Readings: Luke 19:28-40; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14 – 23:56
In America, we have a large population of people who are experiencing homelessness. It is easy for me, or anyone, to see a person living “rough”, as it is called, and make a judgment about what we believe landed them there. We see them everywhere and after a while, we don’t notice them anymore.
We avert our eyes as almost a reflex action so as to avoid eye contact with the man or woman holding a sign at the road’s edge or pushing an overloaded shopping cart across the intersection in front of us at the red light. They’re everywhere, really. On street corners, at the end of freeway exit ramps, camping in parks, and lined up in front of soup kitchens.
This issue can touch our hearts, but without any understanding of why they are without a place to live or of a practical way to help them find a place to call home, we harden our hearts. We often resort to either averting our eyes or handing the anonymous person a couple of dollars. Both of these responses do little to address the root cause of their plight and by handing them money we may be helping them to support a dangerous addiction. I didn’t give homelessness much thought until I retired from my career in engineering and found myself a little bored with the pursuits we often dream about when we are still working a full-time job. I don’t golf or fish. My spouse wasn’t bored in her retirement; she is caring for our youngest granddaughter. She was plenty busy and having a lot of fun watching Christine and teaching her the basics of living. I guess I could have jumped in to help Rachael, but childcare, though very important, was not my vision of retirement.
Then I remembered a homily I heard one Holy Thursday evening at St. Bridget’s Parish in Mesa, AZ. Fr. Scott Brubaker, our Pastor, had invited a good friend of his, Pastor Scott Riche, of the Central Methodist Church in Phoenix, to give the sermon that evening. Reverend Riche spoke about a day resource center for elderly people who are experiencing homelessness. He had founded the Justa Center with some dedicated lay people to provide a safe haven from the streets for people in their 60;s and ’70s. The Justa Center staff also help the “members; of the Justa Center find permanent housing and, if they are able-bodied, a job so they could help support themselves, but most importantly a place to call home.
Recalling this sermon, I decided to check out the Justa Center to see if I could help in their mission. They did not have a hard time finding me something important and rewarding to do so that I could spend as much time as I wanted there. I now go to the center on Jefferson Street (at 10th Avenue & Jefferson in Phoenix) two days a week. This was just the opportunity I needed in my life to help me fulfill my calling as a Christian.
The following vignettes are a few examples of the kinds of things I get to do during my time at the Justa Center. Be aware that there are no typical examples of what I do any more then there are typical people. Each person is unique and every day I go it’s different. There are more than enough opportunities that will engage me, (or anyone who is interested) at any level of involvement that one would wish. I can work to meet the basic needs of a member by providing a food box, or spend an hour visiting a lonely person that just needs someone to listen to their story. To do these kinds of things is to exercise Jesus’ call to build the kingdom of God. In the simplest and challenging words it is by being present to those who Jesus never failed being present by acts of compassion, justice, and love. He demonstrated this when at the Last Supper…
“He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist… Then he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” (John 13: 4-5,13-15)
About a quarter of our members are veterans of the Vietnam War. Many of our veterans experience a reoccurrence of the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) in later life. Aaron is one member I have come to know, served two tours in Vietnam and earned a bronze star for heroism. As a child, he grew up in a dysfunctional family. Aaron joined the Army to escape an abusive father and by the end of his time in the service became severely traumatized by exposure to combat in the jungles of Southeast Asia.
After the Army, he spent most of his life working as a long haul trucker. He struggled with his moral injuries and had difficulty maintaining consistent work. His demons haunted him and his episodes of angry outbursts scared those who worked with him. He moved from place to place working for various employers, but never earned a retirement. The VA was never really able to help him with his PTS. During one episode with PTS, he was arrested and convicted for assault and battery and served a prison term. At this point he lost his family and his home. After release from prison and with a felony record and a checkered work history it was virtually impossible to obtain a good job and without a job, he became chronically homeless.
About a third of our members are widows or widowers who lost the spouse that kept the checkbook. In deep grief over the loss of their loved one and without the ability to manage their finances the survivor often becomes homeless. Elderly persons are an easy mark on the streets and are repeatedly robbed, beaten up, and even raped. Judy, another person I have come to know at the Justa Center, was married for many years to the love of her life. When her husband died and without good education, she could not find a job to pay her rent. The jobs they had up to this point were mostly minimum wage and without any real benefits or retirement. They often worked together; her husband would drive for pizza to take out & delivery or deliver for a furniture store. Judy would also get a job with the same employer cooking pizzas and in some cases and installing drawer pulls and other hardware on the furniture that was to be delivered. When her husband suddenly died she lost her job and she spent her last money on the cremation of his body. Their only child, a son, was in prison in Mansfield, Ohio. Without a family member to help and no income for rent, she was evicted within three months. Sometimes we don’t realize that we are only a few paychecks from living on the street.
The third group consists of persons who have served an extended jail sentenance and having paid their debt to society find that on release it is very difficult to get adequate employment and decent housing. A felony record and the stigma that goes with prison time means that most employers will not consider hiring them, especially if they are past their prime.
Few landlords are willing to house them either. Though they have served their terms in prison they find that there is still a heavy penalty to pay for their crimes long after their release. Danny is one man I know who works at the Justa Center as a janitor. Danny served 25 years for sale in possession of marijuana. I wonder what must be going through his mind these days as he notices all the billboards offering marijuana for sale by legitimate businesses.
The Justa Center members I visit for a wellness check, and a food box all have a story to share. Their stories are very different from mine. I grew up in a stable household, in good neighborhoods, and went to good schools. What if I came from a broken or dysfunctional home, what if I lived in South Phoenix where the gangs were in control. I would have lived out the events in my life very differently. I realize now that… there but for the grace of God go I.
This week we experience again the powerful story of the end of Jesus’ life. The passion and death that he suffered at the hands of his own religious authorities came as a result of his critique of Jewish leaders who had collaborated with their Roman occupiers.
My take-away from this story is that we have a God who doesn’t leave us alone to suffer anonymously but joins fully in our lives, suffering, and our death. He is the innocent one who suffered. None of us are innocent. I may find the people I visit to be challenging, but God still loves them and wants to show us that we do not have to suffer alone and he asks us to share others suffering with them so they don’t have to suffer alone. This is explicitly laid out in the 25th Chapter of Matthew’s gospel. (Matthew 25: 31-46)
It has been said that to those whom much is given much is expected. So now that I have a lot of time on my hands I go and serve at the Justa Center looking for the opportunity to help others. The surprising fact of the matter is that I am the greater recipient, for God is never outdone in generosity. I know now why Jesus was drawn so strongly to the edges of society, the poor the outcast, and the sinner. He did not condemn those who condemned him but simply said with great courage, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” This should be our attitude as well. Don’t judge, forgive with abandon, love everyone.
There are many people who are victimized as they grow up and end up living on our streets. There are many who are orphans, or whose parents are in prison or in gangs. If I grew up under these conditions where would I be today? I have no doubt that I would not be living a comfortable secure life that I have now. I have a sense that the gifts I’ve been given were given to me to be shared with those who live without the good things of life. On a good day, I’m able to share from my excess, but I don’t share from my substance as we are called to do in the story of the widow’s mite.
The most important thing I have learned at the Justa Center is to put a face on homelessness. I have also learned that we are all beloved children of God who need to take care of each other and who can take care of each other because there’s always enough love and grace and even worldly goods to go around if we share a little of what we have with those who have not. I did not come by this because I was good. I came by this by having my eyes opened and to see a man who is homeless as not just a number or an anonymous person on a street corner but a person with a story in a life who has hopes and dreams not unlike mine but which were never fulfilled because of the circumstances, and the bad choices that were made.
I do not judge them for I’ve made mistakes too. I have been saved by God’s mercy or by the mercy of another person out of their goodness, by a devoted parent, or loyal friend. Not everyone has these experiences unless of course, God has chosen us to extend his mercy and grace and love to another. This is the story of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is the story of God giving us all a second chance and a model to follow – His Son Jesus the Christ to save us from ourselves and to show us that there’s more to this world than value, profit, power, and prestige. There is also love, sharing, forgiving, and receiving forgiveness. The same things that have been gifted to us by a very generous and benevolent God. Remember, “The only things we can take to heaven are what we have given away on Earth.” (Cardinal Francis George)
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