We all know who Sean Penn is, don't we? He has starred in lots of movies and takes on roles with great intensity. Penn got side-tracked for a while in the eighties, what with a tumultuous marriage to Madonna, and taking swings at the paparazzi. But he evened his life out again and went on to win Academy Awards for Mystic River and Milk, both deserved.
So, what is Sean Penn doing today? Since the earthquake in Haiti he has been very involved in providing medical aid for the victims of that impoverished country. He has spoken to the U.S. senate asking for continued aid, but he has done much than this.
When I was waiting for two hours on a grounded plane in Santa Fe last week I chatted with a guy who was on his way to Haiti to work in the tent city Penn has set up to house and feed a small army of medical workers. http://jphro.org/This was the paramedics second stint and he told me that Penn is there, living with the rest of the responders and coordinating the effort. Now, he is still Sean Penn, walking around with a sidearm strapped to his side, but he is doing important work.
So often we are moved to compassion by the immediacy of tragedies around the world, then the media moves on and the situation is "out of sight, out of mind." United Church members gave two million dollars for Haiti Relief in a matter of weeks, and probably contributed millions more through other charities. Impressive. But the sort of ongoing compassion exhibited by Penn is even more impressive, at least to me. This Sunday we will hear the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke's gospel, and he is living the message to care for his neighbour.
Had you heard about what Penn is doing? What is your reaction? I wonder how we can be better Samaritans?
2 comments:
I had heard that Penn was involved in helping Haiti, but I didn't know he still is.
It just goes to show how complex people are....he can act very immaturely and be very arrogant, but on the flipside, he has a humanitarian side that it appears relatively few in Hollywood can match.
It is very easy to be completely focused on your own life and its dramas, and forget that there is a world that needs help. The irony is that, often, volunteering and helping those in need can also help you cope with your own issues. Although perhaps that doesn't apply in Penn's case...
Well said. The human heart is a mystery and I experience it all the time in ministry. Jesus said that when we lose our lives for others we will find them, and you make that point.
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