A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:8-9

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!” Matthew 27:22

We are at the final leg of the season of Lent. Everything comes together during Holy Week. Well, from another perspective, we can say everything falls apart this week culminating in the crucifixion of our Lord. Of course, we know what is coming up after this. However, we need to hold off on the ending for now and focus on the path to the Cross. It is an important path for us to walk on this week. It is a time of coming to terms with our humanity.

We begin Lent with the reminder of our mortality. We heard the words;

For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.

This verse is from Genesis 3:19. In the context of this verse, we learn that these words are not a mere reminder of our mortality but of sin. Our mortality was never part of God’s plan. Our souls bear witness to this Truth. We were not meant to die. This is why we resist the idea of death so strongly. Death is present in our lives because of sin. There is what I consider an unhealthy attitude towards our mortality. I believe that it goes against our Christian spirituality. In my experience, this attitude is more common among those of a privileged background who can afford to distance themselves from any remembrance of death. They avoid all talk and mention of our mortality. They think any mention of death is morbid and weird.

I belong to a generation and a social class where funerals were part and parcel of my childhood. I never was traumatized. I am glad that my parents did not shelter me from this aspect of life. It has helped me grow in my spirituality. Facing our mortality is important because it makes us reflect on the seriousness of sin. Death is not a punishment but it is a protection from sin. Can you imagine a world where people can live their sinful ways without any restriction? Death is ultimate restriction against sin. It stops us from further propagating sin.

The concept of sin has been abused and spoken of in a way which is hypocritical and meaningless. Nevertheless, we need to talk about it in order to liberate ourselves from it. It should not be spoken of in a way to manipulate or instill fear in people. The essential message of the gospel is liberation from sin.

Despite all its abuses, we cannot refrain from talking about sin. It is an important word. It is a word which best describes our disconnection with existence. It is the word which best describes why we find it hard to comprehend God. It is the best word to describe the dilemma we, as humans, confront in the very fundamental depth of our souls. This dilemma is well expressed in the liturgy of Palm Sunday.

There was no hypocrisy in the joyous reception of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. The people were genuinely excited to welcome a King who was so different from all the kings they had known in their lives. Jesus was a King who rode into the city on a donkey, the humble animal of the common people. The manner that Jesus entered the city revealed something important to the people. Jesus was not a common politician. Politicians, in Jesus’ time, did not need the approval of the people. They distanced themselves from the people and ruled with an iron fist. They were afraid of the people because they incurred such hatred amongst them. Jesus rode fearlessly among the people because He loved them. The people sensed His love and saw His love in actions. Jesus was not a revolutionist. Today we have a romanticized idea of revolutionaries. However, violence generates violence. Usually the people who suffered the main bulk of this violence were the common people even though revolutionists often fight to improve the conditions of these. We can see this acting out today in the world we live. Jesus was not a revolutionist, at least not in the traditional sense. There are preachers and theologians who would like to force Jesus into one of these molds. Don’t get me wrong. Jesus was political and he was a revolutionist but it was radically different in nature from the politics of this world. The Cross reveals this to us. No revolutionist nor politician willingly goes to the Cross.

The common people of first century suffered the consequences of failed revolutions and corrupt politics. They did not need one more to add to their plight. They wanted someone who would help them see something beyond what was presented before them. They wanted to reach a higher ground. They wanted a glimpse of something to help them reconnect with a reality beyond their grasp. In Jesus, they saw a King who would guide them to a place where their deepest yearnings would be satisfied. He was their Pastor. He was their Good Shepherd.

Just a caveat, they were not looking for pie in the sky. These people were pragmatic people. They did not expect an easier life. They wanted a meaningful Life. They saw this King on a donkey and they saw Life in Him. The kind of Life which gives them treasures that will never rust nor be stolen. They followed Him because their hearts were burning with Hope of knowing that God has finally remembered them.

For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:19-20

The problem with Jesus is that He did not come into our existence to change what is outside of us. He came to transform what is within us. The Pharisees wanted to change the outward nature of things even though, to be fair to them, this religious sect started out with good and holy intentions. Unfortunately, they needed someone to reveal to them that the problem is deep in our souls. The apostle, St Paul, being a former Pharisee, discovered this Truth after his personal encounter with our Lord. The problem is within. Sin is found in the depth of our soul preventing us from doing the good which we were made to do. God created us to be agents of His goodness. In our souls, we know that we will be the happiest when we do good. The presence of Jesus stirred the souls of the people to live out their true vocation as agents of God’s goodness.
Unfortunately, there is also something within us which hinders us. St Paul rightfully identifies this something as sin.

St Paul is not talking about sins in the plural which is something which many preachers and churches like to talk about. They highlight particular sins and forget about the ones which concerns them. This is how Pharisees talked about sin. However, our spirituality must exceed that of the Pharisees. We need to confront the sin in the singular which plagues all of us in the depth of our souls. The sin that hinders from doing the good that we want to do.

I recently read a sermon by Austin Farrer, the priest and confidant of C.S. Lewis, and I found his insight on the nature of sin to be worthy of Holy Week reflection.

“For my sin is not what I think about myself, it is what I do to God.”

The story of the Fall in the book of Genesis begins with an idea. It wasn’t about being disobedient but the impulse to eat the forbidden fruit was to become like god. Sin is removing God from our lives. Consequently, our reconciliation with God is giving Him back His true place in our souls. There is no middle ground. In fact, most ancient religions that withstood the test of time have come to this conclusion. God has to have the ultimate and exclusive place in our lives. However, these religions differ on how to achieve this. In our Christian faith, we see the answer in the person of Jesus. He came into Jerusalem as a King who was a servant. He was a King who lived His life in service to those who were considered weak and unworthy. He is the Lord who showed them how to live their lives in complete communion with God where the Father has a rightful place in the soul of Jesus. In ancient times, kings were not just mere authoritative figures. Kings were also the moral compass of life. Kings showed the people how to fashion their lives after themselves. The King of King showed the people then and now how to live their lives in complete reconciliation with God, giving us power to overcome the dominion of sin in our lives. Unfortunately, the people chose to allow sin to dominate them. Their enthusiasm for the King diminished and they allowed sin to dominate their actions.

Religious enthusiasm is good but it is not enough. Just because we are excited about all things religious and holy doesn’t make us followers of Christ. The joyous welcome of Jesus was genuine and so was the hateful cries to crucify Him. These were the same people of Jerusalem. They did not want to confront the sin in their souls. They did not want Jesus to be their absolute King in their souls. They would rather that the world outside them change without they themselves being transformed by the Love of God within their souls. Outward religious enthusiasm, as sincere as it might seem, still put Jesus on the Cross. We need transformation in our souls. We need to follow Jesus and take up our Cross.

You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. Matthew 5:13

There was a time when I interpreted being the salt in the world as meaning that Jesus wanted us to keep the world from decay.

You know, salt was used to preserve food in Jesus’ time and still is used as preservative in some parts of the world.

I heard preachers say that we are to keep the world from self destruction. It would be great if it was true. The world seems to be falling apart at the seams. This is not a recent occurrence. The world wasn’t any better during Jesus’ time, perhaps even worse. Moreover, it didn’t get better during our Lord’s lifetime either. In fact, there is no indication in His teachings that we should be encumbered with the task of making this world better. The world has and will always be bent on self-destruction.

I am not saying that we should throw in the towel and completely give up on this world. I am saying that maybe we should not take upon ourselves something that is too difficult for us to bear. Jesus did say:

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

Having the task to keep the world from decay seems to be a heavy yoke. Jesus would never place this responsibility upon us. Perhaps, we need to think about what it means to be the salt the world in another manner.

I grew up Roman Catholic and I joined the Anglican Church when I was 15. One of the things which drew me to the Anglican Church was the local priest at that time. He was a saintly man and extremely interesting. Nevertheless, I could never stay awake during his sermons. I was a teenager then, perhaps my immaturity had a part in my lack of attention. I don’t remember any of his sermons except for one. He preached about the events which led to his own spiritual renewal. He had many health problems. One day, his doctor told him that he either give up salt altogether or he was going to die. He said that this brought to his knees for the first time in his life. He asked God to take him. He would rather die than eat tasteless food for the rest of his life. I remember these words as if they were spoken yesterday. He wasn’t a shallow person. He just didn’t think Life was worth living if he had to forego salt. I know it sounds frivolous. Let’s go a little deeper with this.

A little salt does wonders to food. Even the most tasteless food can be brought to life with a little salt. Food plays an important role in our spirituality. In fact, all the major events in the New Testament and the Old Testament occurred around the table. Some of them were mandated with a threat of punishment. God was serious about feasting.

The philosopher in the Book of Ecclesiastes states,

So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun. Ecclesiastes 8:15

Perhaps I am stepping into dangerous ground here.

Strangely, I know that this verse makes some religious people a little uncomfortable. It seems like enjoyment of life is a controversial topic. Somehow and somewhere in our spirituality, enjoying life is considered taboo. We forget that Jesus came to give us abundant Life. Enjoyment of Life is an essential part of having abundant Life. This joy of living is not reserved for the afterlife. It is for the here and now. The philosopher of the Book of Ecclesiastes is not saying anything which it is not written into the spirituality of the people. The Jewish faith is one of festivity. The Old Testament makes it a Law for people to enjoy themselves if not, they would be punished.

I have to admit that it is strange but it is there.

The Law of Sabbath, for example, is simply a day for us to sit back and enjoy Life and all its beauty like God did after He created this world.

Being the salt of the world is bringing joy into a tasteless existence of pain and suffering. This does not mean we, as followers of Jesus, are obligated to become the Life of the Party. This would be a shallow interpretation of this text.

When Jesus commanded us to become the salt of the world, He is asking us to bring joy into this world. His ministry was one of joy despite the suffering and injustice surrounding Him. He brought healing to those who suffered. He brought sight to the blind. Most importantly, He brought hope to those whom society considered as hopeless. Joy cannot be found without hope and hope cannot be perceived without faith.

Joy is found among those who can through their faith see hope even in the most seemingly hopeless situations. The joy of these people renews their zest for life.

When we first started this ministry in the mid-nineties, we were many things except the salt of the world. We tried to be social reformers. We tried to be personal counsellors. We tried to rescue the young people from homelessness. None of these efforts were very successful. Maybe one or two managed to leave homelessness. However, we are talking about hundreds of homeless young people. Now we realize that we were carrying a burden which Jesus never asked us to carry. When we try to do things beyond our capacity, joy slips through the cracks. Service unto our Lord becomes burdensome and consequently we are unable to transmit hope to those whom we serve.

A wise clergy once advised me upon my ordination to just love the people under my charge. The Holy Spirit used these simple words to communicate to my soul the meaning of being salt of the world. God sent us out into the world to just love the people whom He puts in our lives. Not just our family members, not just our friends, everyone who comes into our lives; our co-workers, the person whom we meet at the grocery store, at the library, the person living next door. We don’t have to impose ourselves on people. There is nothing joyful about being an irritant.

Jesus wants us to be the salt of the world. We are to be always open and available to be God’s channel of Love to those around us. In our case, it is the homeless young people.

This is what Jesus did in his earthly life. He loved the people around Him. He did not try to change society nor reform the corrupt religious system. He loved the people unconditionally. His Love stirred in their souls faith and hope and these gave them the courage to challenge the situations and circumstances oppressing them. However, none of this would be possible without Love.

St Paul writes,

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. I Corinthians 13:13

This is found in the famous Love chapter which has been mistakenly restricted to marriage ceremony. It is the definition of what Jesus means by the word, charity. He has also showed how to live out this charity in practice. It was His last act before His suffering. It is only recorded in one gospel; the gospel of John, the apostle who is also affectionately known as the apostle of Love. Jesus took the role of a servant and washed the feet of his disciples.

In Jesus’ time, most servants, if not all, were slaves. We try to avoid this term in our readings for obvious reasons. However, it is worth nothing that an enslaved person did not have a choice whom one served. In the same way, Jesus did not just wash the feet of those who were nice to Him. He also washed Judas’ feet. In our our judgment, we might think that Judas did not deserve His feet to be washed. However, our Lord washed his feet because He loved Judas. He hoped that His action would reveal to these disciples how much He loved them. These simple men who came from humble backgrounds and were even despised by their society had their feet washed by the King of Kings. This simple act would have stirred their faith and given them hope. It added joy to their life. Their life was given a generous pinch of salt.

Our homeless youth have really dirty feet. There is no way I am going to wash them, let alone touch them. Even we did, they would be weirded out by the experience. However, they want to be loved and this love has to be expressed in a practical manner. The most important way we share this with them is spending our time with them. We have spent 12 years with them. During this time, we play games with them. We talk with them. We listen to them. We help them get their documents. We visit them in the hospital. We allow them to cry in our presence. In some cases, we have buried their friends. Now, they ask to pray with them and help them find some meaning in their lives. Most importantly, we allow them to become special and important to us. We allow them into our lives. Recently, when we were planning to go the cemetery to visit the grave of one of our street friends, a complete stranger walked by and was curious to see this strange group gathered together and making plans. He asked one of the young people who we were. The young man said these people are our parents in the streets. They take care of us.

Simple words. They were salt to my soul as much as we are the salt they needing their lives. They need a good pinch of parental salt in their lives. Divine charity made this possible.

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

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

If you have to wonder, why not?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He invites us to join Him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maybe admire is not quite the right word.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St Paul tells us,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One of the most successful homeless youth is Bruno.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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