“I thirst” 

            “When I was hungry you gave me to eat...

when I was thirsty you gave me to drink.”

Madonna of the Streets Ministries is driven by the conviction that Jesus is still suffering His Agony and Passion in the young men that we encounter everyday.  It was on the Cross, Jesus cried out “I thirst!”  and everyday we are privileged to encounter the thirsting love of Jesus in the distressing disguise of drug dealers, gang members, and young men with no hope and no direction.  If you listen with your heart you can hear his cry in their sadness, anger, frustration, etc.  Every street corner of our inner-cities is Calvary all over again. Jesus also said, in the Gospel of Matthew, “When I was hungry you gave me to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me to drink. Whatever you did to the least of my brothers, YOU DID IT TO ME.” Today, in our streets, Jesus is hungry for someone to listen to His cry of distress, Jesus is thirsting for understanding love. It is this conviction that drives us to go out into the streets armed with Our Lady’s rosary to reach out to young men whom the world has written off as untouchable; truly these young men are the lepers of our inner cities. The cure for their wounds is bringing them to the wounded Healer on the Cross, so that they may become transformed by His burning love.

Always, at all times, and in all places, it is Our Lady who teaches us how to quench this thirst for love.  It is through Mary, with Mary, and in Mary at the foot of each cross of each hurting soul that we are shown how to be an instrument of His love, compassion and peace. It is with her that we comfort Him in his distressing disguise.  It is with her that we weep for Him.  It is with her that we offer our lives for the conversion and sanctification of these young men.