The Poor and the Weak Ennobled and Empowered by the Poverty of the Manger

By St. Augustine

 

But why the Lord should first have chosen low-born men, few in number, inexperienced and unrefined, when before his eyes he had a great crowd who, though certainly few in comparison with those poorer people, were still many in their kind: the rich, the high-born, the learned, the wise, whom he also gathered in afterward -- well the Apostle explains the secret: God chose the weak things of the world to disconcert the strong; and God chose the foolish things of this world to disconcert the wise ...

For he had come to teach humility and overturn pride. God had come in humility; in no way would he here first seek the high and mighty when he had come so humbly himself. In the first place, because he had chosen to be born of that woman who had been betrothed to a carpenter. So he did not choose important family connections, or this world's aristocracies would have taken it as justifying their pride. He did not choose to be born in a most important city, but he was born in Bethlehem of Judah, which is not even favored with the name of a city. Those who live in the place today call it a village; it is so small, so tiny, it is virtually non-existent . . .

So he chose the weak, the poor, the unlearned; not that he left out the strong, the rich, the wise, the well-born; but if he chose them first they would imagine they were chosen for their wealth, for their property, for their family connections, and puffed up about these things they would not have received the healthy condition of humility, without which no one can return to that life which we would never have fallen from had it not been for pride.
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A Beacon of Light in the Darkness!

Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.” John 8:12
 

How much light can one year bring here at Homeless In America and the Servants of the Father of Mercy?
 

14       Outreaches to 1,000s of homeless living under bridges and in alleyways.

3         Easter, Thanksgiving & Christmas 100s Subway Sandwich card giveaways.
18       Live concerts for the forgotten “homeless” in our senior care facilities.
11       Youth & Family Night inspiring children, teens & parents in their Faith.
20       Senior Bible studies at area nursing homes.
10       Homeless fundraiser, garage and Holiday craft sales.
120     Children-decorated pine cones - gifts to nursing home residents.
 3        Community retreats.
260     Community Father of Mercy Chapel daily Evening Prayer gatherings.
50       Weekly Sunday team planning meetings.
1000s Homeless hygiene kits, jeans, t-shirts, socks and jackets.
1000s Blankets and sleeping bags donated by area churches.
1000s Sack lunches delivered.
1000s Handmade rosaries and prayer cards delivered to the homeless.
1000s Water bottles donated by area churches.
2,000  Toddlers press & play our This Bible Talks! – a talking Bible.
 
Happy New Year from our poor, broken and homeless family to yours!
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And so this is Christmas

And so this is Christmas . . .

A day to remember that a Man left his riches in heaven, and although he was God, he emptied himself, became poor for our sake so that we could become rich.  Though inhabiting the palace of the entire universe, he was born of a woman, in a manger, poor and broken, because there was no room for him in an inn.

Likewise, we remember that he came to earth for the poor, the broken and the prisoner to set them all free.  The rich and the powerful often do not understand his message of poverty.  For millennia many have missed the implications of his visit here to earth.

While high priest and church leaders, adorned in robes, gold and glitter he confronted as poor, and sick and broken too, but they missed it too.  The wealthy he announced adorn their brokenness like whitewashed tombs that encase bones and decay.  He divided the earth into two groups, the self-righteous and the broken, a place where there should only be one group, he found two.  He despised the adorned and wealthy self-righteous and he embraced all who are poor, empty and humbly in need of a savior.

And so to all the homeless, broken, poor, prisoner and addict, at least those willing to admit it – this Christmas is for you. . . .

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2012 The Twelve Days Of Christmas

But t’was 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.

Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
They remembered nothing
of what had happened earlier that day.

"Where are we?" Asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.

"This is heaven." declared a small boy.
 "We're spending Christmas at God's house."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their Savior, the children drew near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.

Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.

in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
As the children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at His face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her,
"I'll take care of mom and dad."

Then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.

"Come now my children, let me show you around."

Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I’M STILL THE LIGHT."
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John Paul was Homeless

If there ever were a rags-to-riches story, this is definitely it. John Paul DeJoria (photo) is a billionaire (he's worth about $4 billion) today but before making it big, the co-founder of Paul Mitchell Systems was homeless. Twice.

DeJoria grew up in a poor single parent household and got his first job at the age of 9, selling Christmas cards door-to-door. In his early 20s, things got so bad he didn't have a place to live.

DeJoria found himself homeless again just as he was starting up Paul Mitchell Systems in 1980 (with a mere $700). He was in the middle of a divorce with his wife at the time and ended up sleeping in his car for a few weeks.

Despite these challenges, John Paul DeJoria has said that his mom instilled a solid work ethic in him, letting him know he “could do whatever you want to do, never give up . . . keep on working, keep on going forward . . .”

Even nowadays, DeJoria travels lightly (albeit on his private jet), using the skills he learned during time of being homeless and in the U.S. Navy in the early '60s. He's proud of the fact that he takes just one suitcase on trips. "You wear your jacket with you, and get it dry cleaned if you have to."

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Temporarily "Homeless" in Death?

David Gonzalez, a writer for the New York Times reports today about a woman by the name of Carmen Villegas who’s last wish was to lie in repose for just one hour inside Our Lady Queen of Angels. The modest brick church on East 113th Street in East Harlem had been the center of her life since childhood.  However, when the Archdiocese closed it in 2007, she led a group of the faithful in weekly services on the sidewalk, hoping their prayerful protest would help persuade the Archdiocese to reopen the sanctuary.  She succumbed to breast cancer last week, at the age of 58. Although friends, family and politicians asked the Archdiocese in writing — “to open wide the doors for one final adios,” but, it did not.

So it came to pass that on a rainy December Monday, her white coffin lay under a tent in front of the shuttered church. Gold drapes hid the locked doors, and a statue of the Virgin Mary – Carmen’s own – graced the steps. In a glorious transformation, a dead-end street in El Barrio became a grotto of rain-slicked asphalt ringed by towering housing projects.

“At the birth of Christ there was no room at the inn,” said Frances Mastrota, who served with Carmen on a local community board.

Joseph Zwilling, the spokesman for the Archdiocese, said he had not seen the letter  that had been hand delivered last Friday, and was unable to find out who – if anyone – had read it.  He offered condolences to the family, but said the sanctuary would stay closed.

Mr. Padro, the man who penned last week’s letter to Cardinal Dolan, knew the church’s closing was a body blow to Carmen, but it did not dim her faith – even after she was arrested and charged with trespassing the last time she had been inside in the church in 2007.

Her friends – the women who prayed and discussed scripture with her for years on the sidewalk  – agreed.  Patty Rodriguez said Carmen always reminded her that the priests and prelates were just as human, and fallible, as she.

In the end, the crowd stood and sang “Ave Maria” as it welcomed the shiny black hearse when it turned onto 113th Street. Carmen’s coffin was gently placed before the church, while Gloria Quinones, an activist and friend, draped a small Puerto Rican flag on it. Margarita Barada, a spry, white-haired woman, said through her tears that they would pray a decade of the rosary for Carmen.

One by one, women stepped forward to recite a Hail Mary, then stepped back to the coffin, each holding a rose aloft. Nearby, a woman stood stoically clutching a large crucifix. The rain fell. People cried.

When the final Amen was uttered, Carmen Villegas – who loved her church to her dying breath — was encircled by an honor guard of her sisters.  On the sidewalk.

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H2O Homeless

Today, Associated Press reports Boston boater, Michael Richard Smith has been creating his own floating homes in Boston Harbor. Smith detests the term "homeless" and describes himself as just another "fellow citizen."

The 49-year-old Maine native said Tuesday he's been paddling the waters of metro Boston since October with all his possessions aboard a 14-foot, 40-year-old aluminum canoe he patches with duct tape when necessary.  He said he feels most secure when he sleeps out in the harbor, and lists his biggest worries as the wakes of fast ferries and drunken boaters.

"It's about as safe as I could be," said Smith, who's also camped on at least one inner harbor island. "Anybody who would want to hurt me or take my things, they have to have a boat. And boat people stick together."

On Monday night, Smith tied up and slept on a floating dock about 100 yards offshore from the New England Aquarium.

Boston Police Department's Harbor Unit has offered him city services, but he declined, police spokeswoman Cheryl Fiandaca said Tuesday. She said Smith did accept a new life vest with reflectors and a whistle from police.

Smith is a wiry, mustachioed man with long brown hair who tucks a silk pink rose into the brim of his explorer hat. He dresses in layers to stay warm, but also doesn't seem to mind that colder weather will be coming as winter arrives.

Smith plans to sleep out in Boston Harbor all winter and prefers to concentrate on the beauty of his surroundings rather than the bareness of his accommodations.

Before sunup Tuesday, Smith saw a shooting star skitter across the New England sky and said later he made a wish meant for all people, no matter where they bunk at night.

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