Whatsoever You Do

Yesterday I saw a news story how Churches were encouraging members not to give money to beggars. It was suggested people give money to charities instead.

Today I read how the month of November brought both highs and lows to the sculptor, Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, of Homeless Jesus On the one hand his life-size sculpture depicting a barefoot, blanket-shrouded Christ, asleep on a park bench, was blessed by Pope Francis on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica following the Wednesday General Audience on November 20. On the other hand, another of Schmalz’ works, a statue of a beggar, called “Whatever You Do” was stolen from the Church of St. Stephen-in-the-Fields in Kensington Market, a historic neighborhood in downtown Toronto. This statue depicted Christ as a beggar slumped on the ground, holding out a nail-printed hand. Drawn from the Beatitudes, it spoke of how Christ is revealed in the marginalized among us—the poor, the hungry, the imprisoned. I guess when the statue of Homeless Jesus was blessed by the Pope the price of his others works increased in value. So if you see the sculpture picture on this page please report it to authorities.

Now if the pope blesses all beggars, following sayings of Jesus that “Blessed are the Poor” and “whatsoever you do for the least you do unto me,” I would hope the value of beggars will rise.

Many great saints, St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of Jesuits and St. Francis of Assisi, founder of Franciscans were beggars. Somehow in our American culture beggars have gotten a bad rap, as thieves or marginalized people to be ignored. Jesus, as a homeless beggar, would have a hard time today, even with a nail-printed hand.

A beggar came up to me last Sunday as I was going to my car after Church. Normally I give money to beggars, the amount determined how I size them what. However, this person they did want my money even though he needed it for shelter. To keep his self respect he wanted to tell me jokes and thus earn any money I may give him. So I let him tell me three jokes as I walked to my car. They were Zombie jokes like: “Why do Zombies not eat clowns?” “They found them funny.” I gave him some money and he went on to earn more money telling jokes.

I heard one scripture scholar say that “Blessed are the poor” in Jesus’ time could be understood to be “Blessed are the blind beggar” since people with disabilities like blindness usually had no family support and were dependent on begging to survive.

Jesus was generous to beggars and so will I,for they are blessed and valuable.

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