On April 26th, our Weary Travelers men's small group continued our book study on "Gus Busbi," a novel by Catholic author Jim Sano. It is the second book in the Fr. Tom Fritzpatrick series. We had evocative discussions about the various themes that are covered in Chapters 27-33.
One of the Weary Travelers shared a wonderful story of forgiveness, reconciliation, and restitution that led to healing from a wound that was inflicted years ago because of prejudice and racism. It was a powerful story and reminder of how generational racism can end through acts of love. I shared with my brothers that I tell all couples who go through marriage class that, despite what happened in their family or origin, they have the opportunity as husband and wife to make their lives how they desire, starting with their faith and going from there.
We then discussed the story of Jamiel, Gus Busby, and Fr. Tom. We discussed how Busby and Jamiel are good for each other. Jamiel helps Gus Busbi to live a life of purpose once again, while Gus Busbi is the male model (and perhaps even the father-figure) that Jamiel earns for his entire life. Even more than this, because of his affection for Jamiel (and his mom, Celia), Gus Busbi returns to St. Francis for the first time in over 3 years. Moreover, Gus Busbi starts to reflect on his own relationship with God and how it had taken a tremendous hit since his tragic losses three years before. Another important turning point is Gus Busbi's realization of why he had not returned to Mass and, in a dramatic way, he realized this while Fr. Tom prayed the "Our Father" (or the Lord's Prayer) with him. I will not spoil the story but it has a lot to do with forgiveness.
For Jamiel, while he still wants so much to hold on to his old life and hang with his friends from his old neighborhood, we agreed that he is starting to realize that it might not be the best thing for him. This confuses him in the same way that Gus Busbi's tragic past still haunts him but, together, they are helping each other overcome their past as they continue to spend more time together - fixing a leaky faucet, planting a garden, or playing basketball. We also get a glimpse into the fears that overwhelms Willie when he shares these fears with Reverend Rich during their visits.
Finally, Fr. Tom introduces Gus Busbi to his good friend, David Kelly (from "The Father's Son"). They have been friends for two years. How cool is that?! Overall, we had wonderful discussions about the book. We shared our own experiences. We also discussed "Open Wide Our Hearts."
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