Can we? I have talked before of a time when a few of my friends and I went to do "street ministry" by performing on the streets of Santa Monica. You have to get a permit to play there and there are regulations (this is California after all). You must be a certain amount of feet from another street performer of which there were many. We had no idea of the competition for a good place to play. Our ignorance left us scrambling for one of the last, not so perfect spots that were left.
In the process, I was watching from the back of our little parade when I saw one of our company literally step over a homeless man on her race to a spot that was open. I was sickened by the total lack of acknowledgment of the human being she had traversed. But on we trudged until we found our spot and started singing. People gathered around but quickly dispersed when they realized we had a "religious" message.
I wanted to leave with them, to slink out of the limelight and disappear. I wanted to scream, "You go guys! I am with you!" "I would leave too if I were you!"
Who are we really? Can we shutter our windows forever or will we someday be on the outside of the fence.
Mother Theresa felt called to live among the poor. It was dangerous, it was unaccepted by her peers. It was radical. But in the end, the whole world wept the loss when she died.
I can almost see Jesus and he stands with her and says, "Go and do likewise!"
I can almost see Jesus and he stands with her and says, "Go and do likewise!"
