Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:13-15

There is nothing controversial about the above verses. They even come equipped with an excellent loophole for all of us who come from affluent countries. Our minds can do wonders with the phrase, “against all kinds of greed”. As long as we can convince ourselves we are free from greed, we feel comfortable with our money. Never mind the fact that we never define what constitutes greed. However, Jesus didn’t stop with these verses. He relates a parable that is more problematic. It is about rich man who was very prudent. He made some careful investments to ensure that he would have a prosperous life in the future. His goal was to enjoy his latter life relaxing, eating, drinking and being merry. I think that I heard of this investment plan many times over. By the world’s standard, he is a wise rich man. This is something that I want for myself. I have savings for the future. I have a pension plan that gives me a sense of security for my latter years. I do want to relax, eat, drink and be merry when I am older or even now. I am a lot like the rich man in Jesus’ parable even though I don’t consider myself as greedy, or rather, wanting more than necessary.

Maybe I can argue that I am not really rich. This is true when I compare myself by the American standard. I am an average middle class person except that I don’t have a car or own a house. I can also say that I come from a poor family or I don’t make too much money. All these arguments are irrelevant. When I stand among the “little ones” that Jesus called us to serve, I am a rich person. I am not speaking in the spiritual sense. We need to avoid spiritualizing wealth or poverty when we read this gospel passage. Jesus is speaking about concrete material wealth. It has already been established among the homeless children and teens that I am a rich man. Now, the question is whether I am a fool like the rich man in Jesus’ parable.

Someone asked Gigi a question in the beginning of this week. We have known her for a long time. However, we never asked her this particular question. We have our reasons. It was quite a simple and straightforward enquiry; “Where does she see herself in ten years time?” She responded without a moment’s hesitation. She said that she wants to own a house and have a steady job. More specifically, she plans to be a school teacher. The person asking the question was delighted with this answer. Unfortunately, the person disregarded the fact that Gigi is 24 and completely illiterate. She does not even know the sounds of the letters. She has lived under the bridge in a tent ever since she was 18. Before that, she lived in a shack in the slums. She spent many years in school and never learned to read or write. Her education consisted in convincing her that she is incapable of learning anything. In reality, she is very intelligent. Unfortunately, it is going to take long time before she can be convinced of this. The answer she gave was not based on her true desires. She just answered according to what she believed the person asking the question wanted to hear. In fact, if you ask any of the children or teens this same question, you will receive a similar answer. This is why we never ask this question.

Gigi is not lying but she is not telling the truth. It is just that she never thought about the question. In fact, no one living in the streets really thinks about their future. It is something people from affluent backgrounds think about and, very often, quite obsessively. The homeless adults, teens and children only think about today. The future is a luxury that their unfortunate past did not afford them. For them, tomorrow or ten years from now are not reality based. Therefore, there are no true or false answers to any questions regarding the future. It is all fantasy. According Jesus’ parable, she is closer to the truth than most middle class people like myself. Tomorrow is not something that is guaranteed. Somehow we like to think that we have control over the future. Maybe it has something do with money. It gives us an illusion that we have control over our destiny. In reality, the future never belonged to us.

Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

If having money today makes us worry about not having it tomorrow, then we are most likely obsessed with it.

It doesn’t mean that we live carelessly today without any concern for tomorrow. This would be a silly and immature conclusion. Living wisely in the present moment will prepare us for what appears tomorrow. Most importantly, Jesus’ words beckon us to reflect on the role of money in our lives. If we look to money to ensure a better future for us, then it is playing a certain role that only pertains to God. Some saints in the past including St Augustine and, of course, St Francis gave up wealth and their social status to embrace a life of poverty and simplicity. They wanted to trust God completely. Unless some angel of God appears to me in a vivid manner and tells me to do this, I am going to remain as I am. I need money to survive in this world. It opens the doors for us to be here in the streets with the children and teens. Jesus knows that this. Even He had people, especially wealthy women, financially supporting him in His ministry ( Luke 8:3). He was exposed to the dangers that money posed to his own personal life. He could have spoken these words to himself. After all, He was fully human.

The best way to free ourselves from the dangerous hold that money could have on us is to serve those who don’t have any of it. This is not saying that we become their financial contributors. If we do this, then we just contaminating others with money. Our money can help us build a spiritual bridge to connect with them. Money is not something neutral. Jesus never considered it to be neutral. It is, in fact, very dangerous. It is a wild animal that always wants to be our master. Therefore, we should never be comfortable with it. We can control its influence in our lives. We use our money to acquire true eternal treasures. We can use it to help us to be in places which are usually closed to us. We can use money to build stronger relationships with those who have no one in this world. Each of us have to figure out how to use our money to discover eternal treasures. However, money in itself is never a blessing. It is only a blessing when we use it to foster long-lasting relationships. It is not an easy task. It is something as Christians we need to consider with fear and trembling.

Gigi does not worry about the future. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a great life either. Her daily life is a struggle. Everyday, she needs to figure out a way to get her food. There is nothing to ensure her safety when she sleeps alone under the bridge. Her meager possessions are sometimes confiscated by government authorities just because they want to discourage the homeless in a certain area. Unfortunately, they don’t provide any shelter for them as an alternative. She has too much to worry about today so she cannot overburden herself about the future. On the other hand, I don’t have to worry about these basic things. My personal wealth frees me from all the things that Gigi and the other children and teens are concerned about. I am free in this sense. It would be a pity if I wasted this freedom by being occupied with tomorrow’s possible situations. Besides, the future does not belong to me. My wealth and my freedom are not necessarily a blessing. However, if I am wise with what I possess, maybe together with Gigi and the other homeless teens and adults we can discover how to live a meaningful life in the present. Perhaps, we can even discover what it means to be have abundant life in God.

Jesus continued, “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:9-13

I have mentioned that we wait at the steps of the Cathedral. It is one of the biggest churches in the city. The steps spread over a large area but we usually sit in the middle. There is no apparent reason for our choice. Perhaps, it is because of the view. We can see everyone from where we sit. We are never alone at steps. The homeless adults accompany us in our wait. There are the tourists too. However, these don’t spend too much time on the steps. They go into the church, they might say a short prayer, then snap a few photos and they are on their way. They have places to go, sites to visit, restaurants to eat at and finally a home to rest their heads. The homeless adults just sit there. This is their “home”. They have no where else to go. They have exhausted all their prayers and now they are in the streets. No one chooses to sleep on the streets. They are there because of unanswered prayers.

Wallace always carries a backpack. It contains his life possessions. He doesn’t have much but everything he has is neatly organized in his city bag. He has a simple desire. He wants a place to call his home. It doesn’t have to anything fancy. He would be happy if it was just a small one-room shack made out of plywood. He just wants a place where he can feel safe and lead a quiet life. Something he never experienced in his twenty three years, more than half of which was spent sleeping in the streets. Jesus said, “ask and it will be given to you.” Wallace asked for a simple home but he never received it.

There is a recent arrival to the streets. She is a young adult with mental problems. She spends most of her time warning people who enter the Cathedral that Jesus is coming back soon. She is also convinced that there is going to death and destruction. She claims that God told her. Yesterday, she was in tears. She kept saying that someone said that she wasn’t pretty. It really triggered something in her and she was crying for hours over it. Her conversations vacillate between rejection and punishment. She shouldn’t be in the streets. She needs to be in a group home where she can be treated for her mental illness. It is not her fault that she has a hard time holding onto reality. Unfortunately, no doors were opened for her. The only place left is the streets and here she is in a very vulnerable situation.

Felipe had been homeless since he was 10. Now, he has a job. He thought life would change for the better. It hasn’t happened yet. To the contrary, his life has gotten complicated. He decided to be responsible and be a father to his wife’s three children. He earns a salary that is only pays a week or so of groceries. He doesn’t ask for much. All he just wants a tiny place for his family. He wants it to be clean and disease free. Instead, he can only afford to stay in a place infested with scorpions and cockroaches. The water is polluted and causes his infant child break out in rashes. There is nothing Felipe can do to change the situation. Thankfully, he does not consider going back to the streets as an option. Nevertheless, it is not easy for him. He suffers for his child. Felipe prayed for an “egg” but instead he got scorpions.

These young people do not ask or need anything extravagant. They are asking for something very basic and simple. So far, they have only heard the answer, “no”. Reading the gospel passage above among these young people makes me ask some serious and tough questions. Mary and I come from privileged circumstances. We are not from wealthy families but we have received much compared to these young people. We feel a little awkward to tell them pray and ask and you shall receive. They have spent their lives praying and the answer has been homelessness and desperate struggle to have the basics. We sit in the midst of them. We have to do something different. We need to ask the tough question that they might not have to courage to ask. Therefore, I will ask it on their behalf; “Where are you, God?”

Every Sunday, we pray the Lord’s prayer. Jesus taught us to address God as our Father. Not my Father but the father of every single homeless person that sits on the steps and even the tourists who visit the Cathedral. The young woman with a mental problem, she is my sister in God’s eyes. Wallace is my little brother. Felipe’s family is our family. All those who pray the Lord’s prayer are connected with each other intimately. There are no cousins in God’s family, only brothers and sisters. The prayer is God’s gift to the world. It reveals God’s plan for the world. God has inundated it with His children to bring comfort and peace to their siblings who need it.

The Lord’s prayer tells us three basic things: God is the Father of all peoples, all we need are our basic needs, and we are to forgive as we are forgiven (Luke 11:2-4). In the world, we find the opposite to be true. There is exaggerated individualism, excessive materialism and cancerous resentment. Yet this prayer is prayed by a large part of the world’s population. It is as if people who pray this powerful prayer do it without any concern for its basic premises. Maybe the problem is not God abandoning people. People have abandoned the Father and do what they think is right in their own eyes.

Wallace believes that one day he will have a tiny space to call his home. He is willing to share it with his friends in order to achieve this dream. He is genuinely happy with the little things he has. I asked him if anyone has ever insulted him whenever he begs for his food. He said without resentment that some people are mean but most people are kind to him. He only remembers these ones. He is free from resentment. Not just Wallace but Felipe as well, he has shown himself not to be angry with the situation in which he finds himself. He just does feel sad when his infant child suffers from the rashes. Despite the unhealthy living conditions, this child who is also our godchild has the most amazing smile. He is a happy baby and like most babies, loves to be the center of attention in this tiny dark space they call home. The young girl with mental illness is adopted by a group of homeless young people. They make sure that no harm ever comes to her. She is fed and given a warm and secure spot to sleep in the streets at night.

In a way, God has answered my question. He is present but according His way. He is God and He will manifest Himself, His grace, and His compassion in the way He sees fit. However, He always uses people to comfort those who suffer and are in need. Perhaps, He has a question for all those who pray this Prayer that Jesus taught us. “Where are my children when their brothers and sisters suffer?” It is a good question to ponder. We should not feel guilty when we are asking ourselves this question. It is something we need reflect on in order for us to pray the Lord’s prayer in a genuine manner.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 40-42

We just missed our bus. The next one could come in few minutes or half hour. We were the perfect target for a random conversation. An older man approached us and blurted a completely unrelated comment. It seemed like the conversation had started its course in his head before he brought us into it. He told us that he counted the number of homeless adults yesterday and there were at least 320 in one particular neighborhood. Then, he made a dramatic pause waiting for our reaction. He was a little disappointed when there was none. We live in the center of the city. The homeless are part and parcel of our geography. We have also noticed the increase of the homeless population in the past few months. The old man decided to proceed nevertheless. Thankfully, he was succinct. He wanted to share his diagnosis of the situation. “Life is too easy and comfortable for the homeless here. Too many people feed them and give them clothes and blankets. They don’t feel the need to work and be motivated to leave the street.” Basically, according to this man, these people suffer cold, rejection and humiliation on a daily basis because they are lazy.

Unfortunately, it is not based on his observation but he is merely repeating a popular opinion. I even heard preachers say these almost identical words. Our conversation did not progress much after this statement. It is hard to advance a reasonable dialogue with anyone who thinks that living and sleeping in the streets easy and comfortable. It is obvious that this man came to his conclusion based on his life experiences. He worked and maintained his family. He was not from the poor class although he might consider himself poor. The definition of poor, according to many, is not being rich. By default, most of us are poor. However, most of the homeless do not come from the same background as many of us. Besides there is no simplistic theory to explain their presence in the streets. Each person has their story and being homeless is never their first choice. It is the bottom of the pit.

I did not add anything to the conversation. The man mistook my silence as agreement. However, I did not feel compelled to justify myself. It wasn’t necessary. I was hoping for the bus to come soon. It did and we were able to excuse ourselves politely. I was ready to forget the whole incident but here I am writing about it. It is because of Martha and Mary. These two women kept this encounter alive in my thoughts.

The whole week I was mulling over this gospel passage. I was trying to listen to God’s voice. There was total silence. I was looking for something special, a conversation or event. Something that would spark some deep insight into the characters of Martha and Mary. It turned out to be a normal and uneventful week. At least, I thought it was uninteresting. I was beginning to get frustrated. I realized that I was being a Martha. She was trying to make Jesus’ visit special. She was trying to create an ideal environment for His time with them. She did not realize that she was missing the whole point. Too busy trying to make His visit memorable, she forgot the most memorable event is the presence of Jesus Himself.

I decided that I was going to adopt Mary’s approach. I am talking about Martha’s Mary here. I decided not to look for anything special or spectacular to write about. I was just going to see if I could see Jesus clearly like Mary did when she sat at His feet. I was gently reminded of the encounter with the old man. Jesus was present there. However, He was ignored. The man saw the homeless but he did not see Jesus. He was also present in our conversation with him but I was not able to see Him. I was too busy hoping for the bus to come so that I could be freed from the conversation. No doubt I considered myself to be better than this man. In reality, we are the same. We reacted to the situations presented before us in the same way. Both of us had attitudes of self-righteousness. We acted just like anyone else in the world. Jesus was present there but He was allocated to the role of a spectator. Even though the homeless are His children, we never considered what He thought about them. Jesus was present in Martha’s household and He was a mere guest, albeit a very highly honored one. Jesus did not alter Martha’s behavior or outlook but Mary listened to Jesus. She knew that it was more important to listen to this man than try to impress Him with all kinds of hospitality. We forget sometimes, listening to our guest is usually the best form of hospitality. Mary was truly the most hospital person in the Martha’s household.

Early in the week, we had another brief encounter with a young man. This time it was in the streets with the children and teens. His name is Willian. He is not exactly a homeless youth. We have known him since his late teens. Now he is in early twenties. Unfortunately, he had just spent his early part of his adult years in prison. He used to play games with me and liked talking with us. He is a highly intelligent man with a great sense of humor. We knew that he was involved in criminal activities but we never pried. It was not our business. Willian came up to us to greet us. He told us that he just got our prison a few days ago. I asked him if he planned to stay out of prison. He sighed and said no. He looked a little resigned. He told us that he is part of the “movement” and there was no way out. He thinks that his life is going to be spent in and out of prison. The “movement” is the street name for gangs in Brazil. In São Paulo, there is only one street gang. Consequently, there are no gang wars and it has reduced the number of gang related homicides and violence. They are solely into drug trafficking. It was the first time a gang member openly admitted to us that he was part of the “movement”. Mary tried to tell him that change is always an option. He wasn’t convinced. I said that maybe he was lacking the one thing that he needs to inspire to drop everything and change the course of his life. He nodded his head. He hasn’t found it yet. There was nothing to say. I told him that when he finds this one thing, we will be here ready to help him. He shook our hands and went to “work”.

We both felt that in our interaction with Willian, it was easier to listen to Jesus’ voice. We did not offer a ready made solution to him. We did not feel the need to lecture him. We knew that he was struggling to do what is right. We wanted to convey this to him. This is how we knew that we were listening to the Spirit. Jesus confronts real life with all its complexities. He does not offer pat answers to difficult situation. Willian chose this life because he thought that this was the best option available to him. Going in and out of prison for the rest of your life is not something anyone would choose as their first choice. We don’t know much about Willian but we know that Life wasn’t fair to him. Now, he feels like he is stuck, at the same time, we believe that he wants to hear that there is still hope. Perhaps, this is why God has placed him in our lives. Our interactions with him might be minimum but if we listen to Jesus, we might be able to transmit to him something that might have eternal effects. This is all we can do, transmit what we receive from Jesus.

It is peculiar that the two encounters we had this week, I was both a Martha and a Mary. In the streets, I find it easy to be a Mary. Maybe because the situation in itself is so overwhelming that it is easier to admit that we need to listen Jesus for wisdom. There is not much use trying to run around doing things that amount to nothing. Although, it hasn’t stopped the “Marthas of this world.” We have seen them come and go. They feel like they need to do something positive and they do tons of good but eventually they get frustrated. We can get frustrated too. This is why we need to listen to the One who is able fill our hearts with love and compassion. The question is not necessarily how to be a Mary. I think that all of us have a place where we find it easy to be like Mary. I find it easy to listen to Jesus among the homeless but not with people who pontificate how to solve the problems of the world. This is why we are still here. Being among the homeless brings us closer to Jesus. There are different places for different people. The challenge is for us to discover the best place that helps us see Jesus clearly. When I was serving as a parish priest, I was trying to be a Martha most of the time. However, to be fair, there were many moments where I learned to be a Mary. The truth is that we vacillate between Mary and Martha in our lives. We can’t be one nor the other all the time. We just have to find the perfect place where we can sense God’s peace to just sit and listen to Jesus and then share His love to those around us.

Just then a teacher of the Law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:25-29

The question was about eternal life. This is a complex idea for our children and teens. It sounds alien to them. However, eternal means timelessness. A life that is not restricted to time and space, in other words, a meaningful life. Perhaps, this might perk up the interest among the homeless children. They want to live a meaningful life despite their desperate situation.

The question is a prelude to a famous parable. We have given it a name that perhaps diminishes something essential and important that Jesus was conveying. Jesus certainly did not call it the “parable of the Good Samaritan”. We do. It is curious. Whenever people say so and so is “good”, they are saying that the person is an exception to the rule. Inadvertently, we create a barrier between us and the so-called “good person”. It is a two-edged sword. It is a compliment and at the same time it implies that we are not going to be like the good person. The good person is a cut above the rest. Many are just happy being like the rest. Jesus was not telling a story about a good person. He was talking about a neighborly person. I am not sure if anyone of us is truly good, even Jesus refused to be acknowledged as good. The parable is about being neighborly. Our children and teens don’t see themselves as good people but they do want to be neighborly especially to those around them.

Everyone has heard about this parable. The plot is quite simple. A man is violently robbed and left for death. A priest sees him and then goes on his way. The levite, or in other words, a religious teacher or theologian in the modern context, does exactly the same. Then a samaritan comes and does something completely different. He sees another person in a desperate state and attends to his needs. It would be wrong to conclude that the priest and levite are evil people. Jesus never passed judgement on them. In fact, they were extremely religious people. It was their ritualistic observance that stopped them from helping the man. They would be considered ceremonially unclean if the blood of the injured or dead man touched them (Lev. 2:1-3). They would rather not risk being contaminated. Their liturgical priorities hindered them from acting compassionately. They understood the intricacies of religious practice but they misunderstood the purpose of it. On the other hand, Samaritans were considered a little worse than Pagans for the Jewish community at that time. They tolerated the Pagans but despised the Samaritans. These were neither here nor there religiously. They followed a distorted version of the Jewish religion, at least, according to the religious authorities of that time. Despite this, the Samaritan in the parable knew exactly what was required of him to act like a neighbor to a dying man.

The parable does not imply that Jesus was against ritualistic observance of the Law. Several times, He encouraged people whom He healed to seek a priest to fulfill the ritualistic cleansing. He was, however, against anything religious that hinders people from showing love and compassion to a neighbor, especially when they are in dire need of help and attention. This is a consistent attitude of Jesus in the gospels especially in his debates with the religious authorities. In today’s world, we don’t follow rigorous rituals or liturgy that holds us back from loving our neighbor. However, we might value doctrines, ideologies, philosophies, theologies, and prejudices above showing compassion to those God puts in our path. More often than not, our religious or intellectual arrogance blinds us from seeing and hearing those who need to be heard and seen.

I assume that Jesus had His personal prejudices too. After all, He was fully human. Part of being human is having negative preconceived ideas of people that we don’t even know. All cultures are sinful and consequently, they have their favorite people to hate and dehumanize. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Jesus was brought up not to think highly of Samaritans. Nevertheless, it did not stop him from paying attention to their faith. It did not stop Him from seeing their faith in action even though they did not understand all the right doctrines or rituals. All references Jesus made of the Samaritans in the gospel are very positive. Not just in the case of the Samaritans, He had the same attitude towards the Syrophoenician woman, the women of ill-repute, people struck with contagious diseases, widows, and the list goes on. Throughout the gospels, we read how Jesus sat and observed people that His society tended to overlook. He was constantly allowing His love for God to look into the hearts and souls of these women and men and see God’s presence in them.

Being a neighbor does not imply being free from prejudices and misconceived ideas about the neighbors. It is hard to shed our biases especially the ones we may not realize that we possess. We need to be careful that we don’t use religion and politics to promote these sinful notions especially when they hinder us from seeing our neighbor as a human being. However, our love for God should amount to something. It should help us see beyond our own personal limitations. It should help us to listen and see God’s presence in the person whom we think that has nothing concrete to offer us.

I used to hear our children talk about God as their only and true Friend in the streets. To be honest, I never took it seriously. I just thought that it was a pat answer and they did not really think too much about God. I don’t even know why I thought this way. Maybe I believed that I had a sophisticated idea of God and therefore, our children and teens were not able to understand the true nature of God like myself. However, for me, at that time, God was a theory or a theology. For these children and teens, when they say God is their Friend, it is something they experience one a day to day basis. They listen to Him and recognize His voice. He is their only moral guide, and of course, not all listen attentively to Him. Nonetheless, there are those who are always sensitive to His voice. My problem was with my lofty ideas of God I forgot to pay attention to the reality of God present in the lives of the abandoned children and teens.

They may not have the religious language but they have the faith of the samaritan. They know how to be neighbors. We have seen a homeless adult run after an elderly woman to return her wallet which she dropped unknowingly. He refused her offer of money as gratitude. Instead he wanted her to know that he did it because he thought that it was the right thing to do. We saw Danyel in tears because someone accused him of doing something bad. His only argument was that God dwells in his heart and He guides him to do the right things. He wasn’t crying because they thought badly of him. He was upset because their accusation meant that they thought that God was no longer His guide.

Danyel was missing for weeks because he spent a few months in a reform center for a crime he never committed. The other children and teens vouch for him. They don’t lie about these matters to us. Now, he is out, he wants to spend extra time with us. Perhaps to make up for the lost time. We went to a museum. He wanted to do something with us outside of his environment. We spent the time at the museum just conversing. Throughout the time, he was listening and asking questions about becoming a better human being. He wanted to be someone who he is already in many ways. He is a genuine neighbor to those around him especially us. Each time we spent time with this young man, we go home a little richer than before. He helps us appreciate the beauty and depth of God’s love. Perhaps, this is what being a neighbor is all about. It is not about being present physically next to someone but it helping the people around us to take one more step to understanding God is always here and present.

The parables are not fairy tales. They are lessons rooted in practical life. Jesus observed how people who were excluded in His society and revealed the presence of the divine in them. Loving God with all out heart, mind and soul always means being able to see God’s presence in the lives of others.

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.

And Jesus sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village. Luke 9:52-56

The Samaritans were an easy lot to hate, especially if you belonged to the first century Jewish community. The disdain was, of course, mutual. Historians might tell us many deep-rooted reasons for this animosity. The truth of the matter is that we don’t need much to hate. Anything simple and even foolish can trigger off this passion within us to harm and desire evil for our neighbor. We able to conjure up hate because some people face a different direction than us when they pray. We think that it is justifiable to kill someone because they dress differently than us or organize their economy in a different manner. Unfortunately, I don’t have to dwell on this too long. We understand it all too well. As human beings, we have a propensity for hatred. In a way, we need it. It unites us. When we recognize this weakness in us, we can see why Jesus was quite radical and relevant for all ages. He proposed something different. He proposed to unite us through Love and He showed us how to do it. There was no room in His ministry for hatred.

He wanted to enter a Samaritan village because He had a message of healing and grace to share there. The villagers rejected Him instead because He was going the “wrong” direction. Jesus accepted this rejection whereas His disciples wanted revenge.

A young man who once volunteered with the homeless youth said that he disliked the work. He found them to be ungrateful and disrespectful. He is not wrong but he is not absolutely right. The children and teens are just like any other teens. Being homeless in the streets doesn’t make them into angels but they are not demons either. They are just humans. This young man gave up trying to help them. He is not the only one. There are countless people including missionaries who left this ministry or something similar to it and said that they would never return to it. Some are even harsher in their criticism. They think the homeless are a bunch of good for nothings.

It is easy to hate the people that you are trying to help and serve especially when they don’t respond positively to all your good intentions. I understand perfectly. Some days I feel mad and feel like saying something to these teens and children who appear to just waste their lives away sniffing paint thinner. Sometimes I feel a little offended that they would prefer drugs instead of spending time with us. I get upset. I feel like yelling at them. All these are sentiments are human. I am sure that Jesus felt these sentiments too. It is good to be in touch with such sentiments and recognize them as what they are. They are just mere sentiments that inform us that we don’t like what is before us. The fact is that we shouldn’t like seeing homeless children and teens losing their lives to drugs and crime. It should make us mad and angry to see these things. The disciples were allowed to feel angry that the Samaritans rejected a message of peace and love.
However, the disciples wanted to do something different. They wanted to use the power given to them for healing and use it to destroy the Samaritans. This is something entirely different. It is almost demonic; using something good to commit evil.

The disciples were feeling powerful. Jesus had sent the twelve to go out and preach and heal. They had a taste of the power that Jesus possessed. It was something Jesus used with fear and trembling. Now, the disciples were allowed to participate in it. Their self-confidence was elevated but their wisdom was still lacking. They did not understand the nature of their power. Hatred still ruled their hearts. All the preaching and healing that they performed did not transform their hearts. They did not understand the message that they preached. Unfortunately, we don’t have to look far to find preachers and believers with a similar attitude. They believe in the powers of Jesus, or God. They believe all the benefits that come from the gospel message. Nevertheless, they are not partakers of the ministry of Jesus. In order to participate in that which Jesus is doing through the Holy Spirit, Love has to reign in our hearts. Power without Love is tyrannical and violent. We don’t need any examples or illustrations for these kinds of manifestations of power. They permeate this world. The disciples wanted to take the power given to them through grace and mercy and turn it into something dark and sinister. Jesus rebuked them.

Apparently, nothing is said of the content of this exchange between Jesus and his disciples. We can imagine that the ignorance and evil intent of the disciples must have added to the pain and suffering of Jesus.

When Jesus calls us to serve Him among those who are the least in our society, we are empowered to do this task. God never calls us to do something without first empowering us. However, it doesn’t mean that we will be recognized for it or be immune to rejection. These are all part and parcel of the calling to be a Christian. Most importantly, we should never use this power or influence to promote ourselves or our prejudices. The power does not belong to us. It belongs to the One who would rather die a criminal’s death than strike out in defense for His own life.

We waited in our usual spot. No longer focusing on the rejection but the reason why we are here. We are here to give the Love that we received. We are not here to be accepted or even loved. It goes without saying that we like to be appreciated and loved but these children and teens are not in the spiritual place to reciprocate yet. We just wait patiently, and, perhaps with a renewed mind. Then, Kelly shows up. We haven’t seen her for months. She is one of the most affectionate teens in the street. She came to us and gave us a hug and a kiss. She told us that she had been looking for us for weeks and our paths always crossed. She wanted to try to do something that would help her be more independent and maybe even leave the streets. However, she told us that she lacked the courage to do it alone. She wanted us to do it with her. She sat and talked with us for a long time and then another young boy, Jonathan, came up to us. He saw us and put away his paint thinner so that he could spend time with us. Kelly, before she left, kissed our hands and asked us to wait for her in the same place tomorrow. She wanted to spend more time with us. Jonathan asked us if we could bring different games because he wanted to do more activities with us. It is strange when we took our focus off the rejection and focused on Love, things changed. We were able to see that rejection is only temporary but Love always triumphs.

Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. -Luke 8:35-37

This is quite a disturbing story.

The people were upset that Jesus healed a tormented young man. Obviously they considered him a menace to their society. They attempted to subdue him with chains but he was too strong for them. He was a problem that they could not solve. Nevertheless, they were upset when Jesus resolved the issue completely. Apparently, they did not care about this man. Compassion and love had no role in their attempt to solve this problem. This man was a mere “it”. They did not see humanity in him. It appears as if the whole village was demonized.

The gospels never say anything about this young man except the fact that he was shunned by his village. There is not any mention of parents or relatives. It is as if he was an orphan. He is a lot like our children and teens in the streets. The narrative tells us that he was naked, sick and tormented and homeless. The only place reserved for him was the tombs. In a way, he was imprisoned in this place. It was the only venue where he was not subjected to the brutal treatment of his peers. This young man was all the people Jesus said who represented Him in the parable of the final judgment.

Jesus made an unusual stop at Gerasenes. There was no reason for him to come here. In reality, it would be a place expressively forbidden for any Jewish person, let alone a renowned Jewish rabbi like Jesus. It was a place where they raised pigs, an unclean animal according to the Law. Jesus came to this place for one specific purpose. He came to heal this young man.

I always wondered why the people were upset when they should have been happy. Jesus saved their village from a losing a member of their society. Unfortunately, they had different priorities which blinded them from seeing the good that occurred in their midst. They were concerned that they lost valuable income when the pigs perished in the sea. However, this was not the main reason for their annoyance. If it was, they would have asked Jesus to compensate their loss. They were infuriated that Jesus disrupted their perfect organized society where everyone had their place including the demons. The fact that the demons wanted to remain in this village is an important element in this story. The demons felt extremely comfortable in this society and they did not want to leave this place.

A tourist sat next to me as his family visited the Cathedral. He made quite a random comment, “This place has so much potential but I don’t understand why it is abandoned and ugly.” He is right. The Roman Catholic Cathedral is in the heart of this center square. There are still many active businesses around. All the same, it is abandoned. The steps where we wait for the children lead up to the Cathedral. They look as if they have never been cleaned. There are countless homeless adults scattered around the steps in different stages of intoxication. Those who are not in a drunken stupor are mentally ill and having a conversation with themselves. These emit a stench that is sometimes quite unbearable. Our children and teens are on the side sniffing paint thinner. Besides them, there are aging prostitutes and homeless families and some people who are sitting there and waiting for something. No one really knows for whom or what. This is truly the living cemetery of this city. This is the place allocated for those who do not have a place in society. The place has lots of potential to be something else. Nevertheless, the city needs a place to send the people that it wants to hide from the rest of the world.

Someone might wonder what is the government doing? Well, they have different priorities from Jesus. The city and its authorities are interested in organizing their city according to their priority. They want the city to look prosperous. The broken and tormented people taint this picture and they want them out of sight. Their priority is not compatible with that of Jesus.

Jesus is not interested in creating a well-organized society. He valued those whom society rejected and despised. They were given the priority in His Kingdom. Whereas the local government tries to paint an image without these people, Jesus beautifies His concept of the Kingdom with people that need His healing and compassion. Most organized societies find this disconcerting. It challenges the way they order their society. Then again, Jesus is not interested in these things. He was only interested in healing those who are sick. In this case, it was this young tormented man. For him, Jesus deviated from his regular route. He risked His personal reputation and went to a place that a devout Jewish person would consider unclean and confronted a group of people who were hostile to Him. This young man was worth all this trouble for Jesus.

“Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. “ -Luke 8: 30

Jesus chose to have a conversation with him. He treated the young man as a human being. Others just treated him as if he was wild beast. Some might argue that Jesus was speaking with the demons. I am not going to dispute this here. For all practical purposes, it was the man who informed Jesus of his demons. No one ever bothered to find out what was causing his severe problems. Perhaps, they did not have the time and energy to do this because he was not their priority.

They finally released Danyel from the juvenile detention center. He has been there for almost four months. He looked healthy. He has put on a few kilos. He saw us while he was in the middle of a conversation with another person. He gave us a weak smile and tried to finish what he was saying. We decided to wait for him and then he looked up to ensure that we were not leaving. He wanted to walk with us. He reminded us that his birthday was next week. We always did something together on his special day.

Before he was incarcerated, he was reading regularly with us. He wanted to finish a book we bought together with him. We were half way through it. Mary asked him if he went to school while he was detained. He nodded his head and then added that he hardly learned anything there. When they released him, he was sent to a shelter. However, within two days he was back in the streets. I asked him if he wanted to continue with his reading. At first, he looked unsure and admitted that he had forgotten everything that we read. I assured him that I don’t mind reading from the beginning again. He smiled and said that we could start the next day. He gave us a hug before we said goodbye.

We have known this young man for more than five years. He will turn 16 next week. Even though we have had strong ties with him for a long time, he hasn’t revealed all the names of the demons that torment him. He needs help to discover their names one by one so that they could be driven out of his life. For the moment, we discover the names of few of his demons; abandonment, neglect, insecurity, and rejection. I am not sure the months he spent being locked up in a tiny cell of fifteen other young men with the same or even worse demons brought any healing to his soul. Maybe, a few more demons made their abode in him. Unfortunately, this is the solution that society proposes for these young people. It has nothing to do with healing. Our vocation as Christians is to proclaim God’s healing to these broken and abandoned people.

This is what Jesus is doing in our streets. He is here in São Paulo for Danyel. He is here for Wanderson. He is here for Maycon. He is here for Felipe. He is here for all the children and teens that He brings to us while we wait for them at the steps. Our role is to ask them, “who they are?” They will, in time, name one by one all the things that hinder them from being the person God has made to be. They need someone to help them to cast out all these dehumanizing demons. Thankfully, Jesus is ready to do this here and now. He is inviting us to be His instruments of healing.

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. – Rev. 22:12-14

Last year we hardly spent any time with Felipe. It is strange when you consider the fact that we were with him almost everyday for more than three years. It goes without saying, life was the primary cause of this disruption. A young woman threw his life into a disarray. She was his very first girlfriend. We can understand why he was completely enthralled. He hardly had any time for anyone except her. For a moment, we thought perhaps our time with Felipe had come to an end. It was quite sad for us. We had become rather fond of him. He was a positive presence among the teens. He was their conscience and moral compass. Nevertheless, like the rest of us, he deserves to be loved romantically. For this reason, we were happy for him, though, not completely. There is a selfish part in us that wanted to see him more often. Occasionally, he would look for us just to give us a hug. It was his way of letting us know that he missed us just as much as we missed him. Still and all, things have changed for him. Life has beckoned him to move in a different direction and it was a path away from us. It is a positive change for him and we have to admit this. It was time for us to allow him to find walk away from us.

Over the pass six years, we have been building close and intimate relationships with children and teens and then learning to let them go in the direction they choose. In Felipe’s case, it was something hopeful. Unfortunately, there were many relationships that slowly withered away because of drugs and crime. Young people we wrote and spoke about affectionately are now absent in our narratives. Hopefully, it is not permanent. They still linger strongly in our hearts and minds. There was Igor, Ruan, Gabriel, Bruno, Danyel, Dreyson and the list goes on. Some of them are incarcerated. Some have given themselves over to drugs. Some have become hardened criminals. Some have just disappeared. There are those who are still around but they are completely lost in their own world. They wander aimlessly not realizing that life is just slipping by. In spite of all these changes, our vocation remains the same. We wait for them in a place where they can find us. This is where Felipe came looking for us in the beginning of this year. There were some radical changes in his life. He is a father now of an infant child. He has spent most of life sniffing paint thinner and begging because he had no one but himself. Sometimes, he would deliberately contort his body to look like a little child to gain the sympathy of his donors. It was quite a fit because he is 6 feet tall. Now, he has a woman and her children and his infant child under his wing. He wants to be a good and responsible father to all the children. Unfortunately, he never had a father in his life. He doesn’t even know where to start. Everything was strange and new to him. He came to us and asked us for help.

It wasn’t for parenting skills that he need our help. He was intimidated by the common everyday things in life. These were things and requirements that he never knew existed. On the other hand, we just assumed that everyone knew how to deal with these things. I can’t remember anyone teaching us how to do these things. This is because we don’t remember. It was our parents who taught us how to do these simple and mundane things.

He found a job but he needed help to open a bank account. He did not even know where to start. His job hardly pays for a few week’s grocery. Nonetheless, Felipe wants to save something for his infant son even if it is a small amount. The bank officer asked him for his marital status, Felipe responded, “São Paulo” because in Portuguese, the term used is “civil status”. Even though he is ignorant of the term, his reasoning makes sense. Naturally he thought that he was being asked about the city of his residence. Felipe then laughed about it when we explained it. He is not embarrassed about his mistakes. He knows that we don’t judge him by his lack of understanding of bureaucratic jargon.

He doesn’t make enough to survive. His wife still needs to go out and beg for money to supplement their income. They make it with the little they have. All the children are fed. They keep their house organized and livable. Felipe teaches the other children everything he learned like drawing and even an interest in the Japanese language. They learn to have fun and laugh. The other teens from the streets occasionally come by his house to visit him. They see that Felipe has a sense of direction now in his life. He hasn’t changed. He is still the same kind hearted young man that used to be homeless like them. The major difference is that now he has to think about the little infant he holds him arms. He named him David, after his favorite personality from the Bible. Felipe used to read the Psalms together with another young man before they went to sleep in the streets. Today he holds David and kisses him each time he leaves for work.

Opening a bank account is not easy in Brazil. It takes several attempts and lots of patience. Thankfully, the endless time spent waiting gave us an opportunity to reignite our friendship with Felipe. The old friendship in the streets has died. Now God has resurrected new relationship that still bears the marks of the old. Nevertheless, it is completely new. Now, we have a different role to play in his life. He is no longer a homeless young man even though he still doesn’t have a home yet. His family are squatters in an abandoned and squalid building. It looks like a nightmare for us but it is home for him. Felipe has a different way of looking at things. His tiny room is a spark of hope. He is moving forward. He is right whereas we are just too used to luxury to see beyond precarious conditions.

Felipe looks at life from a different perspective. He once had nothing and now he has a family and meaning in his life. He wants us to be part of this new beginning in his life. We are the one of the few things he wants to take with him from the streets. He wants our friendship to accompany him as he walks into this new world that awaits him.

On Monday, we met Felipe in front of the public library to pass some documents to him. We asked him if he wanted to enter the library. He told us that he was walked pass this place all these years and never had the courage to enter. We walked in and Felipe was amazed at the number of books. He started looking at all the titles and found the Reference section. He asked if he could borrow any of these books. We told him that he could take out anything except for the books from the Reference section. “But those are the best books!” I was quite surprised to hear this. Usually, people would hardly look at this part of the library unless they are required to do so. Felipe spent most of his flipping through pages of books on languages, biology and everything that caught his attention. Afterwards, he told us that he would never entered this place in the past but now it was clear to see that he has discovered something new and special. He is not alone. We discovered something new and special this week too. It gives us hope that there are many more special things awaiting for us as we sit and fulfill our vocation that God has given us.

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Sometimes we sit at the steps of the cathedral where we meet the children and nothing happens. Some of them are around but they don’t seem to be interested in us. They are too “busy”, the kind of busyness that has something to do with drugs. It is best to leave it at that. It does leave us on the steps where nothing is happening. I sit and wonder what am I going to write about this week. I don’t write to report about something. This is not my vocation. I write to reflect on God’s presence in our midst. Unfortunately, it is hard to reflect when nothing happens.

This is not entirely true. Something always is occurring. The problem is that my mind is focused on what I want to see. No doubt this is the problem. I am so fixated with one thing that I miss the obvious. Jesus warned us about this, “Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? “ There are people all around me. They have always been here; the homeless adults in their different stages of intoxication, countless of “regular” people hustling to accomplish their mundane activities, a makeshift poor person’s fair where everything from old shoes to stolen cell phones are sold, tourists looking painfully foreign and vulnerable walking up and down the steps of the Cathedral and not to mention, the few dogs that belong to all the homeless but to no one in particular. Where there are people, there is always something happening. Jesus also told us when two or three gathered in His Name, He is always present. It can be argued that none of these people are gathered in His Name. It is true that they did not make a deliberate decision to meet at the steps for religious purposes. Most of the homeless are here because they have no where else to go. However, we are here because of Jesus. We are two people and so, Jesus must be here. I just need to stop looking for things that I want to see and open my eyes and ears to sense what God is doing in our midst.

Wallace came up to the steps. He had two huge bags. They have been gradually increasing in size over the past few days. He has been slowly accumulating some donated clothes and even bought a pair of old tennis shoes from the poor person’s fair. He sat himself next to us. He has been doing well this past few days. He is not allowing drugs to dominate his life like he did a few weeks ago. He has been doing his writing exercises faithfully. Albeit, he does it only for a few minutes a day. Today, he just wanted to rest. He was tired. The homeless are always tired. They have no place to rest their heads. Every place they choose to lie down permeates with noise and danger. They can never rest peacefully. Drugs help them to shut out all the fear and anxiety. Unfortunately, it also turns away everything that edifies their souls.

Our eyes rested on a woman who walked passed us. She always passes through at the same time. She is blind. This made her stand out to us although, for many, she still is one of the countless anonymous people that walk through this area. She manages herself so effectively that one could easily overlook that she is visually impaired. She has become so familiar to us without knowing her. Strangely, we also sense her absence on certain days. She has become part of our life without her knowledge. We noted some changes in her life. Soon, she will be taking care of a baby. Of course, we don’t know if it is going to be for the first time. We have never spoken to her. Wallace blurted out that she was not completely blind. She could see images but they are just blurry to her. In spite of this, she is able to do a lot of things on her own. I was astonished that Wallace knew so much about this woman, at least more than me. Apparently, she was not a complete stranger to him. The children and teens have spoken to her. We watch her walk by everyday. It is unlikely that we would ever speak to her. Wallace, on the other hand, refused to allow this woman be anonymous. He reached out to her.

Next day, we sat by the steps again, same as the day before. Nothing was happening initially. A young man came to us and asked us if we wanted to buy some candies that looked extremely unappetizing. He wasn’t disappointed when we refused to buy any. He knew that the quality of his product. He sat close to us and looked a little depressed. A homeless man walked by and asked us if he could sit next to us. He said that he was tired and just wanted to rest. He sat down next to me and said that there is no place to rest in this city. I am not sure if his statement was to be taken literally or spiritually but it is true in both senses. The young candy seller stood up and commented that there is so much injustice in this world that it is hard to find a place for any of us to rest here. He started talking about his life how he has to work a regular job and then sell cheap candies on the side to pay rent and eat. The homeless man added that he worked for a long time and now he has absolutely nothing except the clothes on his body. Two anonymous men with a tragic and difficult life who have no one to share their story. They turned their attention towards us. They did not want anything from us except for our attention. We had nothing concrete to say to them. Again, the word, “nothing” manifest its presence in this post. These two men wanted us to say something, anything. They were just tired from being alone and anonymous in this city. They just wanted to find a place to rest. They did deserve some words from us. We just agreed with them that life is unjust. Our accent gave us away and they turned their attention from their tragic life to our countries of origin. They shared that once dreamed about going to foreign lands. The homeless man even shared that he lived in Paraguay once. The situation was there was worse than Brazil. He married someone from there and she turned around and cheated on him. Now, he has nothing to dream about anymore. The younger man was just confused why we were living in Brazil when we could be in the States. For him, anywhere but Brazil was paradise. He was a simple young man who comes from the interior of the State of São Paulo. He came to the city hoping to find a better life for himself and his family. Now, he is on the steps of the Cathedral trying to sell enough candy so that he could eat and rest.

They did not expect to say some magic phrases that would make all their misery vanish. They know that there are no simple solutions in this life. Nevertheless, they seemed happy to just have a genuine conversation with someone. The homeless man said that one day he is going to make it. I am not sure what “it” meant for him. That wasn’t important. For a brief moment, he was someone to somebody. The young candy seller still looked depressed. Then, Wanderson showed up. We said our goodbyes to our new “friends” and went to do some activity with him. The homeless man was sincerely happy that we conversed together and he stood there for a minute trying to find something significant to say. Finally, he said in the little English he could conjure up; “bye-bye”. These simple words was his gift to us.

Jesus gives us a new and final commandment; “Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another.” The “other” is the person who spends his or her life in anonymity. This is really greater part of humanity which includes you and me. The media and even churches focus on the famous and influential people. Jesus dwelt among the anonymous ones like the blind lady who walks pass us everyday or the homeless man who has no place to rest. These people are the “other” that we are told to love the way Jesus loved us. These are the ones who need to know that even though they are anonymous, they are not insignificant. After all, this is the most important thing. I like being anonymous but I don’t want to be insignificant. Wallace made sure that the blind woman knew that her presence marked his life. She was a stranger but she did occupy a space in his life.

Jesus was quite specific. He did not say to love in some ambiguous manner. He is the model. He sought people who were anonymous: the “regular” people who are just trying to find a place to rest. Jesus went to where these people were and loved them. He did not wait for something to happen. He just loved them by letting them know that they are someone to Him. I have been waiting for something to happen but actually, God just wants us to love the other when absolutely nothing happens. Nothing occurs everyday. Love is not a tool for us wield in a moment of crisis. It is a lifestyle that brings healing and joy to those who trying to find their way in the everyday drudgery of life.

There is much to learn when nothing happens. There is much to reflect on God’s presence in the nothingness.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15)

It was one of those days.

We made our way home feeling like we did something significant. We heard a “Yes” after enduring weeks of “No” from the children and teens. It has been a long time. It seemed like they forgot that there is life beyond drugs. For the past weeks, we only saw them staggering around with a plastic bottle containing paint thinner protruding out of their mouth as if permanently attached to it. This has become their drug of choice at this moment. Their lives revolve around this toxic substance. It provides an easy escape from the brutal reality that confronts them. However, not everyone or everything is against them. We don’t want them to reject the good together with the bad. We couldn’t help feeling that our long talks and valuable times we once had with them was slowly becoming a distant memory. Fortunately, we know that this is not true. They are saying “no” for now. Thankfully, their “no” does not have to strength to resist Life. Eventually a “yes” will spring forth. This is our hope. Today, we heard Wallace say it.

A few weeks ago, we could not even have a coherent conversation with Wallace. He appeared as if he just gave up on everything and completely surrendered himself to drugs. We felt like helpless spectators watching a scene of self-destruction. We did not have the tools or words to remedy the situation and we are supposed to be the healers here. We just stood there and watched him slowly slip into perdition. I made a feeble attempt and muttered some cliché like “don’t allow drugs ruin your life”. I wished that it was something deep and powerful. This was the best I could say at that time. It did bring a smile to his face. He understood what we were trying to say. Maybe this is more important that the content of the words. Today he came to us, all sober and clean. We almost had forgotten how good and pleasant he looked without the cursed bottle of paint thinner attached to his mouth. He had a peaceful semblance and accommodated himself next to us. He told us that he wanted a safe place from drugs. We were this place for him.

Wallace just turned 24 a few days ago. Maybe this has something to do with everything. He was given an opportunity to think about his life. He is an intelligent man. Even though he has spent most of his childhood in the streets, he never lost his innocence. He refused to engage in anything that would hurt another human being. He survives by begging. Wallace cannot imagine himself being anything else but a homeless person. It is not something anyone chooses voluntarily. It was something imposed upon him since he was a child. He never learned to read or write. On many occasions, we tried to convince him to learn to write his name. He would recoil in fear. He did not want to feel stupid or incapable. It wasn’t a question of pride. He just couldn’t stand another humiliating experience. This was the greatest obstacle in this young man’s life.

Today, however, was different. He told us that he was tired of feeling nervous writing his own name. He had enough of feeling stupid or inadequate. He asked Mary if she would teach him. This is the first time he has asked anything of this sort. It was as if he was the prodigal son who saw the pigsty for what it was and now has decided that it was time to make his way back home. Perhaps, some might think that I am exaggerating here. After all, he just wants to learn to write. This is just a simple thing for many. For Wallace, it is something significant. He wants to take a big step into the unknown. Something has given him the courage to take this step. Being here to see this unfold in his life ignited a joyful sensation in our souls. We don’t actually know why and can’t explain it.

Wallace stayed with us until it was time for us to go home. He seldom spends such a length of time with us. There was something special about everything today. Finally a “Yes” after a dry period of “No”, this was enough to make our walk home a joyful one. For some reason my eyes focused on a young man devouring a churro with exquisite joy. Personally, I can’t find anything pleasant about this elongated donut stuffed with sickeningly sweet fillings. However, I was mesmerized by this young person consuming it with such childlike pleasure that I almost did not recognize him. He was our friend. Our eyes met at the precise moment the last piece of churro was in his mouth. His reaction was one of embarrassment and surprise. He desperately tried to swallow the pastry so that he could utter something to us. It bought me a few seconds to appreciate the miracle standing before us. He has terminal cancer. He is going through some experimental treatment as a last resort. It has been a tough period for his wife and two year old child to adjust to this dreadful situation. However, standing before us was a young man far from death’s door. It has been months since we last saw him. There was so much to talk about over a cup of coffee.

He could live for two or twenty years. This is what the doctors told him. No one knows for sure how this treatment will work. This is his reality and he has accepted it. He is an artist and it was the chemicals that he worked with that caused his cancer. Now, he still paints without the death-inducing materials. The proximity to death has brought much life to him; one of life’s paradoxes. His faith has deepened and broadened through this experience. He is seeing the face of God in people especially in those whom he least expected. He shared about one particular artist who called him up unexpectedly. She was never close to him and did not even know about his condition. Her call was quite random. They went for a meal together where she shared with him about her encounter with God. My friend was taken by surprise because she was not the religious sort. Now, she goes to a church that is rich with rituals. Besides this, she has stopped doing art altogether. She had been a successful artist previously. She elaborated that her art was her attempt to create windows in the world to seek for God’s face. Now, she can see Him clearly in the lives of those around her. Her art has fulfilled its purpose.

Windows…This resonated with me. Perhaps it would be a perfect name for the ministry we do in the streets. There is a difference. We don’t create the windows. We discover them. Wallace, the children and teens, my friend, everyone around him that makes life beautiful and rich are windows. God opens a window in our world to reveal His Love to us. There are many open windows in this world. We just walk pass them without noticing it. A young man believing that he can learn new things even though he has been told otherwise his whole life. A dying young man living his life to his fullest and discovering joy despite the news of his imminent death. A former artist discovering beauty in things beyond her own artistic creations. Who knows how many windows I have walked passed without peeking into the beauty revealed.

It has been one of those days. We went to streets a little sad about how things were going in our ministry. We return home like the prodigal son with a new understanding how God reveals His love to us. His love is always there. We just need to recognize the windows and gaze into their beauty.

Of course, the greatest joy is then sharing what we see with the rest of the world.