Discovering "unexpected moments of fullness"

sub-merge: Living deep in a shallow world: Service, justice and contemplation among the world’s poor
By John B. Hayes
Ventura, California: Gospel Light Publications, 2007

Reviewed by Emily Hutten

“Our planet is spiritually, socially, and environmentally at risk, and the vulnerable poor are the first to pay the price. How we respond to this situation, individually and collectively, matters deeply.”

Sub-merge calls us to a way of life and love that matters deeply. Author John Hayes offers this manifesto as a prophetic call to individuals and to the Church: follow Jesus into a new way of living, join what God is doing among poor and vulnerable communities around the world. Hayes urges the Church to move beyond analysis to action. “The world doesn’t need more words…The world needs more words made flesh. The world needs more people to live the good news incarnationally, in a way that can be seen, heard, and handled.”

InnerCHANGE lives this good news. Through stories and reflections on the evolution of InnerCHANGE, a Christian order among the poor, Hayes introduces women and men who have chosen to commit their lives to building community with the poorest, most forgotten around the world.

They discover “a place beneath the consumer mirage of status, style, spending and speed,” where beauty, success and purpose are redefined. Sub-merge invites us to peek below the surface and discover “unexpected moments of fullness like tide pools teeming with fragile meaning.”

Hayes’ wise reflection on the challenge and journey of choosing to “nail your feet to the floor” among a vulnerable community will nurture and affirm anyone following a similar path. You will connect with members of InnerCHANGE and the faithful mission orders of the past who live ‘presence ministry’ in Christ’s name and understand deeply the commitment “to care and care some more. Then care again.”

CPJ board member Emily Hutten lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and lives her days with ARK, a street-level outreach centre that welcomes youth who are homeless and street-involved.