By Sarah Leon,
Client Relations Specialist at Lincoln
“Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15: 23-24
My name is Sarah Leon, and I am the new Client Relations Specialist here at the Lincoln office. What St. Mother Teresa teaches about how we should treat each human person as if it were Christ Himself whom you were encountering, is the essence of how I can do my job well. I love working at the front desk and having the opportunity to first encounter people and show them the merciful face of Jesus. Whether we’re assisting clients with paperwork or providing hygiene bags to those experiencing homelessness, each interaction is a chance to offer a listening ear and a joyful smile. For me, this embodies “hope in the Good Life”—paying attention to small details and trusting that no small act goes unnoticed by God.
Melany, one of our clients experiencing homelessness who frequently visits CSS, informed me a few weeks ago that she has decided to pursue sobriety from alcohol and drugs, substances that have afflicted her life since adolescence. She shared with me that she knows rehab is going to be difficult, but she is ready to take the next step, even if she is terrified of doing it. After receiving the truly wonderful news from her, a wave of pride washed over me. I immediately made sure to share with her how incredibly proud I am of the strength and commitment she has demonstrated. This courageous decision to transition into sober living is a monumental step forward—a powerful turning point in her journey. It’s a testament to her resilience and hope for a better future, and it was an absolute honor to celebrate this significant good news with her! I told her I would continue to pray for her and her eyes lit up and she gave me a huge smile and said, “That is all I need.”
Every desire of the human person is to be seen, known, and loved. The great opportunity that we have here at Catholic Social Services is that we get to do this with those who walk through the front door. We get to treat them with dignity and respect and get to learn their story, in a way that not many others get a chance to do.
I remember another instance when we were offering a homeless person some hygiene products. As we were preparing some of the items, we asked the man how his day was going, to which he said: “You are treating me like a human being.” This line absolutely shattered my heart, thinking about all the other experiences he might have had – even that day – that made him believe the lie that he was not worthy of being seen or known. This man’s sentiment, once more echoes the universal human longing for purpose and connection.
We often fall prey to the limiting belief that we have nothing of material value or comfort to offer those who are experiencing homelessness, but this is a profound lie rooted in fear.
It is a common experience, almost a reflex, that as we navigate the busy currents of our daily lives—safely enclosed in our vehicles—and catch sight of those who are homeless on the side of the streets, we tend to avert our gaze. We avoid making eye contact, driven by an almost subconscious fear that we will be forced to confront our perceived inadequacy; that we don’t have enough time, money, or resources to truly offer any meaningful assistance. This avoidance, however, robs both us and the person we see of a moment of shared humanity.
I want to gently invite you to challenge this instinctive retreat and embrace a small, profound act of encounter. The next time you find yourself in this situation, I encourage you to pause, take a deep breath, and lower your window. Look directly at the person, not with pity, but with respect, and offer a genuine smile—a visible expression of Christ’s love and recognition. More than any material offering, this gesture of mutual recognition validates their dignity as a human being created in God’s image. Finally, offer the most powerful resource you possess: ask in what specific ways you can pray for them, for it is only through our Lord that true transformation can happen. I pray that we can love those around us better to continue to share hope in the good life.
