the complete creation the tidings that He who’s the All-Merciful hath directed His steps in the direction of the Ridván and entered it. Information, then, the individuals unto the Backyard of Delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise.”(Bahá’u’lláh, cited by Shoghi Effendi in “God Passes By”)
Bahá’ís, like those that serve with such distinction in Habitat for Humanity, perceive that service to others advantages not solely these in want but in addition facilitates one’s personal religious progress.
Randolph Dobbs, Los Angeles Bahá’í Heart
If you need to be taught extra about Habitat LA’s religion coalitions, please contact Chris Untiet, Director of Religion Relations.
