If you wish to migrate…
You have heard what Christ prayed for, what he desired: “Father, I wish that those whom you gave me may be where I am. I wish,” he says, “that where I am they too may be.” O happy home! O safe homeland! It has no enemy; it has no plague. We will live safely there; we won’t seek to migrate; we will not find a safer place….
You cannot migrate from this evil place to that good place unless you act well in this evil place. It is a place where no one is hungry. If you wish to dwell in that good place where no one hungers, then in this evil place share your bread with the hungry. No one is a stranger in that blessed place; all are living in their own homeland. If then you wish to be in that good place where no one is a stranger, in this evil place receive those who have no home to enter. Offer hospitality to a stranger in this evil place so that you may come to the good place where you cannot be a host. In that good place no one lacks clothing; there is no cold there, and no heat, so what need of a roof is there, what need of clothing? There will be no roof there, but there will be shelter….”Beneath the shadow of your wings I shall hope” (Ps 56:2). In this evil place, then, offer a roof to the homeless so that you may be in that good place where you will have such shelter that you will not have to repair it because no rain drips there. There is a perpetual fountain of truth, but that rain brings joy not dampness; that rain is the fountain of life itself. What else do these texts mean: “With you is the fountain of life” (Ps 35:10) and “The Word was with God” (Jn 1:l)? (Augustine, Sermon 217, 2; PL 38, 1083)
Thanks for this, Father.
Clearly, anyone who studies and read the Fathers (Sts Basil and John Chrysostom especially, but Ambrose, Augustine and others), we can see the preferential option for the poor as the universal Christian heritage. I do not think, as many do, that St Constantine (in the East, still a Saint) was the cause of the problems within Christendom; Theodosius, obviously, has played a part, but even then, I think the attitudes and practices really changed more with modernity (especially in the industrial age and the development of economic materialism in socialism and capitalism both) than any church-state association often condemned in modern times. This is not to say there were no abuses — certainly there were; we know how important bribes were around councils (St Cyril of Alexandria’s letters show the kinds of bribes he would give) — and it is good that this is no longer the case today. But the moral position was understood in a way not understood today. I do not know how long it would take to truly return to this sentiment — it is what we should do, but with the economic burden which strangles most who mean well, they do not have the time or luxury to explore this problem, and those who do, are focused on far more obscure matters….
In our troubled Church times it is good to reachl back to our roots.. as Henry K. says ‘the preferential option for the poor as the universal Christian heritage’.
My wife volunteers with the GUbbio Project.. a big and old San Francisco Franciscan church provides a homeless sleep shelter in it’s pews from 6AM to 12 noon, 80-100 sleep in back pews even as the daily 7;30AM and 12 noon Masses are held in the front. The peacefulness of the presence is a wonder to behold. Ought to be repliceted in every city,
http://thegubbioproject.org/
I echo Ed’s praise of The Gubbio Project. They have been, and will continue to be, recipients of my financial support. That parish (St. Boniface) has been a bulwark of true Christianity in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco.
At one time they were hosts of Dignity/San Francisco, until Abp. Quinn forced Dignity’s expulsion. The pastor at that time came to the last mass of Dignity’s and apologized for what was about to happen. Tears were streaming down his face. God bless him, the parish and the true Christians who continue to keep that parish something of which Catholics can be proud and unashamed to support physically and financially.
If there is any parish of Easter People in SF, St. Boniface is it.
Wonderful sermon, JAK.! Great idea, Ed. Does the roof leak? :)
Roof is solid. This was the German national Church and Germans Know how to build/engineer for the biggest earthquake city in the US,,.. not counting Alaska where you can see Russia ;-)
So inspiring — thank you Father.