Tom came by this afternoon in seemingly high spirits. He believes he has found some decent part-time work. He came in and we chatted for about 30 minutes. It is especially interesting that now he no longer simply complains about his own life, but he asks me about mine and seems genuinely interested. I told him about my struggles with the ordination review committee and he told me that in his book, I'm already ordained. That comment really makes me happy. If only we had a couple theologically trained homeless people on the committee, we'd be golden.
Tom also told me that he has acquired a few more misdemenor tickets for loitering, jay-walking, and riding the train without a ticket. Tickets which I doubt I could get on my own. Would a cop give me a ticket for asking for money outside of a WaWa? Would they fine me for hopping a median of a highway? Would they give me a ticket for riding the train with an unpunched ticket? Or would I simply get warnings because of me being middle class?
I think on one of my days off sometime soon, I'm going to ride the train all day and see what happens. Or perhaps I will someday have the courage to beg for money to see how I'm treated. I need to first work up the guts to do it to see what happens. I don't know if I'd ever actually get sent to jail for it, but who knows... its a hard thing to overcome pride.
Showing posts with label homeless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeless. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Conclusion
So its idiot looking time. It wasn't Tom who showed up at the church the other day. It was apparently some new guy asking for money who wore almost an identical outfit.
Tom actually showed up this afternoon. I learned he likes grape soda.
I also learned that I shouldn't be so quick to think poorly of other people.
Phew. Big weight off my shoulders.
Oh, and thanks for the comment from the anon. person who commented. Its appreicated.
Tom actually showed up this afternoon. I learned he likes grape soda.
I also learned that I shouldn't be so quick to think poorly of other people.
Phew. Big weight off my shoulders.
Oh, and thanks for the comment from the anon. person who commented. Its appreicated.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Ugh
Tom just came by the office and rang the doorbell. Jeff saw him and called him over to his office. I had just left Jeff's office from our weekly meeting and he told me his patience and wallet were running low with him. Well, I waited with Mary in her office for Tom to come over when he was done talking with Jeff. Apparently it was a quick meeting because when we weren't watching, he quickly left and didn't come. We only saw him as he rounded the corner of the church building. I don't know what they talked about. But I'm guessing that he isn't going to make it to church for dinner tonight.
This sucks.
I don't really blame Jeff, although I want to. But I think its something that is part of a larger problem within Christianity. If we can't solve the problem in a few steps and the person doesn't go away, then we are ill equipped to do anything else.
I have often wondered what gospel people read. What good news do we share with other people who come to us. How often do we fail to go out to the people that don't or can't ask? If being a pastor means only helping the people who attend worship on a regular basis, I don't want to do it.
Why is it so bloody hard to get other people on board for living our lives the way Jesus wants?
This sucks.
I don't really blame Jeff, although I want to. But I think its something that is part of a larger problem within Christianity. If we can't solve the problem in a few steps and the person doesn't go away, then we are ill equipped to do anything else.
I have often wondered what gospel people read. What good news do we share with other people who come to us. How often do we fail to go out to the people that don't or can't ask? If being a pastor means only helping the people who attend worship on a regular basis, I don't want to do it.
Why is it so bloody hard to get other people on board for living our lives the way Jesus wants?
Monday, February 18, 2008
Some thoughts...
Tom just came by the office tonight. I had just had finished a bible study on Matthew 13:10-17. I'm using this book named "Solo" which is the Message in lectio divina format. I decided to randomly open to a page, and the first one I went to was Matthew 5. If you don't know, those are the beattitudes... which I tend to shrug off as Matthew spritualizing something which wasn't meant to be. I prefer Luke 6 which is named "the sermon on the plain" (feel free to check my old blogs for my sermon on that passage) and I feel deals with what Jesus said in a very simple manner.
But during the bible study, there was a question that said, "...what insights has God given you in recent weeks as you have interacted with his message. What have those truths led you to do?"
A few weeks ago, the answer was to give up my belt. Today, the answer was to give up my jacket. Tom has apparently been harassed by some gentleman who is trying to take what little money Tom has to buy drugs. Now, I don't know if its true or not, but the end of the story is that Tom had his coat taken from him. Wow, way to kick a man when he's down. I don't know if its wrong of me as a pastor to hope someone goes to hell, but I'm pretty sure that taking a coat from a homeless man in the middle of winter is sufficient for a one way pass.
As we drove back from McDonalds, I couldn't help but think of the strange job I am preparing for. One where in the span of 10 days, I can be in a conference in Chicago, then spend time with a family who just lost their husband/father and the mother doesn't know how to tell her 3 children (while Jeff was with the mother, I spent time with the kids. They made me valentines which I posted on my door), to being in a bible study where a woman prayed outloud for the first time other than saying the Lord's Prayer, to having dinner with a homeless man. You sure don't get that doing a regular 9-5 job.
But during the bible study, there was a question that said, "...what insights has God given you in recent weeks as you have interacted with his message. What have those truths led you to do?"
A few weeks ago, the answer was to give up my belt. Today, the answer was to give up my jacket. Tom has apparently been harassed by some gentleman who is trying to take what little money Tom has to buy drugs. Now, I don't know if its true or not, but the end of the story is that Tom had his coat taken from him. Wow, way to kick a man when he's down. I don't know if its wrong of me as a pastor to hope someone goes to hell, but I'm pretty sure that taking a coat from a homeless man in the middle of winter is sufficient for a one way pass.
As we drove back from McDonalds, I couldn't help but think of the strange job I am preparing for. One where in the span of 10 days, I can be in a conference in Chicago, then spend time with a family who just lost their husband/father and the mother doesn't know how to tell her 3 children (while Jeff was with the mother, I spent time with the kids. They made me valentines which I posted on my door), to being in a bible study where a woman prayed outloud for the first time other than saying the Lord's Prayer, to having dinner with a homeless man. You sure don't get that doing a regular 9-5 job.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
The Belt Off My Waist
I never answer the doorbell at the place where I'm staying. Living in the Catholic rectory has meant I don't get any visitors. But it was Ash Wednesday and I assumed that since none of the priests were in the house, I should probably answer the door and tell the person where to find them.
To my surprise, it was Tom, the homeless man who has been coming by. He was surprised to see me, as he was apparently looking for the priest. He had also come by my office that morning, looking to tell me that he didn't steal keys from the church, which apparently one of our members accused him of, but must have found them, as he didn't say anything to me. Well, he told me the story and asked if I had any work for him. It was almost 9 at night, to which the obvious answer was no. But as I stood there talking with him, I noticed something which I never had before about Tom. He was using a legnth of rope (one of those stringy but very tough pieces of rope you might find at a construction site) as a belt. While he was telling me his story about the keys, I quickly took off my belt (I'm glad he wasn't paying attention, because it might have looked a bit suspect) and gave it to him. He said he hadn't had a new belt in a long time. More years than he could remember.
I only own one belt, so I went out and bought a new one this morning. It took me an hour to get to the department store and back. And I was perfectly content to just let this story go untold. No one needs to know that I gave my belt to this guy, but yesterday, I felt that Ash Wednesday was just some silly holiday which we celebrate to show everyone else we are followers of Christ. I figured it had no biblical basis, and therefore, shouldn't be celebrated.
Then I remembered this prayer which I'm just going to assume most other Christians say every so often in corporate prayer. "We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others as we have been forgiven."
Then when I got back to the office after buying a new belt, I told the story to Mary and another person in the office. Afterwards, she warned me about not getting scammed. Ugh. What person reads the gospels and worries about getting scammed? I think when we focus on not being scammed, we take our minds off of what we have left undone.
Maybe I would have given my belt anyway. I don't know if that prayer helped me remember or not, but I wish life were as simple as praying or preaching it and just having other people do it. That way, I wouldn't be the only one who does it because I'm paid to do so.
To my surprise, it was Tom, the homeless man who has been coming by. He was surprised to see me, as he was apparently looking for the priest. He had also come by my office that morning, looking to tell me that he didn't steal keys from the church, which apparently one of our members accused him of, but must have found them, as he didn't say anything to me. Well, he told me the story and asked if I had any work for him. It was almost 9 at night, to which the obvious answer was no. But as I stood there talking with him, I noticed something which I never had before about Tom. He was using a legnth of rope (one of those stringy but very tough pieces of rope you might find at a construction site) as a belt. While he was telling me his story about the keys, I quickly took off my belt (I'm glad he wasn't paying attention, because it might have looked a bit suspect) and gave it to him. He said he hadn't had a new belt in a long time. More years than he could remember.
I only own one belt, so I went out and bought a new one this morning. It took me an hour to get to the department store and back. And I was perfectly content to just let this story go untold. No one needs to know that I gave my belt to this guy, but yesterday, I felt that Ash Wednesday was just some silly holiday which we celebrate to show everyone else we are followers of Christ. I figured it had no biblical basis, and therefore, shouldn't be celebrated.
Then I remembered this prayer which I'm just going to assume most other Christians say every so often in corporate prayer. "We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others as we have been forgiven."
Then when I got back to the office after buying a new belt, I told the story to Mary and another person in the office. Afterwards, she warned me about not getting scammed. Ugh. What person reads the gospels and worries about getting scammed? I think when we focus on not being scammed, we take our minds off of what we have left undone.
Maybe I would have given my belt anyway. I don't know if that prayer helped me remember or not, but I wish life were as simple as praying or preaching it and just having other people do it. That way, I wouldn't be the only one who does it because I'm paid to do so.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Clothed in Christ
Carlton Pearson is the name of the man I stayed up till 2am on Thursday night to watch. He is a Pentecostal preacher, a superstar in the evangelical world. The story which MSNBC portrayed starred a pastor who started his ministry by preaching hell, fire, and brimstone and he was quite good at it. Then one day he watched a T.V. news program where he saw refugee’s in Africa, mostly women and children, whose eyes seemed to have no soul. Carlton broke down in front of the television and cried. Soon after he came to the conclusion that hell was not the traditional place he had been taught, it was no lake of fire with the weeping and gnashing of teeth. He decided that hell was something we experience here on earth and that in the afterlife; everyone was with God in heaven. Before any of your thoughts jump to the idea that I will be preaching on universal salvation, please don’t worry. That is not my intention, as this doctrine can be as divisive as any other major issue the church faces today. But I want to tell you more about the reason I stayed up so late that night.
I stayed up late watching because I couldn’t fall asleep. Truthfully, I haven’t been able to sleep very well as of late and because of that, I have been spending more and more time in my office. This Thursday, I had just finished a great meeting where a committee of lay members gives me critical feedback. I was in my office for about an hour after this meeting when a man walked into the building. He walked right past my office like he didn’t know where he was going. I recognized him immediately. It was Tom. A homeless man who had come by the church a month or so ago, looking for a meal. We went out to McDonalds and shared a meal. I bought him a gift card, gave him some money for the bus and then he left. I doubted I’d ever see him again.
Reflecting on that though, I realize it wasn’t my brightest moment. Why would a homeless man not come back to a person who had given him food and money…but this isn’t a story about my mental mistake.
This time, Tom and I went back to McDonalds and I picked his brain about his life, the people who helped him, the people who didn’t, the places he lived, we talked about his faith, the jobs he had held and the time he had spent in jail. I shared my grandiose ideas about helping him and others who found themselves homeless. I told him my dream about what I thought God’s rule on earth would look like. We ended our meal by me asking him to come back to my office in a few weeks. As we drove back to the church, Tom asked me what I was going to be doing tomorrow. My hospitality was beginning to wear out and I told him how busy I was going to be. Hoping that, as it neared 10 o’clock at night, Tom would be as anxious to leave as I was. I had $10 in my hand ready to give him once we both got out of the car…but Tom didn’t get out of the car. I waited outside in the cold wearing sandals and a t-shirt, silently cursing him to get out of the car so we could both part ways.
One minute passed…
Two minutes passed…
Three minutes passed…
Finally Tom got out of my car and asked me what was taking so long. I told him I was just waiting for him. I gave him the money I had for him and was about to turn around when he started patting his coat pockets. He said that he had forgotten his hat. We checked the car and my office to no avail. He suggested it must still be at McDonalds. He said we could leave it. Gas was so expensive; he didn’t want to make me drive the two mile round trip to get it. I wasn’t about to let him go into a cold night without his hat. But I had figured Tom out. Tom wanted something else, I just hadn’t figured out what... His hat was somewhere hidden in his coat. Maybe he wanted more fries…I don’t know…but I took pity and decided to humor him. As we started to drive back, Tom commented on how quickly the car heated up.
AH HA!!! The Truth is revealed. I fell for it. The ol’ lost my hat trick so Tom could stay warm for a few more minutes. Who could blame him though? It was definitely cold outside. When we arrived back the restaurant, I decided to let Tom stay in the warm car and go inside and “look” for the hat. I had already determined to even ask the manager if it was there, just to give Tom another few moments in the warmth. I knew it was already in the car, so what difference did it make if I didn’t find it. I walked past the table where we had sat, getting ready to speak to the manager…only to find Tom’s wool hat was scrunched in-between the wall and the seat… just where he had left it.
I felt like Balaam’s faithful steed. I picked up the hat, got back in the car and started home. I dropped Tom off at the train station and just before Tom got out of the car, I apologized for not being able to help him more. He shocked me by saying it was okay and that I had already blessed him greatly. Little did he know all the thoughts that ran through my mind as we drove that night. It was that very moment when part of today’s scripture became very real to me. Jesus had just gotten out of my car. It was quite humbling.
As it approached 2AM on Friday morning, I realized why I could not fall asleep that night. I needed the lesson that hell can be found right here on earth reinforced to me in a powerful way. Tom spends a lot of his life in hell here on earth, and in the short hour or so we were together, my own mind and bias helped contribute to that hell, even if I never acted on it.
Remember how I said universal salvation is a divisive doctrine? Well, it got that bishop kicked out of the mega church he built. He was defrocked as a Pentecostal bishop and he lost thousands of many influential friends. Life as he knew it was over and he was in his own personal hell.
Fortunately for Carlton Pearson, another pastor in California heard of his downfall and invited him to come and speak to her congregation. At the end of the service, that loving pastor poured some warm water into a basin, asked the defrocked bishop to remove his socks and shoes, knelt down, and washed his feet.
The last verse of the 13th chapter of Romans says: Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The pastor who washed the feet of the former bishop was already clothed in Jesus Christ. She saw that he was in Hell and needed a bit of heaven. Tom, without knowing I was in a self imposed hell, released me by blessing me for feeding him and giving him money to ride the bus and stay warm.
What will happen to us when we decide to clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ? What will we do if we see others around us in their own version of hell? Will we remove our clothes of Jesus and give them the love of God which surrounds us?
This whole idea of treating each other, and most notably, the people who need the most compassion, as if we were already in heaven is striking. In the gospel lesson today, (Matthew 24:36-44) we realize that Jesus is talking about his return, when his reign will begin. Scholars say that the fact that Jesus doesn’t share the day or the hour of his return is a sign of grace. A sign which allows us to practice what we hope heaven to be like. As the Advent season begins today, I hope you make an effort to bring someone a piece of heaven here on earth in a very personal way. It’s the difference between feeding the homeless and staying in the kitchen while they eat and cooking for the homeless and actually sitting among them and sharing the meal. What difference will we each make because we are clothed in Jesus Christ? The possibilities are endless and limited only by those things which put in our own way.
Amen.
I stayed up late watching because I couldn’t fall asleep. Truthfully, I haven’t been able to sleep very well as of late and because of that, I have been spending more and more time in my office. This Thursday, I had just finished a great meeting where a committee of lay members gives me critical feedback. I was in my office for about an hour after this meeting when a man walked into the building. He walked right past my office like he didn’t know where he was going. I recognized him immediately. It was Tom. A homeless man who had come by the church a month or so ago, looking for a meal. We went out to McDonalds and shared a meal. I bought him a gift card, gave him some money for the bus and then he left. I doubted I’d ever see him again.
Reflecting on that though, I realize it wasn’t my brightest moment. Why would a homeless man not come back to a person who had given him food and money…but this isn’t a story about my mental mistake.
This time, Tom and I went back to McDonalds and I picked his brain about his life, the people who helped him, the people who didn’t, the places he lived, we talked about his faith, the jobs he had held and the time he had spent in jail. I shared my grandiose ideas about helping him and others who found themselves homeless. I told him my dream about what I thought God’s rule on earth would look like. We ended our meal by me asking him to come back to my office in a few weeks. As we drove back to the church, Tom asked me what I was going to be doing tomorrow. My hospitality was beginning to wear out and I told him how busy I was going to be. Hoping that, as it neared 10 o’clock at night, Tom would be as anxious to leave as I was. I had $10 in my hand ready to give him once we both got out of the car…but Tom didn’t get out of the car. I waited outside in the cold wearing sandals and a t-shirt, silently cursing him to get out of the car so we could both part ways.
One minute passed…
Two minutes passed…
Three minutes passed…
Finally Tom got out of my car and asked me what was taking so long. I told him I was just waiting for him. I gave him the money I had for him and was about to turn around when he started patting his coat pockets. He said that he had forgotten his hat. We checked the car and my office to no avail. He suggested it must still be at McDonalds. He said we could leave it. Gas was so expensive; he didn’t want to make me drive the two mile round trip to get it. I wasn’t about to let him go into a cold night without his hat. But I had figured Tom out. Tom wanted something else, I just hadn’t figured out what... His hat was somewhere hidden in his coat. Maybe he wanted more fries…I don’t know…but I took pity and decided to humor him. As we started to drive back, Tom commented on how quickly the car heated up.
AH HA!!! The Truth is revealed. I fell for it. The ol’ lost my hat trick so Tom could stay warm for a few more minutes. Who could blame him though? It was definitely cold outside. When we arrived back the restaurant, I decided to let Tom stay in the warm car and go inside and “look” for the hat. I had already determined to even ask the manager if it was there, just to give Tom another few moments in the warmth. I knew it was already in the car, so what difference did it make if I didn’t find it. I walked past the table where we had sat, getting ready to speak to the manager…only to find Tom’s wool hat was scrunched in-between the wall and the seat… just where he had left it.
I felt like Balaam’s faithful steed. I picked up the hat, got back in the car and started home. I dropped Tom off at the train station and just before Tom got out of the car, I apologized for not being able to help him more. He shocked me by saying it was okay and that I had already blessed him greatly. Little did he know all the thoughts that ran through my mind as we drove that night. It was that very moment when part of today’s scripture became very real to me. Jesus had just gotten out of my car. It was quite humbling.
As it approached 2AM on Friday morning, I realized why I could not fall asleep that night. I needed the lesson that hell can be found right here on earth reinforced to me in a powerful way. Tom spends a lot of his life in hell here on earth, and in the short hour or so we were together, my own mind and bias helped contribute to that hell, even if I never acted on it.
Remember how I said universal salvation is a divisive doctrine? Well, it got that bishop kicked out of the mega church he built. He was defrocked as a Pentecostal bishop and he lost thousands of many influential friends. Life as he knew it was over and he was in his own personal hell.
Fortunately for Carlton Pearson, another pastor in California heard of his downfall and invited him to come and speak to her congregation. At the end of the service, that loving pastor poured some warm water into a basin, asked the defrocked bishop to remove his socks and shoes, knelt down, and washed his feet.
The last verse of the 13th chapter of Romans says: Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The pastor who washed the feet of the former bishop was already clothed in Jesus Christ. She saw that he was in Hell and needed a bit of heaven. Tom, without knowing I was in a self imposed hell, released me by blessing me for feeding him and giving him money to ride the bus and stay warm.
What will happen to us when we decide to clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ? What will we do if we see others around us in their own version of hell? Will we remove our clothes of Jesus and give them the love of God which surrounds us?
This whole idea of treating each other, and most notably, the people who need the most compassion, as if we were already in heaven is striking. In the gospel lesson today, (Matthew 24:36-44) we realize that Jesus is talking about his return, when his reign will begin. Scholars say that the fact that Jesus doesn’t share the day or the hour of his return is a sign of grace. A sign which allows us to practice what we hope heaven to be like. As the Advent season begins today, I hope you make an effort to bring someone a piece of heaven here on earth in a very personal way. It’s the difference between feeding the homeless and staying in the kitchen while they eat and cooking for the homeless and actually sitting among them and sharing the meal. What difference will we each make because we are clothed in Jesus Christ? The possibilities are endless and limited only by those things which put in our own way.
Amen.
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