Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ Luke 10:3-9

When I was sixteen, I wanted to be a priest. I was a Roman Catholic then. My parish priest thought it was just a passing romantic notion of a young teen. I understand his sentiments. I am not sure how I would have reacted if I was in his shoes then. It doesn’t change the fact that he was an excellent priest. Nevertheless, he was instrumental in helping me discover my home in the Anglican tradition. When I walked into the Anglican Church for the first time, I sensed a profound peace within my soul. It was as if I was returning to a home that I never knew I had. It was the first place where I said, “Peace to this house”. The Anglican minister returned it to me. Ever since then it has been a guide in the spiritual decisions that I have made in my vocation.

The first time I came to this city of São Paulo, infamous for its violence and coldness, I said the words, “Peace to this house” in the streets where the homeless children and teens congregate. They responded with a resounding, “Yes”. They shared the peace that I treasured in my heart. This was twenty years ago and I still sense it in my heart. It is a mysterious thing. It secures us in the place we are supposed to be present. Many could wonder why a middle aged priest with years in seminary and college sits with his wife who is a qualified teacher and wait for the homeless teens and children who never seem to go anywhere. There is no rational answer to this question. It is the peace that passes all understanding. The only compass we have to guide us to the people God has reserved for us. This inexplicable calm and serenity informs us that we have everything we need as we wait for our children and teens.

Jesus was quite specific. His disciples were not to leave the place that received their blessing of peace. This is quite radical. We never think about it. Those who receive our peace may not necessarily be the kind of people with whom we want to have prolonged contact. However, Jesus was quite firm. The disciples were to stay and receive from the first household which accepted them. They may not have much to offer. From the world’s perspective, people don’t believe that the homeless have anything to offer. This is why no one pays any attention to them. Politicians ignore them or maybe acknowledge their presence in the negative sense. People never stop to talk to them except to do certain acts of charity. However, it is not the kind that recognizes that they have something to offer too. It is very rare that someone thinks that the homeless have anything valuable to contribute to their daily lives. The world operates on the principal of a “means to end”. People are encouraged to invest in things or people that help them get a determined goal. The homeless will not help you get to any goal that is worth anything in this world. Perhaps, this is why God chooses the little ones to reveal to us the splendor of His Kingdom. In our case, these were the ones who welcomed our peace and therefore our place is with them. They are the treasure that God has set apart for us. They are the ones who are going to show us why we feel at peace with them.

I saw Ruan robbing someone once. I felt distraught witnessing someone whom we cared for and loved deeply performing such an evil act. It affected our relationship. He could not feel comfortable in our presence for a long time. His life was agitated and the peace we offered was incompatible. A relationship that was lovingly cultivated over years was disrupted due to one single act of violence. Obviously we were upset and hurt. However, we still offered the peace. Unfortunately, Ruan could not receive it at that time even though he once received it with open arms. It means that we are connected with him. As Jesus told us, we are to stay with the household that receives our peace. He did not reject us. His actions made it impossible to have an open and sincere friendship with us. Thankfully, he can always change his actions.

It has been almost two years since Ruan spoke with us. He would always be polite and respectful but he would never sit down and have a conversation with us. Then he went missing for a long time. He used to be in a gang of robbers. It did not last long. He tried staying at home. It did not last long neither. Finally, he just disappeared altogether. Then he appeared this week. He looked healthy. When he was involved in crime, he used drugs aggressively. Consequently, he lost tremendous amount of weight. Now, he looked like he gained everything back and much more. He sat next to us. He had a bottle of paint thinner and was sniffing it. We reminded him that he shouldn’t do this in our presence. He looked at us and said, “What is the point?” We were a little puzzled. Then he explained that whether he sniffs paint thinner or not, no one will look at him and say that he is worth anything. He went on to say that everyone assumes that the homeless teens are criminals and no one cares to find out who they are truly. “What about us?” Mary asked. Ruan responded that we are different but most people just see the worst in us and the only thing they care about are things and not people. Then he was silent. He waited for our response. “Unfortunately, you are right, Ruan. However, you don’t have to add to the number of people who care about things more than people. You can be a good person.”. This was best response that I could think of at that moment. Ruan did not expect this answer. I could see that he was seriously pondering over my reply. I asked him if he ever considered it. He said, “No”. He never thought that he could be different from the rest.

He sat next to us and started telling us that he was working now. He works in a recycling company. It was hard work and the pay is very low but it was better than sitting around the house doing nothing, he added. He also assured us that he has stopped all his criminal activities. I told him that crime hurts our soul. I explained that each time we hurt people with our words or actions, we also hurt our souls. He understood. He asked us how old we were. We revealed our ages and he said that we had a good fifty years of life left. It is the same question he asked a few years ago. He always wants us to be alive for a long time. He wasn’t changing the subject. It was connected. Perhaps, it was his way of returning the peace we offer to him. He asked if Mary would make him cupcakes again. It is his favorite sweet. It was also a symbol. We made them when our relationship was strong and growing. He wanted to know if it is still strong. It will always be strong because when he received our peace, he helped us to build a home among these children and teens.

The Peace of God which passes all understanding helps us become the people that God desires us to be. It is much greater than any doctrine or religion. It is God’s presence in our souls. Those who are willing to listen to God’s voice can sense His presence in the hearts of those who do likewise. Ruan went through a period where he tried to stifle the voice of the Spirit. However, the Spirit of God has made His home in his heart. Ruan cannot find peace until he walks in the way of Love. We cannot find peace until we receive him back with Love.

This week was a very peaceful week.