“You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
But you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.” (Luke 11: 46)
Driving around town, you see people on major corners begging for help. Are these the people camping on public land that bother some local politicians so much that they threaten to tear the camps down and punish residents before returning to their affluent neighborhoods?
I thought about homeless people when Jesus told the Pharisees that “You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them” because our City Council is considering two approaches to the issue.
One suggestion, hopefully abandoned, would be to disband unsightly encampments and fine residents if they refuse to move. The other calls for disbanding the encampments after helping residents find housing and counseling for mental health, substance abuse or other problems.
I know which approach Jesus would favor. After all, he himself was homeless. We know this because he once told his followers, “the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
What if Jesus lived in one of those shacks? Would we turn away from him as many of us do from homeless people? I’m ashamed to admit that I lock my car doors when a homeless man approaches while I’m stopped for a red light, I pretend that I didn’t see him.even though most are harmless. Unsightly men are a lot scarier than others I’ve helped like cute refugee kids or old friends with dementia
And knowing HOW to help the homeless is complicated. I’ve been advised that handing them a few dollars is generally unwise. You might be contributing to someone’s addiction. It’s far better to volunteer at a shelter under the guidance of people who know what they’re doing. Even this can be uncomfortable if you live in a middle-class bubble.
But Jesus tells us to “lift one finger to touch them.” There are ways to stay in your comfort zone and still do this, You can swing a hammer at a Habitat for Humanity build or join your parish St. Vincent de Paul Society. You can even get creative like my daughter did when she was a waitress in high school. Every weekend she would drop off leftover baked goods at a homeless shelter to keep them from being thrown away.
I don’t want to imply that all homeless people are alike. When I did some mentoring for Habitat, I discovered that homeless or poorly housed people seeking a better life were individuals like the rest of us. They’ve just had much more difficult lives than those of us who grew up in stable homes, I marveled at how they coped with problems that would have defeated me like domestic violence and caring for troubled children. Many juggled two horrible jobs just to stay afloat. It was easy to see Jesus in these people.
And now as I’m getting involved in a project for Habitat, I’m reminding myself that Jesus was homeless!
Eileen Wirth
I’m a retired Creighton journalism professor, active in St. John’s parish and a CLC member. In retirement, I write books about state and local history, including a history of the parish, and do volunteer PR consulting for groups like Habitat for Humanities, refugees etc. I love to read, work out, spend time with family and friends including those who can no longer get out much.
Writing reflections has deepened my faith by requiring me to engage deeply with Jesus through the Scriptures. In the many years I have been doing this, I’ve also formed friendships with regular readers nationally, most of whom I have never met. Hearing from readers and what I learn by writing make the hours I spend on each reflection well worth the effort.
