So I'm involved with a Catholic group called JustFaith (you can find these good people here), and basically it's teaching people about the Catholic doctrine of social justice. The upshot is, Jesus went out of his way to help to show love to and the poor, the sick, the lonely, the hurting, and the marginalized, so as Christians we HAVE to do this too.
So today I met an old drunk bum on the bus. He didn't seem quite all there: he slurred his words, didn't quite hear what I was saying, and he smelled plainly of old liquor. And I just went to JustFaith last night, so our discussions were still fresh in my head, so I talked with him. He told me he recognized me from 5 years ago (he's either lying or mistaken, since I was in Arizona until 2004), and he talked about his childhood in Milwaukee.
Then he asked me if I could spare some money for breakfast, so, again, thinking about what we JUST TALKED ABOUT last night, I offered to have lunch (actually, it was brunch, about 10:00) with him at McDonalds, which was like 2 stops away.
So we get off the bus, this man (whose name is Larry) and I, and the first thing he does is pee.
On the curb.
In front of everyone going by on North Avenue.
He peed on the curb, in front of everyone. And we were just going into McDonalds, which HAS A BATHROOM.
But then I wondered what Jesus would have done, and I decided that Jesus probably still would have bought the man some lunch. I wonder if anyone peed in front of Jesus. He asked me then if I could get him a Big Breakfast, and I told him he could get whatever and it was on me.
So then Larry and I go into McDonalds, and he orders his Big Breakfast. The clerk reacts with suspicion, asking Larry if he's paying. I tell her that I'm paying, and she asks if he begged me (he did, after all). But I tell her that I'm just taking my friend out to lunch. A second later the manager goes up to Larry and kicks him out. I guess I don't blame her: I used to work retail and have had to kick out many vagrants and beggers (and I didn't see it, but there was even a public pee-er in our music section once. I guess public peeing is a bigger problem than I thought). So Larry waits outside and I ask for our meals to go.
So I get outside, and Larry and I have our brunches on the curb outside, and we just have a conversation about small stuff: just shooting the shit, basically.
He seemed very thankful about this. I mean, like, really really thankful. What we're told over and over again in JustFaith is to decrease the distance between ourselves and the poor (and everyone else). Just as Jesus didn't send off checks, but went directly to people with the problems, we should do the same thing too.
So I don't know if I helped Larry out. I feel a little bit better knowing that I at least tried to show love to someone who probably doesn't see it much from other people. But I also feel guilty, because there are thousands of other people just like Larry in Milwaukee, probably much much worse-off than him too. And I might have been completely taken for a ride, too. Maybe Larry goes home to Fox Point because he scams ignorant liberal do-gooders like me. (I am an ignorant liberal do-gooder, by the way. Just in case some conservative libertarian is reading this. Don't want to have to argue that.) But what if Larry really did need help?
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5 comments:
This would normally be where I tear into you for being a christian, but what you did is actually something that needs to be done. We, white males, are the most over priviliged people in the world and any value system (assuming there is a value system at play) will take into account the huge amount of resources taken up by the minority of us.
We don't even have to look outside our borders to see it either. The poor are only poor because wealth has to be taken from somewhere.
My mother says that the good is in the act...Don't worry about whether or not it was a scam - easier said than done as I worry too when I give something to someone. But I just repeat what I know - the good is in the act. Good for you!
If it will improve your opinion of me, I might be Christian, but I voted against George Bush twice, I plan on voting for Obama, and I think kids actually ought to learn science in school instead of Whatever Creationist Hokum They're Teaching in Kansas.
Also think Jerry Falwell's a dick.
not to mention that he's also dead.
do you suppose god holds the same opinion of jerry falwell as you do, or does god see him through the same eyes of love through which YOU saw larry the pisser?
maybe the justfaith idea of closing the distance between you and the poor could also be extended to closing the distance between you.. and those with whom you disagree politically, religiously or socially.
would jesus call jerry falwell a dick? (see matt. 5:22) would barack obama? should you?
what is justfaith about if not about being more like jesus in all aspects of your life?
you did right by larry; do right by jerry.
Dear Anonymous.
Jesus did get pissed off at people like the money changers....I believe there is something about him flipping tables over?
Anyway, if Jesus was pissed at them for profitting off religion I'm pretty sure he's pissed at Falwell and quite a few others who have made millions off His name.
Maybe that's where that lake of fire bit comes in?
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