At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. ” Luke 13:1-3

An elderly woman commented to me not too long ago that only bad people died from Covid. I can not remember what prompted her to say this. It was during the worst period of the pandemic and I suppose the topic was on everyone’s mind. She occasionally helped the children and teens with food and some of the teens liked her. She was not a callous or cold person even though her comment was bizarre. Needless to say, it disturbed me profoundly. One of our friends died from Covid here and some friends have lost their parents and siblings. None of them were saints nor sinners. They were just regular people who did their best in life and definitely none were remotely bad people. However, it is not necessary for me to engage in every battle. This woman was just being like any human being. She wanted some sort of assurance of her own survival and therefore, she made up something in her mind giving her an illusion of protection. Unfortunately, this meant blaming the victims for their own demise which we often do. I walk alone at night sometimes in places reputed to be dangerous. I am often confident that nothing bad will happen to me even though many have been robbed and hurt in these same places. I justify my attitude by imagining that these victims were not careful like me. Somehow I have convinced myself that I am special and different and consequently I am entitled to differential treatment in life. I am happy to dwell in this illusion and so are many around me. Jesus is telling us to snap out of it. Having this illusion is not going to help us live our lives to fullness. In fact, it is a hindrance. We need to repent, in other words, have a change of mind and face the reality before us. Unless we do this, we can never be fruitful in this life.

In the streets of São Paulo, there is never a shortage of preachers yelling at the top of their voice for everyone to repent. We do not want to be another of these voices. They have reduced repentance to mere acceptance of a doctrine; more specifically, the concept of accepting Jesus as their Lord and savior. Jesus becomes a ticket to heaven and a better life according to them and nothing more. The first person who spoke about repentance in the New Testament was John the Baptist. He asserted that repentance needs to bear fruits. Eventually he was beheaded. Before this, he was unjustly imprisoned. John was a repentant soul but it did not spare him from suffering. Jesus, perhaps, is the only person, according to our faith, that did not need to repent. Yet, he suffered and died. There is no scriptural evidence to support that conversion is a guarantee that we will be protected from pain and suffering. Sometimes it can increase and most of the times, if we are fortunate, we can lead quite a normal life with minimal suffering. It doe not mean that we did something to deserve it. It is just the way life functions. Jesus did not explain why these poor Galileans deserved such a diabolical death. He just warned us that we too can suffer such fate. We are not special. We just need to be aware that Life is unpredictable and incredibly brief. Our conversion does not change how life functions but it changes how we function in life.

Last Wednesday, when we went to the streets, Wesley was sitting alone in the corner. I went to greet him and he insisted that I give him a hug instead. It was strange because I hardly know him. He is relatively new to us. He showed up during the beginning the pandemic. We have not had the chance to get to know him yet. He seemed to be a nice kid about fourteen years old. He looked like someone with whom we could have had a strong relationship in the future. Unfortunately, the very next day he was brutally murdered. The details are irrelevant. They will not bring him back. Suffice it to know that he was well loved by the other teens. He had a sweet nature and loved to be the clown. Although we did not know him well, his death still affected us. I am glad that I was able to give him a hug just before he left us. I have something to remember him. He died but he did not perish from our existence.

Jesus shared the parable about bearing fruits. I have heard teachings complicating this whole idea. Bearing fruits, some say, is converting people to our faith. Some say it is living a successful life without any clear definition of what that means. Jesus told the parable in the context of terrible things that had happened to people; things that are reflective of the times in which they were living. There are many choices to make in these situations confronting us. In our present times, the same hatred and violence that was present in Jesus’ time are evident now. The difference is that we have more advanced technology to disseminate them. However, the repented soul still has the same task which is to bear fruits. To the common person in our Jesus’ time, fruits played a simple role. They were not too concerned about the propagation of a tree when they saw fruits hanging from it. They saw something that was going to nourish them and even bring a moment of sweetness to their life. Fruits fed hungry souls in their long tiresome journeys and even Jesus sought figs to feed himself when he was traveling. Furthermore, in other parts of the gospel, Jesus used salt as a reference for the kind of role repented souls should play in this life. We can delve into the subject of salt preserving food and how we need to preserve the world from corruption. We can also see salt as something that magically enhances the flavor of food making it pleasurable and delightful. This world is going to function the way it has always functioned with all its in justice and violence. However, those who have their minds transformed by the power of the Spirit can bring joy and hope to those who are weary and overburdened in this world.

Sometimes we think that we need to do great things in order to count as spiritual fruits. Most of the times, they are simple things that anyone can do. I wanted to have a long-lasting relationship with Wesley. However, I was only able to give him a hug. At least, he knew that he was loved. His life was not in vain. He did not perish into the great unknown. His name is written in the repented souls who know that Wesley was and is a child of God.

At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! Luke 13:32-33

In my last post, I mentioned that things in the streets were getting worse. Robberies and theft are a frequent occurrence. Brazil has higher rates of homicide than most of the countries going through a war. However, now I see that I spoke like the Pharisees in today’s gospel reading. They were not being hypocritical this time. No doubt everyone dreaded and despised Herod for being a dangerous and malicious leader. Most likely they were genuinely concerned for our Lord’s welfare. They were right in warning Jesus. However, they forgot that our Lord is not one to allow circumstances to dictate His purpose.

In the same way, I have been looking at the negative changes around us without realizing that this does not actually make any difference for the Good Shepherd. He came to seek the sick and not the well. Growth in criminal activity, persistent pandemic, and increasing political unrest is not going to stop the healing and casting out of demons. Jesus will achieve His goal in the streets. Therefore, we need to be attentive; not only to what is happening around us but the things God is doing in the places where we live. Our Lord is not into showmanship. He does not like the limelight. He is a subtle Shepherd. Therefore, we need to pay careful attention. There are many good and wonderful things happening in the world. Yet, for those who want swift justice and peace, the actions and presence of Jesus will be inadequate and perhaps even distracting. In other words, God works in His own time and space.

Camila sent us a message this week. It has been a long time since we heard from her. Some may not remember her. She was actually one of the first homeless teenagers we met when we came back here in 2013. All we can remember was that we spent very brief moments with her before she was arrested for theft. She spent most of her teenage life in the juvenile detention center even though she did not commit a serious crime. The major problem was that she is an orphan and there was no place available for the State to send her. As soon as she turned 18, she was released and became determined to get her life on the right track. We always randomly ran into her over past few years. Every time she was so happy to see us and remembers our times with her fondly. She claims that we did much to help her. It was not exactly true. In fact, we can hardly remember anything of our times together. Somehow, she saw something in us and we are forever grateful for it.

Camila has always been a fighter and very proud young woman. It took her a while to receive any kind of help from us. We had to explain to her that we needed the help of many people in our lives before we could be on our own. Therefore, she shouldn’t feel like a failure to receive help from us. Fortunately, things are going well for her after a long uphill battle. She is a squatter in an abandoned building. She has a tiny room which she shares with her two year old child. Unlike most of these occupied buildings, she has to pay a small fee. The place is organized itself into a movement that is fighting for the government to provide affordable housing. I visited her place once. The place is not in a great condition but it is clean. The movement managed to secure a small number of apartments in a local housing development. The apartments are not free but they are subsidized by the government. They still have to pay a high price for it but it is divided into affordable installments. Priority was given to single working mothers and Camila’s name was selected. When she told us the news, she could hardly contain herself. She said that she knew that God will answer her prayers. There is still a long battle before her but she is a fighter.

Camila found a steady job but her employers are underpaying her. She expected it but she also realizes that this is how things work. She knows her objective and she is not going to allow these unscrupulous people to get in her way. She is getting the experience which she needs. One day she will be able to find a better job with a fair salary. She also shared with us that she was almost robbed one day. She was walking with her child and a young man about her age tried to steal her mobile phone. She confronted him and told him that he should be ashamed for stealing from a single mother with a child. The guy returned the phone to her and told her that it was too cheap for him. Camila laughed and said, “I left that life behind me but I am not going to be victim for someone like my past self.” She was into crime for a very brief period. She despised it. She allowed the circumstances to dictate her choices back then. Now, she tries her best to listen to the voice guiding her in the straight and narrow. She gave us a big hug and rushed off to pick up her son from the public daycare center.

When we got to the streets where the children and teens were, Guilherme approached us. There are few teens with this name. I have never spoken about this particular one before. We have known for him for a while but he has been in and out of detention centers. Despite his actions, he does have an open and kind face. He is a divided person. There is goodness in him but he allows himself to do the things he does not want to do. Guilherme wanted to know if we were an NGO. I told him that it was just us, Mary and Stephen. We were not an organization but I was curious. He wondered if we could help him buy a portable cooler. It was a strange request. He explained that he was planning to sell bottled mineral water at stop lights. He thought maybe this could be a start towards the right direction. He does not want to be involved in crime anymore. He said that he was aware of the long road ahead of him and he is determined to take small steps each time and eventually God will help him get there. We told him that we will take these steps with him. We made plans to buy the cooler the following week. Next day, Guilherme brought another young man, Josiah. He wanted to do the same thing and asked for our help. They said that they needed three coolers altogether. “Three!” I blurted out. Josiah quickly added that they were not expensive. They asked me to follow them because they had something to show me. They managed to get some money together to buy several cases of mineral water. To my pleasant surprise, the third cooler was for Kawanna. We have seen these three sitting together in deep discussions for weeks. We were always a little concerned because we thought these two were bad company for Kawanna. However, it was clear now that they are trying to figure out a way to get out of crime. Kawanna thanked us for offering to buy the coolers. They found a place to store their bottles in a fridge and they can start selling once we get them the coolers.

As we left, Guilherme asked us to keep praying for them. They want to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd calling them back to walk in the right path. They are finding means and ways on their own. They are working out their salvation. Yes, things are heading from bad to worse but this does not change anything. Jesus is still healing and casting out demons in our midst. Perhaps not in the way the world expects. Jerusalem wanted the prophets and servants of God to do things in the way the city desired. However, God acts according to His own will. He leaves the ninety nine in search for the one who has strayed. The city expects Jesus to do something spectacular for the ninety nine but our Lord is wandering in the wilderness looking for the one. Things are bad but God is still actively healing and comforting His sheep. We just need to look for Him in the right places.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1-2

Every Lent, we begin this special season with the reading of the temptations of Jesus. It would be a grave error to think these temptations were peculiar to Him.

Jesus was one hundred percent human. Every Christian knows this and yet many act as if He was a God disguised as a human in the tradition of the gods of Greek Mythology. Many believed that Jesus still had His godlike abilities while He was a human being. However, the Bible tells us He emptied Himself of godlike qualities which means he possessed our ambiguities and weaknesses. In other words, He was not a superhuman. Consequently, He also had the desire to be the god of his own life as most of us do. All of us have within us a desire to have complete freedom to do and act as we please according to our own whims. We do not want to be challenged or subjected any standards besides our own. As an ancient philosopher once stated, “Man is the measure of all things.” Even today, many Christians believe the world was created for humanity to do with it as it pleases and not for the pleasure and glory of God. This is our human nature and it began right at the story of the Fall. The temptations of Jesus reenact the story of the Fall but with one twist. There is no fall. Jesus refused to use His power and influence to succumb to this innate human desire.

Many times we hear people say that we are so blessed to be living in this…or being born in this… I think in reality people are just lucky to be born where they are if the place gives them the opportunity to achieve what they desire. Many use their wealth and knowledge and whatever privileges they received for their own personal gains or to ensure that they are self sufficient and secure from all the dangers of the world. There is nothing inherently wrong with this. However, randomly using the word, “blessed”, to describe this state is problematic. In the gospel, being blessed begins with the awareness that everything we have comes from God but it does not stop there. Most people do stop there. The devil wants you to stop there. He tried to tempt Jesus to do the same. However, as we used to say right in the middle of worship service in the Anglican tradition,

“All things come of thee, O LORD, and of thine own have we given thee.” I Chronicles 29:11

Being blessed is being able to give back to God all the things which He has given us. It does not mean that we sell everything and give to the poor and then become missionaries. This is a nonsensical way of thinking. Everyone has a place in the body of Christ. We need to discover our place and then use the resources which we freely received from God as an offering to give back to Him. Nonetheless, we still need to spend some time in the “wilderness” to understand how we can become God’s channel of blessing in this world. It worked for Jesus and it can do miracles for us.

Actually, we do not need to go to the wilderness. It came to us in the form of a pandemic. We are still not quite done. It seems like this “wilderness” wants to linger around a bit longer. Unfortunately, many have rushed out of it and fallen into the arms of the devil. Thankfully, we do not have to follow their footsteps. The season of Lent is here to aid us. It beckons us to take a step back and reflect. We can allow this story to speak to our souls. There are two paths before us, the devil’s path which is the foundation of our carnal human desires or the path of the footsteps of Jesus: the New Creation. No doubt, everyone wants to follow Jesus. We also know that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. We need help. Jesus reveals to us the Way. Jesus overcame the devil because He understood what needed to be done. He kept His focus. Jesus was given gifts and power. He knew how and when to use them. He made it clear in the same chapter of today’s gospel reading. He sat among the congregation and pronounced the purpose of his life and gifts.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

As we proceed with our reading of the entire gospel from here, we see example after example of Jesus using all that He received to fulfill these words. No doubt we cannot be like Jesus but it does not mean that we should not try. One of the most powerful testimonies I heard was from an atheist who confessed that even though she lacks faith, she loves the person of Jesus and desires to imitate His footsteps. I think that she is on the road to discover what it means to live a blessed life.

We are slowly coming out of our wilderness. I tried doing it towards the end of last year but Covid got a hold of me. Now, I am taking baby steps back into the world. It seems like things have gone from bad to worse. The country is going through one of the worst economic crisis and unemployment is record high. Consequently, crime is on the rise. We have witnessed robberies with such frequency that it is creating a sense of revolt within me. I have always had a great disdain for crime and even stopped watching movies because in some shape or form, they tend to sensationalize criminal behavior. Personally, I am having a hard time separating the perpetrator from the sin. It is easier to succumb to the temptation of despising both. To our dismay, there has been an increase in number of teens involved in crime. Some of them are so deep into it that their physiognomy is beginning to reflect their criminal behavior. The situation is quite discouraging and there is a growing sense of hopelessness. It made me question if we can possibly make any impact in the lives of these young people. I walked past three young men. Two of them were teenagers and the one in the middle was slightly older. He was shirtless and his body was marked with tattoos telling a story to those who understood its symbols. They were robbers taking a break. As I walked by, the one in the middle called to me. They looked extremely intimidating and dangerous but I wasn’t afraid for some reason. The tattooed young man looked at me and said, “God bless you and your family, sir! I really mean it.” It wasn’t exactly what I expected to hear. I was taken off guard and mumbled back something like a weak “same to you”. Something special happened at that moment. I did not recognize him but he acted like he knew me. I walked on and saw Kawanna sitting alone. I sat next to her.

She is a quiet girl. It is best not to inundate her with questions to make her talk. She usually does it on her own time. She has been very dear to us over the past few months. There was a time she was just as dangerous as the three young men, possibly even worse. She spent most of her teenage life incarcerated in the juvenile detention center. They even said that she was a hopeless case. However, she has left criminal activity behind. Now, she composes music and poems. She has a written quite a number of them. We just gave her a notebook for her birthday so she could record more of her compositions. She just turned 22. She eventually started talking. She told me that she wants to use music to get out of this situation. She meant her homelessness and poverty. However, she wants to do something to help the others. She said that she was involved in crime once and she knows that most of them want a way out of it. They need help and most importantly patience.

Her words brought me back to this world and our focus. Jesus did not bring us to this place to be a judge. There are ample number of judges around. He did not bring us here because it was easy. He brought us to see the suffering and tormented souls who need healing. The devil wants me to focus on the outside and seek an easy way out. Jesus confronts the dire reality and brings a message of hope and love. Today, I received healing from two unlikely sources. I was healed of my blindness and now I can see that the circumstances have changed but the gospel still remains powerful. It is still able to heal and restore. The devil wants me to focus my energy on other things mainly myself. Jesus said, “No!” We want to say “yes” to Jesus.

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:27-31

There is a tendency to just casually skim through these sayings without giving too much thought to them. We might think they are irrelevant to us. Most of us do not believe that we have a personal enemy or a nemesis seeking to destroy our lives. We might have overbearing bosses, annoying relatives, perfidious friends, competitive colleagues, and overall irritating people in our lives. They might take up all our strength and energy while they torment us with their presence. However, it does not take much for us to forgive them and leave them in our memories. In fact, personal enemies are easy for us, in most cases, to leave behind. It is the abstract enemies which linger on. Sometimes they are real threats and sometimes they are just invented to bring people together in their common hatred. All societies function based on this hatred of an enemy. It is not a modern concept, nor is it caused by the media. The latter only gives what the public demands. In reality, it is human nature. All our creative impulses are based on hatred. We live in this world and it functions through strife as wisely stated by one of the fathers of Western Philosophy, Heraclitus;

“The opposite is beneficial; from things that differ comes the fairest attunement; all things are born through strife.”

We need strife fueled by hatred to function. All political parties and movements understand. The most successful ones are the ones conjuring up the clearest image of the enemy of their choice; the source of our misfortunes and lack of happiness. No one can get ahead without hating the enemies in politics and business and life in general. Of course, we do not use the word, “hate”. We find euphemisms to disguise them. We have to be honest with ourselves and recognize the power of hatred active within us.
Therefore, when Jesus said that we should love our enemies, He is proposing a radical change in society. He is not taking any sides because all sides have an enemy to hate and despise. He is eliminating hatred. This creates a series of problems for us. There are some real diabolic leaders and people in this world. We cannot pretend that they are our friends. However, Jesus never said that we should stop recognizing them as our enemies. He warns us that we should not be drawn into the same web of hatred which fuels them. In fact, when we hate our enemies we are just becoming like them, full of hatred and bitterness. Expressions of Communism in our recent history provide us with ample examples. They fought against the oppressive Capitalists or Imperialist regimes which they hated and ended up becoming exactly like them. Hate generates hate. Jesus ushers a new creation free from the vicious cycle.

It is important to realize that this is not a suggestion. Jesus Himself clearly states later in the same passage,

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” Luke 6:46

If we decide to follow the footsteps of our Lord, then we need to forsake hatred. It means that we forsake the tools of hatred like slander and malicious talk. It means we forsake listening and consuming anything allowing hatred to grow in our hearts. It means forgoing a lot of the things which unites us. Hatred unites nations and gives people a sense of solidarity. The people of Israel were united with the Romans when they shouted, “Crucify Him!”

This is definitely not a doctrine which can be taught. In reality, turning this into a doctrine is surest victory for hatred. Jesus proposes a lifestyle and His Life is an example. I simply cannot go to the streets and tell our children and teens, “Love your enemy”. For most of them, it would be the person who abused or raped them. It could be the person who murdered their parent or sibling. It could be the corrupt policeman who constantly torments them with threats and violence. They might nod and agree with me out of respect for our friendship but my words will have no effect on them. Loving the enemy is not an idea. It is something we need to work out with fear and trembling. First of all, we need to recognize the hatred within us. If we pretend that it doesn’t exist, then we will also ignore the fact that we are allowing it to grow through constant exposure to instruments of hatred present in this world. We need to be honest with ourselves. We also need to be honest that it is not an easy thing to love those whom we like to despise. Then we are ready to address the issue with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a lifestyle and not a one time event.

This last week while I was recovering from the side effects of long Covid, I was thinking about the children and teens we met over the years. For some strange reason, a particular boy came to my mind. I could not remember his name but I remember was that he was extremely difficult. He was very disrespectful. He would constantly provoke us and sometimes destroy some of our equipment. He was a thorn in our flesh. Then all of a sudden he disappeared. We heard later that he was in a detention center. He was heavily involved in crime. Last Wednesday, I was feeling well enough to go back to the streets. There were a bunch of new young men with the children and teens. All of them had the type of tattoos which revealed that they were deep into the gang life. However, they still had open and friendly faces. One of them approached us and shook our hands. Then he said, “You don’t recognize me anymore, do you? I am Jonathan.” Sure enough it was the young boy who I was thinking about, He is now 21. Unfortunately, he has been in and out of prison over the past few years. I made a comment that he was a terror before. He smiled and said, “You do remember me!” I told him that I did not remember him because of his bad behavior but I knew that he was a good kid behind all that bad behavior. He sat beside us and wanted to show some pictures of where he was living. He just got out of prison but from the pictures, I do not think that he is going to last a long time outside. His friends were definitely tough gang members. He even admitted that one of them was in prison now. He did not have any photos of his family members. Perhaps the gang is his only family. He really seemed happy that we remembered him. Just looking at this young man and his tender manners, it is hard to believe that violence is strong part of his life. He got a phone call and excused himself. Mary overheard part of the conversation. His friends wanted to meet and blow up an ATM machine.

Jonathan is stuck in a cycle that will eventually kill. Hatred has been fueling this young man his whole life. I can not just say to him, “Love your enemy.” He needs to know what is love first. It needs to be communicated to him in a way which is clear and precise. Jonathan wanted to have some contact with us when he was young and he used violence and hatred to achieve that. Now, he knows that he has a place reserved for him. There is no need nor room for hatred between us. Hopefully, we will see him again. Until then, we have to continue in our decision to love our enemies despite the things they do.

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-7

Sometimes it is interesting to read or hear the tourist’s impressions about the place where we meet our children and teens. I have mentioned countless times that a majestic Cathedral sits in the center where all the homeless people sleep in the square surrounding it. It is a major tourist attraction (the Cathedral, not the homeless people). The surrounding square derives its name from this monument. “This Church is gorgeous but it is a pity that it is ruined by the presence of the homeless people.” This is one of the more frequent comments from the tourists. It is not said with malicious intent. The overwhelming presence of people sleeping in tents and homeless children playing without any adult supervision plus the countless adults in various stages of inebriation does mar the charm of the place if you are coming solely for tourism.

We have not stepped into the Cathedral for years. Truth be known, I find it a little cold and impersonal. The interior is dark and is permeated with a melancholic atmosphere. This is just my opinion. It is by no means a judgment on the priests nor the congregation. It is just the aura of the building. Since we are not here for tourism, we find the homeless people more fascinating.

Most people just look at them collectively as the ‘homeless”. However, there are many different groups represented. They are all homeless but not all the same. There is the transgender group. They have endured much rejection in their lives and now in the streets they are part of a bizarre community. There are the old alcoholics as the children call them. They are not in the streets because of booze. They drink to forget their misery. If one has several hours to spend and infinite patience, they will relate to you their sad tale. Of course, we have our children and teens. I have by no means exhausted my list but I think the point is made. All these diverse homeless individuals have a story to tell but very few people are interested in them. Their experiences will never be recorded in any history book, neither will their existence be acknowledged. Nevertheless, they are part of this city which does not recognize them. Many tourists come for the official tour which includes the majestic history of the Cathedral and its construction. It is a sanitized history devoid of human sufferings and failures. Perhaps the actual church building is melancholic because it laments the exclusion of the homeless who are very much part of the Kingdom of God, the symbol which the Cathedral represents.

The evangelist Luke starts his account of the first Christmas but there is a twist. He begins the gospel like any historical account with the rulers and their important mandates taking the center stage. Then, suddenly, these things slip into irrelevance. A very young woman pregnant out-of wedlock takes the center stage. Despite Joseph’s noble attempts to protect her from shame, we know that the gossip is virtually impossible to deter. The people in those times are just like us. The difference is that we have better technology to despatch calumnious news. In any case, she would have been a person whom society would rather forget than to remember two thousand years after. Nevertheless, she is a primary figure in the history of the Kingdom of God.

God had access to all peoples in the world but He wanted to celebrate the birth of his chosen One with shepherds. Another group of insignificant people not featured in the regular history books. God’s invitation list is void of the local rulers and prominent citizens. The location of the festivity is the last place one expects a king to be born. Of course, everyone knows this story well enough. We have heard it countless times. I do not need to repeat it here. The point is that the Kingdom of God is not found where we expect or would like it to be. We cannot build a beautiful Cathedral and expect the Son of Man to be restricted within its boundaries. God brought his special guests to the square where our Cathedral sits. The tourists are impressed with the symbol but they fail to recognize the actual Kingdom of God present. However, something strange and beautiful happens during the Christmas season. There is an increase of more visitors to the square but not to visit the Cathedral. They come to visit those who sleep outside of it. They bring food and presents. They come especially to spread some joy to these people. It is strange that throughout the year they walk past this place without making eye contact with the homeless. Suddenly, during this season, they remember them.

Some say that it’s blatant hypocrisy. Besides being an unfortunate way of looking at things, I also find it dull and lazy. Being hypocrites is part of our human nature. We do not need a special season to express it. It is present throughout the year. All of us succumb to hypocrisy in some shape or form. Being coherent is a dream that is not yet a reality for anyone who is alive. However, to dwell on the negative aspect of this is to be the same as the tourists who visit the Cathedral and lament the presence of the Kingdom.

During this time, the vast majority of people are open to the presence of Agape in our lives. Christmas is the celebration of God’s unconditional Love being expressed in flesh and blood. Needless to say, we know that the day of Christmas is a mere symbol. Jesus was not born on this specific day but God works with us where we are spiritually. This time we are open to recognize the eternal Love which sustains our existence. We realize that this love needs to be shared and it cannot be contained in its symbols. Consequently, it is the time when people want to step out of the sanitized version of the Kingdom of God and seek the actual Kingdom. It is a time when people are prone to put aside their differences and just enjoy the person. Our children and teens are always influenced by the season. Usually they consider forgiving their families for the things that they have done or omitted to do and seek some sort of reconciliation. Usually everything falls apart the day after Christmas but miracles still occur. There is always hope that the people will be open to the power of Agape after the season.

This week I was in the streets and saw Bruno reading a book on movies. It was a beautiful book and looked expensive. He was obviously very pleased with it and could not wait to show it off to me. He has been begging outside a bank for two years now. The staff had their annual Christmas party and without Bruno’s knowledge they included his name in the gift exchange. The bank manager bought him the book. She talks with him regularly whenever she comes to have a smoke. The rest of the staff also had a little gifts for him. Even though he was not an employee, he has become part of their lives. They decided that this time of the year, they would acknowledge the love they sense for him. They come from two extremes and yet there is a special kind of Love which is able to overcome boundaries and social differences. It does not originate from either party. It came into this world two thousand years ago through a little child born in a stable. At least once a year the world is reminded that is a Love greater than all our failures and hypocrisy and maybe one day, this love will take full possession of our souls. This is our hope and prayer always.

God bless and have a Blessed Christmas.

“Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Luke 3:9-11

Daniel was a little concerned about Mary. He wanted to know if she was gaining weight again. Mary had some health problems last year and lost a lot of weight. Thankfully, she is back to normal but hasn’t quite gained the weight back yet. Some of the children and teens are a little worried. No matter what we tell them, they think that we are hiding something. Daniel reiterated that he wants Mary to be well like before because he wants us around for a long time. He is a very serious young man and not prone to flattery. He was not saying it to be nice nor sweet. We have known him since he was 11 and now he is 19. Just recently, he is beginning to reveal more of his inner self. He then said something curious. He said that one day it will be his turn to take care of us. He wants to reciprocate.

This is the second time he has said something to this extent. When I saw him earlier, I asked him why he had not gone home to see his mother. A couple of days ago, he shared that he was planning to spend the month of December at home. We are well into the month and he still has not done it. There are some changes in his family situation. His parents got separated and his mother has been coming around to the streets more frequently, trying to convince her sons to go home. The problem is both Daniel and his brother, Dreyson, have spent almost ten years in the streets and during this time no one from the family had come looking for them. They have constructed their world without the presence of their family. Thankfully, not all is lost. There is hope that healing and reconciliation will occur but it will take time. For now, we are encouraging Daniel to spend as much time as possible with his mother. He still harbors strong affections for her. He is also someone with a strong sense of responsibility. If he is convinced that his mother needs him at home, I believe that he will leave everything behind and help her.

He claimed that he could not go home until he had some clothes. Initially, I thought that he was just making up an excuse. I pointed out that he was wearing a nice t-shirt and a clean pair of shorts. There was nothing stopping him from going home the way he was dressed. Then I realized that I was making the mistake of imagining his situation to be like mine when I was his age. There was always a wardrobe of my clothes in my parent’s house at that time but Daniel comes from a different reality. The clothes on his body are the only ones he has. His mother cannot afford to buy him clothes nor has the space to keep his old clothes. Furthermore, Daniel has grown from a tiny scrawny kid to a lanky young man. None of the clothes he had when he was living with his mother will fit him now. I think that his mother can find ways to feed him but this is about all that she can do for now. One day, his older sister came to get the brothers to go home. They had to spend an hour begging in order to get the money to pay for their fare home. Neither his sister nor his mother could afford to pay their way home.

I told him that if clothes were the issue, then I could buy some at the thrift store for him. It was at this moment he smiled and said,“We really appreciate everything you do for us! We don’t say it enough but we are really grateful.” He wanted to play a game of Uno instead. After a while, he asked if we could buy something warm for him to wear as it was getting a little chilly. There is a thrift shop in a church nearby and we went there. I guess for Daniel playing the game together before going to the thrift store meant something. He didn’t want me to think that he just wanted me to buy clothes for me. He wants to spend time with me.

Daniel is one of the many who have said that one day they want to reciprocate. It is a natural response. When we feel loved, we want to respond by giving back. When John the Baptist asked the people to bear fruits, he wasn’t referring to earning our salvation through works. He was actually saying that those who are touched by Love will respond in Love. However, this cannot be reduced to a mere doctrinal concept. It is something that transforms the way we interact with the world.

Our Lord came to usher a New Creation founded on the eternal Agape (unconditional love of God). The most significant sign of this love is that it always reproduces in actions and words. It is never static nor limited by any circumstance nor situation. The eternal agape consumes our souls and compels us to share it with those around us. The people asked John how to go about bearing fruits. The answer reveals to us practical ways to share the Love we received but they are baby steps. They are just the beginning and not the end. They open the door to the New Creation.

I shared with Daniel that we would not be here if we had not encountered the eternal Agape first. It is this Love which sustains us here. I explained to Daniel that every encounter we have with them is an encounter with eternal love. Each time we avail ourselves to love our neighbor, we open our hearts and minds to be transformed by the Unconditional Love of God. Daniel had availed himself to us many times. Therefore, he had already reciprocated. Love in the New Creation is not an exchange between two parties. It is opening our hearts to be touched by the Eternal Agape.

We got to the thrift shop and he wanted a windbreaker. It was getting a little chilly. It cost me less than three dollars but in return I had a wonderful conversation enriching my soul. John’s advice is worth following. It brings fruits which we will carry with us for eternity.

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

My mother was slipping in and out of consciousness. Unexpectedly, she opened her eyes and asked me if I remembered the time when she waited with me for the school bus. Of course I did. I was a little surprised that she recalled this particular and uneventful episode in this last moment of her life. There was nothing spectacular, no great conversations. We just stood there and waited for the school bus. The driver was always late. I was always bored and restless. My mother was always anxious to get back to her countless tasks waiting at home. Without fail, everyday we went through the same routine. I didn’t think anything of it back then. It wasn’t necessary. My mother took care of everything. I never imagined that this woman would not be with me after I turned 22. Strangely, I do not have many vivid memories of my mother. The thing I remember clearly was shelling beans with her. I was about five. By the time I came along, my mother had acquired the art of delegating duties to the children. There was a wide age gap between my siblings and I. They were in high school and I was the only one idle at home. I remembered it being an endless torture sitting there doing this apparently meaningless task. Today, every single day as I cook, I become that little boy sitting in the kitchen with his mother.

A teenage boy came up to us and shook our hands and acted like he had known us for some time. I do not recall ever meeting him. Finally, I said something about it. “But I know you!”, he responded. “You and your wife used to sit outside the church and wait for us to do something with you.” He added that he was in the juvenile detention center for a while, perhaps this is why we had forgotten about him. Most likely it was because of the fact that he never interacted with us directly. He had just seen us doing the most boring part of our ministry here. Sometimes when we sat there for a long time doing absolutely nothing, I felt like I was wasting precious time. Yet, this young teenager remembers us because of this.

My whole life I have been part of religious traditions (both Roman Catholic and Anglican) which observe the season of Advent. It was a time reminding us that we are a people preparing ourselves for our Lord’s return. The problem is that it is never clear how we go about preparing ourselves. Some people think that it means being aware of the signs of the End. There are a slew of books on this theme. We could waste precious on them. Besides, we have been having these signs since the day Jesus died on the Cross. Furthermore, being well-informed about the signs is not synonymous with being prepared. Jesus is and always will be our example. He spent years preparing Himself for His ministry. It took up a bulk of His life on earth for a ministry lasting a relatively short time. We have no reliable information about this time but there are indications that it was not anything remarkable. The people of his hometown, for example, found it hard to believe that someone as ordinary as Jesus could be the Messiah, even his own family had a hard time with it. Jesus was so engaged in the daily routine things of life that no one expected anything spectacular from this man. The Messiah spent a vast majority of his Life on earth doing mundane things! They became the basis for his parables and teachings. They helped Him connect in a real and concrete way with the people.

There were several occasions in the streets when the teens ask our help with getting their documents. The bureaucracy here gives one a foretaste of purgatory, definitely the devil had an hand in this. Everything which is simple is deliberately complicated for no logical reason. Usually parents here help their children with documents. Our teens do not have this privilege and we are the next best thing. We spent hours in offices with our teens waiting for something which could be done in five minutes. Complaining doesn’t help. It makes matters worse. We just have to sit and endure the monotony. Our teens tend to close up when they are out of their environment. They feel so insecure in these places and even the most outgoing ones become taciturn. On one occasion we were so bored that we were started making up fake background stories of each of the staff who were attending the people. Renan was with us at that time. He found it amusing and joined in the fun. We were laughing so hard that we almost missed his turn. Renan always remembered that moment. He used to talk about it with us even weeks after the fact. It is the most precious memory we have of him. He was murdered a few months later. I am grateful that we had the chance to be with him. It was the only moment where he was no longer a homeless teen but just a regular boy having fun with some adult friends. Thankfully we decided to go with him to do one of the most wearisome things. It turned out to be a gift from God for us.

The Kingdom of God is not like this world. Here we are programmed to be impressed with great and impressive deeds. We find small and so-called insignificant things as obstacles to our greater pursuits. Whereas most of the parables and the teachings of Jesus point to us in the opposite direction. Jesus did not think that thirty years as a carpenter was a waste of his talents. They helped him to become who He was. They gave him the necessary tools to communicate the gospel to the people. The devil wanted Jesus to start big but Jesus chose a humbler route. If we are to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of God, then we appreciate the seemingly meaningless tasks that we are faced with everyday. These things are always present regardless of what happens in the world. Kingdoms might fall, economies might be completely devastated, and another pandemic might be looming around the corner. None of these things changes the fact that we still need to do the tedious and necessary things of everyday life in order to survive. These are simple things that are often overlooked but they have great potential. They are opportunities to show our love. Our children and teens have tons of people willing to do the “big” deeds. There are groups that are willing to feed all the homeless in the city. There are groups that were activated to help them during the worst moment of the pandemic. However, these things happen but for a season. Sometimes, these seasons linger on a bit longer than we like. However, they are not the things which are etched in the minds of those whom we love. It is everyday tasks that register in the hearts and minds of people. Our children and teens want someone to love them in the everyday things. Perhaps we undervalue these things and do not treat them with the respect and reverence as we should. I am thankful that my mother made me sit down in the kitchen and shell beans with her. She would have never imagined that it would become a symbolic moment that I would carry with me all my life.

Our preparation for the Kingdom of God starts with the small and necessary things in life; in other words, the mundane and boring things. These are moments that Life has given us to show our love to those whom we serve. They are moments for us to reflect on the meaning of love. We should not throw these opportunities away, neither should we rush through them. They might be only opportunities to show our love to those whom God has given us in this life. Our journey towards perfection starts with these things. Jesus Himself said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” (Luke 16:10)

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” Mark 13:1-2

In another time and place, I worked with children who had behavioral issues. My job placed me in a private school to work one-on-one with a boy. I was taking a break in the courtyard when a ten year-old girl came up to me with a ball and asked me if I would play catch with her. She was usually shy and quiet and fairly new to the school too. There were tons of children and teachers around but she chose me. I was not a complete stranger. We were renting an apartment from her grandparents. I had seen her several times at their place. I had spoken to her mother on several occasions. I knew a little bit more about her than she realized. She and her sister were adopted. They came from an extremely abusive home. This little girl suffered the most in order to spare her little sister the torment. Consequently, the younger girl came out of the situation more intact than her older sibling.

We played catch for a while and then she wanted to talk. She asked about my work with the homeless children ( I had just completed my time as a lay missionary then) and she shared about things she liked to do. It was a pleasant encounter for me. I knew that she had been a source of pain and suffering for her new family. She had been defiant with her adopted mother and at times she even retaliated with physical violence. It is hard to imagine that this sweet girl was capable of this. She wasn’t pretending to be someone else with me. She was who she was. The problem was that at home, she lost a role that she cherished. This role gave her an opportunity to live out her true identity, despite the cruel circumstances. Now that things have changed for the better she felt lost and useless. She wanted to redeem her role as the protective loving sister. It was a good and selfless role she performed for her sister but that role was no longer necessary. Unfortunately, this little girl did not know how to be a loving sister without the horrible situation. She is an adult now. I hope she has found a way to be who she is despite the changes. She is a good person and has much to offer. I am glad that for a brief moment she shared her gift with me. It will always be with me.

The above gospel reading starts with devastating news. The temple was going to be destroyed. These words must have scandalized and disturbed the disciples. The temple was the center of their identity as a people. It reminded them of their vocation in the world. It was also the symbol of unity. The Jewish people were living in different parts of the Roman world and there were cultural and language barriers between them. Despite their differences, the temple provided a venue where they could be one people again. Besides, the disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah and they assumed that the temple was going to play a major role in His ministry. Now they are hearing that God would not save the Temple from destruction. The foundation of their identity was to be shaken.

The temple was a symbol of everything good and holy for the people of Israel. Being a protective sister was a symbol of goodness and love for this little girl who only experienced hatred since she was an infant. All of us have something which serves as a symbol of the potential goodness giving us a sense of purpose in life. For me, it is my ministry in the streets. It is the place in this world where I am able to sense God’s presence in a real way. It is my sacramental space. Unfortunately, like anything in this world, one day it will be taken away from me. I do not need to be a prophet to realize this. If anything, this pandemic reminded us how easily this could happen. In fact, during the initial period of the quarantine, a lot of people wondered if this was the end. It wasn’t end. Maybe it was like a prolonged season of Advent imposed upon the world; a time when we prayerfully reflect on the last things.

During this time, I asked myself what remains of me if everything which has helped me define who I am were to be stripped from me. Most likely, it was the question that was going through the minds of the disciples when Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple.

Our children and teens face a tragic dilemma. They live in a precarious situation but at the same time, their identity is derived from this circumstance. The adults who end up in the streets due to some misfortune are not the same as our children. They once had a home and a family. Our children and teens grew up in this environment. Their ethics are constructed in this environment. They know how to be a good person in the streets. Their religious experience occurred in the context of the streets. They understood what it means to love and care for someone here. It is the place where they know what it means to love and be loved. For us, being homeless is our worst nightmare. For our children and teens, all they understand of what is good and lovely comes from their experience in the streets. They have no other reference than their homeless situation. It is a place where they found a group to belong to and if they stop being homeless, then they lose everything which is precious to them. They can’t imagine life without being homeless.

What becomes of us when our whole world falls apart? The worst thing we can do is to try to hold on these symbols that connected us to something good. In this case, these good things can become our idols and they may obstruct us from discovering the One who remains forever with us despite what happens. St Paul gives us the best answer in the New Testament. He knew firsthand what it meant to lose everything which defined him as a person. His reflections on the subject left us with these beautiful words which are comforting and relevant in all times.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

I can not guarantee myself that one day when I have to stop doing what I find to be meaningful and wonderful that life will be better. I cannot promise the children and teens that when they eventually leave the streets, they are going to be accepted into society or their suffering will be diminished. Most likely life will become harder for them. The only thing we know is that nothing constructed by our hands lasts forever. The disciples believed that the temple was based on God’s design and even then, it did not endure the test of time. Therefore, we need to place our hopes in the only thing remaining when our world falls apart. I believe life is a journey of construction and deconstruction. Each time we rebuild our lives we take a step closer in discovering the One who is always there. Each phase helps us to build our identity in the One who is able to raise us again and again. It is not something which we can teach the children and teens. It has to be lived.

There was a time when Bruno was almost adopted by an American couple. He was about ten. His mother had given him up officially to the orphanage which meant he was legally eligible for adoption. The couple came all the way from the States to spend a month with him. They specifically chose him because they wanted an older boy. Despite the language barrier, they were able to transmit a sense of warmth and kindness to him. They showed pictures of their home and Bruno thought that it looked like something from a movie. Everything seemed perfect and idyllic. Brazilian Law requires that any child above the age of eight to give consent for their own adoption. A judge visited with Bruno and tried to convince him that his life would be much better if he decided to live with these nice people. He felt pressured to give his consent but he just couldn’t do it. He stood his ground and said, “no” even though he really liked the people. He still remembers their faces. I asked why he refused to go with them. He said he was convinced that his mother would eventually come for him one day which never happened.

As far as he could remember, his mother always tried to abandon him. Once he fell asleep on the bus and his mother decided to leave him there. He got off at the terminal and found his way home despite his disjointed sense of direction. Needless to say, his mother was disappointed. Every time she tried to abandon him, he always found his way back. During his stay at the orphanage, she moved and broke all ties with him. It was then he realized that he was completely lost. This was the turning point which brought him to streets.

He was laughing when he shared this apparently tragic episode of his life. The other teens listening to this conversation did the same. They chimed in with their own stories about their parents doing the same. They too always found their way back home and now they too are lost in the streets. We might imagine that these parents are cruel and irresponsible people. To be honest, it is just a tragic situation. Some of these parents really believed that their children might have a better life in the streets than with them. I have heard people say this. In many situations, they are right. There is also the issue of mental illness. A large number of our children and teens have at least one parent with mental illness. When we add extreme poverty to the mix, it becomes a perfect recipe for a tragic tale.

I asked Bruno if he regretted his decision about his adoption. He still believes that he made the right choice. He just finds it hard to believe that complete strangers would accept him when his own mother did not want him. He is not the only one. I heard others who had similar opportunities say the same thing. It is not that they did not want to be in a loving home and environment. They yearned for that. However, they could not imagine that anyone would be willing to love them especially when their own parents had abandoned them in the woods. Unfortunately, most of them believe that they are indirectly responsible for being rejected, or worse, being unlovable. They carry this weight in their soul and yet, they don’t really know how to be relieved from this heavy burden.

I asked Bruno if he is happy with his life. He smiled and responded that if I had asked this question a few years ago, he would have told some lies about it. Now he feels comfortable with the truth. He said that a few days ago he went to Felipe’s house. Davi, Felipe’s two year old son ran up to him and sat on his lap while the boy’s father prepared a dinner plate for him. He sat there thinking, “I have a family now. It is not perfect but at least I am wanted here.”

It took us a long time to understand what Bruno meant. These children and teens have been inflicted with a deep wound of rejection. The streets is where rejected people end up in this city. The children, however, cannot shake off their innate desire to be part of a family; to feel protected and loved unconditionally. They try to cultivate something of a family with the other children and teens. After some time, they form a community among themselves. It is far from perfect and many times convoluted, perhaps like many so-called normal families. Despite everything, we cannot deny that there exists genuine love among them. Their relationship with each other is an important aspect in their lives and identity. Felipe and Bruno used to share drugs together before. This was their initial bond. Now, Felipe shares his home with Bruno. In return, Bruno, who spends his day begging, buys food and hygiene supplies for them. He doesn’t do this because he feels obliged. He does it because he wants to contribute something to his family.

The children and teens took what was given to them and built a family that would help them move forward in life. Perhaps, what they consider forward might seem inadequate for the mass majority of us. We have constructed our world and ideas of successes and failures from different building blocks. Our homeless youth’s foundation had their start in life from a negative foundation; rejection. Nevertheless, it did not turn into something bitter and full of hatred, albeit a small minority have take this road. Most of them used their common experience to nurture a bond to help them face this harsh world.

They have invited us to be part of this family too, in spite of the fact that we do not share their devastating sense of rejection. We hope to bring something positive to their relationship. In a strange way, the Pandemic helped to strengthen our connection with them. During the months of isolation, the children and teens were our only contact with the world. When our world seemed to disintegrate, God used these children and teens to bring balance and healing to our souls. Perhaps, this helped the most. The teens saw that we could receive something from them. This is part of what it means to be in a family. We give and receive from each other. In a sense, this is the acceptance that the teens are searching for in the streets. They want to know that they too can give something valuable to this world.

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

I came home from the streets a little unsettled. The day had seemed fruitful. I had some good conversations with Daniel. Unfortunately, he was using a certain kind of inhalant drug which has caused the deaths of many teens. Obviously, it disturbed me. I asked him to go for a walk with me but without the drug. He threw it away immediately and we went to get something to eat. The effects of the drug wore off fast. We had a good talk but I was still disturbed that Daniel was using something which could kill him.

I went on to meet the other kids. Sabrina was sitting on her own and she told me that the others were around. I left her there and when to look for them. Eventually Bruno come back and so did Jean and a new boy whose name I did not have the chance to find out. A fight broke out between the two younger boys. Bruno made a feeble effort to break it up. Usually, we do not get involved unless someone’s life is in danger. They were fighting over something trivial like two silly boys. Nevertheless, it was a little unnerving. Eventually, they got tired and stopped. I talked with Bruno for a while. We had a good conversation but I was still feeling little uneasy over the whole scene. One might think that I would be used to this. Thankfully, I am not. I do not want to treat violence as something normal. On the way home, I met Felipe. He was nearby because of his work. I haven’t had any quality time with him since he moved. We talked for a while. By the time, I got home it was late. It had been a full day.

I should have been happy with the day. I had many fruitful contacts despite some unpleasant things. However, I still had this troubling thought that I missed something valuable. It only came to me much later, after a night’s sleep. I completely overlooked Sabrina. She was there in her usual quiet manner doing something special. I allowed my mind to be distracted by the fight and the drugs. This is the problem when our minds do not know what to seek for, we allow secondary things to dominate our thoughts. We miss out on the important details, in my case, it was Sabrina.

I have read this gospel story many times. More often than not, I tend to focus on the obvious; the difference in attitude between the wealthy contributors and the widow. My present “congregation” has no wealthy people, well at least not in the material sense of the word. However, it does not mean that this story is not applicable. The attitude of the wealthy is present and alive among the homeless youth. In the streets, there are some teens who engage in criminal activities, not all, but the majority unfortunately. Most of them will admit that is not necessary. However, it gives the attention that they crave, albeit not positive. They would rather have this than be completely invisible. The wealthy in the gospel story used their wealth to assert their presence and some of the teens use crime. Then, there are those who remain invisible to the world. They too desire to be part of something greater than themselves but are unsure if they have a place. In this reality, you have to promote yourself in order to make something of yourself. However, the Kingdom of God is not of this world. The Good Shepherd sat in a strategic location in the temple. He was in an excellent place to observe everything. The usual suspects were there asserting their presence. He waited for the widow. His mind was not fashioned by this world. He sought the invisible ones first. Unfortunately, I can not say the same for myself. I was distracted by the things of the world. My attention went to the ones who made the loudest noise. It is not easy. We live in this world and we cannot resist thinking like this world.

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

When I saw Sabrina alone, she was tearing a blank page out of Bruno’s notebook. While the boys were busy fighting, she was drawing a flower and then proceeded to shade it with her pencil because she did not have any color pencils. She was so involved in her art that she hardly looked up when the boys were physically going at each other. She wanted some peace and quiet and she wasn’t going to allow the chaos around her to distract her. We met her for the first time a couple years ago. She had just arrived to the streets then. I remembered her innocence. It almost made her look vulnerable and lost in the streets. It made us feel concerned that she might be dreadfully exploited in the streets. She quietly sat next to us and started coloring. She introduced herself to us as Sabrina. Immediately, the image of Sabrina the Teenage witch from the Archie comics came to my mind. Sounds a little banal. The name is not common here. After this, we never saw her again. We hoped that perhaps she went home.

She reappeared about a month ago. She ran up and gave me a hug. She was genuinely happy to see me. Her first question was whether I remembered her name. It took me a few seconds and then I said, “Sabrina!” It brought a smile to her face. It was sheer luck really. I am ashamed to say that the only reason why I remembered her name because of the comic book character. I was never into comics! Anyway, she looked different now. She tried going back to her family and something brought her back to the streets. Her arms were now covered with tattoos. However, she still maintained her childlikeness. Obviously she liked art. Some of the children and teens have a special relationship with art. Something that someone pragmatic like myself might find it hard to fully comprehend. However, for these young people, it helps them to connect with something greater than themselves. Sabrina was involved in drawing when there was chaos around her. She was like the widow. In the midst of those people depositing large amount of money in the treasury, the widow was determined to contribute her humble gift so that she too could participate something greater than herself. No one noticed her except Jesus. Jesus noticed Sabrina too. On the other hand, I was too busy being distracted but thankfully, it is not too late.

The next day we put together some coloring books and a bag of colored pencils for her. I was going to give them to her. I went to the streets excited but she wasn’t around. I waited for her a while but she did not show up. I wasn’t disappointed. I felt like my eyes were opened. Jesus sat in a position to observe the people whom the world overlooks. He did not allow the values and drama of this world to distract him. He searched for the widows and orphans. I eventually went around looking for the other children and a young boy, Gabriel, came up to me. He never interacted with me before. He wanted to tell me about his fear of bees. Of course, it wasn’t about bees. A new door was being opened for me. Unknowingly, Sabrina was the key. There are tons like her around. They are always unnoticed. However, Jesus always notices them. He does not let his mind get distracted. It is good for us to renew our minds and see things the way He sees them.