Ordinary People … Radical Servants
What They Teach Us About Being Forces for Good
Across six weeks of Lent, the Outreach and Social Justice office offered six examples of radical servants. These stories of radical servants — some well known, some quietly heroic — offer a consistent and powerful message: ordinary people can transform the world when they lead with love, courage and solidarity. What did we learn from these ‘ordinary extraordinary servants’?
They teach us the power of proximity.
Fr. Greg Boyle and Bryan Stevenson both show that healing and justice begin when we draw near to suffering rather than avoid it. Transformation flows from kinship, mercy, and the refusal to judge another’s worth.
They remind us that faithfulness sometimes looks like staying.
Jean Donovan’s witness shows that radical service is not always dramatic; it can be the steady, compassionate decision to remain with those who are vulnerable —especially when it costs something.
They show that courage has no required age or status.
St. Joan of Arc demonstrates that answering God’s call depends not on earthly qualifications but on the willingness to act boldly for the good of others, even in the face of risk or misunderstanding.
They model integrity and moral courage in public life.
Fr. Ted Hesburgh’s leadership reveals that faith calls us not to retreat from difficult issues but to engage them with moral clarity. Speaking truth, pursuing justice and “staying at the table” are forms of holiness.
They reveal the quiet heroism of everyday people.
Rose Bagley’s life shows that ordinary individuals, grounded in faith and compassion, can become persistent advocates for peace, justice, and human dignity. Radical service does not depend on height, fame, or title—it depends on steadfast love and conviction.
Together, these witnesses show us that being a force for good means:
- Choosing love over judgment
- Standing with the marginalized
- Speaking truth with courage
- Remaining faithful when it’s difficult
- Believing every person is worthy of dignity and hope
- Acting—again and again—on behalf of others
They show that radical service is not a rare gift but a daily choice. And when ordinary people make that choice, God’s love becomes visible in extraordinary ways.
