(Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche)
I’ve been blessed to receive a job as a live-in assistant at L’Arche Irenicon located in Haverhill, Massachusetts. L’Arche is an organization that forms communities around the needs of individuals with disabilities. It strives to love and receive those who have developmental disabilities and are in need of not just a home, but a community that values their life and gifts. Mainstream society tends to cast out such people for their inadequate ability to compete with them; dancing toe to toe for popularity, success, and regard. L’Arche doesn't label people as unworthy and considers itself a place "where people with and without disabilities share their lives together, give witness to the reality that persons with disabilities possess inherent qualities of welcome, wonderment, spirituality, and friendship" (http://larcheusa.org/).
What draws me to the philosophy of L’Arche is how grounded they are in the belief that people with disabilities are full blessings; sources of light that act as lamps for our feet in the night. We are quick to identify the external shortcomings of poverty, hunger, and sickness, but hardly those who are poor in spirit. L’Arche sees internal unrest as equal a handicap as any exposed disability. In essence, these homes are meant to heal and bless both those who would and would not be labeled as someone of "special needs".
Jesus taught that love, in the fullest capacity of our heart, soul, strength, and mind, is integral to the spiritual life (Luke 10:27). It seems to me that the greatest handicap of all is the one universally shared- the inability to truly love in the name of the Father like the Son. It is not in our nature to glorify God and others over ourselves easily, but it is a choice that we have the potential to make. Those who form the communities of L’Arche gather together in recognition of their strengths, gifts, friendships, and worth, but also in admittance of their depravity and what they are in bondage to- a broken body or a broken spirit. Through this genuine wholeness of the community they celebrate the humility and love for God that abounds in this decision. They do their best to communally make a choice of love in the name of the Father.
This comes with a hope to enter into mutual relationships that are not elevating one person over the other, but do try to offer love, grace, acceptance, and friendship. The weakness, the imperfection, the vulnerability, and the lesser-ness that we bury become the unveiled pathway towards real community and life. It is a willingness to allow God to be glorified in our weaknesses and paradoxically define that as our strength. From my understanding, L'Arche attempts to go in and through the good, bad, and ugly so that we strive to become truer versions of ourselves. We learn to accept and forgive our own and other's deficiencies and grow in the ability to accept and give relationship.
Core members become friends of the highest regard, people with immense blessings… for they are the meek, merciful, pure of heart, and they are peacemakers (Matthew 5:1-11). The undercurrent of their presence inspires and fulfills. Jean Vanier wrote that we are healed from the broken and the poor. In a mutually exchanging environment of care, grace, forgiveness, and sacrifice we are drawn toward the unveiling of our true selves and allow that presence to step out from hiding and onto the water- responding faithfully to the encouragement of Christ to "come" (Matthew 14:22-33).
It is a healing of the heart that we have so painstakingly feared and desired- one that requires a certain courageousness to become vulnerable, faithful, and the "least of these" (Matthew 25:40,45). Those who have been wounded by rejection find a place of worthiness and acceptance. Those who have suffered from inwardness and contempt, whose hearts have gone searching, discover a home and the embrace that preceded it. We fall into the care of our heavenly Father who, though we were a long way off, waited and watched over the horizon for our return and when He saw us He was filled with compassion- we were run to, held, and kissed (Luke 15:20). This explains why the communities of L’Arche are built around people with disabilities, not only to give, but also to receive these subtle beauties. It is a lifestyle of care- one that is meant to empty oneself while trusting in God to restore us in the process. Discover a life where you find yourself in this embrace and are able to offer it to others.
