When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…. Matthew 5:1-12

It is interesting that there are many who argue for the Ten Commandments to be placed in public spaces. However, no one advocates for the Beatitudes.

If you have to wonder, why not?

Maybe because they are a little too personal. They are not concepts or ideas. The beatitudes point to people who really exist in our midst. People, who no one in their right mind, would consider to be blessed if we are honest.

The very first beatitude is very problematic. It talks about the blessed poor. Being poor is never considered a blessing. We try our best to avoid poverty. Mary and I work with the poorest of the poor. We know what it is like to be poor and we try our best to avoid it. We are concerned about our funds. We think about our future when we are older. We worry about health. We want to prepare ourselves for anything which could drive us into poverty. We are afraid of being poor. No one would consider it a blessed state, not even the poor themselves.

A famous ex-president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, was strangely known for his austere lifestyle rather than his political views. An interviewer once asked him why he chose to live like a poor person despite having access to wealth. He immediately opposed the idea. He said that he was living a simple lifestyle but wasn’t trying to be poor. The poor are people who live in a constant state of lacking their basic needs. He chose not to possess many things because they were not necessary for his happiness.

I think this is a good definition. Poverty is a constant existence of lacking basic things. It is not a condition to be desired and yet Jesus calls the poor blessed.

Jesus never said we need to be poor. Neither did he mean for us to be mourning constantly and not be happy. When he mentioned peacemakers, it doesn’t mean that we have to engage in diplomatic peace relations. When He said about those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, it doesn’t mean that we have to participate in a social movement fighting for the justice and equality for all people.

I am not going to go through all the beatitudes. I think you understand where I am going with this. Jesus is not commanding us to become these people. He is talking about people whom he knew.

Our Lord spent thirty years in a poor community. Jesus came from a poor family. In most likelihood, his mother was a widow or a single mother if you want to modernize the idea. Life must not have been easy for Mary to raise Jesus on her own. Jesus dwelled among people who struggled to survive. They were the nobodies. Maybe they wouldn’t have used these terms in His time. Nevertheless, they would be considered the voiceless people with no prominent place in society. Frankly speaking, no one even cared to hear their voices. This was a time before democracy. There was no need for the people in power to woo the votes of these people. They were people to whom no one would pay attention to in an everyday situation. They were the last people whom society would aspire to become. They were considered the insignificant lot.

Very little has changed today. Perhaps some things have become worse since then. I am not the kind of person who believes that the world is getting worse each day although things are not that great now. Nevertheless, we are not especially doomed.

We are just as doomed as the people in Jesus’ times.

One thing seems to be quite prominent in today’s world which is cruelty. Don’t get me wrong, the world has always been a cruel place. The difference is that we live in a time where all the people mentioned in the beatitudes were mocked. The poor were blamed for their poverty; the meek were jeered for their lack of assertion. Those who mourn were ridiculed and called whiners. The pure in heart were considered gullible and naive. We have negative names for all those represented in the beatitudes and mockery has somehow has become a virtue in this upside down world. Actually, the beatitudes is in reality a denouncement of this perverted world.

The beatitudes calls all those whom the world considers as hopeless and useless to be blessed. In the gospel of Luke, the evangelist goes a step further, Jesus even calls all those whom the world considers to be successful to be cursed. However, we will just limit ourselves to the gospel of Matthew.

Jesus begins His public ministry with this strange pronouncement. Jesus is not saying that we should become like them. This is not a new law for us to follow. It is introducing a new mindset. One which is completely incompatible with the world.

The hope revealed in the Kingdom of God is not found in those whom the world deemed as successful. In fact, those who are well adjusted and happy in this world are not interested in what the gospel offers. They won’t be open to understand this hope because they are doing alright in this world. What would motivate them to seek for something better and greater that is able to overcome all darkness? Only those who recognize that this world is broken and hopeless are ready to receive the Kingdom of God.

However, let us not get caught in this the wealth vs poverty mindset. Understanding hope in the Kingdom of Heaven requires us to transcend this mindset. We never understand what it means to have hope in the Kingdom of God without renouncing the illusory hope which this world offers.

This is really a challenge. If it wasn’t challenging then we wouldn’t need to be here in church. We wouldn’t need the sacraments nor the Bible. We live in a world where we are constantly inundated with the false hope and promises which this world offers. Therefore, we need to change our mindset as St Paul aptly tells us,

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

Some, however, like to maintain the mindset of this world. Therefore, they avoid all signs revealing the brokenness of this world. These signs are the poor, the homeless, the destitute, the abandoned elderly, the foreigner who meekly submits to humiliation and violence, the family who mourns for those who were so abruptly taken away from them.

However, as followers of Jesus, we cannot turn a blind eye to these living signs because our relationship with them is essential to our spirituality. They are not blessed in themselves. When we walk with them, together we will discover what it means to be blessed in the Kingdom of God.

Recently, someone asked me how we feel keep ourselves from being discouraged in our ministry to the homeless. It is a fair question. I have to admit before this question was asked, I drew a bleak picture of the future of the young homeless people in our ministry. I shared that most of them in all likelihood would never leave homelessness. Besides these, most of them won’t live long either. Our homeless youth have been in the streets since they were young children. Their diet is unhealthy. They are constantly exposed to the elements; not to mention their substance abuse. Moreover, their intellectual development is stunted due to lack of motivation and stimulation. Therefore, the future looks bleak to them.

All these might be news to us. We, as a middle class people, tend to think that their lives can only be fulfilled and happy when they achieve some of the middle class benefits which we possess. We tend to think that the gospel’s promise of abundant life is the middle class life. We can’t help ourselves from thinking this way because this is who we are. We don’t have to reject who we are but we have to be open to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Now getting back to the question. We will only feel discouraged when we keep insisting that the hope of the gospel is related to success in this world. The situation is only bleak and hopeless when we stand from the outside and observe. Jesus lived among His people. The whole point of Incarnation is participating in the lives of the people. Jesus participated in their lives and He called them blessed.

Our homeless youth are not upset that they will never leave homelessness. They never thought that it was an option. They never thought that this world would be just to them. They never imagined that was possible. They never thought this world would one day comfort them in their suffering. They never imagined it cared about them. Despite all this, they are people who have hope. Perhaps one would ask hope for what? They have hope for Life. Despite having nothing that we would consider as essential for a good and comfortable life, they have hope that they will have a good Life. However, their Hope for Life is to be known and loved.

After all, this is what all of us want when we drive our fancy cars and go to our so-called successful jobs. We hope that these things we possess would draw the attention of those around us. Somehow we think that the things we possess would justify our existence. Our homeless youth have nothing of these things and yet they have hope that they will be known and loved. This hope is present not because they are saintly. The poor are not saintly neither are anyone else mentioned in the beatitudes. Not even those who are pure in heart. Sometimes these can be a little irritating. The hope is present because faith is activated in their hearts. This faith is stirred within their souls because Jesus is present amongst them. Our Incarnate God never left us. He came back through the Holy Spirit and lives more powerful than before. He is present everywhere and wherever He is present, hope abounds.

To answer the question of being encouraged while serving in an apparently dark situation, our encouragement does not come from outside this circumstance. It comes from allowing the Incarnate God awaken our faith to see that the Kingdom of God can bring hope even in the most unlikely situation. Our faith has taught us to listen to the ones whom the world considers as unfortunate. When we allow our faith to be joined with their faith, hope springs forth. This hope renews our understanding of God. This hope renews our souls. We do not get tired or discouraged when we are with the young people. To the contrary, we are healed from the false promises of this world. Our eyes are opened to see that God is building something new and powerful in our midst. It does not involve better material possessions nor career opportunities. It opens our hearts and minds to understand that the Kingdom of God is about being loved and learning to love unconditionally. This Love empowers all of us to live our true identity in Christ. This is what it means to be truly blessed. This beatitudes points us to go and participate in the lives of the people whom the world has deemed as hopeless in order to discover our Savior present among them.

He invites us to join Him.

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-20

I often wondered what I would do if a complete stranger came up to me today and said, “Follow me”. In all likelihood, I would swiftly walk away; trying my best to avoid any confrontation with this crazy man. I think most sensible people would do this. It doesn’t mean that we lack faith nor are we negative people thinking the worst of everyone. It means that we are wise. We should not follow anyone who pops into our lives promising the sky and the moon. Even Jesus warned us to be careful;

“At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:22-24

The gospel skips over a long passage of time. It doesn’t mention anything about Jesus’ life prior to His public ministry. We tend to forget that a major part of His Life as God Incarnate was spent doing the most ordinary things of Life. He lived among the common people. He interacted with them daily. Therefore, we should be surprised that Jesus was not a stranger to these fishermen.

He lived in the region of Galilee. This is a small area. People lived in close proximity of each other. Everything had to be within walking distance. Consequently, faces were familiar and people interacted more frequently with each other than we do in modern times. In our present reality, it is possible to live in a place for decades and not know your neighbor’s name. This wasn’t the reality in Jesus’ time. Everyone knew this carpenter’s son. Jesus also knew the fishermen.

The fishermen, on the other hand, were not simpletons who trusted anyone who came along. They were pragmatic people. These men believed that their lot in life was to be fishermen and they would die as fishermen and nothing more. They were not dissatisfied with this idea. It was just the way things were back then. The fishermen had no aspirations anything beyond this. They were not looking for new career opportunities. They did not see in Jesus an opportunity to escape the mundane life of a fisherman. They saw something else in Jesus which stirred their souls. We call this “something” faith.

Some critics might say that this is blind faith. Blind faith is believing in the impossible just because we desire the impossible or even the absurd to be real. Blind faith is found everywhere even among those who don’t believe in God. As G. K. Chesterton once wrote,

“When people cease to believe in God, they do not then believe in nothing, but in anything.”

Blind faith is found in politics. People believe some political leader is able and willing to solve problems of society. History has proven again and again that this is nothing but a mere fantasy. However, people still blindly believe this. Blind faith is found in ideology. Many blindly believe that certain political actions or theories would make the world better and more just. I could go on but I won’t. Blind faith is everywhere. Blind faith is a consequence of pseudo faith.

The first disciples did not blindly follow a complete stranger. Jesus lived for thirty years among this people. Our Lord did not hide away in his workshop and then suddenly appear as the Son of Man. The gospel tells us that Jesus was self-conscious of His identity. Even as a child, He could not deny His true identity. The ministry of Jesus did not begin when He was baptized. Jesus became our savior the very day He was born. Jesus is the gospel; the good news can not be limited to certain actions nor teachings. Jesus’ life was and is the good news from the moment of His birth. The very fact that these pragmatic fishermen were willing to drop everything and follow Jesus reveals that the Life that our Lord led before His public ministry was much more powerful than anything else. They followed Him even before they knew He could perform miraculous acts. They followed Him even before they heard His powerful teachings. They followed Him because the way He lived His Life stirred in their souls a faith that they never thought they possessed. It opened their eyes to see that Jesus could help them transcend their mundane lives.

Ever since I was a lay missionary more than thirty years ago, I have had contact with street preachers. In fact, I have written about them many times. They are ubiquitous. There is a small group in particular that has been in the same region as where we work with the homeless youth from the mid-nineties. Strangely, they remained strangers to us and we to them. My attitude towards them changed over the years. Maybe some might say it matured. When I was younger, I admired them.

Maybe admire is not quite the right word.

I felt that my spirituality lacked the boldness which they possessed. I felt a little embarrassed to stand in the open and preach to complete strangers. I felt a little guilty feeling this way about it. I also felt a little awkwardness whenever I used religious jargons like, “Jesus loves you”, and so on. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe these things. I sensed that something was lacking. However, I did it anyway because I felt that it was the thing to do. It was never effective. Our youth perceived my insecurity and they, in turn, weren’t too convinced of the words I proffered. The conversations resulting from these interchanges were usually very superficial. They told me what I wanted to hear and I heard their words without much conviction that they were sincere. There was never a real genuine interchange. Back then I did not understand why this was so.

I think after so many years of ministry, the penny finally dropped.

The answer is in above the gospel reading. However, it is not explicit. The answer is found in-between the lines.

Jesus spent 30 years living out His faith among the people. The gospel always tells us that Jesus was different from the religious authorities. They had head knowledge. Outwardly, they possessed all appearances of what was considered pious. This kind of religiosity tends to exalt oneself and exclude others. However, Jesus was different. He lived out His faith, others were drawn to Him. Genuine faith is contagious. However, Jesus could not make it contagious by His own effort. Yes, even Jesus, our God Incarnate, could not make His faith contagious by His own effort. It is the Heavenly Father who takes His offering and glorifies it. Jesus tells us this Himself,

If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’ – John 8:54

Jesus’ Life made others desire to live in the same way as Him. The disciples did not follow Jesus because they wanted to be famous. Jesus was a carpenter in one of the most insignificant fishing villages in Israel. Nothing great came of this place, as some religious leaders even commented in the gospels. It wasn’t fame or the promise of a bright future which attracted them. They desired the same faith which Jesus possessed. The good news is that this is possible through grace.

Perhaps, we need to think about what is faith exactly. There are many theologians and philosophers who have pondered upon it. I am not going to quote them. I will share with you what I understand it to be through our ministry and experience. Faith is the desire of our finite soul seeking a connection with the Infinite and when this connection happens, we are able to transcend our reality to something more real and meaningful. In other words, our faith will help us understand our true vocation. We are made for God. Our souls long to be connected with God. Our faith is the nagging feeling within us causing us to desire to be connected with something bigger than ourselves. It is present in all of us. It is present in our homeless youth even though they have been in the streets all their lives and many times eclipsed from the religious institutions. Our homeless youth, like the fishermen in the gospel, believe that they have no place in society except what life has dealt them. However, despite their limited place in society, their faith tells them that they have a higher vocation. Unfortunately, many times, this faith is buried under years of rejection and lies. It becomes dormant. They need Jesus to awaken this faith in them and we, the living church, are God’s chosen body. We are called to manifest the Life of Jesus in our midst. We are to live the faith of Jesus in our lives. It is only this faith which can stir the souls of those who desire to be connected to the infinite.

The Life of Jesus cannot be reduced to certain doctrines or teachings. It cannot be reduced to strategic formulas. The only way we can transmite the faith of Jesus is by offering our souls and bodies to be living sacrifices unto God like Jesus did. This means we use our bodies to live His Life here on earth. Jesus spent thirty years offering Himself doing the most mundane things. Mary and I have just spent 13 years now in the streets doing this ministry. We still have a long way to go. However, it appears that God has graciously accepted our offering. We see the faith in our youth coming alive. They are asking us genuine questions about faith. They are expressing their desire to be connected with the Infinite. Most wonderfully, some are beginning to understand that their finite beings have a place in the heart of the Infinite God of Love.

Jesus spent thirty years. He spent it wisely. He participated in their lives. He wasn’t spectator observing them from the outside. He was one of them. As a result, His faith became contagious to those around Him. We are all called to follow in His footsteps. Our faith has to be contagious just as His faith was. St Paul teaches how it can become contagious. He tells that there are three virtues that every follower of Jesus should desire; Faith, Hope and Love. The greatest of these, he taught, is Love. Without Love, our faith will never be contagious. It was this Love that the faith of Jesus revealed to all those who dropped everything to follow Him. This is the only Love which gives us the confidence to remain where we are with our homeless youth.

Our faith is not quite contagious yet. We need more time. In fact, we have lost track of time. We are just patiently waiting for His love to transmit this contagious faith to our homeless youth. They are drawing close. They are sensing that they too can drop everything and be connected with the Infinite Father in Heaven.

It has been slightly more than two weeks since we returned from our trip to Florida visiting our home diocese and churches. It was a blessed time for us and we thoroughly enjoyed visiting with people who have constantly prayed and supported us throughout this 13 years of ministry among the homeless young people. We also made some new friends who further enriched our lives with their faith and love. We are so grateful to be part of a body which is able to transcend borders and cultures for the sake of the gospel, the only and most powerful thing able to unite us eternally.

Every visit to our diocese is a time for personal reflection. People want to hear and know how the gospel is manifested and lived in situations completely foreign to their very own. We are challenged to share the wonderful lessons which God has revealed to us through our homeless young people in a way that is relevant for people living in a completely different circumstance. I had to take special care not to transform these lessons into universal formulas to be applied in all circumstances. This is not the purpose of our ministry. We don’t want to reduce our encounters into special formulas or strategies. More often than not, these attempts subtract the human element involved. Our goal is to share how the gospel empowers individuals regardless of their circumstance and situations to discover the person whom God has created them to be. Each individual is a reflection of God’s image and when we are able to see the Light of Christ shine through these individuals, we, in the process, catch a glimpse of God’s beauty and grace. The best metaphor I can think of is stained glass windows. These are not just there to satisfy our esthetic desires. They serve to awaken faith and hope in those who contemplate their beauty. It is our desire to share this beauty with people so that together we can walk in confidence knowing that the gospel is the gospel in every situation and circumstance. In doing so, we can boldly proclaim together with St Paul;

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

I would say that the essence of this ministry is to go to the young people whom society and the world have judged as hopeless and irrelevant and proclaim these words of Paul without shame nor hesitation because they are the absolute Truth. If these words can be said without embarrassment among our abandoned children, then they can be proclaimed even in the most hopeless situations in which anyone reading these posts can find themselves. As the author of Hebrews has said, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.” The same Jesus who brings hope and peace and love to our homeless youth is able and willing to do the same to anyone who seeks Him regardless of their lot in Life.

In our ministry, it is important for us to be able to see in a genuine manner the things Jesus is doing in our midst. Many times it is easy to fill the gaps in our vision of God’s actions with cliches and ready made answers taken from experiences of other Christian leaders. We need to confront reality as it is and trust that our own eyes and ears can see and hear our Lord in our midst. However, we cannot see Jesus unless He opens our eyes and ears. In other words, we cannot do what we do if we weren’t able to discern the voice of Jesus beckoning us to this place of ministry. The voice of Jesus cannot be heard without faith. It is our faith which led us to this city of São Paulo. It is faith which opened the doors for us to remain here after all these years. We started with this ministry with very little resources and we are still here. Our resources are still limited but faith has sustained us. Faith is the foundation of our action here and it has led us to a deeper understanding of Hope and Love. Therefore, I decided that in our time in Florida in the last month to focus on these three theological virtues which St Paul articulated so wonderfully in 1 Corinthians 13. The reflections are written in sermon form and I will publish them in the followings days. I hope they will help you understand and inspire you to reflect on the place of your personal ministry in the Kingdom of God.

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Col. 1:27-28

A young man from our local church spoke with us about his experiences in an impoverished indigenous tribal community. He spent a week on a medical mission. The tribe belongs to a region in the north of Brazil close to the Amazon Basin. The situation was so dire that it broke his heart. He had never seen a people who were so neglected and marginalized. Some of the basic medical services were not available to them. Consequently, children suffered serious side effects from diseases which could have been easily treated if dealt with earlier. He felt devastated when he left. On one hand, he sensed a great compassion for the people. At the same time, he was relieved. He wasn’t sure if he could endure serving in an environment where everything seemed bleak and hopeless. He felt a little torn by his conflicting attitude. He is a very compassionate person and has a heart for those who suffer. He thought maybe he wasn’t cut for this kind of work. This might be true but he will never know. He was only there for a short period. There wasn’t time for him to see beyond the problems to appreciate the people. God is not a God of problems but He is a Shepherd of the people. He lives in the hearts of the people. If we only see problems, then we will never see the hope which dwells in their hearts despite the endless problems. However, hope is not easily seen. It hides in the hearts of the people. We need time to discover its presence.

As far as problem solving is concerned, Jesus did not solve the problems in the society where he was born. When He died, the Roman Empire continued its brutal occupation and even intensified their brutality after his death. The religious leaders went from bad to worse. Jesus’ words and presence among them did not make things any better. In many ways, Society did not change after three years of Jesus’ ministry. However, something did change drastically in the hearts of the common people who had spent centuries wandering around without a loving Shepherd. Hope flourished. It did not make their lives easier or more comfortable. Hope did not, as some Marxists claim, soothe the people into passivity. To the contrary, it gave them the courage to be active and present. The people saw in Jesus a way to live their lives that freed them from the oppressive nature of this fallen world. They saw abundant life was possible despite the circumstances and situations assailing them. It is not wishful thinking as critics would say. In fact, it is wishful thinking to think any system or ideology of this world can give us abundant life. These are nothing but illusions. Jesus came to give us something real. However, it cannot be seen except through faith. Without Faith, we only see problems.

There is a kind of Christianity which is based solely on problem solving. It influences how its followers view the life and ministry of Jesus. They limit His ministry to problem solving. They say, “He came to die for our sins and now we have access to heaven.” He has given us the ticket to heaven and Jesus has no more significant role in our lives. His words and teachings are no longer relevant because we now have the “ticket”. Perhaps, no one would admit that this is true of their spirituality. However, we are seeing this kind of Christianity being manifested more and more today. Jesus seems to lose His relevance to this kind of Christianity because the problem has been solved.

We see this perverted version of the “gospel” being preached in the streets especially to our homeless youth. People tell them that they need to accept Jesus and they will get a free ticket to heaven. Our young people do it. After all, who doesn’t want to go to heaven. They hold onto this idea or “ticket” and endure life until the moment they die. However, this is not the message of the gospel. Jesus said,

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

Our young people were robbed of many things. The thief had stolen their childhood. He murdered their family life. He destroyed their chances for a better future. I could spend a lot of time unpacking these and go into all the problems which the thief has caused in their lives. Then, I would be talking more about the thief. The problems are there but Jesus rises above the problems. He is not a magician who removes every thing with a wave of His hand. However, He is the Lord who calmed the storm with a word. All these problems are storms threatening the very existence of our homeless youth. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is that He has overcome the storm. It cannot hinder them from having an abundant life.

St Paul tells us,

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

I have mentioned many times before the countless street preachers where the homeless youth stay during the day. The “gospel” of this preachers hardly awakens the faith of our homeless people. The “gospel” cannot be reduced to mere words. Jesus came into this world and participated in the lives of the people. He was a carpenter longer than he was a itinerant preacher. He was a son longer than he was a miracle worker. He was a friend to many before He was baptized and began His ministry. Jesus spent many years allowing the gospel speak through His Life to those around Him. His Life awakened the faith of those who came into contact with Him.

Our homeless youth cannot hear the gospel because they have experienced many years listening to voices which reject and condemn them. They have years of listening to lies about their personal identity. Their faith has been choked and smothered by these lies. This is not true for just our homeless children. It is true for almost everyone from all walks of Life. However, faith comes from God and nothing from God can be destroyed. This faith is still present in their souls and, through grace, it can always been awakened. However, they need to hear the gospel. The only way they can perk up their spiritual ears and listen to the gospel is through Love. Only Love is able to overcome this barrier of lies and deceit thrown at them by this broken world.

We just got done with Christmas. The essential message of the season was God chose to be with us. He participated in our Lives to reveal His Love. This is how we love others for the sake of the gospel. This is how we can see the faith awaken in the hearts of the people. We will read in the gospels that each time people were healed, Jesus reminded that it was their faith that healed them. This faith was a response to God’s Love present in Jesus. However, without having direct contact with the palpable Love of God, the web of lies that this broken world has spun cannot be overcome. Love is something which engages people in their reality. Love participates in the Life of the people. Without Love, people won’t be able to sense the hope found in the gospel.

Just before Christmas, I went to a Catholic Church with one of our homeless youth. Perhaps those who have accompanied me through our reflections will remember him. He is Bruno. He asked me to go to church to light a candle for his dear friend, Wanderson. We were the only ones at the place. I don’t know what you call such places in the sanctuary. It is a special room dedicated for people to light candles of prayer for the deceased. Anyway, when we lit the candle, Bruno asked me to say a prayer and then he would say one too. I prayed and Bruno prayed a long prayer, thanking God for Wanderson as well as for His life and his friendship with us. It seems like a simple thing. Bruno never has been religious. We have known him for 12 years. He never was interested in God. Now, he garnered the courage to address God in prayer but he wanted me to be with him. His faith has been awakened. It was a slow process but he needed the time to overcome all the lies fed to him through the years. Perhaps the world will never see how this young man has grown in his faith. Perhaps they will never seen him beyond his problems. We are blessed to see his faith grow over the years. For many, his prayer may not have been such a big deal. For us, it is proof of the growing hope. Even though as Bruno grows older, his chances of living a life outside homelessness grows slim. There is hope that is springing up in him. This hope gives him the confidence that God’s love can give the thing he desires most in this life; the desire to be loved unconditionally.

Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive. Luke 20:38

Then the thief said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ Luke 23: 42-43

Finding his grave was a challenge. The rain did not help either. We did not have much information except that he was buried in this particular cemetery. It was in a neighborhood in the eastern part of the city. This is a huge city and the eastern part is almost like a foreign country for all of us. Usually, it is difficult to get our young people anywhere beyond the limited geographic area where they sleep and hang out. They don’t like taking the bus nor the subway train. They get a little claustrophobic. However, today was different. They were willing to step out of their comfort zone. It was necessary. We were all stepping out of our comfort zone.

Over the years, many of our homeless youth have died. The amazing thing is that this is the first time they wanted to go to the grave site. They wanted to say a proper goodbye to Wanderson. Our young people have matured. Before they were just kids. Death was a tragic event but the reality of it did not hit them hard. Now they are older. Their relationships become more meaningful. They understand that these relationships help them get anchored in life. Wanderson’s sudden departure shook their world profoundly. They needed some sort of closure. They asked us to organize their trip to the cemetery.

It was a small group. Bruno, Gabriel, Daniel and an elderly lady who decided a few years ago to become Wanderson’s unofficial godmother. She owns a bed and breakfast where Wanderson worked and helped out every now and then. We did not notice his disappearance at first because all of us imagined that he was at her place. Wanderson has been in the streets since he was twelve. He avoided being involved in any crime. Consequently, he never spent any time away from the streets like some of the youth who were frequently detained in the juvenile detention center. Even when he stayed with his “godmother” at the bed and breakfast, it was only for a few days. All his strong relationships were formed in the streets; it wasn’t just with the other homeless young people. He had strong ties with everyone who worked in the street. He wasn’t really a dynamic person. Actually, he was a reserved taciturn person. The truth be told, he was always sniffing paint thinner. Part of this was due to his limited mental capabilities. Wanderson was a little special. His family placed him in the state orphanage because they were too poor. Maybe there were other reasons but none of them were malicious. Unfortunately, for Wanderson and many of our homeless youth, it was a sign of rejection. He never overcame this rejection like almost all our youth. They can overcome almost all kinds of abuse but rejection strikes them deep in their souls. Over the years, he had very minimal contact with his family. In fact, they were unaware of his passing, The police were not able to get in touch with them. They knew of his passing through us.

When Wanderson disappeared, no one was too worried. We thought he was at the bed and breakfast. Then we noticed his prolonged absence. We called his “godmother” and she informed us that he had not appeared there for weeks. Finally, Mary and I had to file a missing person report. We had his birth certificate and we also brought a recent photo. Later in the evening on the same day, the police got in touch with us and informed us that Wanderson had passed away. He died of natural causes. Apparently, he was walking in the streets and collapsed. A passer by called the ambulance and they managed to revive him once but his heart eventually stopped beating before they got to the hospital. He was brought directly to the morgue. This was why we did not have any records of him in the hospitals. We went to the hospitals first before going to the police. The death report stated that no drugs nor violence were involved. His body just gave up after living all those years in the streets homeless. Unfortunately, this is quite common for most of the children and teens who become homeless at a young age. Wanderson was only 25. We have known him since 2014.

Mary helped teach him how to read. Some one from Florida sent us a book in Portuguese. I can’t recall the title but it was a book about Aesop’s fables. It was the first and only book Wanderson had read in its entirety. Perhaps it sounds like nothing for most people but for Wanderson and us, it was a great achievement. However, it wasn’t just about achieving something. It was the time spent together. I remember that there were some people from Florida who corresponded with him. One Christmas, he bought a Christmas card with money he got from begging to send to the person with whom he was corresponding. Wanderson was complex. Sometimes he was moody and aloof but, at the same time, he was open to people who showed love and attention. It was like a contradiction. Well, our homeless youth are complex. We take them as they are.

At the cemetery, we had to find the administrative office first to find out where exactly he was buried. It was no easy task. Nothing is easy here especially when you are poor in this city. Our homeless youth are the poorest of the poor. It took the administrator a while to find the exact lot where he was buried. When we got there, there was nothing. It was a small section with brown dirt. There was no plaque, no tombstone; just brown dirt. There was a man was sitting in a makeshift tent. We asked him if we were in the right place. He made some phone calls and then pointed to an area and told us that Wanderson was buried somewhere around there. He informed us that in order to conserve space, they bury people in layers. Wanderson was buried between two people. Then the man tried to convince us to pay for a plaque which he will do for a good price. I told him that we were there to mourn and he left us alone.

The young people brought several candles and his “godmother” brought some flowers. She even had a bar of chocolate. It was Wanderson’s favorite chocolate. We had a photo of Wanderson with Daniel and myself at a museum we visited. All three of us were laughing. It was the way we want to remember him. We placed the photo on the ground and the lit the candles. I opened the Book of Common Prayer and did a simple memorial service for him. Then I asked each person to take a moment at the grave site alone to say a prayer and our farewell to Wanderson. Of all our years in this ministry, this is the first time we have done anything of this sort. It is good for all them to know that we are here for these moments too.

We left the cemetery feeling a lot better than when we went there. We felt like we gave Wanderson a proper goodbye. He died alone in the streets. However, we wanted to have something religious even if it was just for ourselves. Wanderson was someone special to us. He did not leave this world like an invisible person. He left us with good memories. He remains alive in us through this memories. Thankfully, we also have hope. We have a King who inclines His ears to those who are forgotten and rejected in this world. This King is willing to listen and accept those whom the world throws away like the good thief at the Cross. Wanderson was always open to people who showed him love. Many times, he was held back by his intellectual challenges but it did not prevent him from showing that he was open to receive love and kindness.

We left the cemetery with the burning hope that one day we don’t have rely just on our memories to be with him.

As Jesus entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’ Luke 17: 12-19

One of the most successful homeless youth is Bruno.

No one would say this by just looking at him. His appearance is the epitome of a homeless person. He wears clothes which should have been thrown away months ago. He also drags around a blanket like the character from the Peanuts. He uses it as a makeshift bed for his pet dog, Lala. He carries a bag pack with a broken zipper and it looks like all its contents would fall out any moment. In other words, Bruno looks like a complete mess. There is nothing there to suggest that he is a successful person.

He has a tragic past too. His infancy is one of abandonment and rejection. To make matters worse, he suffered abuse in the hands of his caretakers in the state orphanage. Everything which could go wrong went wrong for him. Bruno is also very intelligent. He could have gone far if he had the opportunity when he was young. Unfortunately, the unstable circumstances of his infancy and teenage years in the streets stagnated his intellectual growth. He is still quite advanced but his reasoning is very much like a highly intelligent 14 year old. This intellectual stagnancy is common among our youth. They don’t have much stimulation and opportunities to grow intellectually.

Many people have tried helping Bruno. At least, they have tried to help him in their way. Some people give him clothes. Others have offered a place for him to stay. A woman even asked him to work for her circus. The circus is still a thing in Brazil. Bruno has refused all these offers. As sad as this sounds, he has accepted the fact that he will always be a homeless person.

In the past, he did attempt to do something different. However, life has never been fair to him. In most cases, people weren’t able to follow through with their promises. Sometimes, people with good intentions just don’t understand the complexity of helping someone like Bruno. This young man carries a lot of emotional and spiritual baggage. He needs to deal with them at his own pace. Sometimes people want to rush things and they end up getting disappointed. Bruno feels disappointed with himself. Perhaps this is why he feels that it is safer just to accept that the fact that he will always be a homeless person. It is easier for everyone concerned. Whether we agree with this or not is irrelevant. Sometimes people tell him that he can become whatever he desires to be. In this city, we have thousands of homeless people and none of them desired to be where they are. I am sure that they had hopes and dreams. Many did not achieve what they wanted. There are millions around them who have settled to a mediocre existence. Cliches don’t reflect real life even though many like to throw them out liberally. We decided that we are not going to be one of these people. Instead, we choose to listen to Bruno and allow the Holy Spirit to use us in his healing process.

One day, Bruno shared that someone walked past him and commented to her companion that it was tragic to see someone like Bruno. This was said within his earshot. He was a little offended. He did not think that he was such a tragic case. He said that he has everything he needs. Furthermore, he continued, his circumstances do not determine nor hinder the person he desires to be. There was no need for him to elaborate any further. He is one of the few homeless youth who is actually living the life he wants to live. Bruno wants to be a person who loves people. I am not saying that Bruno is a saint. He is far from being a saint. No one who knows him will say that he is a saint. However, everyone will agree that he loves to be friends with anyone who stops and talks to him. He is one of the most open and welcoming youths in the streets.

Almost all our youth beg to survive. Some do odd jobs. A small minority are petty thieves. Bruno doesn’t really beg per say. He actually talks to people. He hardly asks for anything unless it is dog food for Lala. The people give him food and money. Sometimes they even buy him clothes. He sometimes asks us to keep the clothes because he doesn’t want them to get ruined. Most of the time, he ends up giving them away to someone else. Sometimes people give the strangest things to him, like a pound of uncooked rice. He is homeless and there is no way he can cook. Everyone knows this. At least most people do. Bruno takes these and gives them to families he knows who need food. Some of these families told us about it. He shares whatever he receives even with people he doesn’t know. We have seen this in action several times. People like to give things to Bruno because he is different. The thing that sets him apart is his sense of gratitude. It goes beyond the conventional means of expressing gratitude.

In the streets, the homeless people say, “God bless you” whenever someone gives them something. Over the years, I have heard this phrase countless times. It is quite mechanical. It is not, in essence, a genuine expression of gratitude. It is just like how most people say, “Thank you” to a grocery clerk. It is not really gratitude but more like saying “the transaction between us is over”. It is a far cry from the spirituality of gratitude which the gospels convey. Therefore, it would be wrong to assume that saying all the culturally sanctioned phrases of gratitude transforms us into grateful people. Don’t get me wrong. A society which doesn’t use any expressions of gratitude would be a horrible place to live. However, gratitude shouldn’t be reduced to mere saying of these words.

In the parable from the gospel text above, only the Samaritan returned to thank Jesus. It is interesting that Samaritans and the Jewish people at that time did not interact with each other. In fact, the Jewish people despised them. It is interesting that their common suffering helped the Jewish lepers overcome their societal prejudice and receive the Samaritan as one of them. At least, they allowed him to seek healing together. Jesus just saw them as people who needed to be healed. They were suffering and He had the power and compassion to heal them. Jesus advised them to follow the ritualistic protocol for lepers which enabled them to return to society. The Samaritan, however, was not allowed to go to the Jewish temple. The Samaritans have their own temple and priesthood which still exists today. This particular man could have gone home to his temple and perform the required rituals to be integrated into society. However, he saw something in Jesus which the others failed to see. They were so concerned about getting something from Jesus that they hardly paid any attention to the Giver. The Samaritan saw the face of God in Jesus. He felt the need to return to Jesus to thank Him for allowing God’s love to shine through Him. Jesus said, “Your Faith has made you well.” The rest were just healed of their leprosy. This man received something more. His soul was renewed and restored through his faith. He went home knowing that God loved him.

Bruno wasn’t always a grateful person. We have known him for a long time, almost twelve years now. We see him everyday. We have witnessed his growth. I used to chide him for his lack of gratitude. He used to be one of those who expected to receive without giving anything. Then something started changing in him. When or how this change happened, I could not say. However, we witnessed a change in him. The most obvious change was that he used to sniff paint thinner all day long. Now, he doesn’t do it at all during the day especially when there are people around. He would rather talk to people. He discovered that each time he speaks to someone, something good and holy stays with him. He has become more aware of God in his life. He is not particularly religious. At least, not in the conventional sense. You never hear him say “God bless you”. However, he likes to write in his notebook, “I love and adore you, God.” I used to think this was strange because he doesn’t usually exhibit any religious sentiment. Now, I realize that Bruno is growing to recognize God’s face in the people whom he meets. These people approach him, not because they feel pity or sorry for him. They approach him because they too sense God’s love drawing them towards. It is God’s love that is slowly changing him. The proof of this is his gratitude because this is only way we can respond to God’s unconditional love. A person who knows he or she is loved is always a grateful person regardless of their life circumstances. In this sense, Bruno is quite a successful young man. He always has something to be grateful for: the mere fact that he is loved despite having nothing materially.

Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field, “Come here at once and take your place at the table”? Would you not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink”? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” Luke 17:7-10

It is strange that this teaching is connected with the initial plea of an apostle; “Increase our faith”. It seems like Jesus is completely changing the subject instead addressing this initial request. He also uses some complicated words for our modern ears. The word, “slave”, can be explained away by the historical context but the use of the word, “worthless”, is quite disturbing. Jesus, throughout his ministry reminded us that we are precious to the Father and, now, He seems to contradict Himself saying that we are worthless slaves. Perhaps the only way we can escape this dilemma is to reflect on faith and its nature. Then maybe we can have a better understanding of this whole teaching.

We will start with the nature of faith. It is a difficult question to answer and almost every answer is never fully satisfying. Sometimes critics of religion think that faith is believing something that is illogical and absurd. Some religious people also say this. However, there is a big difference between faith and belief. There are many things I believe and most of them have no bearing on my daily life. In fact, sometimes a lot of atheists believe in the most ridiculous conspiracy theories and non scientific nonsense. Even then, their lifestyle is hardly effected by their beliefs. Faith differs from this because it is transformative. It is life-changing.

In the gospels, it seems like faith involves trusting God to do the impossible. Perhaps this is the intention of the request of the apostle. He wanted Jesus to help the apostles do the impossible. Jesus does not correct the apostles. Therefore, we may conclude that they were right in thinking this way. We need faith to receive something beyond our capacity as human beings. Jesus teaches that the faith we possess is sufficient. God does not require much from us but only to act on what He has given us.

Often times many claim that they have little faith. The truth is all of us have very little faith. Apparently, it doesn’t matter. It is enough to uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea. I had to look up mulberry tree. I discovered that mulberry tree is common here in Brazil especially in our city. I have known it by its Portuguese name. It produces fruits which look like black berries. It is a favorite among our homeless youth. The problem is that the fruits are high up in the branches and most of the times our young people are not able to get to them. They would prefer to have faith to get to the fruits. However, it is interesting that Jesus used an example that is concretely present in our reality. It also teaches us something about faith. It does something concrete and real in our lives, it is not wishful thinking as some of our critics would like to imply.

In our daily lives, we have very little need to move mountains and uproot trees. I have seen my brother-in-law effectively remove a tree with a chainsaw without saying a single prayer. Faith has a higher purpose than doing these mundane things. It awakens our souls to search for something better, richer, and greater than what is presented to us in this world. This awareness is not mere knowledge. It is what Jesus said in the beatitudes,

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

Seeking righteousness is not about doing the right thing but about being set right in our existence. Our souls recognize that something essential is missing in our lives. We know that this something lies beyond us but our faith implanted in our soul by God gives us the conviction that we can find it. There are people who claim that they don’t have any faith. These say so because they think that faith is associated with belief and they find it hard to believe something which does not speak to their souls. Faith uses a language of symbolism. Sometimes these symbols fail to stir the faith of the person. The problem is that there are many inadequate and misleading symbols present in this world. They all attempt to seduce our souls into believing that they can satisfy the longing of our faith. In our prayer, instead of asking God to increase our faith, it would be more helpful if we ask for spiritual maturity and discernment.

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:13-14

Our faith stirs our soul to seek for meaning and significance in this life. Sometimes we can put our faith in the wrong things. However, one thing is for sure, we cannot find peace and harmony in our lives until we discover the true object of our faith.

Most traditional churches including the Anglican Church commemorate the feast day of St Francis. He is very popular figure in Western Christianity but does not hold a prominent place in the Eastern Christian circles. Our homeless youth only know of him through the ministry of the Franciscan friars here. The ministry of St Francis is seen more than heard here. Perhaps this is the way he desired.

St Francis had a simple faith and he used it effectively to remove many mountains in his path. Before this, his faith or search for fulfillment led him to wrong places and decisions. However, he was always attentive to the gentle voice of his faith. He eventually overcame his first mountain which was his family wealth. It gave him access to wrong and misleading illusions. Then he overcame his own personal aversions to the simple life. Without wealth, he was condemned to a life of simplicity. He overcame his aversions by serving a leper. He showed compassion to a leper who had repulsive sores. He wanted to see this leper the way God saw him. Throughout his life, his faith continued to help him overcome many mountains and trees until he was able to see God’s presence in the simplest of things of nature. Finally, just before his death, his faith helped him to discern his own pride of having founded a religious order. He wanted to control its direction and learned to give up this control. There was never a moment in St Francis’ life where he believed that he had fully discovered God’s love and presence in its entirety. His mustard sized faith helped him overcome obstacles along his spiritual path until he found the true purpose of his life.
At the end of his life, he realized that he was just a worthless slave who was privileged to be part of something great God is doing in this world. St Francis’ faith did not add or subtract to any of God’s actions. His worthiness was not increased by his participation in God’s work. St Francis understood, through his faith, that he was invited to participate because God loved him. Our Father loved Him not because of anything he achieved but because he is a precious child of God and consequently St Francis’ eyes were also opened to see those around him as precious children of God.

This is what a faith the size of a mustard seed is able to do. We have this faith. God has given it to us. We don’t need more faith. We just need to put it to use where we are. All we need to do now is to remove the mountains and trees hindering us from discerning God’s unconditional love present in this world.

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. Luke 16:19-31

Parables remind us that the profound answers to Life are found in our everyday lives; things we were tend to overlook or consider insignificant. God gives us opportunities to draw closer to Him through things that are right there before our eyes. This parable of Lazarus and the rich man may not be a common everyday occurrence for many reading this text but to us it is a living reality.

In this city Lazarus is found everywhere. In fact, we have our own “Lazarus” sitting just outside the apartment building where we live. Therefore, this parable is a description of our reality and a challenge to us personally.

I might have mentioned this before; São Paulo has the largest homeless population in the Americas. The latest research from various sources have concluded that we have about 93,000 people living in a state of homelessness. It sounds unimaginable for many. It should disturb many too. However, in this city, it is an everyday thing unfortunately. The largest gathering of homeless people is found in the area where we live. I often refer to this area where we live and meet with the children and young people as the “old center”. It is, in reality, the historic center. This might conjure up images of quaint historic buildings with their ornate architecture. These buildings are present here but in various degrees of deterioration. It is also common to find abandoned skyscrapers and apartment buildings which could be used as cheap and affordable housing but the lack of empathy has paralysed any efforts to make use of these buildings in a more beneficial manner. As of now, they sit rotting while there are thousands of homeless who sleep in tents outside of them. However, this is not the focus of this reflection, well, empathy is but we will let the parable speak to us about that. For now, I just want to share why we have such a number of homeless people here. Those who are in this situation find this area a safe haven for them. I don’t know the exact number but I know that just a three blocks from where I live, there are about 200 to 300 homeless people living in tents. They are usually harmless. Many suffer from mental illness. The local residents are accustomed to their presence. They are not alarmed nor disturbed by the presence of the homeless. Most of the time, people just ignore them. It is not because they are callous and cruel. It is just a situation which has become normalized. No doubt, the rich man saw Lazarus begging outside his door. Most likely, he had walked past him countless times and never even noticed him. It doesn’t mean that he was bad. It just means that he did not concern himself with others apart from his own personal concerns like most of us.

Recently a young man decided that he was going to sleep just outside our building. It is not uncommon in our neighborhood. This young man is about the same age as the youth to whom we minister to in our ministry. In fact, he is not a complete stranger to us. We have seen him before where we meet our young people. However, he suffers from severe mental illness. Most of the time, he lives within his head. He has conversations with himself. He doesn’t acknowledge people around him. He is harmless but sometimes he has heated arguments with an imaginary person. He never changes his clothes but strangely, he doesn’t smell bad. He refuses to wear any shoes. His feet are covered with black oily substance. He is never hungry. He doesn’t beg, at least outside the building. He just sits alone. I think he feels safe here. Everyday we walk past him, sometimes twice a day, on our way to meet our youth and then when we return home on a cold night to drink our hot chocolate and sit on our warm couch. He is our Lazarus but without the dogs.

It is interesting that Jesus mentioned the dogs. We live in a culture that has a strong affection for dogs but Jesus did not. Dogs were considered unclean back then because they are natural scavengers. People considered them a little less than a nuisance. However, they were tolerated in some instances because they protected the houses of those who fed them. In this parable, Jesus points out that even an animal considered to be lowly and unclean showed compassion to Lazarus. The dogs licked his wounds some thing which is their way of caring for an injured member of their pack. The dogs had empathy to receive Lazarus into their fold.

The other detail that sets this parable apart from others is that Jesus gave the poor beggar a name. In all likelihood, he was a real person. Even in his parables, Jesus refused to allow someone like Lazarus to suffer anonymity. Our Lord reveals to us the difference between His values and the world. In this world, the contrary is true. Even today, we know the names of billionaires living miles away from our reality both physically and metaphorically and yet most of us don’t know the name of the cashier whom we see everyday in our grocery stores.

Lazarus is someone who is accessible to Jesus due to his unfortunate circumstances whereas the rich man lives an isolated existence. Only select people have access to him. However, the truth is found in everyday circumstances accessible to all peoples, rich and poor.

Many tend to read this parable as a cautionary tale of heaven and hell. This is quite an unfortunate interpretation. It is not a descriptive narration of the afterlife. It is about living our abundant life in the here and now. In the Parable, Abraham reminded the rich man that Moses and the Prophets were always taught the essence of the Law but the rich man did not heed it. Jesus Himself repeated this teaching,

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind.” This is the first and most important commandment. And the second is like it. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets is based on these two commandments. Matthew 22:37-40

These two commandments are so connected with each other that it is impossible to obey the first without fulfilling the second one. Jesus gave us another commandment which is even more powerful and explicit.

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. John 13:34

The teachings of Paul reiterate this teaching in the famous text 1 Corinthians 13. The epistles of John and James remind us of this teaching in beautiful poetical language. All the disciples that went out into the world to preach the good news knew that this is the essence of the gospel. The Love of God graciously bestowed upon us transforms us into agents of Love. Without Love, all our words and actions become like clanging cymbals.

Love is an acknowledgment that the other exists and his or her existence is important and essencial for our own existence. It is not about showing charity. I use the word charity in the popular sense.
In the way it is commonly practiced the person who gives doesn’t believe that the person receiving has anything to offer in return. Love is acknowledging that the divine presence in the other has something important and profound to contribute to our lives. Every person and thing in existence is an expression of God’s personhood. When the Love of God dwells in our hearts, we are able to see His Light shining brightly in the other regardless of their status or condition in this life.

Our “Lazarus” is lost in his own world due to his mental illness. We decided to just acknowledge his presence with a nod. He responded to it reluctantly without making eye contact. One day, we greeted him with “good morning” and he surprised us with a rich smile which lit up his whole face. He is really a handsome fellow. He responded with a “good morning”. On another occasion, we past him by chance in a completely different location. We waved at him and he saw us and was truly happy to see us. He rewarded us with his smile once more. He wasn’t as out-of-it as I thought. We found out his name recently. His name is John in English. With a name, it is easier. He is no longer a stranger. We can discover his personality and maybe a few words to him each day. He doesn’t need much. I mean he needs a lot of help but for now, he wants a safe place. Hopefully, he knows that we want to be his friend and transform his safe place into a friendly one, too. I don’t where things are going with this relationship but it is definitely going to enrich us. I pray that it would enrich John, too.

No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Luke 16: 13

There is no beating around the bush on this one. The text demands us to reflect on the subject of money.

Let’s be honest with ourselves. Most of us like money a lot. We need it to survive and having a little bit more promises us a lot of comfort. It makes life easier and there is nothing wrong with that. We may not love money like it is everything in our life. Unfortunately, money is not satisfied being a servant. This is where Jesus takes issue with it. It just refuses to be a servant. It always wants to be our god. It demands our complete and utter devotion. Unfortunately, there is growing sentiment in the world now where many are not afraid to admit that they only love and care about money. There are also churches preaching that money is a blessing. Jesus never used these words. He always told us to get rid of it.

Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Luke 12:33

This wasn’t a command given to a specific person like the story for the rich young ruler. It is given to those who want to be His disciples. Therefore, we have a lot to consider. There is no point trying to find a loophole using the words of St Paul where he is often quoted by whose who feel very comfortable with money,

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” I Timothy 6:10

Some argue that as long as they don’t love money, they are fine. St Paul did not write this to give us a loophole. He agrees with Jesus. Money sets itself against God. In other words, it is a demon. It can deceive us easily. Therefore, let us work out our salvation with fear and trembling and not be deceived by the lies of this world.

You may have heard some say, “Money doesn’t solve all our problems.” It is something all of us might agree to without much controversy. The problem is that this is not true. Money solves a lot of problems and we live in a world riddled with problems. There is no one here without any problems that money can’t help. Jesus understood this because, like us, He had His fair share of problems.

Jesus had family problems. The gospels tells us His family thought that Jesus was mad. This wasn’t because Jesus was preaching and healing people but Jesus wasn’t fulfilling His responsibilities to His mother. He was the first born and it was His duty to provide for His parents in their old age. In all likelihood, our Lord was doing this when working as a carpenter until He answered His higher calling. His family could not understand why He would abandoned His trade and neglected His duties to His mother. A little money could have resolved this issue. Jesus had problems with the religious authorities. They hated Him but, in this gospel text, the evangelist states that the Pharisees were lovers of money (Luke 13:14). If Jesus had been a rich man, their attitude would have been completely different. Jesus had financial problems. He had no place to rest His head. He really had very little money so much so that they had to fish to get a coin to pay His taxes. The gospel tells us that women supported Jesus financially. Women had limited access to money in these times even if they came from wealthy families. These women gave of the little they had. Jesus could have gotten rich if He wanted. He healed many rich people. I am sure that they would have supported Him financially. However, our Lord practiced what He preached. Even the living Son of God was wary of the power of money. We need to take heed of this.

Money solves a lot of problems but Jesus says it is sinful or dishonest. Many of us like to think money is neutral, but not Jesus. It is as sinful as the forbidden fruit which led to the fall of humanity. It was for the same reasons. It gives an illusion that we can be our own gods.

The thing for us to remember is that there is nowhere in the gospels where Jesus promised us a problem free life. To the contrary, Jesus promised that we will have more problems. He said our families might hate us if we follow Him. He said our friends might abandon or betray us. In other words, all the things which happened to Him might happen to us. However, He did promise one thing. He said that despite all these problems,

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

This is good news. Abundant life is available even if we don’t have money. It is available even if our lives are riddled with problems. God’s love is greater than all these. It transcends all these. This is especially good news for our ministry. We don’t have the financial resources to resolve all the problems of the homeless youth. However, we have life which is graciously bestowed upon us through our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t need money to share this Life. Lack of money cannot hinder us from sharing this Life. Therefore, the most relevant question to ask is what exactly is abundant life. We cannot be vague. Money is quite clear of what it gives to us in this life. We need to be clear about Abundant Life.

Perhaps the controversial parable can help us here. Jesus is not praising the manager for his deceitfulness. He is praising the manager because, despite his dishonesty, he knew exactly that he needed friends to have a good life. He used money, albeit dishonestly, to gain friends. He did the right thing for selfish reasons. Jesus is not allowing us to be dishonest. We interpret Jesus’ words according to His Life. Jesus is pointing out that despite being selfish and corrupt, he still understood the importance of relationship.

The abundant Life Jesus promised comes through our relationships. Beginning with our relationship of God who fills our hearts with unconditional Love and then this unconditional Love helps us to see God’s Love present in this problem riddled world. God’s unconditional Love will help us to use the dishonest things of this world for an opportunity to share His Love. In the streets, homelessness is a problem of a sinful society. We cannot solve these problems. However, we have an opportunity to recognize and acknowledge God’s love present in the circumstances. Therefore, how does money come into all this?

Jesus is teaching us to use our money to gain friends. He is not saying that we buy our friends with gifts. He is saying that we use our money to remove obstacles hindering us from developing our friendship with people. In other words, Jesus is teaching us to live a lifestyle of generosity. This is the only virtue we can use to counter the sinful influences of money. Generosity should not be confused with liberality. This is just another way of showing devotion to the god of money. Generosity is recognition that every thing we have comes from God and we give back to Him following the example of our Lord. Our Lord used all His resources to serve people; good and bad. Generosity is not just about money although it plays an important role. Generosity is a lifestyle. We have to be generous with our time and space; space includes our home, too. Sometimes it means putting away our headphones and engaging in a conversation with a person. It means making time for people despite our busy schedules. It doesn’t mean we give our time, space and money to anyone we meet in the streets. True generosity comes with wisdom. Generosity means being open and available to become God’s instrument of blessing in someone’s life.

We can only be truly generous when we understand and experience the grace and love of God in our own lives. Without the confidence of God’s love for us, we cannot be generous.

In closing, I want to share a living example how the generous use of money brought abundant life to a person. Many of you might recall me writing about Patricia. She was a homeless woman who was the matriarch of a family who lived in the streets for three generations. We developed a close relationship with her over the years. Last year she suffered a stroke and was partially paralysed. It happened at the time when the family was finally able to rent a small room and break the chain of homelessness. Even though health care is free here, there were still many expenses. She needed diapers, a wheelchair, rides to the hospital for physical therapy…the list goes on and on. They did not have money for any of these. We helped initially but it was a great burden on our personal finance. I did what the manager of the parable did without being dishonest, of course. I called upon a friend of mine who is my childhood friend who happens to live in Brazil now. He gave me a generous gift to help Patricia. We were able to help Patricia with all her needs. For one year, Patricia was able to have all her medical needs met. The generosity of my friend helped us build a stronger bond with not just Patricia but with all the homeless youth. It motivated them to help in whatever small way to alleviate the sufferings of Patricia. When Patricia was able to walk again, she would walk quite a distance just to sit and talk with us weekly. We had some great conversations. She also said that she had great joy for Life and she was especially grateful to God for our friendship and the friendship of all our youth. She had a full life. Unfortunately, Patricia caught the flu and her body gave up on her. She died a few months ago, almost exactly one year after her stroke. However, for one year, she knew that she was greatly loved and she acknowledged this Love with gratitude. She knew that she was well loved and all these was because of God. This is the abundant Life that we all seek. Knowing that we are loved unconditionally.

Generosity helped her understand that God is Love.

Now large crowds were travelling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:25-27

This is a tough one!

Not only are these words hard to follow; Jesus uses a word which is rarely associated with His teachings. He is teaching us to hate. However, the “hatred” is not towards our enemy but the ones who almost all cultures and religions in the world advise to cherish and love. These words should disturb and perturb us. Disturb the way we think about life as well as perturb our attitudes towards it. One of the more popular translations of the Bible in Portuguese decides to tone down these verses. They translate these words in this manner;

“Whoever comes to me must put father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself in second place in order to be my disciple.”

It removes the word, hate, altogether. It sounds milder even though the essence of what Jesus said is still present. However, it lacks the intensity. It is this tension which Jesus wanted to emphasize.
Without this, these words lose something significant and important. They become a mere practice of the intellectual. However, being a disciple of our Lord demands a change in lifestyle. It is not a mere assent to certain doctrines. It requires us to reevaluate everything in life. It transforms the way we relate to people in the world. All this begins with our most intimate relationships.

The emotional intensity of these words also requires us to be hesitant in the manner by which we interpret them. We interpret them according to the virtue of the person saying them. Jesus never uses the word, “hate”, in any of His teachings. He never used it against His enemies. He definitely never once used it in reference to a person. Therefore, we cannot assume now that He is teaching us to hate the most precious people in our lives. Jesus said,

‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil.’ Matthew 5:17

One of the Ten Commandments is to “honor thy father and mother”. Something which is present throughout the gospels in Jesus’ treatment of His parents. The gospel of John relates the story of His first miracle. Even though Jesus knew it wasn’t the right time to act, He still conceded to His mother’s request. He did not fall prey to motherly manipulation. He wanted to honor His mother. Even at the Cross, while suffering intense pain and humiliation, Jesus was concerned about the welfare of His mother. He entrusted the care of His mother to a disciple. He ensured that she was never left alone. The gospel of Luke narrates a story where Jesus resurrected a young man only because the young man’s widowed mother would have been alone and abandoned in this world. He confronted the Pharisees for twisting the Law to justify lack of obligation towards their parents. Therefore, when our Lord said these words, He did not mean that we should turn our backs against our parents, wives and children. His disciples who walked with our Lord would know that Jesus never turned His back on anyone. However, He turned His back on the world. He rejected the world and its teachings.

Our parents, in their care and concern for our well being, teach us how to survive in this world. This is the nature of parenting. It is an universal trait, not only found in humans but also the animal kingdom for the most part. A good parent teaches a child not only to survive but also to flourish in this world. We form our family units to continue this practice. Our society depends on it. We send our children into the world with the hope that they become successful people. In order to flourish in this world, we need to adopt the values of this world. We need to function according to the ethics of this world. We need to tow the line.

In Jesus’ culture whose practices and customs are still alive in many of the cultures of the Asia Continent, parents are held accountable for the success and failure of their offsprings. Even today, the parents of these cultures are held responsible for finding the right partner in their children’s conjugal relationship. Everything is dependent on the parents. Failure to submit to their bidding is considered not only sign of disrespect but also rebellion and hatred towards them. The worst thing one could in these cultures is to bring shame to their parents’ name. Unfortunately, we still hear disturbing news of parents murdering their children for dishonoring them. It is very serious affair. It is not a mere offense but a complete disruption of the very essence of a family unit to follow a path different than the one which one’s parents prepared their children to take. The path that Jesus walked and walks on is always different from the ones our parents taught us. Our parents are imperfect beings like us. They do the best they can and they want us to be successful. However, their idea of success is limited and not always in line with that of the gospel. Every generation thinks that it has understood the Truth of the Gospel. However, the Gospel is too immense and great for its Truth to be captured by one generation. Every generation needs to rediscover the fullness of the gospel. Even Mother Mary had a hard time grasping the Truth of the gospel despite the fact that she was aware of the greatness of Her Son’s ministry from the time of His birth.

When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ Mark 3:21

What was this “it” which convinced His family that Jesus wasn’t quite right by their standards. Well, there were many things “wrong” about Jesus. We tend to overlook them because we come from a different culture. Firstly, it was extremely unusual for someone of Jesus’ age, during His time, to be single. A successful Jewish man, by the time of His age, would have a wife and many children. Secondly, Jesus violated the strict social system. A son should always follow the profession of the father, in our Lord’s case, he should have remained a carpenter. He came an itinerant preacher. Perhaps the most concerning thing was His teaching. He did not have proper religious training according to the authorities. They even confronted Jesus by whose authority He said and did things. They wanted Him to name a rabbi who had trained Him. This was what they considered proper authority. Most importantly, the teachings of Jesus shook the very foundations of His society. They still do and this is perhaps why most of the time people ignore His teachings. Jesus taught us to love our enemies and forgive unconditionally even if the offender repeatedly offends us. There are other difficult teachings but these two are enough to mess up our world. I recently heard a Hassidic rabbi explain about the formation of a nation. He said that in order to unite a nation, it is necessary to have an enemy to hate. Without this hatred, a nation cannot function. Where there is hatred, there cannot be forgiveness. The rabbi is against this of course. I found him to be fascinating because his teachings based on the Law are very similar to Jesus’ teachings. In other words, Jesus was fulfilling the Law when He taught these things. However, it was and is radically different to the things of this world.

Nietzsche, the formidable enemy of Christianity, admired Jesus for His strength and courage. He considered Jesus the only true Christian who ever lived. At the same time, he attacked His teachings because Nietzsche thought that the gospel made people weak and failures in this world. The problem with Nietzsche is that he was right. The teachings of the gospel are incompatible with this world. They do not make us flourish in this world. Therefore, we cannot have our cake and eat it. We either choose success in this world or failure by living according to the life of Jesus.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

Success in this world has nothing to do with morality. There is a kind of morality present in this world but it is void of Love. The morality of Jesus makes Love the only foundation. Not a sentimental interpretation of the word but concrete lifestyle change reflecting the essence of God in this world. It makes people a priority and not just the select people whom society deems as deserving our priority. It is morality based on revealing God’s love to everyone. In our ministry, we play a parental role to our children and youth in the streets. We are not their biological parents and therefore, our priority is not making them successful in this world. We are their parents through the Holy Spirit. They are our children through the miracle of the Holy Spirit. We have only one task. We have to help them to grow to be successful in the Kingdom of God. This world would never give them a chance to be successful. They don’t fit its criteria but they qualify perfectly for God’s Kingdom. This is all that matters.