‘Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’ He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ John 6:56-60

It seems like we have been on this same theme for the past few weeks. Repetition in the gospel texts usually means they are really important. I have to admit that this is not the easiest theme to understand. There are no shortcuts nor simplistic formulas to comprehend its meaning. It requires much reflection and ponderation on our part. At the same time, this does not mean that it is beyond the capability of the common person to grasp it. It is meant for every single person because it deals with a subject which concerns everyone. It is about eternal life. Jesus said that if we eat His flesh and drink His blood, we will live forever. In this reflection, I will focus on these words, “to live forever”, sometimes thought of as “eternal life”.

There is a tendency to think about eternal life as life after death. It is interesting, as Christians, we hardly consider about life before birth. It wasn’t always the case. We have some early church fathers like Origen who did think about it. The word, eternal, means without time. Therefore, it stands above our time frame of the past, the present and the future. In some religions, there is a concern about the time before birth. In our apartment building, the ground floor is rented by a religious group which believes in the doctrine of reincarnation. Almost every night, we hear their drums and chants. It is not a teaching that I have ever considered in any shape or form but their presence reminds me of the question of life before birth. They believe that their past lives have an effect on this present life. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the reincarnation is not a blessing but a dreaded cycle. The adherents of these faiths do not want to live forever. They want to free from their past lives so that the cycle of reincarnation would end. In some branches of Hinduism, they believe that the ultimate goal is to be united with the eternal life-force.

During Jesus’ time many believed that when a person died, he or she passed into a shadowy existence in Hades. The word for ghost is similar to shadow in most ancient languages. It was a life that was a mere memory of something that “once was”. Naturally, death was feared because it was the end of a real and concrete existence. It was no wonder that during Jesus’ time, the philosophy of Epicurus was very popular. He was given the title of a savior because he taught convincingly that there was not such thing as life after death. Only this life mattered. People found joy in this message. They did not have live in fear of the dreaded future.

In our ministry, the subject of life after death hardly comes up except on certain occasions. The most memorable and honest conversation I had on the subject was with Bruno. It was something which cropped up in our conversations. He asked me if the Bible described what life was like after death. He shared what he had heard from people. All of it were mere speculation. It seems like people have avoided the subject of eternal life by taking refuge in speculative ideas of life after death. I told Bruno that Jesus taught about living life in the here and now. However, eternity was always the foundation of His actions. He did not tell us to wait for eternal life. He gave it to us now. No one knows what comes after death but we have a life to live now. He was satisfied with this answer. It does not mean he understood it.

Let’s address the challenge that reincarnation poses. It believes that we originate from something eternal. However, our actions from the past keep us from being fully reuniting with the eternal. It teaches that the actions of the past have an effect on our lives. In some senses, we can appreciate this without subscribing to this doctrine. We believe that our past has marked our lives in a way. Past traumas or blessings can either cripple or enrich our lives. The difference is that we do not go beyond the time of our birth and Reincarnation does. However, Jesus goes even further. He goes to the origin of everything existing in this world. He tells His disciples that He comes from the Living Father. It was not the merits of His past life that has transformed Him into the Savior but His special relationship with the Eternal Progenitor of all things. He shares His nature and lives according to it. This very union with the Father gives Him the courage and authority to live in the present. Therefore, when He offers us His body and blood, He invites to participate in His nature. It is not something we earn. It is something we receive from him. Feeding on His Body and Blood takes us beyond our past history to define our identity according to our eternal link with the Father. Our past identity can no longer restrict us because we are given new flesh and blood to live our lives in accordance with the Father of all things. The Living Bread of Jesus frees us from all the shackles of our past to be connected with the eternal Life who is the Father.

One of our greatest fears of death is linked with being forgotten. None of us want our names to be completely erased from pages of the living. In many Anglican churches, there are portraits of the priests who served in the parish. Their names and faces are registered but it does not mean that they are remembered. I think I have my picture in a church in the Northeast of Brazil. Most likely most of its members don’t even look at it. It means nothing to them because they never had a relationship with me. Those who remember me still have an affection for me and I for them. Eventually they will pass on as I will and all of us will together slip into anonymity. This is the tragic state of death. Despite all our efforts, we will eventually become forgotten. Therefore, striving to be to remembered is the wrong approach to understand eternal life. Instead, we should seek to feed on the living bread which gives the wisdom and courage to live our lives in accordance with living Father.

Living our lives in accordance with the Living Father is not something left to our interpretation. It is revealed through the Life of Jesus. It is revealed to us as we interact with the Living Bread and allow this Bread to transform the very being of who we are. John the evangelist used strong symbolic words to express this profound truth. In some churches, they have attempted to reduce this into something literal. I am afraid the literal observance of these precious words do not make them more powerful but instead it makes them lose some profundity. We cannot feed on the Body and Blood of Jesus on our terms. We cannot be connected with the eternal Life which Jesus offers through our rituals and rites. It comes to us through grace. Our rituals and rites serve to remind us that this Bread of Life is eternally present in our midst. They are not substitutes for the Bread of Life but they provide us with the opportunity to say to our Lord that we want to feed on His body and blood so that we can become like Him.

This is really the essence of eternal life for us. We become like Jesus just as He is like the Father. The Bread He offers to us is His Life. The testimony of His Life and teachings are revealed to us in the gospels. All we need to do now is to receive His body and blood and these will transform His words into eternal Life in our souls.

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.’ John 6:52-57

We need to avoid our tendency to soothe these words by spiritualizing them.
By the way, this still doesn’t even tone it down. The odd choice of words makes it almost impossible to make it sound less offensive. After all, any suggestion of cannibalism should always be offensive in any circumstance. Nevertheless, Jesus chose these words deliberately. John decided to register them in His gospel because he believed that it was important for his readers to understand. We are challenged with the task of interpreting these words in a way which is meaningful in our everyday lives. I have to interpret them to our homeless youth in a way in which they will understand. We have a great task before us. I am going to try it now. Maybe I need a little bit more of maturing but for now, I will work work with what I haver.

Let us to go back to the verses which started this whole conversation. The people came after Jesus after He had fed five thousand in the desert. Jesus told them,

“Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:26-27)

Philosophers who were critics of religious faith in the ancient world used to say that people sought the gods because they wished to fill their stomachs. It seems like Jesus is echoing their words. Stomach is here used metaphorically to signify all our base needs and desires. By no means it is a negative statement. We need things to survive whether it be food or shelter. Many times it is a struggle for us to acquire the basic things of life. Many underprivileged people in Jesus’ time and in the present too feel like they need divine intervention to just survive. In the gospel reading, the people acknowledged that Jesus had a special divine gift and they followed Him because they believed that he could help them in some way to achieve what they needed and desired. The critics of religion were not questioning this attitude but just wondered if God was really relevant after our stomachs are full.

This week we had a special encounter with a former crack addict. Once upon a time this poor soul was completely lost in a desolate place known as “crackland” in this city. Thankfully, he decided to attend a treatment center operated by the Catholic Church. We know of this center. They have very peculiar practices. The participants wake up early in the morning and say their rosary for about an hour. They also follow a rigorous communal prayer life throughout the day. The idea is to pray the addiction away. This young man went through the program successfully. He had gone through several treatment centers before but none had a lasting effect on him. This time he was able to stay off crack for years. However, he confessed that he still was an alcoholic. He showed us a bottle of hard liquor which he had with him. He was not drunk by any means when he spoke to us. He was waiting for the vet to treat his canine companion. We actually met him at a free veterinary clinic. Now we have to add accompanying our homeless youth to get medical help for their animal companions as part of our job description.

This young man is satisfied with his life. He wanted to overcome his debilitating addiction to crack and he did. This was not an easy thing. We strongly believe that he could not have done it if he did not sense the love of God in his heart. However, Jesus has more to offer than being a mere cure for addiction.

All our homeless children and youth are satisfied with their lives. Most of them would even say that they are happy. They have grown accustomed to their homelessness. In spite of their tragic situation, they have learned to find joy and peace. They are satisfied but Jesus wants to give them more. It does not mean that Jesus is going to wave His hand and change their social circumstances. Homelessness is a complex social and political problem. I am not going to deal with it here. I just want to interpret these tough sayings of Jesus for our daily lives.

We, humans, have an incredible capability. We can adapt to any given situation and find satisfaction in it. It does not mean that this is all there is in life. Jesus is offering something higher and aligned with our true vocation as human beings. He is giving us His flesh and His blood. His flesh or body is how He lived His life in this world. His blood is Life connected with God the Father. Jesus is inviting us to open our hearts and souls to allow Him to live out His life through us. He doesn’t want to possess us. He wants to become united with our individuality. It is the definitely not the same as asking ourselves, “what Jesus would do” in any given circumstances in our lives. I know that one time this was a popular spiritual practice. However, it still keeps Jesus at a distance and we conjure Him up whenever we are faced with a dilemma. In this gospel passage, these words are talking about a complete integration of Jesus into our lives. In other words, we need to allow the person of Jesus to live through us in this world. We need ask ourselves this question, “Is this actually possible?” The greatest enemy of the Christian church, Nietzsche thought it was impossible. This is why he wrote his infamous words, “There is only one Christian and He died on the Cross two thousand years ago.” The philosopher wasn’t making a mockery of the Christian faith. He understood the words of Jesus in this gospel passage. The essential message of the gospel is that we become Jesus. We feed on His flesh and drink His blood so that He will become integrated into our entire being.

With God, all things are possible.

One of the young people is an addict. He uses drugs every night. We have had a very close relationship with him for ten years. Even though he is an addict, his major preference is to engage with people in the neighborhood where he sleeps in the streets. I told him once that his situation does not stop him from being a blessing to people. He can still allow Jesus to live His life through him. To my surprise, he took my words seriously. In most cases, my words usually don’t go very far. This week we spoke to a lady who lives in the building above where this young man spends most of his time. She told us how her life has become richer through her friendship with this young man. She said that she had to deal with depression and in a strange way this young man was part of her healing process. There is also an old widow who lives by herself and everyday she cooks a lunch for two and brings a hot plate to him. He is the only person she talks to during the day. There are tons of lonely and neglected people. For some of these, this young man is their only human contact. They sense his genuine interest and they feel connected to him. He is also very proud of his friendship with them. He never asks for money but always receives more than what he needs. He uses some of it for drugs. Sounds sad, but there is a great improvement. He used to be someone who used drugs all day long. Now, he only uses them at night when there is no one around. During the day, he has found something better to do. He spends time with the people whom he loves. Eventually drugs will lose their grip in his life.

Feeding on His flesh and drinking His blood is a lifelong process. However, it starts where we are now. It is not for perfect people. Those who are well do not need a physician. Those who are satisfied with their lives do not want to change anything. Jesus is irrelevant for these. However, there are those who sense a strong hunger for something more concrete and eternal in their lives. Jesus offers His Life to these so that He can live through them. Perfection is a not prerequisite, only openness and willingness. We can start where we are spiritually. We can start with reading His words and allowing them to speak to our souls. We can start by trying to imitate Him and love people like He did. It will not be easy. We need to feed on Him daily and eventually His body and blood will slowly transform our hearts and minds to become like Him.

Jesus became human so that humanity can become Him.

I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. John 6:48-51

We often read these verses without paying much attention to them. Our minds skim through these words without dwelling on them too much because they are familiar words. For those of us in the Eucharistic traditions, we hear these words weekly, “This is my body which is given unto you!” We partake in the bread of the Holy Communion. We do not think too much of the fact that we are symbolically consuming His flesh. If we did, it should disturb us. Once I was talking to a friend who is a devout Christian and very well read when it comes to the Bible. She was appalled when I told her that Jesus told his disciples to feed on His flesh. She was shocked and asked half jokingly if it was in all bibles or just the Anglican one. Well, it is the gospel. We read it today. This verse is not the end of the argument but the mere beginning. It becomes progressively controversial and difficult to digest. However, for now, it is good for us to take these tough sayings in small doses. Jesus is the Bread of Life and we need to feed on Him.

These words of Jesus separate Him from all the prophets and priests of the past. They separate Him from the all the sages and religious leaders of the world. Buddha never told his disciples to feed on his flesh. Mohammad would have never imagined saying such a thing. It would have been scandalous and most likely diminished their status as religious leaders. The people who heard Jesus utter these words were scandalized, too. According to the gospel of John, many of them deserted him at this point. It was too hard for them to accept. They wanted Jesus to be their miracle worker. They wanted Him to be their great teacher. They even considered Him to be their prophet. The verses before these narrate an attempt of the people to crown Him as their King. All these were lofty roles and titles but none of them were worthy of our Lord. He is the living Bread; something which was common in that culture. Jesus used an everyday item to highlight the mystery of His work.

A miracle worker, a great teacher, a prophet or even a wonderful King are people who play a small role in our everyday life. You just need a miracle worker when you or a loved one is ill or in some sort of calamity. A great teacher is there to guide and help us. We can listen to him or her or we can just simply ignore them altogether. A King really has very little do to with the life of the common people. Anyway, bread, in the culture of that time, was essential for survival. It is something even the poorest of the poor had and needed on a regular basis. Without bread, we become weak. Without bread for sustenance, we will slowly die.

Everyday when we walk to where the children are, we pass by many churches. I know sometimes I sound like a broken recording and I cannot help it. I draw inspiration for my reflections on our everyday experiences. The first church we walk past is our own Anglican Church. Every Sunday, we have a Eucharistic celebration where we commune the Body and Blood of Jesus in our hearts by faith. Then we pass by another church that has daily celebrations. Each day the focus is different. On Mondays, it is to free the people from the curses. On Tuesday, it is to bring prosperity and happiness to one’s life. On Wednesday, it is about financial prosperity. I am not making this up. There are many more churches in a similar fashion. All of them focus on one aspect of the ministry of Jesus and some are based on local superstition. Our church might seem closer to these words of Jesus in their celebration but it does not mean that they are any different from the other churches. Feeding on the Bread of Life is not a question of believing nor knowing the right doctrine. Jesus said these words to deliberately shake the foundations of the people’s spiritual faith. If these words do not shake our spiritual foundations, then maybe it is possible that we do not comprehend them entirely.

These words of Jesus marked a turning point in the ministry of Jesus. People followed Jesus to benefit from what He did. Some followed in a manner of a spectator. The invitation to feed on Him is in reality to become like Him. His Life provides us the means to be transformed to become like Him. He becomes the focal point of our lives. He becomes the sustenance of our life here on earth. He is our daily Bread and this Bread needs to be manifested in our lives. It is an invitation to be transformed in our daily lifestyle to become more like Him. It does not mean we become more religious. This is many times defined according to the churches we belong. It goes beyond this. It is to allow His life to transform the way we think and act in accordance with His Life.

The problem with Truth expressed through faith is that there can never be a satisfactory answer to someone who does not participate in it. I have some agnostic friends and sometimes I imagine them asking me questions whenever I write these reflections. I am sure they would want to know how one feeds on the Bread of Life. In fact, some of the people who were discussing this very matter with Jesus wondered about this. We cannot go beyond the answer that Jesus gives them,

No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. John 6:44

Of course, like most things Jesus says in the gospels, this verse raises up more questions. It is not in my capacity here to address all of them. I am sure some might think that God is playing favorites by drawing some and rejecting others. There is no mention of rejection in these words. The invitation is open to all. The world is there for all to appreciate and admire. The marks of God are present in the universe. God is present in all the beauty and even in the darkness. However, most people are too busy or not interested to perceive His presence, or rather, His bread in the world.

Once as we crossed a busy pedestrian bridge we noticed an old woman who from her simple appearance looked like someone from the poorer class in this city. She was looking intently at something on the ground. Hundreds of people just walked past her without noticing her. Usually people like her are invisible to many. Some might have thought that she was out of her mind. She did behave a little odd. She was looking intently on the floor. Mary, my wife, said she was looking at an insect. We went to her and she pointed to it and asked us what it was. She said that she observed it walking across and avoiding the people. She was amazed with this tiny creature. I picked up the insect and we looked at it up close. I told her it was a praying mantis. She smiled. We stood there admiring this tiny creature peacefully moving around my hand. Tons of people passed by it oblivious of its existence. In a strange and simple way, it was a special moment for us and the woman. I actually talked about her with our youth yesterday. Among the hundreds of people who passed the bridge she was the only one who noticed this tiny creature. It was there for everyone but only one person noticed it. She was not more special than any one of these people. However, she was attentive and ready to be amazed by the simple things in Life.

Jesus is the bread of Life. It is a simple thing. It is present in our everyday life. However, only those who are attentive and open to be amazed will discover and feed on this bread. Some will feed on this bread and their lives will be transformed. They cannot claim this transformation as part of their personal merit. This is given by the grace of God. However, God does not play favorites. He calls everyone but only a few feed on Him. Only a few want to be sustained completely by His Life. Most people just want small doses of Him. Jesus does not want to be our Christ for occasional purposes. He wants to be our everyday live giving sustenance.

When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ John 6:5-9

We were quite early. Usually our young people meet us after they have had their first meal of the day at the homeless day center run by the Franciscans. The name of this place sounds oddly very English; “Teatime at the Priest’s”. I am not sure if this is its official name or the homeless just named it after its nature. They used to serve tea and snacks in the afternoon. Back then, there was more food available for the homeless in the earlier part of the day. Lots of things have changed since then. Restaurants no longer are permitted by law to give food to the homeless. There is nothing available for them until the Franciscans serve food about three in the afternoon. We assumed that most of our youth were there. At any rate, they were not ready to receive us yet. Whenever they come to us nowadays, they give us their full attention. Therefore, we know that the wait is worth it.

The streets were packed today. It is the school vacation. Most of the tourists are Brazilians from other states. There was hardly any empty benches. It was a miracle we found one. Just as we got comfortable, a couple of ladies approached where we were sitting. One of them was older needed the aid of a cane. Our bench had space for two more. We scooted over and they rewarded us with an appreciative smile. They got comfortable and went on with their conversations and we did the same. Just then, Rone came by holding a little box. He is amazing at finding things. Recently he found a stack of beautiful children’s books. He gave it to us to use for our church’s children’s library. On another occasion he found a beautiful porcelain teapot which has found a home on our shelf. This time it wasn’t a thing. It was a sad looking bird. He found it at the foot of a tree. It was not moving and looked hurt. He decided to rescue it before some rat or cat ate it. It looked like a young bird and we assumed that it fell off its nest. Rone tried to feed it with bread crumbs but it seemed too sick to want to eat. None of us knew what to do with it. Rone left the bird with us to eat his first meal of the day. Just then, the woman sitting next to us asked us if we wanted a cup of coffee. We did not notice that these women were having a mini picnic right next to us. They had a thermal flask full of coffee. I instinctively said “no” even though the coffee smelled good. I always refuse things when someone offers something to me. I don’t know why. Mary did the same and so did another complete stranger sitting on a bench next to us. Right then a homeless man walked by and rummaged through the trash can which was close to us looking for recyclable items. The woman offered him a cup of coffee and he accepted. Then she turned around and reiterated her offer to me again. She said that she brought extra disposable cups to share. She came prepared to share her coffee. It was her intention to share. She wasn’t just being nice. This time I accepted.

The coffee was good; slightly too sweet for my taste. I like mine black, strong and bitter. Nevertheless, I liked it for other reasons. The woman then returned to her conversation with her friend. The homeless man continued looking for recyclable items and we went back to our pathetic bird wondering if it would make it through the night. Eventually the two women got up to leave and the they wished us a good day. The older woman commented that her friend now has to drive her home all the way back to the outskirts of the city where she lived. It was apparent that the coffee woman had taken her friend out on a special outing. Rone was sitting next to us at this time and he said that they looked very familiar. He wondered if they were the same people who bought him food once. I am not sure if they were. Maybe what is really familiar about them is their spirit. It bore the essence of the Kingdom of God. We have been meeting people like that quite often nowadays.

I would like to use this simple encounter to reflect on the gospel text above. It is a popular text; the feeding of the five thousand. We have heard this story many times in church. Sometimes the most familiar stories are the hardest to interpret. We become so accustomed to them that we tend to overlook the details. However, it is the details which help us delve deeper into the meaning. This week a cup of coffee has drawn my attention to the young boy in the story. Often times he is forgotten because we tend to focus on the big things. This was the problem with Philip. He was too focused on the big things.

The gospel tells us that Jesus tested Philip. Perhaps the word is an unfortunate one. We think of a test as something burdensome and competitive. We can thank our schools for this. Jesus was teaching Philip something important. Actually, the text is teaching us something important. Philip was aware of the huge problem. He was already calculating how to resolve it. In the end, he resigned to the fact that it was something beyond their means. Most of us can appreciate Philip. The problem is that we do not need faith to come to this conclusion. We just have to be pragmatic. In this mindset, big problems need big complex solutions. A regular person like Philip or any of us for that matter cannot do anything about it. Most of the time we just are resigned to this fact and do not attempt anything at all. Maybe we might spend ample time complaining about the problem and the lack of an adequate solution. Andrew understood the situation as well. He tried to find some concrete solution. He found a young boy who was willing to share. Apparently this boy came prepared to share. He had more than enough bread for himself and was willing to offer what he had to others. Practically speaking, this boy’s offering could do nothing to solve the problem. However, it didn’t stop him from making himself available to be part of the solution. Jesus did teach us that we have to become like a child to fully comprehend the Kingdom of God.

Once we were playing games with our children in the streets when a complete stranger came to us and told us that we had good intentions but we were wasting our time. He assured us that we weren’t going to change the situation by playing games with these homeless youth. Instead we should start schools and training centers for them to become skilled. He went on to say that we needed to get aid from the government and run shelters. He kept going on and on about things we already knew. We are fully aware of the magnitude of the problem but it doesn’t change our reality. All we had was “five loaves and two fish”. Well, maybe not two fish, after all, we are vegetarians. Jesus can do something with our “five loaves”. It is small and may appear insignificant. Nevertheless, according to this story, it is enough material for a miracle.

Everyday we seat next to countless people on these benches while we wait for our children. However, these two anonymous women left their mark. They did absolutely nothing special. They just came prepared to share what they had and their love lingered on even after they left. It was a small and simple gesture but enough to remind us that the Kingdom of God starts with small and simple acts. All Jesus needs is the faith of a mustard seed to plant a tree of Love and Compassion. While thousands look for big solutions for complex problems, we should follow the footstep of this little boy who offered the little he had. We can also learn from Andrew. He was an odd duck. He paid attention to the offerings of a naive boy. Consequently, he became an instrumental figure in this remarkable miracle. It is a familiar story, this feeding of the five thousand but it still has a lot to teach us. It brings us deeper and deeper into Kingdom of God.

As for the bird, we recommended Rone to leave the bird in a safe place near an apartment complex. Hopefully, someone living there might know someone who could help it. He gently placed the bird in a box with a note and went off. He saw a creature in need. He knew nothing about caring for a bird but he knew what it is like to be alone and abandoned. He didn’t have much to offer to this bird. It doesn’t matter. God will take what we have and do miracles with it. The thing is that we need to be always prepared to offer the little that we have.

As Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34

Taina’s mother recently suffered a stroke. This has catapulted her into adulthood. Technically, Taina is an adult. She is 21 years old. She bears all the signs of an adult woman. She is already a mother of three children. However, there is one important element that changes everything. She was born into homelessness. She had never lived in a house. All her infancy was spent in the streets. Everything she knows is from homelessness. She is street smart but once she is out of the context of homelessness, she is like a child. The so-called regular world is foreign to her. Her mother became homeless as a young teenager. No one really knows why she ended up in the streets but one thing was certain, being homeless was better than her home life. Her mother had five children and all of them where homeless except for brief moments in a shelter. All the fathers are either dead or missing. Her older daughters got married and became squatters in the many abandoned buildings in the city. Taina is the only one who stayed with her mother. Throughout the years, Taina’s mother tried many things to get out of homelessness.

She did not need much. All she wanted was a small room with a bathroom so that her grandchildren can be safe at night. Finally, she found a space. It is a tiny ugly room with moldy walls. It had a bathroom which I rather let my imagine figure out than actually seeing it for myself. However, for Taina’s family, this was a step up. They rented this place for a price that was too high but this is the only option available for the poorest of the poor. We visit them often and she always likes to offer us a hot cup of coffee.

Life has not been fair for her family but they never complain. Now, they are happy that they have a place to live. They often open up their tiny room for the other homeless youth who come by to have meal and sometimes a safe place to sleep. It is amazing to see how people can be crammed into that small space. Her grandchildren commented recently that they never want to sleep in the streets again. This is a good sign that the cycle of homelessness is slowly being ruptured in this family The grandmother promised them that it wouldn’t happen and we are going to do our best to help her keep this promise.

About a month ago, Taina was experiencing severe migraines and her mother decided to take to the public clinic. Another homeless youth, Anderson accompanied them. Taina went in to register and her mother waited outside with Anderson. When she came out, she saw her mother unconscious and Anderson was holding her. He managed to catch her fall before she hit the concrete ground. She was not responding and her face was all distorted. It was obvious she had suffered a stroke. Taina called me immediately at 3 am in the morning. She was sobbing and saying that the doctors thought her mother needed immediate surgery. This is the worst news for our homeless youth. Many of their friends and family who had surgery never came out of it alive. For them, it was a death sentence. Taina thought that she was going to lose her mother forever.

We met the family at the hospital the next day. Her sisters were with her, too. Taina has never dealt with the hospital alone. It was always her mother who handled these things. She wasn’t aware of any of her rights. They were not even allowed to see their mother. We advised her to speak to the social worker for assistance. We encouraged her to be forceful so people would take her seriously and eventually the nurses allowed them to be with their mother. When her sisters left us to be alone with Taina for a moment, she burst into tears. She was so afraid that her mother was going to die. We cried with her and prayed for her. Her mother was discharged in a few days but not because she was ready to go home. The hospital needed the space. Taina had to take her mother home without any wheelchair and without receiving any advice on what do with her partially paralyzed mother. She got her home with the help of some of the homeless youth. They carried her up to their tiny room.

Her mother was completely bed ridden. Taina has to do everything by herself. She cooks and gets all the grandchildren ready for school. Then she cleans and changes her mother. Some of the homeless youth come by and help her carry the mother into the bathroom so that she can have a shower. After she is dressed, the boys carry her back to her bed. We help in whatever ways possible. Some of the neighbors help her too. They stay with her mother when she goes to get the children after school. Some of the youths beg for food and take it over to her place. They make sure that the family always has enough to eat. In one of our regular meetings with her, we asked her if she was getting tired from all these chores. Surprisingly, she said that she enjoyed taking care of her mother. She is just happy that her mother is alive.

Recently, Taina told us that she received some upsetting news. A local pastor informed her that someone had hexed her. After receiving this news, she was so bothered and frustrated. One could imagine that her mind must have been filled with anger and hatred towards this imaginary person. The homeless youth are vulnerable to anything which people of religious authority say to them. They look up to them and believe everything they say. Unfortunately, they are subjected to much abuse as a result. Superstition is very prominent among the general population here. Although Taina had her doubts, she shared this with us. This pastor saw the whole drama which Taina’s family was going through and instead of offering words of encouragement and consolation, she chose to provoke hatred and anger in Taina towards an imaginary person. The worst of it is that it makes Taina suspicious of her friends because according to this pastor, it could be any one of them. This false pastor is an agent of resentment and discord. She told Taina that the only way to be free from this curse is to attend her church.

It is quite sad to see that kind of false gospel being preached to those who are already abandoned and alone in the world. The good news is that we have a Shepherd who does not abandon us to the elements. Instead of helping Taina identify the presence of the Good Shepherd during this momentous passage through the valley of shadow of death, this false shepherd is pointing to the darkness and instilling in Taina fear and despair. We prayed with Taina and assured that our God who created the universe and gave His only Son for our salvation is much more powerful than any hex based on false gods. Taina has more evidence for the goodness of God in her life at this moment than for the presence of any curse. Obviously, if we were to just look superficially at her life, we could only see despair. Taina was born into homelessness. From the moment she came into this world, her life has been hard but she has amazing courage and determination. She is able to recognize God using people around her to help her in this time. She knows that she is not alone and abandoned. Most importantly, for her, Jesus resurrected her mother. Her mother is her Lazarus. She thought that she had lost everything but she had gained her mother back and now she has a renewed zest for life.

She was a sheep without a shepherd. Many false shepherds have tried to install lies into her life. However, the Truth prevails. The Good Shepherd prevails. God has used many people to help her understand that the world might abandon her but God will always be her Shepherd. There will always be passages through the valley of death in our lives; not just for Taina but for all of us. During this period, we should not waste our time asking the wrong questions. The false pastor was trying to make Taina focus on the wrong things. There is no logical explanation for tragic things which happen in our lives. At least, nothing that is satisfactory. However, it is important to know that no matter what happens, the Good Shepherd will always guide us through it. The valley of shadow of Death might seem intimidating to us but the Good Shepherd always guides us through to the banquet of life. Taina and her family know that this banquet is not an illusion. They are eating at its table even though many may not see it. You can not see this reality unless you have faith to perceive the Good Shepherd.

We were all once sheep without a shepherd but the Good Shepherd is eternally present in our lives now.

Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. Mark 5:30-32

There is a church around the corner from where I live, maybe about a two minutes walk. This church is named after what they believe to be the four essential elements of the gospel. One of which is miraculous healing and I can’t remember the other three. They believe that physical healing from illness is part and parcel of the gospel. They have healing services. They claim that many people have been healed in their services. Nevertheless, many more who sought healing were never healed. These churches claim that the problem is their lack of faith. It seems like the one of the essential elements of the gospel, according to this church, is only reserved for a select few with great faith.

Just across the street from this church is our church, the Anglican Church. Yes, I live about a three minutes walk from my local church. We believe that miraculous healings do happen. However, we do not believe that this is the essential aspect of the gospel. The Anglican church usually uses liturgy derived from a book called the Book of Common Prayer. Our spirituality, in many ways, is defined through this book. It is really the Bible in prayer form. However, the most important element in this liturgical book is its name; Common Prayer. Pretty much like the other church across the street, we believe that it is important for the church to be defined by the essentials of the gospel. In our Prayer Book, we attempt to define the essence of our gospel as an experience available to “people of all sorts and conditions”. We need faith to perceive it. Jesus said that faith of a size of mustard seed is enough. In other words, God is not limited by the smallness of our faith to act. The Book of Common Prayer has a simple message for us. God is present in everyone’s life and the message of the gospel is for every person.

Today we visited a mother who lost her newborn child. She is one of our homeless youth who has over the past few years managed to get out of homelessness although she still struggles. She was expecting a baby girl. This gave her a renewed joy for life. She always wanted a baby girl and planned to name her Leticia. She had everything prepared for her infant except for a baby bathtub. We promised to get it for her. On Monday we received a call saying that the tub was no longer necessary; Leticia was no more. She died at birth due to some complication in the womb. The mother buried her child yesterday. She was expecting to have a joyous time with her new born child and instead she laid her lifeless body in a tomb. In the same building where this young mother lives, there is another family from the streets. They were homeless for a long time and it has just been two years that they were able to rent a tiny room. The mother of the family suffered a stroke and is partially paralysed. Immediately after praying for the grieving mother, we went up to see Patricia. She tearfully confided in us that she has this persistent fear that she will never walk again. We tried our best to console her. I truly believe that there will be a positive outcome in her case. However, there is not going to be resurrection for Leticia in this life time. Her mother has lost her for good.

It seems like we see the stories of the gospels unfold before our very eyes in our ministry but without the positive results found in it. The grieving mother might read today’s gospel and wonder why Jesus did not heal her daughter. She is not the only one. There are thousands of mothers and fathers who wish that this miracle would be a daily occurrence but it is not. They might wonder if these stories in the gospel have anything concrete to say to them.

If we focused just on the healings, then the message of this gospel text would not be relevant to many. However, the good news is not about Jesus the miracle worker but about Jesus revealing the true nature of the Father. Throughout the Old Testament, we read stories about God and His interactions with the people. These people are often the Patriarchs, judges, prophets and kings, not the simple and common person like majority of humanity. There is one about Ruth but she was only mentioned because she was part of David’s genealogy. In the gospels, however, the main characters are people whom the world does not see. The common fisherman, the lepers, the old mother-in-law ill in bed at home, the woman who suffered an illness which isolated her from society, the child who is usually hidden from the rest of the community…. These people take the center stage in these stories. They are very much like our grieving mother and Patricia. The healings which occurred in the gospels were sacramental acts to reveal to these people that they are very much in the scope of God’s grace and love. They do not have to be leaders nor occupy prominent places in a community to be deserving of God’s grace. Most importantly, perhaps the essential lesson in these stories, God does not accuse them of the pain and suffering which they bear. It is a human tendency to blame the victims for their pain. I do not know why, but we do it. Sometimes even the person who suffers blames oneself. On contrary, Jesus never blamed anyone. He was not interested in accusing people. He wanted to restore their life. His healing served to restore Life for those who suffer. However, it is not an escape from suffering which is part and parcel of our life. We read these stories of healings in the gospels but they only tell us part of the story. The daughter of Darius eventually died. The old woman shared the same fate. Their healing did not free them from sufferings. Jesus healed many but He Himself did not escape the painful death on the Cross. In fact, some of his accusers even challenged Him to do so. Jesus’ healing is not about escaping the harsh realities of Life. It is about having Life and Life abundantly, despite all the harsh conditions which Life throws at us.

I do not know of a satisfactory answer for the grieving mothers and fathers around us. I cannot explain why some people never recover from their debilitating illness. I cannot guarantee that Patricia will ever walk again. The gospels have many healing stories. However, it is also true that almost all the apostles died terrible deaths. Stephen, the first martyr, died soon after he became a deacon. It seemed like an untimely death. We could take refuge by saying that it is God’s will or talk about the immortality of our souls. These arguments do not bring healing to the souls of the grieving person. At best, it might help us to say something to those who are grieving but it does not help to alleviate the pain. Jesus did not explain away the hard things of Life. He brought Life to situations which seemed hopeless and tragic. Jesus said that His disciples will do greater things than Him (John 14:12). It is hard to imagine. This is the problem. We have limited imagination. Sometimes, we need to surrender and allow the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom to bring healing in hard situations.

We knew of no magic words to heal the grieving mother nor to guarantee Patricia of her healing. We have the faith of a mustard seed but we are not sure that we can move mountains which are not meant to be moved. The grieving mother did not want a miracle from us. Patricia did not expect us to have a magic cure for her. We just listened to both women. We prayed with them and ensured that our prayers were accompanied by concrete actions. Our actions were merely sacramental to show that these women are not alone and abandoned but God is actively present with them. Both women just did not want to be alone and abandoned in this journey. They wanted to know if Life is possible after such tragic situations. We have our mustard seed faith to have the boldness to say to them that God is with them and He will manifest Himself in their lives. This is the gospel message which Jesus preached. This is the only thing we can guarantee through faith.

Jesus also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.’ Mark 4:26-28

Maybe a farmer in Jesus’ time did not know how but today a scientist could explain everything. Every aspect of plant growth can be explained in great detail today. However, it does not mean this parable is not relevant to the scientist. It is not about science. Scientific studies are about things which can be observed. This parable is about the force bringing a simple organism into its full potential. In other words, it asks the question what moves us to achieve our lives’ full potential. After all, this is what most of us desire. It is not a concern limited to philosophers or scientists. All of us desire to be complete in our being. We use all kinds of different phrases to express this desire. Jesus calls this force which moves us to full and abundant life the Kingdom of God.

There is a tendency in us to think about God and His everlasting presence as something distant and hidden from our reality. Many times people are told to look to the skies to find God. Of course, this is just symbolic and poetic language. Jesus uses the parables in the same manner to change our perception. He changed the language to show us that the Kingdom of God is not up there but down here in the simple and everyday things. The problem is when we are too busy pursuing our personal fulfillment we miss out on the very thing which we are desperately seeking. It is right here in the simple and everyday things. We only have to look beyond what is presented to us. In a way, the scientists can teach us something here. In our culture, we like to put scientists on a pedestal and treat them as little gods or some sort of superhuman. Most honest scientists would reject such a notion, at least, Einstein, one of the greatest of our era, did. He often claimed that he was not a brilliant man but just an observant one. It was not humility on his part but sincere honesty. He said that he was just a curious person who wanted to go beyond what the eyes could see. However, Jesus is calling us to go even deeper. To see and discover the force which moves all things in this world. The power which gives each and every being its essence and identity.

These parables are by no means a glorification of the rural life over an urban one. Most of us live in an urban situation and these parables are still relevant. They draw our attention to the reality of God’s presence in our daily lives. I remember reading these parables to one of our homeless youth. He has been homeless since he was eight and never in his life cultivated a seed or a plant. He has very rudimentary knowledge of biology. The reading of these parables became a science lesson for him. I realized that these parables are better interpreted through practical living rather than words. Jesus used parables to show how to discover the Kingdom of God in the true and practical sense. However, it is not pragmatic nor can be explained away. In other words, it cannot be reduced to a formula or a pattern. It is present in an inexplicable and transformative manner.

Most recently, a strange and wonderful phenomenon is happening in the streets. Everyday, except on the weekends, we meet our homeless youth in the same area. We have developed a predictable routine. They would come about the same time and sit with us and just talk. We have become their old friends. They would share their thoughts and sometimes talk about life. The conversations go in many different directions. Then we end our time together with a game. We do everything in a quiet corner in the streets but it is still in quite a public area. People have taken notice of us. Many people sit and watch our interactions during their work breaks. Sometimes they are tourists who are resting after shopping frantically. We also have our regulars. There are a group of old Chinese immigrants who don’t speak a word of Portuguese who sit and watch us. The youth even joke about it and say that they are our spectators. Some days when these men are not around, Bruno would say that we are missing something essential. Sometimes people would tell us where the children and youth are when we arrive. Most of them just watch us in silence. However, this is not the most amazing thing.

We have had in more than one occasion, complete strangers, usually young people, who asked us if they could join us in our games. The first time it happened we were taken aback. It was a young man who had just came from a successful job interview and wanted to join us. Perhaps he was feeling joyous and wanted to share the moment with someone. He was a pastry chef. He played several games with us before leaving. The youth were surprised and at the same time they were very open towards him. Then a week later, another young man asked if he could join us. He told us that he lived nearby and everyday after work he walked past us and observed us playing a game. Coincidentally, he was a baker. His name is William and the youth again received him without any problems. At the same time, we were all trying to process this. Perhaps, it sounds like nothing special to many. However, for our young people who have spent their lives being ignored and avoided, this is something new. People are looking at them and desiring to be part of them in a positive manner. They feel that these young homeless people share something special that they desire to have in their lives.

In this past week, Mary and I went to the immigration office to get our documents renewed. We met a professional Chinese lady there for the same purpose. The wait was excruciatingly long and she approached us just to talk and pass the time. Her English was impeccable even though she had never lived in a English speaking country. She was working in a successful firm and well adjusted to life in this urban city. She asked us what we did for a living, you know, the usual small talk questions. We told her and it immediately changed the course of the conversation. She wanted to know if she could be in any way be part of our work. I assumed that she is not religious because she did not ask anything about our church even after we told her that we were missionaries. In a way, this is a good thing. She heard what we did and she wanted to be part of it despite not being in the same so-called group as us. She did not feel that it was beyond her reach or she was excluded from it. The Kingdom of God is not something exclusive to one group. It beckons everyone who want to be connected to the One who is able to awaken in their souls a desire to reach their full potential as a person. This young woman was successful in regular society. However, she knew something was missing. She is looking for something deeper. Hopefully, she will join us one day for a game of Uno.

Many people walk past us everyday. Many don’t pay attention to what we are doing. Many don’t even realize that there are homeless youth among us. They see us but they do not see us. We continue to be invisible. However, there are those who are seeking something more. They want to discover something beyond their day-to-day reality. In a strange and wonderful way, our little group playing a game of Uno in the streets has revealed something to them. They know that it is not just a game. There is a strong bond between us and they want to be part of us. This bond is none other the Kingdom of God.

Jesus said when two or three gathered in His Name, He is among them. We have gathered together for some time now. The small seed which has been planted is now growing. People have taken notice and they are coming to take shelter in its shady branches.

One sabbath Jesus was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ Mark 2:23-24

We live in close proximity to small Jewish enclave. It is easy to forget this even though the community’s school is only about a block away from our place. However, the Jewish community has learned to live discreetly for justifiable reasons. We know their history. Not even in this country they are spared from hatred. They have to learn to walk quietly and silently in our midst, except on Saturdays. On this special day, they make themselves known to the world. We see them gallantly dressed in their traditional garments walking to the synagogues in small groups with little delightful children running around cheerfully. The men wear extraordinary furry hats which I am sure have a special name. They look a little out of place in this seemingly tropical climate but still they do not fail to bestow a sense of dignity to these men. Their strict observance of the Sabbath requires them to refrain from driving nor staying in their homes. They are forced to engage with the world. They put aside all their fears and apprehensions and display proudly to the world that they are here present in this world because of their special vocation. They are elected to be part of something glorious. Most of us gaze at them with fascination and perhaps with a little envy. They belong to a special community which has withstood a long history of hardship and marginalization. On Sabbath, they proudly display their unique identity. The Sabbath is their weekly celebration of their special vocation.

It is safe to say that most of us born outside the Jewish faith can not truly appreciate the importance of Sabbath. Perhaps, we should refrain from judging the Pharisees rashly when it comes to this issue. They were defending something which was essential to their Jewish identity. We can appreciate this. People fight wars and willingly die to defend their national or tribal identity. We vote for leaders if they promise to keep us from losing track of who we are. Many terrible leaders were elected due to this. The Pharisees, in many ways, were just like us. They were zealous about protecting what they thought was essential to their identity.

The observance of Sabbath is about their identity as God’s chosen people. They were determined to protect this zealously. Nothing which would jeopardize the observance of this day was permitted. In the gospel reading, they were upset when the disciples plucked the grains of wheat for food on this holy day. It may appear to us as if they were extremely nit picky. In reality, they were being very moderate. The Old Testament, the Book of Numbers more precisely, tells us a tragic tale where a man gathered some sticks on the Sabbath and he was put to death for it (Numbers 15:32-36). The Bible tells us that God commanded the people to stone the man. The people were a little hesitant but they had to obey the order from God. It seems like God is on the same page as the Pharisees and Jesus is really the trouble maker.

I think I just walked into a very tricky maze and now I have to find a way out. However, it is necessary for us to face this apparent contradiction in the Bible. It appears like Jesus is setting Himself against the Old Testament. At the same time, He claimed that He did not come to do away with the Law but to fulfill it. Our Lord is quite complicated. He does not make it easy for the Pharisees, nor for us. The Bible is not for amateurs. We need to have courage to face these hard questions. We have to be courageous to listen to the voice of Jesus and look back into the past with a critical attitude. Jesus is not doing away with the past. He is redefining it. The Law was interpreted with an imperfect understanding of God and now Jesus is presenting us with a bold argument. He is claiming to give us a true understanding of God. We can see why this would greatly annoy the religious authorities of His time.

The people of Israel looked at the Law as a tool for separating themselves from the rest of the world. They refused to engage in the world around them. They shun away from those who did not share their identity. Those who did not conform to the requirements of their vocation were considered impure at best or dead at worse. This is not the message of the gospel. There are many who preach this message but it is not one in accordance with the ministry and life of our Lord.

Our Lord did not preach a message to make us cower and hide from the world. He gave us a vocation to separate ourselves from the world so that we can engage with the world in a way to bring forth healing;

 “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14

Eternal life is not life after death but living our lives fully and completely in the present reality. It is seeing the reality and beauty of God’s love in every given situation. It is the hope of humanity to see something creative and life-giving springing forth from this chaotic world.

The Pharisees were so obsessed with their identity as an elected people that they forget the true purpose of their vocation. It was not to exalt themselves but it was for them to become a life giving force in this world. We cannot be a life giving force if we are not present in the world. We cannot be a spring of eternal water if we hide and cower from the world. However, we still need to be separated or set aside. We are not to be in the world using its tools to proclaim the reality of eternal life. We are to be separated from the world to be like our Lord. He is the Lord of our Sabbath. He is our identity but not our role model. We usually pick and choose what we want from our role models but we live our lives in Jesus. We contemplate His actions and interpret them to live them out in our given situation. We seek to understand how to bring His healing Love to those around us. In other words, we make Jesus our Sabbath. It is not about a day but living our lives according to a Person. It is about taking time to remind ourselves that we have a vocation in this world. This vocation is to allow Jesus to open our eyes and ears to perceive the world as He perceives. It requires much of our time, more than just a day. It is a lifestyle.

Jesus lived in this world to serve and heal. He served and healed without reservation. He brought hope and joy to the people. The Sabbath of the Pharisees was oppressive and death producing. Well, what about the complicated story in the Old Testament? The Bible is a story of humanity’s growing understanding of God. It shows how imperfect nature could never fully grasp the goodness and love of God. Many people want God to be a tyrant and tell them what to do. A tyrannical God always commits atrocious acts. Many Christians past and present prefer this kind of God. However, the Lord of the Sabbath calls us to separate ourselves and contemplate on God who is life giving. God who wants to use Sabbath to renew our strength and gives us the courage to face the chaos and trouble in the world and be transformed into springs of eternal water. Sabbath is about living Life and living it to the fullness. Only the Lord of the Sabbath can help us achieve this. He is the fountain of our Life. Let us drink from it daily.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-14

It is Pentecost Sunday! The Day of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes in the New Testament, the apostles refer to this same Spirit as the Spirit of Jesus. According to the gospel of John, Jesus said that The Holy Spirit would come to reveal the nature and ministry of Jesus to the world.

We are accustomed to this idea and accept it without any question. Most of us have heard these teachings since we were young. Maybe we do not realize how all this is very confusing. All it takes is a clever atheist to point this out to us.

Jesus was in the flesh and blood here on earth. Then He died on the Cross. His disciples believed everything had ended with his death. We know the story. Then He rose from the dead. Death was no longer an obstacle. He overcame the greatest enemy of all living things. At this point, the disciples must have been relieved. Their Lord was back with them again. Unfortunately, He left them once more in a very dramatic fashion and this time for good. We have a feast day for this in our liturgical calendar. Sometimes this day passes by so quickly and quietly that we do not have time to think about it. It is the Feast of the Ascension. We say it in our Creed. He ascended into the heavens and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus claimed that it was necessary for him to leave, so that the Holy Spirit could come and teach about Him. However, He was there in person. He could have stayed and cleared up many things. Maybe He could have remained and helped organize the church. Then the church would not have spilt over organizational issues. It could have saved years of fighting against heresy. Not to mention, the witch hunts etc. However, this was not the plan of the gospel. Apparently it was necessary for Jesus to ascend into the heavens because Jesus is the savior of the world. He does not belong to the church. He belongs to the world.

Some of you might already know this; Muslims also believe that Jesus ascended into the heavens. They also believe that He will return. However, they have a logical explanation for why Jesus ascended. In Islamic teachings, Jesus was not crucified. Some other person suffered that fate by mistake or rather, God created a confusion among His persecutors and the wrong person was apprehended. Then Jesus ascended into heavens to escape these wicked people. Obviously, this is not the Christian doctrine. Jesus, according to the gospels, never runs away from the world. He confronted and challenged the world. He never allowed the world to dictate His actions. He never allowed the circumstances and situations to influence His decisions. He stood above this world.

When the gospel tells us Jesus ascended to the heavens, there is an important message communicated here. Some preachers like to jump right to the Second Coming whenever the ascension is mentioned. However, we have a liturgical season dedicated to this subject. It is the season of Advent. The Feast of Ascension tells a different story. Jesus ascended to the heavens to liberate us. He wanted to liberate the early disciples from their limited views of the Saviour. The first Christians were Jewish. They had a Jewish idea of the Messiah. They believed that Jesus came strictly for the Jewish nation and therefore, it was important that He was physically present on the land of the Jewish nation. In their thinking, only their nation was relevant and the ministry of the Messiah was limited to their nation.

They could not fathom the relevance of the life and ministry of Jesus beyond their tiny community. When Jesus ascended to the heavens, He revealed that He was not restricted to one nation. He belonged to all people who sought something eternal in the midst of all things temporal. In each country, people believed that they would find this something. The Jewish people sought for the Messiah. In India, this messianic figure can be identified with Krishna in some circles. Then, there is Buddha. I am sure that there are many more who seek for something or someone whose message is eternal and life giving. Many of them look towards the heavens for the answer. For the ancients, the heavens are where eternal answers are found. There are vestiges of this conviction still present in modern people. In almost very big city, you will find people trying construct the tallest building in the world. They do it to draw attention to themselves. They are convinced that their attempt to reach the skies will prove their relevance to the rest of the world. Jesus did not construct a tower to reach the heavens. He was taken up. He belongs to the heavens. He stays there as a symbol and standard for all peoples. No doubt, many do not want Him to be there. They would rather have their symbols of power to dominate the skies.

Recently, someone asked me if our church believes in the rapture. The modern Anglican church is so diverse and complex that it is impossible to speak for it as a whole. Historically speaking, the church did not believe in it. Not just our church but almost all the historic churches. We preach a gospel of life. The doctrine of rapture is about escaping trial and tribulations in some cases or even leaving this world. However, trials and tribulations are part of life. Jesus faced trials and tribulations and brought forth something new and everlasting from them. The followers of Jesus should not seek to escape troubles nor sufferings. We look to the sky and see a Lord who faced all the chaos and troubles the world threw at Him. He endured hatred and bitterness and He responded with Love. He ascended to the heavens without any resentment towards those who murdered Him. He was free from all the things which restrict our lives here on earth. He revealed that His Life is the Way for all peoples because all peoples, regardless of their culture, religion and nation, want to be liberated from their restricted world dominated by hatred and resentment.

The salvation of Jesus liberates our hearts and minds. It frees us from the restrictive mindset of this world. It liberates us from looking through the eyes of nihilism and hopelessness. Jesus creates life and a new order in the midst of chaos. He went to the skies to let us know that He is giving us this power and authority to follow in His footsteps. Most importantly, He is lifted up unto the heavens to be the standard for all people. He is the standard for us to live a life in harmony with God. He is the way we can discover true and abundant life. He is the Truth which will overcome ignorance and hatred where it is spreading like a deadly disease in this world. He is a high standard. There is a temptation for us to look to others who have lower standards and claim access to the heavens. Usually the signs of these false messiahs are clear. Their attempts always result in confusion and lies.

Jesus is there high up in the heavens. He is not there to help us escape reality. He is there to remind us that it is possible to conquer the chaos surrounding us. However, we need to help. This is why we have this special day. The Day of the Holy Spirit. It is a Spirit who liberates us from ourselves. It liberates us from our restrictive mindset. The Holy Spirit came to enrich our lives and open doors for us to listen and understand others who seek something more concrete and real in this disordered world. It is a Spirit giving us the courage to say Yes to life and No to nihilism and death. Most importantly, it is the Spirit who gives us the power to recognize the Presence of Jesus transforming us to become more like Him. This is what is means to be spirit filled. We become more like Jesus and confront this world without fear nor resentment. We engage in this world without being drawn into its web of hatred and discord. The Holy Spirit is here to transform us. However, not everyone waits on this Spirit. Many would rather keep Jesus in the closet somewhere and take Him out whenever they need Him and then hide Him away. This Jesus does not exist. Only those who have the courage to look up to see Jesus ascended into the heavens will welcome the Holy Spirit to transform them to become like Him. Therefore, let us look up to the One and Only Saviour exalted in the heavens to learn how to live our lives fully engaged in this world. Let us receive His Holy Spirit giving us the power and wisdom to do this in His Holy Name.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:12-17

Perhaps most of us should find these verses disturbing. Surely they are difficult words for us to accept. Maybe we are so mesmerized by their beauty and familiarity that we overlook their controversial nature. Sometimes I have heard preachers talk about God’s friendship with us and they forget to mention that friendship is a two way street. It is great to have a friend like Jesus. However, Jesus tells us that we are to become a friend like Him. He laid down His life for his friends and we should do the same.

Surely this is too much for most of us. We can understand dying for our family members. Many times I have heard people say that they will defend their families to death. They believe that this makes them sound noble. However, Jesus, on the other hand, said some controversial things in regards to our families.

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14: 26

He speaks about our blood relations in the negative but He extols friendship. He teaches us that the truest expression of love is when we lay down our lives for our friends. However, why just friends? Why not for a noble cause? In Jesus’ time, there were zealots who willingly sacrificed their lives for their nation. They would have loved it if Jesus had said that greatest love is to lay one’s life for a grand cause or something to that effect. He didn’t. He said friends.

We use many different words to describe the nature of our relationship with each other. We have work colleagues, club members, church friends and the list goes on. Many times these words limit the nature of our relationships. We say that these people are our friends only in a given context. Beyond this context, the friendship tends to lose its intensity. For most people, if they are willing to admit it, friendship is not a necessity. It is almost like a cordial way of dealing with people whom we need to be with for a determined period. This is true for most people who are well adjusted in this world. They conform to all the given roles in society. Every one has their allocated space and time. Therefore, the words of Jesus in this and almost every societal context go against the cultural norms. They set themself against the values of this world. They invite us to look at the person to whom we have no social obligation and open ourselves to them. Jesus makes it even more complicated. He implies that our understanding of salvation is dependent on it.

For those who find themselves lost in this world, friendships are the only anchor to ensure them a place in reality. In other words, the words of Jesus are gospel only to those who are disillusioned with the values of this world.

Our homeless youth would not find the words of Jesus so controversial. However, this does not mean that they would willingly die for each other. This would be sheer nonsense for them. They wouldn’t have any qualms saying this directly to each other. However, their bond of friendship is deeper than most people in society. They need each other for survival. At night, our youth sleep in groups and they need the tactile presence of each other to make them feel safe and secure. For them, their homes and families are the source of traumas and their friends are part of the healing process. I think this is perhaps true for many people reading this too. However, our homeless children and youth are allowed to admit this. Many who live so-called regular lives are restricted from admitting this due to social pressures. However, Jesus is only interested in the Truth which liberates our souls from falsehood.

Our children might understand the importance and relevance of friendship but this does not mean that they would find the words of Jesus easy. They still pose a challenge. They require us to lay down our lives for our friends, something which our homeless youth would consider ridiculous no matter how much they love their friends. I am sure that this reflects the honest sentiments of many. Before we ignore these words because of their difficulty, we should consider trying to break this down to something small and simple which is doable on a daily basis. Instead, of laying down our lives, we should consider the words, “dying to oneself”.

In today’s world, we are bombarded with technology and items which cater to our desires. There are countless opportunities to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. Today people don’t even need to leave their living room to find a romantic partner. I think the point is clear and I don’t have to labour on it. In this context, “dying to ourselves” means simply making the time to be with someone else. It is coming out of our isolated shells and making time for others. People have isolated themselves so much that they became ill both physically and emotionally. They need friends to heal their souls. They need people who are willing to die to themselves and make time to reach out to them.

We meet the youth every day at the same spot and this time, maybe because of the years we spent with them, they come looking for us. Almost everyday at the same time, they drop everything they are doing and join us at our spot. Usually we sit on the ground and talk with them and eventually we end up with a game of Uno. Recently, we noticed a group of Chinese immigrants who work in the restaurants joining us at this time. They don’t really participate in our activities but they sit and observe our interactions. We have become their coffee break activity. The youth noticed them and they liked it. There are also some street cleaners who observe us from a distance. Sometimes they inform us where the young people are when we arrive there. At other times, random people stop and make comments and just sit and watch our interactions with each one. Just recently, we were playing a game and a young man came up to us and asked us if he could play as well. We were taken aback at first but our homeless youth made some space for him to sit. He played with us and told us that he was baker and was in-between jobs. He sat and interacted with us. The youth treated him well. He played with us until it was time for him to go to his new job. Maybe he needed to participate in something calm and soothing before embarking on this new phase in his life.

I have to say something which makes us feel delightfully happy. There is a deeper and stronger bond of friendship between us and the youth. It is so strong that others are taking notice of it. It is not a one way friendship. The youth enrich our lives, they make time for us. We make time for them. People around us are making time to be with us in the heart of a busy city where people are constantly being isolated from each other. A group of homeless youth are drawing the attention of the people. The amazing thing is that they don’t see them as a group of homeless young people but friends having a good and healthy time with each other. Many don’t realize it whenever they see us together but I am sure they sense it in their souls. In the midst of our card games and conversations, Jesus is the center of all. Maybe it is this presence which gives them the courage to approach us. He is the one who unites us and overcomes all social and cultural barriers. The youth opened themselves to us and we open ourselves to them. Now, complete strangers are beginning to open themselves to us. This is the gospel. This is why Jesus said it is important to lay down our lives for our friends. In our reality, it simply means giving each other our time.