Author: fr.stephendass@gmail.com

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Life’s strange constructions

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,  each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13

Unconsciously we construct our world. We don’t choose the people that become part of who we are. We like to imagine we do but reality is completely different. All of us have had idols in our lives. People we imagined who correspond with who we are.  Eventually these people disappear from our lives and sometimes even from our memory. Their influences just seem like a phase in life’s ever-changing landscape. However, there are people who find their place in our lives without our knowledge. We don’t think about them until they are taken away from us. We feel a little disoriented when their absence becomes evident. It feels as if our foundation has been profoundly disturbed. We never realized that they were part of the fabric of our lives. We cannot explain how and why they are there. When they are gone, we feel something missing that can never be replaced.  

An accident caused a disturbance in our being. A young woman was no more. She was a young preteen when we met her. She hardly spoke to us then. Her parents were our friends and companions in our ministry. They introduced me to this ministry to the homeless children. Her mother played a principal role in Mary’s presence in Brazil. She wrote a simple phrase in a letter to Mary’s father; “We need a summer volunteer who loves children.” Mary said, “yes”, without any hesitation. We found ourselves in the same country doing the same ministry and the perfect environment for love to blossom. However, this post is not about how we met. It is about the young girl in the background that we hardly knew. Somehow she became a fabric of our existence. I don’t know how this happened. It doesn’t matter. It is just one of life’s great mysteries. Many people come and go and some just linger on forever. 

Our thoughts were occupied with prayers and concern the whole of last week. She was hanging onto her life. Like anyone her age, she had a lot to live for. She had a loving husband and a two year old son, not too mention her parents, siblings, countless friends and her students. Everyone cherished her deeply. She touched everyone with her contagious smile and enthusiasm for life. For us, she was always that young girl in the background. We never knew the person that these people have come to appreciate. 

We prayed and pleaded for a miracle. At the same time, our hearts were heavy because we know that we don’t always get what we want. She left this existence peacefully but she did not leave us empty handed. She gave us an intense desire to embrace our existence to the fullest. She lived her life to the fullest and most likely she did not even know it. This is one of life’s paradoxes. The best way to live your life to the fullest is by not trying to do it. Bethany just lived and allowed herself to be who she is. By doing so, she became a source of strength and joy to many. Now they know that the life she lived can never be stolen by death. It is going with us until we depart this space on earth. 

It is strange to feel an emptiness for someone whom we never realized was part of our lives. It even seems awkward to write such a sentence, almost nonsensical. Therefore, it must be real because real life is not always neat and tidy.  People can became part of our lives without being actively involved in our lives. Their simple presence is sufficient. Bethany did not suddenly change and grow up to be a wonderful person. She was always that person but she needed her time to bloom like everyone else. We met her in a time when she was still discovering her joy and peace. Nevertheless, we are glad that we are connected to her in a small way. Now her absence feels painful in our souls. It is good to feel this absence in our souls. It belongs us and us alone. It means that she was real to us.  

Bethany passed away on a Friday. On Monday, we went to the streets as usual. However, this time, Bethany went with us. She sat next to us and reminded us how to live; not to dwell on the non-essentials but just to love those that come to us with their hearts open to receive us. We respected the choice of those who did not have the time for us and focused on those who were ready to share their hearts with us. Such is life. Not everyone is going to love you all the time. However, there is enough reason to celebrate life with the few who love and cherish us.  

Danyel asked me to read from his book. He laid his head on my backpack and closed his eyes. He listened to the story and occasionally opened his eyes to make a brief comment. He stayed in this position for an hour. He was like a little child listening to his father reading to him. This is not work for me. It is a joy to sit and enjoy a young boy whom many forget to enjoy. I loved the fact that he rested his head on my backpack and made me read until my mouth got tired. Then, Felipe walked down the street and asked for our help. He said that he was looking for us all afternoon. He had some problems with his documents. It was something that could be easily done alone. However, Felipe felt secure with us. He did not want to do it alone. We spent about three days trying to sort it out. We didn’t mind it. We were able to spend time with Felipe and he was happy to be with us. It wasn’t work. It was just living our lives. It was enjoying and loving being with the children. They are not homeless children and teens to us. They are our friends and family. We don’t have any relatives in this country. We just have them. For now, they are our lives. Circumstances might change tomorrow. No one knows anything for sure. However, we can be sure that they become part of our existence. As for our existence here in this tiny planet among the vast universe, this is the only life that we know for sure. Life after death is something that we hope for but this life here is what we can sense with our whole being. This is where we discover the abundance that Jesus proclaimed. We have to learn to give our all to what is before us. 

I can’t really explain how Bethany has helped me see this. She just lived her life. I don’t want to transform her into a saint.  She was simply Bethany who filled the spaces available to her with joy. This is something we can all do. This is our path to discover life. She has helped us renew this desire for life. It is strange that it came through her passing. Life is indeed strange. Perhaps its beauty lies in its strangeness and unpredictability. 

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Faith of a Little Child

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. Luke 17:6

It was quite unexpected. We haven’t seen him for a long time. Perhaps the occasional “hello” and “hugs” as he passed through the area where we work. We haven’t any quality time with him for almost a year. In our ministry, we pray and wait for special encounters with the children that become etched into our souls. Nothing sensational or spectacular needs to happen. It occurs through the grace of God where suddenly we sense our souls being united through God’s love. We become eternally connected with each other. Even though these instances are a rarity with him these days, we had many with him in the past. It has secured a profound and (God willing) permanent bond between us.

He was in the streets since he was eight. Some traumatic incident brought him to the streets and drove a wedge between him and his mother. He always loved her. He waited for her every Christmas to invite him to her home. Some years she never came. He did not hold any grudges against her. Nevertheless, he needed her to come and invite him. This was, perhaps, the only way he knew that she still wanted him to be part of her life. Something happened that changed his family life forever. He never talked about it. The only thing we know is that his father was sent to prison about the time he ran away to the streets. He came with nothing but his faith of a little child.

He was deeply religious. His understanding about God and Jesus were very basic. He believed that Jesus was God and the source of all goodness. He did not know much about the Bible even though he always carried one in his bag. He loved to read the Psalms. He was just religious but he tried to live out his faith. He was the kindest and most considerate young man among the homeless children and teens. The drug culture is very much part of the homeless life. He was no exception to this rule. He used a lot of drugs. He was constantly sniffing paint thinner and sometimes other things worse. However, he never allowed his addictions to stand in the way of doing something good and loving. We would say that he was the conscience of the children and teens. He kept them from doing wrong things. He protected mentally-challenged homeless adults from being bullied and taken advantage of. The girls trusted him completely. He protected them from being sexually exploited and he demanded that the other boys treated them with respect. He never harbored hatred or bitterness and always was ready to forgive those who offended him. He always made time for us and even apologized when he was too “high”. He considered us and all those who are in the streets to help these children and teens as people sent by God. His childlike faith had a lot of fuel, much more than those who have spent their whole lives in the church.

In the beginning of last year, he got involved with a young woman. She, just like him, was homeless since she was a very young girl. She had three children of her own when they started dating. She is a squatter in an abandoned building. This is quite common in the center and especially among those who are trying to overcome their homelessness. Some of these squatter communities are made up of poor working class people who can’t afford decent housing. They are drug and crime free. Unfortunately, there are a few that are dominated by criminal elements. She lives in one that is mainly made up of families.

He became a family when he started a relationship with her. He took his role as a stepfather seriously. Initially, he was a little unsure about spending all his time with the children. Slowly they conquered his heart. He started changing. He stopped using drugs. He stopped hanging out with the other teens. He eventually moved in with her. He hardly comes to the streets nowadays. However, today was different. He had something special to share with everyone. He held a tiny baby in his arms. It was his son. He came up to us and asked Mary if she wanted to hold his son. When he said this, his face was radiant. He told us that he has stopped using all drugs. Now he is a family man and he wants to do his best for them.

Mary held the sweet baby in her arms. I asked him if I could say a prayer for the child. He agreed smiling and then, he hugged us. They were getting some supplies for the baby. I took out some money and gave it to him. He refused it at first. For him, our relationship wasn’t based on money or personal gain. It was just pure love. I had to tell him that it was a custom to help families with newborn children with their expenses. Everyone does it. Only then, he accepted it. He was excited about the new and wonderful things that were happening in his life. He was not one to be involved in crime and survived all his years in the streets through begging. However, now he wants to set an example for his children. He wants to get a job. He asked us if we could help him with the necessary documentation. He is going to go and find a job no matter what it takes. He finally found the one thing that was missing to help him embrace life. It was the chance to love and care for another person. Now he has a family.

Later in the evening, I received a message on my phone. He discovered a way to connect with me through the social media. He wanted us to visit his home. He also wanted to know that if we would still accompany him in his new journey. I ensured him that we will continue to walk with him. This is all he needed to hear. Everything was new to him. He wanted to make sure that he did not lose the good things from his past. We are grateful that we still have an active place in his life. His story might be familiar to some. You have heard me speak about him. He has always been dear to us. His name is Felipe.

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A Gentle Reminder

It is the New Year! Some would say that it is just a date. Nothing has really changed. Everything remains the same except the number of the year. Regardless of what we think or feel about the new year, there is a tendency to be reflective at the end and beginning of a year. We ponder about what we have done, what we are doing and, of course, where we are going. We have been here for more than five years. Most of the children whom we met when they were 13 are legally adults (18) now. Most of them still look like kids. They haven’t grown much physically and emotionally. The lack of good nutrition and the frequent abuse of illicit drugs doesn’t help. We ended last year very concerned about their drug usage. The whole of December we found our children sniffing cocaine most days. It is a recent development. They were so drugged out that they were unable to sustain a decent conversation. Maybe they found the end of the year to be overwhelming. Everyone is in a reflective mood and that includes the homeless. It must be painful and difficult for them. They might not have the means or words to express their past, present or future. They rather find ways to escape this tedious task. It was not a good way to end the year. We were hoping the new year might begin different.

It is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. The heat is unbearable. Our children are in the streets. We have to go where they are. There isn’t much choice for us. We have to confront the energy sapping heat to meet our children. There is a place with some shade in the streets. It is on the steps of the cathedral. When they built the Cathedral of Sé at this location, the old center, as it is commonly known here, was the heart of the city’s commerce. The square where the church sits used to be a place where the wealthy used to transit to and fro but today it is where all the homeless people hangout during the day. The old center is abandoned and there are hundreds of vacant buildings to prove its utter neglect. Many families from the marginalized sector of society are squatters in these places. The church remains here even though the prestige of its location is gone and never to be recovered. It has served for us for the past years as our meeting place. This is where the children hang out. There is a fountain nearby where the water should have been drained and cleaned several years ago. It is a cesspool of bacterial activity. On hot days like today, it serves as the private swimming pool for the homeless including our children. The water looks inviting for those who are not aware of the countless ailments that await those who plunge in it. The homeless, they just don’t care. It gives them a reprieve from the unpleasant heat.

No one we knew was around the steps. However, there were teens and children hanging out. They are new. This has been a growing trend. More and more children and teens are making the streets their home. We used to say that there were hundred homeless children in the old center but now the number has increased. The children and teens come from orphanages and some ran away from traumatic environments. They don’t know us personally but they know of us. They are just not sure how to approach us. We sit and wait. They will eventually come when they are ready. Jean walked by and saw us. He is a 13 year old boy who looks like he is 8. It doesn’t help that he acts and talks like an 8 year old too. He wanted to color with us. Slowly a group of teens gathered around us. Then we heard a commotion. A man grabbed hold of a teen by the collar and started punching him furiously. In between the punches he asked for his cell phone. Then he took out a jackknife. We grabbed Jean and moved him away from the scene. Thankfully, the teen broke free and ran away. The man yelled out at the boy and said that he was going to return and kill him.

Jean didn’t seem too disturbed by the incident. He wanted to continue with his coloring. We sat down and talked with him. Then others came up and talked with us. This was our first complete day of the year. This is the environment where we interact with the children and this is where they eat and sleep. This is where God has placed us to testify His presence. Thankfully, scenes as the one I just described are not frequent. It doesn’t make it less unsettling. For children and teens, it is a regular occurrence. Even though we are with them during the day from Monday to Friday, we don’t see things like these very often. Even though, we have been seeing brutal fights breaking almost everywhere even in the neighborhood where we live. We were disturbed by the scene but Jean wants to color. He wants to be a child. God wants us to be his parents for this short moment. We stayed. Soon the other teens whom we knew started appearing.

Wallace asked if we could bring a needle and thread the next day. He ripped his trousers and he wanted to mend them. Then he took out two foreign coins and showed them to us. Some tourist must have given it to him. He asked if we thought they were beautiful. They were. We could figure out that one was from Switzerland. He said that he wanted to give it to us as gift. We accepted it and he put on a wide smile that changed his whole demeanor. He was happy that he could give us something. It made him feel like he was in a genuine relationship with us. Perhaps, this is one of our roles. We are here to receive from the children and teens. It might be something little or simple but it comes with profound spiritual wealth, just like the widow in the story from the gospels.

Wanderson showed up next. He was swimming in the “pool”. It is amazing that he looked all clean despite washing himself in the filthy water. The last time we saw him was on his birthday. He disappeared for a while. He said that he was taking advantage of Christmas activities in different social agencies and churches. “Less time in the streets means less drugs I use.” he said. On his birthday, we took him a restaurant for lunch. It was his request. He wanted to have lunch with us. We did not see him several days prior to his special day. Someone had given him an old worn-out cell phone. He discovered facebook. He was able to access the internet and send me a message. He wanted to confirm our meeting time and place for his special lunch. I told him that we were looking forward to it. Before we said good bye, he said, “I love you guys a lot.” This is the first time we heard any of the teens using this kind of language even between themselves. It is a vocabulary that is not common in the streets. I took it as a Christmas gift from God. Perhaps, this is why we are here; we can help them discover words that they haven’t had the chance to use for a long time.

Suddenly, everything becomes clear. This is a New Year but nothing has changed. We were just needed to remind ourselves who we are and why we are here. There might be many disturbing things that happen this year. It doesn’t change our role here. The children and teens might be using a lot of drugs but our place is still here with them. Jean, Wanderson, and Wallace reminded us why God has placed us here.

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Beauty and the Gospel

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

Sometimes all it takes is one simple question to make us realize what we have been doing wrong. Perhaps wrong is not the right word, maybe I should say an area in which we are lacking in our ministry. The question is simple; “What is lyrical singing?”

Bruna asked this question. She overheard a conversation I was having with another woman who was training to be an opera singer. I drew a blank. I did not know how to explain to her what lyrical singing was because everything associated with this is foreign to her life experience. Then I realized that Bruna was standing next to us and we were talking about music and beautiful operas and she had no reference to any of these things. We wanted her to be part of our conversation but she needed some references. Her question was an attempt to construct a metaphorical bridge. Unfortunately I could not give the necessary materials. She sensed my awkwardness and then pretended to know what I was talking about. This wasn’t enough. Then I remembered that a few months ago, a street performer stood in front of where we do activities with the children and started singing with this incredibly powerful voice famous songs from various Italian operas. The teens were astonished by her vocals and they just stood and watched her in absolute wonderment. Wanderson was so impressed that he gave her some of his money. He said that he preferred to spend it on her than to use it on drugs. He was exposed to something better and different and he wanted to be part of it. I reminded Bruna of this woman and I told her that lyrical singing is this special kind of singing. She understood immediately. She smiled. She was part of our conversation now. She asked if we could take her to watch a presentation with lyrical singing one day. This was the first time any of the teens requested such a thing.

I am grateful for this strange but gifted woman who chose to sing to the homeless on that day. Now, Bruna and the other teens have a reference of a beautiful artistic expression. I remember Wanderson kept saying that her voice penetrated his entire being. This is a good way of describing it. It permeated our whole being. It brought out certain sentiments in Wanderson and the teens that made them realize at least for a moment, that there are better and more beautiful things than their ‘drugs’.

We talked about abundant life because it is the essence of the gospel. However, how can our children and teens imagine abundant life when all they see around them is hatred, destruction, and death? The streets are filled with preachers who yell about eternal punishment and death. The gospel that these people preach is an escape from destruction, but they don’t promote abundant life. Churches are fixated with the ugly and unpleasant things of life which they call the “signs” of the end without any indication that the end is the beginning of beauty and peace. In the past, churches used to be magnificent buildings full of color and beauty, representing in a concrete manner the majesty and infiniteness of God. Today, most churches are pragmatic in their appearance and beauty has taken the back seat. However, abundant life is not a pragmatic life. It is life full of beauty, peace, virtue and goodness. It is the stuff of life that makes life wonderful and great. It is something even the poorest of the poor can experience and appreciate. Unfortunately, today we focus more on what the poor lack and not on what they possess.

The New Testament exhorts a different path. It challenges us to meditate on the beauty and the good. Our children and teens know death and devastation. They need to see things that are beautiful, things that are pure, virtuous and good. If not, they won’t have any reference. If they don’t any reference, then they cannot imagine themselves living a life that pursues these things.

Recently, Bruna received a letter from her friend in Florida. In the letter, there was a postcard from a place called Bamberg in Germany. I had the privilege of a spending a week there many years ago. Whenever I think about a beautiful city, I think about Bamberg. The postcard gave Bruna a glimpse of the beauty of the place. She started asking and talking about beautiful places nearby the city of São Paulo. She said that she wanted to see beautiful historic buildings like the ones in the postcard. We talked about a possible excursion to a nearby historic town. She was delighted when she heard this. The idea of experiencing beauty excited her. It took a simple postcard to ignite this desire.

Well, it is not the postcard really, it was the love that came with it. Bruna did not feel jealous when she saw the beautiful places her friend from Florida visited. She wanted to experience what this person experienced. She was interested in lyrical singing because I was excited when I talked about it. She wanted to be part of this excitement. Love opens the door for others to experience the beauty that is in the world. Bruna would have never heard of Bamberg if it wasn’t for the love that inspired the other person to share the pictures with her.

Our simple conversation with Bruna has inspired us to think about bringing more beauty to the lives of our children. They desire to know more beautiful things and places but they need to go these places and experience these things holding the hands of someone they love. They have been so accustomed to a life void of color and joy that they are not sure if they can participate in the beauty that is in the world. The fact that Bruna asked to go to a concert with us or visit a historic city is a major step. For the first time in her life, she feels confident that she too can enjoy these beautiful things of life. It is a just a few steps from here where she will realize that the promise of abundant life is a possibility for her too.

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Birth Pangs and Waiting

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs. Mark 13:8

As an Anglican clergy, I know that I should wait…until Advent is over to celebrate the Christmas season. However, I am not going to do it. I am going to shake the dust off my Christmas Carols cds and listen to them next week onwards. This is my favorite time of the year and I am going to take every opportunity to enjoy it. However, the general environment here in Brazil is not festive this year. There is a sense of hopelessness and hateful discourses are heard everywhere. There are rumors of dark times ahead. There are hopeful sentiments but they are not based on anything that deserves our confidence. No one really knows for sure what will unfold. The Christmas decorations are up but there is still an uneasy feeling in the air. Nevertheless, it is the perfect environment for us to celebrate the season.

The conversation from the gospel text above was about the temple. The apostles were impressed by its beauty and magnificence. It was the symbol of the identity and spiritual vocation of the Jewish people. The disciples highlighted its splendor to Jesus hoping that He would say something of its future glory. Instead Jesus spoke of its destruction. It was the last thing anyone wanted to hear. It seemed so contrary to Jesus’ central message. He proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was here. It was obvious in everyone’s mind that the temple would be in the center of this Kingdom. Now, Jesus spoke of its inevitable end. They were not ready for this. Jesus spoke about war and natural disasters and desperate times. It sounds like the local news of any given country. While listening to all these devastating events, I wonder if the apostles ever questioned what happened to the Kingdom of God Jesus promised.

War and rumors of war, famine, desolations, earthquakes..all these are just the beginning. They are not the end. It seems like we have been stagnant in this phase for almost two thousand years. Only someone ignorant of the past would dare to say that this present time is the worst time in the history of humanity. My parents suffered through the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. My father’s older brother was crushed to death by debris from a bombing while mu father was sleeping next to him. Both my parents witnessed people being tortured and killed during the war for stealing a piece of bread. They shared these stories with us daily before we ruined these valuable moments by buying a TV. If they were alive today, they would say that things have gotten better. However, it seems like things get worse and then a little better and then worse again, just like birth pangs. We shouldn’t think that these are the signs of the end. It is just the beginning of the end. We still have a long time to wait.

I am beginning to learn that the essential part of our spirituality is learning to wait. We can wait by bemoaning the bad things happening all around us or we can hopefully wait with joyful expectation. The former creates an attitude of judgment in us. It makes us blame the “others”. Then we begin this downward spiral of finding the scapegoat for all the problems. In the end, our souls get contaminated with hatred and we forget that we are actually waiting for Someone who has no room for hatred in His heart. I have to admit that this is the easy way of waiting because it gives us something to talk about among people who share our convictions. We can be united in our pontificating about the causes of the grave situation in which we find ourselves. Fortunately, the Christmas season can rescue us, at least it is true in my case. It gives me a break from the news of dismay and stirs in our hearts the remembrance for whom we are waiting. The Christmas Carols remind me that it is the Prince of Peace that we await. Therefore, I cannot condone anything that provokes dissension and anger in my heart. Christmas helps me even for a short time to focus not on the rumors of war and famine but in the hope that all these things cannot hinder the Good Shepherd from establishing His reign in the hearts of all people.

The real question is how do we wait for the Kingdom. Maybe a better way to phrase it would be how to wait in hope when everything is falling apart. I ask myself this question all the time, sometimes in prayer and sometimes while I am reading the Bible. I only get a somewhat clear answer when we go to the streets. Everything is clearer when we are in the streets. There is no magic involved here or some deep meaningful insights from an unlikely source. There are just the children and teens. They are there whether there is a war or famine. Their situation doesn’t change. They are always there waiting and most of them don’t realize that they are waiting for something.

Kelly came up to us and asked our help to go to a place to resolve an issue. She was afraid and intimidated to go alone. Suddenly everything seemed clear and simple to me. Wars, famine, earthquake and genocide…all these things will happen despite our ardent protests, however, we have the power to be with Kelly and help her do the thing that intimidates her.

We walked with her to the place and waited an hour in a large empty room that was quite menacing. While we waited, we talked with Kelly and slowly she become a more genuine person to us. She was abandoned in an orphanage because her mother was incapable of taking care of her. She spent her whole life in an insecure environment. She ran away from the orphanage before yurning 18 because she knew that they would have to send her away by then. She has a fear of being rejected. She ran away and they reported her as a missing person. Now she is an adult and we were sitting in a Police station trying to prove that she is not a missing person. Her identity card would not be issued until she resolved this particular problem. She has a fear of being buried in an unknown grave. She doesn’t fear death but she fears being forgotten and abandoned in an unmarked grave. The problem was resolved and she hugged and kissed us before we said goodbye. We went home richer than before because now we have someone new and special in our hearts. Somehow feeling assured that the Kingdom of God does not cease to establish itself despite rumors of…

Jesus foretold all the dire things that will occur not to frighten us333. Jesus never used fear as a didactic tool unlike the rest of the world. He wanted to ensure us that none of these things will change the role of those who await for the Kingdom. We are not to be impressed by the wicked things that unfold around us. Instead, we need to keep our focus on the One who will bring people to help us understand the true nature of the Kingdom of God.

I never grew up in a tradition where presents were exchanged. I never believed that a jolly fat man in red suit came around giving presents to children. As a child, I loved Christmas because it was a time where our homes would be filled with people. It was a time where our Muslim and Hindu and Buddhist friends would come to our house because they wanted to celebrate Jesus with us. Their religions did not make room for this celebration. They came to our household to commemorate the day with us. Our home became the place for people to celebrate Christ even if they did not know Him exactly. Now, I realize that our lives and homes are an opportunity for people to celebrate Christ. It is easy to forget this. I was blinded by the news of wars and famine but thankfully the season of Christmas is here and I reminded once again that the baby Jesus is the reason why I am here. He remains the same despite all the devastating changes that occur around us. Our task is quite simple really. We need to wait for Him while celebrating His life by ensuring that people can see Him in our own lives. Wars, famine, earthquakes and even imprisonment cannot stop us from doing this because this is the Kingdom of God. God comes into this world to live in Us.

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Love in the Time of Disputes

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Mark 12:28

We recently had an election here. The country is divided. Everyone considers themselves to be on the side of the Truth even though we are constantly contradicting each other and ourselves. Both sides consider themselves to be intelligent and wise and, by default, those who disagree with them are the less unfortunate ones. No one believes that anything good can come from those who do not believe like them. I live in this environment too. I have my favorite side in this dispute despite my better judgment. Even the children and teens are talking about it. It seems like no one is going to win and everyone is going to end up losing in this battle unless we change the way we approach each other.

The gospel story quoted above is taken from a dispute. In every debate, the objective is to win. The Pharisees and the scribes wanted to win and make Jesus look irrelevant. They believed that they were on the side of the Truth. The issue was about the greatest commandment. For Jesus and the religious leaders, the Truth is manifested in the Law. However, they greatly differed in its interpretation and of course, each of was convinced that their version was the absolute Truth. Jesus’ enemies were looking for a loophole in His understanding of the Law. The scribe asked Jesus what he thought was the foundation of the Law.

Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’. ” Mark 12:29-31

We have heard this verse countless of times. It doesn’t mean we understand it. Unfortunately, it is easy to overlook its profundity. It requires us to love a God whom we cannot see or imagine. We are incapable of understanding the magnitude of who God is. Therefore, how can we possibly love the God whom we cannot see or imagine? Perhaps the first step is acknowledging that we are not God. We have to admit to ourselves that we are not the center of the universe. All knowledge and wisdom doesn’t begin and end with us. Life does not exist for our benefit. We don’t have complete control over anything or anybody. We are nothing really but an insignificant collection of atoms in this universe of infinite number of atoms. The most amazing thing is that we exist and we are aware of our own existence. There is no reason why we should exist and yet we do. We could say that it is by chance. We could also consider the possibility that we exist because God loves us. We love God because God first loved us by bringing us into existence and the only way we can discover our significance in this world is through discovering this Love. God is beyond our comprehension but His Love is manifested in us. Our existence depends on His love. We can know God’s love by walking in Love. This is the only thing about God that is accessible to us. We can learn about God’s nature when we learn to exercise His love. Jesus tells us that it is through loving our neighbor as ourselves.

I love myself and therefore, I think the best of myself. I believe that all my opinions and reasoning are based on wisdom because I love myself. If I have to love my neighbor as myself, then I have to think the best of my neighbor even though I dislike the way he or she thinks. This is quite tough. I can understand why the Pharisees and the Scribes had a tough time with Jesus. They disagreed with everything He said. They could not find anything positive in Him. They could not imagine that Jesus was wise like them. If the Pharisees and the scribes loved Jesus, they could have learned something from Him. Unfortunately they didn’t, well, except this one. This is the twist in the above narrative. This scribe was different.

The scribe was surprised by Jesus’ answer. He heard what Jesus said and acknowledge its wisdom. He was not merely attacking but he was listening to his enemy. This is Love. It is recognizing that the people we dislike or disagree with also have the capability to speak the Truth to us. We can miss the most important lessons about the Truth if we think that our enemies have absolutely nothing to say to us. However, all my natural instincts work against me. Our natural tendency is to disregard our enemies completely. However, the gospel goes against our natural human instincts.

Listening to people we dislike or even despise goes against our nature. However, being able to receive from them the Truth like the scribe did in this narrative is even harder. I am only able to receive words and wisdom from those whom I love and cherish. Jesus is setting the bar very high. However, an enemy of Jesus was able to attain it. Therefore, I don’t have much of an excuse if I claim to be a follower of Jesus.

I don’t have to give up my version of the Truth. I need something to guide me in this world. However, my truth has to be based on Love if not, it is just worthless noise. Love means I have to listen even those whom I don’t like. I am not sure how I am going to do it. However, there is always grace. It gives us the strength to admit that we are just a tiny atom in this wonderful existence founded on the Love of God. Therefore, we don’t know everything that there is to know. However, we can listen and learn something from people when we least expect. For this, we need to understand what it means to love. I believe that now I am ready to go back to the streets and be with the children and teens even though I am convinced that we have some difficult times before us. Nevertheless, there is nothing that is going to hinder me from loving my neighbor.

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Peacefully Not Knowing Anything

So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. – Mark 10:49-52

I thought I had everything figured out. I was full of confidence when I left my house. I told Mary that I was going to visit the families in the “favela” near our apartment. We discovered the place by chance. It was a small community of about fifty families. They seemed friendly and open. I remembered feeling proud of myself, I don’t mean arrogance. It was the kind of pride that one feels before doing something altruistic. These people were lost and forgotten in this gigantic city and I discovered them. As I walked to this place, it felt like I was entering another dimension. The community was hidden under a highway bridge. To get there, I needed to cross a railway track which had trash scattered all over. There was stench from the rotting pile of trash. The municipal sanitation services did not recognize the existence of this community. They just had to deal with the ever growing pile of refuse. The houses were made out of flimsy scrap plywood. There was no running water. There were countless dogs and cats being chased around by countless laughing children. It is not the kind of place where joyous sounds are expected. The place invokes sentiments of abandonment and hardship. However, despite its appearance, the children were still able to find the time and space to laugh and enjoy life.

My first visit was with Dona Francisca. She was about my age. Life had been unfair to her and had made look her older than her actual age. I addressed her as ‘dona’ which is a term of respect in Portuguese. She deserved it. She was sitting outside her home smoking her cigarette while dismantling a discarded radio. She was trying to extract the copper. Her callous hands bore scars from the all injuries she sustained from her work. Mine were smooth and soft. She has been working since dawn and it was late in the evening. She managed to gather enough things to get at least $3. Just outside this place there was bakery where a loaf of bread costs more than that. We live in the most expensive city in South America. The amount she earned would not get her far. However, she knows how to survive with little. I stood there thinking what can I possibly say to this woman. My confidence had slowly dissipated. I wasn’t sure what I could say to this toothless woman who worked all day picking other people’s trash so that she could feed herself and her three daughters.

I didn’t say anything. I kept wondering what I was doing there. Maybe I should have just stayed at home. Then I asked her about her recycling activities. She shared about her day and the places where she went. I was interested and at the same time, I wasn’t. I wanted something more than just a friendly chat with her. I wanted to say something about God’s love and the gospel. However, I just drew a blank. She got done with whatever she was doing. Then she looked up and asked me if I could say a prayer for her and her daughters in their tiny little shack. I thought that this was my chance to feel a little useful. I wanted to say a beautiful prayer but unfortunately nothing spectacular came out. It was just a simple regular prayer. Then she said that there were few more neighbors who asked her if I could stop by their houses and say a prayer for them. I did it. I wasn’t impressed with my prayers but at least I am glad that I did not make a complete fool of myself.

I thought that I did not do enough. Nothing I did made the gospel clear, at least this is what I thought. I wanted these people to know that God loved them. Instead I just said some weak prayers. I went back to this place several times. Eventually our friendship grew stronger. On the Christmas of 1998, they came to our apartment for a festive meal. We invited our other friends too. It was quite an interesting mix of social classes. Dona Francisca and her neighbors were the last to leave. They wanted to take a picture with us to preserve the moment. Shortly after this, we were abruptly forced to leave Brazil, Dona Francisca got all her neighbors to put their money together and bought a t-shirt for me. I did not feel like I deserved it but kept it for a long time. I will always remember them. They are part of my eternal fabric. Several years later, when we returned to Brazil, we visited them. They were genuinely happy to see us. They said that we must really love them because we came back to see them.

The mistake I made was that I thought I had something to do with making the gospel powerful and meaningful. As if it was something within my capabilities to do. I learned a lifelong lesson sitting there with Dona Francisca. Instead of trying to be a beacon of the gospel, I should just let the gospel shine through my life. Our good news is not a bunch of words or a doctrine. He is a person. Our words can’t do justice to express the true nature of this Person. He has to manifest Himself through us. His presence gives people the courage to ask for the thing that they desire greatly. Dona Francisca did not need money or assistance from me. She knew how to navigate in this unjust and difficult world. She wanted to know if she was still remembered by God. She wanted to know if her humble household was a place where we could call out to Him. I am glad that I at least had the wisdom to keep my mouth shut and allow Francisca to say what she wanted. I could have ruined it by trying to cover my inadequacy with artificial solutions to problems that she had never asked for my help for.

It always amazes me when I read the gospel story about the blind man. It is not the miracle that impresses me. It is the fact that Jesus never assumed anything. He asked the man what he wanted. I would have thought that the answer was obvious. However, Jesus is a not fool because only a foolish person thinks that he knows what the other person needs in this life. We don’t know anything about what the other feels and senses in their body. Jesus sets the standard for us: never assume anything. It is good for us to humble ourselves and realize that we don’t know what the other person needs. Jesus asked what the blind man wanted. He got the answer. The blind man became his follower for life.

Dona Francisca just wanted me to pray for her so did the rest of her neighbors. Prayers in their household are symbolic for them that God is with them. Danyel asked if we could take him to a public library. Something that he could just do on his own, however, he wants to go with us. This was his way of knowing that he is not alone and can go to places that make him feel insecure. Gigi needed to get her documents. She asked for our help. It was something simple and she could do it on her own. However, she wanted to walk to this place holding Mary’s hand like a little child holding her mother’s hand. She wanted some motherly love.

The blind man yelled out to Jesus even though many thought that he should be silent. He did not care. He sensed the presence of Jesus and it gave him the confidence to ask. It takes a while for me to quieten my spirit to allow Jesus to shine through. Many times I am the greatest obstacle to the gospel. I think that I need to make the gospel look wonderful and powerful. In reality, all I need to do is to allow Jesus to shine while I just become small and invisible.

I am glad that I was in the “favela” even though I felt like a fish out of water. It was a reality that was completely different to my reality and I realized that I had no concrete answers to any of the problems. In the streets today, I feel the same way. The difference is that I am learning to be at peace with not knowing the answers. I just have to allow the Spirit of Jesus to come through my life. His presence will give the people the confidence to share what they desire. Until this happens, it is good to be just silent and wait.

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Reading with Danyel

And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.” Mark 10: 41-42

I don’t know much about cars. I never was interested in them. I learned to drive much later in life and I did it with a certain reluctance. However, when the hood of the car starting smoking, I knew that it would be best to stop. I was in a deserted road in the middle of nowhere. I was in search of trout in the one of the many secluded lakes in state of Maine. I never questioned the wisdom of driving around alone in isolated regions until that moment. This occurred during pre-cellphone days. As I was staring helplessly at the fuming hood, I heard a voice. I did not realize a truck had pulled over to the side of the road. It was a woman’s voice. She said that she saw the the smoking car and assumed that I needed some assistance. I was honest. I told her that I was just going through the motion of looking at the hood. I had absolutely no clue what was wrong with the car. She was with a child in her truck and she told me that she could give a ride to her brother’s house which was nearby and he was a mechanic. There wasn’t much of an option for me so I went with her. Everything worked out thanks to her kindness. This was more than fifteen years ago. Maybe the woman doesn’t remember me at all. We never exchanged names or anything like that. Her willingness to stop and help a complete stranger has left a mark in my life. I will never forget her or her brother. They were willing to be servants to a helpless man whom they never met before. Their actions enriched my soul. They reinforced my hope in the goodness of human beings even though I keep hearing the contrary in the news media.

When I was young child, my uncle asked me the indispensable question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Even though I was barely seven, I was ready with a genuine answer. We lived in a tiny apartment without any TV. My only form of entertainment was looking out of the window and watching people go about doing their everyday things. I had a bird’s eye view of what people did and who was having a good time doing it. My answer came from my untainted observations. I told my uncle that I wanted to be a street sweeper or trash pick-up person. There was a silence first followed by boisterous laughter from my parents and uncle. I was quite surprised at their reactions. This is why I still remember the occasion. I laughed with them not knowing what was really funny. When TV came into our home, I understood. I was exposed to what the world considered successful professions. Greatness in this world means being impressive to others. In my childish naïveté, I thought it was something to do happiness and making the world more beautiful. I realized that I was not ambitious enough. I should aim higher than being a road sweeper (maybe I should use the more sophisticated term, sanitation professional). Now that I am older with a better understanding of my faith, I realized that I gave my uncle the right answer. The road sweepers are quiet servants of society. Their presence in our society makes our lives pleasant and beautiful. Imagine a week without someone to pick up trash or clean the roads. Then you will know why they are so important in our lives.

James and John wanted to be great in the Kingdom of God and so did the other disciples. They followed Jesus because they aspired to be like Him. For the first time in their lives, greatness was accessible to them. In their societies, only nobility could imagine being great. All of us can understand their desire. We want to believe that we are made for greatness. We would follow anyone who promises us this. However, the truth is that eventually most of us give up on the endeavor because, frankly speaking, the “greatness” of this world is not accessible to everyone.

The apostles were mad with James and John because they thought that these brothers were trying to steal “greatness” from them. In a way, they were right. The “great things” that this world offers are limited. Not everyone is going to be a doctor, not everyone is going to a successful businessman or the president. Popular wisdom tells that we can be who we desire to be. We are given random examples of successful people; the famous rags to riches stories. However, they hide the fact that many failed even though they were desirous to do great things. There are countless “riches to rags” stories too. The world offers a life of greatness with a high price. It is not one that is based in love. You need to ruthless and even heartless to be great in this world. The greatest leaders in this world are not necessarily compassionate people. They don’t have time to stop and help a helpless stranded man on the side of the road. If they do, it would be in the headlines because it would be such a rare occurrence. As for servants, they are just around us quietly doing their work and making life precious and beautiful to those who come in contact with them.

Jesus said, “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. “ Mark 10:43-44

Danyel asked us to buy him a book for his birthday. It was based on a video game. We were a little hesitant at first. Video games, over the years, have become gradually more violent and sexually explicit. He assured us that this one was quite decent. We agreed and we got him the book. However, he hasn’t read a book in his life and he needed our help. He asked if I could read to him. I prepared myself mentally to read something tedious because I find these games to be a dreadful bore. On the other hand, reading with our children is an educational opportunity that I never want to forgo. We sat down and read the book together.

The story was a classical tale of battle between good and evil. The plot was immensely complicated. The central character was a wise old man who had to lay down his life to save the whole of humanity. Throughout our reading, Danyel interrupted us to share and explain the significance of all the symbols. He explained to us that the old man who sacrificed his life never really died. The good that he has done never dies. It always resurrected again and again in another person. At the end of each long chapter, I asked if he wanted to stop or carry on, he smiled and said let’s move on. We talked more about the gospel reading this book then we ever did in all our time together.

I don’t think I have ever read so many chapters out aloud in Portuguese before. I never noticed that reading aloud requires our mouth to exercise different muscles which I never knew existed and they were tired. However, it was worth it. We had a special time with Danyel and he enjoyed his time with us. For the short moment we spent together, life was beautiful and special for the three of us. He served us and we served him. He taught us a special lesson; goodness never dies. In reality, there is nothing new in this statement but hearing it from Danyel made it seem special and new.

Being great in the Kingdom of God is not about being impressive to others. It is being like the road sweepers of my childhood who made the world beautiful and peaceful in their quiet manner. It is showing love to a stranded stranger on a deserted road. It is giving because giving in itself is a beautiful and peaceful thing. The road sweepers, the people from Maine, and even Danyel will never read this post. It is okay. They don’t need to do it. The goodness they have deposited in their simple way in my life will bear fruit. Well, at least, it makes me understand the beauty and value of life.

Being a servant is definitely a great way to live our lives.

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Meaningful Life

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17

Everyone’s talking about money. There is an election campaign going on. Everyone is talking about the economy. Everything seem to be reduced to money. Even in the above gospel story, the name given to this episode was based on the wealth of the young person. However, the focus is really on his question. How did it become about money? He wanted to know if there was something deeper and meaningful for his life. In other words, he wanted eternal life. He wasn’t asking about life after the death. Jewish people in Jesus’ time did not have an elaborate idea of heaven and hell as we do in the modern times. Eternal life was living in a way that his name would be remembered by the following generations. It is something that most of us can identify with. We share his desire. We want to leave our mark in this world. However, I would be afraid to ask Jesus such a question. His answers are not necessarily the ones that we want might to hear. If anything, this young man should be commended for his courage. However, asking the right question is not the greatest challenge. Living the answer is the toughest part. The end of this story is tragic one.

I had a hard time keeping focused this week. We are living in a turbulent and chaotic moment in history. The election results revealed that everything is unfolding quickly. We cannot pretend that the political and social environment do not affect us. When we came here about five years ago, everyone was optimistic. Today, a sense of uneasiness is felt in the streets, not to mention an underlying hostility and hatred that is going to erupt at any moment. Our children were the outsiders of the previous optimism. They are usually outsiders of society but, for some strange reasons, they are always the first to suffer when things fall apart. In this uncertain time, I wonder if I dare to ask the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Perhaps I would rephrase the question in line with my understanding of Jesus and ask, “How do I live out my eternal life?” The answer came to me in the most unusual way. It came through the testimony of a holocaust survivor.

I have been fortunate to have several unusual but special encounters with holocaust survivors. They seem to appear like angels in significant moments in my life. Once I was on what was supposed to be a ten minute bus ride which ended up to be a two hour long encounter with a elderly Jewish lady from Holland who sat next to me. She wanted to give me something precious from her life and I could not refuse. This time my encounter was not personal but it was through a video clip. I watched an interview of a holocaust victim who was born in Brazil. His family made the mistake of returning to their paternal home for a short visit just as Hitler rose to power. It ended tragically for the whole family and this elderly man spent his late teenage years in the infamous concentration camp of Auschwitch. He remembered clearly meeting met the wretched Josef Mengele twice in this camp. The most amazing thing about this ninety year old survivor was that he had the capability to connect spiritually with me even though there was an immense medium separating us. He shared with his soul and those who listened were transformed eternally.

His testimony was simple. He shared his day to day life in the camp and how he survived. The first thing he learned to give up was his family. He gave up the idea of ever seeing them again or the idea of having a family in the future. Then little by little everything he thought that was necessary for life was taken away from him. The most amazing thing he said was that he still felt alive and never thought about giving up. He shared that the last thing that was taken away from him was his sense of hygiene. His body was infested with bugs and other nasty creatures. His clothes were soiled with human waste. He said that it did not bother him anymore. All he wanted to do was to be with his friends and survive. He wasn’t sure if there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He just lived on a daily basis. As he was describing his state, it made me realize that many of the homeless live like he did in the concentration camp. I remember many times that I would try to avoid some of the adults because of the stench that comes from their soiled clothes. I often wondered how they could live like this. Here this man was sharing how he survived in this state for years and eventually he came to accept it. His life was stripped down to mere basics. His enemies tried to dehumanize him but somehow he became more human. He himself admitted that he was amazed how we as humans are able to adapt and still live. He made a lifelong friend there who helped him to push on through. This friend just passed away three years ago. When he was emancipated from the camp, all he wanted do was to eat whenever he wanted and walk wherever he wanted to go. He added that years later, he forgot about this simplicity and started running after acquiring useless stuff. Now, he stopped accumulating things but just enjoys being alive and free. He wants to share the joy of life in its simplicity to everyone. He is living his eternal life now.

When he was asked if he would change anything in his past, he pondered the question for a while and said, “It is part of who I am and I won’t know how to live now without this experience.”

The thing is that this man had so much life that it immediately connected those who were willing to listen. He paid a high price for it. He lost home, parents and even himself in the process. He was stripped down to bare humanity. Now he is full of life. This was something that the young man in the gospel yearned for so much but he walked away because the price was too high. His wealth represented his security. We can identify with him. We like to feel secure. We don’t like things that we believe are necessary to us to be taken away from us. At the same time, we want to impact the lives of people in this world for the better. We want to do this because it is something our souls yearn to do. It is who we are. We are made to be reflection of God’s image. However, there are many things which hold us back. Sometimes they need to be taken away from us to help us discover our true selves. The journey to self-discovery is not easy or pleasant. Jesus took this journey and He fulfilled His calling on the Cross. He was stripped of everything but He gained everything at the same time. The question is there for us to ask. Do we have the courage to live out the answer? I am not sure if I do but perhaps, His grace will give me the strength. I saw His grace being manifested in the face of the elderly man who lived in inhumane conditions for years and yet has gained everything he needs to emanate eternal life.

I don’t think that I have nothing more to add here. I just need to contemplate before asking the tough question. To be honest, I am afraid of the answer.

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A Lesser Known Point of View

The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him. Mark 10:2

“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. Mark 10:14-16

I used to think that the central theme of this gospel passage was divorce. I also used to have a simplistic view about these things. I told myself that I would stand against divorce because Jesus disapproved of it. I read this gospel passage in church one Sunday. More than half my congregation were divorced and into their second marriage. They were in the church and I assumed that they were desirous to live their lives for God. Most importantly, I knew and loved them. I was aware of their struggles. Consequently, I decided to preach on something else. Today I am not going to avoid the subject.

The Pharisees were asking a strange question. They wanted to know if God endorsed rejection. They wanted to know if a man could reject his wife in favor of another. It was a trap because they knew that Jesus was against any form of rejection. Jesus gave the perfect answer. Divorce was allowed in the Law because people are cruel and violent. Jesus spoke out against divorce in his time because it was used as a means to discard wives after men got tired of them.

To be discarded is the worst thing that could happen to a human being. Our children and teens would prefer to be hated and despised than discarded. No one thinks about you anymore when you are unwanted. Women had a limited role in Jesus’ society. Being divorced meant that one of their primary roles was stripped away from them. The women had no voice in the question of divorce. They had to endure the rejection and isolation on their own. No one spoke on their behalf. The Pharisees were only interested in knowing if a man had the right to divorce his wife. They did not think much about the women in this matter. However, Jesus was thinking about the women in His response.

Children in ancient times were also disposable things. Today we have made some impressive progress in this aspect but there is a long way ahead of us. Things were definitely worse in the past. A casual reading of a fairy tale from the Grimm Brothers will remind us of what people thought about children back then. Hansel and Gretel were left in the forest because there was not enough food for the whole family. It was the logical thing to do at that time. The children were unproductive members of the family and therefore, they had to go unless they could prove their worth. This was the so-called happy ending of the story for those who can remember. It is a terrible story and maybe I have ruined it for everyone. It was a common idea then that children were dispensable. This idea still prevails. Unfortunately, we live in a place where children continue to be exploited. Our children in the streets are not unlike Hansel and Gretel. Gabriel told us once in complete seriousness that he was helping his mother by sleeping in the streets. She has one less mouth to feed, he said.

The apostles sternly opposed the children’s presence and turned them away from Jesus. The disciples were not being unkind. They were just products of a culture where children had to prove their worth before they could be taken seriously. Jesus was different. He wanted the children to come to Him. He made them first in a world where they were considered last.

Women and children were given the priority in Jesus’ ministry. Children were considered the model of our faith whereas the women were the first to testify the most significant events in the gospels: His Incarnation and His Resurrection. In almost every crucial moment in Jesus’ life, there was a woman present. Mother Mary was a significant presence in His first miracle. A Gentile woman was the only one to win an argument against Jesus… there are just too many to site. These examples could be easily missed if we are reading the gospels or the Bible from a different perspective. However, it would be silly to think that women and children hold a special place because they are more spiritual or holier than the rest. The reason for their special status in the gospels is that they were ones who were rejected and overlooked in Jesus’ society and this attitude continues to the present day. God chooses to see things from the perspective of the underdogs or scapegoats of society. The Pharisees were trying to make their case from their position of authority and power. They wanted Jesus to admit that the Law was on their side. Jesus just pointed out that the Law recognizes their cruel and hardened hearts. Then He stood by those who were rejected and despised.

After almost five years of knowing him, Wanderson finally shared with us about his time in an orphanage. He was there together with his siblings for a long time until a couple adopted him. However, initially he refused to be adopted. He wanted to be his siblings. The couple decided to adopt all of them together. He only had good things to say about this couple. Then Mary asked him why he was in the streets. He could not answer her. He is not the only one. Bruna shared a similar experience. She was in a convent for orphans and then she was adopted by a family. She loves them deeply. She visits them from time to time. However, she would not stay with them. All you have to do listen attentively to their stories and you will hear the fact that they remember being rejected by their biological mother. They were discarded by the one who was suppose to love and embrace them. The rejection is still deeply implanted in their hearts. It was the first thing they encountered in this life and it continues to haunt them. They cannot go through life without feeling this fear that they are going to be discarded at any moment.

Rejection from the one who was supposed to love you unconditionally. How can anyone recover from such a painful rejection? There are many in this world who walk around carrying this pain and loneliness in their soul.

The gospel is not magic. There are a lot of magicians disguised as Christians today. They think everything will be solved by “accepting” Jesus. This is the not gospel of Jesus. Jesus works with us where we are. He starts by sitting next to those who hurt and rejected in this world. He starts by looking at life from their perspective. He starts by listening to them in order to understand their pain and loneliness. Most importantly, you can never find anywhere in the gospels where He gives quick and easy cures to people who are suffering and rejected. Only one who claims to have the power to give such instant results is the devil.

I have often heard about the high divorce rate and the failure of marriage, etc.etc. However, Jesus is not interested in this statistic. He is interested in the souls that have sensed the pain of rejection and isolation. I would imagine that a church that truly follows Jesus would be one filled with people who are divorced, women and men who are abandoned and rejected, and children who have a constant fear of being forgotten and all the scapegoats of our present society. I think that our reading of the gospel will be very different then.

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