Boundless compassion

If you haven’t heard of Father Greg Boyle I highly suggest doing some research. I had never heard of the man until a few weeks ago when my mother in law said he would be speaking at our church. My husband was immediately excited and said a book he had written was on every book cart in the jail (I can’t confirm nor deny this because I only ever sought out Stephen King books). Father Boyle runs THE LARGEST gang intervention and rehabilitation program IN THE WORLD; Homeboy Industries. His revolutionary idea? Boundless compassion to the humans most people consider throw aways. When we went to go hear him speak last night I entered the church with a sort of hopeful skepticism. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from him or his “homies”. What I got was much more powerful than anything I could’ve imagined. Father Boyle is genuinely one of the most beautiful human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing a room with. The way he spoke pure love, kindness, and compassion was nothing short of captivating. Father Boyle started Homeboy Industries because he saw a need that to that point didn’t have a good solution. The gang violence in California in the late ‘80s and ‘90s was at a record high and the states solution was mass incarceration; throwing these people away. Father Boyle saw the issue was that these people were broken and didn’t know anything other than survival. He offered them refuge, created a safe haven for all, created jobs, offered nonjudgmental healing and the broken flocked to him. He did what no one thought possible and no one else dared to even try. He offered love and compassion to the ones society thought were too far gone and it worked. He started off with the thought that an employed gang member was less likely to reoffend, but soon realized that a healed gang member would never reoffend. Father Boyle is healing entire families with his work and helping so many break the cycle of violence, drug abuse, and incarceration that has plagued so many families for generations. Why? Because he saw these people just as they are; broken, hurting, lost, and forgotten people. He gave them a second chance, he let them know they have value, he gave them a voice and let them be seen for who they really are. He had a calling and he followed it and is quite literally changing the world with love and kindness. I hope to one day be able to help even a fraction of the people he has, but I hope to emulate his selflessness and boundless compassion in all things I do. He is a radiant beam of light to all that seek him. I am truly grateful that we got to hear him speak, I am in awe of the power of love.