Gifts from the Poor asks a question. It is a fundamental question that each person must ask him or herself, ""will you live by fear, or by faith?"" Drawing on his experience as a missionary in EI Salvador, John Loya reflects on his encounters with the people of that country and presents these reflections as gifts from the poor. These gifts are lessons in what it means to choose faith over fear. He tells us many stories of persons and events, and then he turns to scripture with a sensitivity that reaches to the heart of each story. The result is a collection of gems in the great tradition of spiritual writing, but with radical implications for our daily lives. From the midst of strife-torn EI Salvador, Loya's message is not one of strident anger, but of compassion and love. He calls us to love in fait, not a sentimental love, but a true love that acts and is prepared to sacrifice. Whether we live in the Third World or the world of privilege, we all face the same choice: ""Will we live by fear, or by faith?"" Which will you choose? Rev. John F. Loya is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland and is currently the Spiritual Director of Borromeo Seminary. He and his brother Rev. Joseph A. Loya, OSA, are co-authors of Jesus' Love Stories: Scriptural Insights into the Spirituality of Christian Loving.
