…You did for Me…

So I took this picture outside of St. Francis of Assisi church in Manhattan just a few minutes ago. I walked past the same statue and plaque at a little before 5:00AM this morning as I was walking to work. The difference was early this morning there were about 20-25 people sleeping on the sidewalk all around the statue. As a quietly moved through the sleeping crowd I came upon two men having a conversation. One of them was sitting up in his “bed” the other, a very well dressed man, looked like he just stopped to ask questions. Intentionally slowing my pace as I approached them I heard the “local” gentleman say something along the lines of

…it’s usually the same people here every night, we’re safe here…we’re safe together…

Not wanting to intrude I quietly said a little prayer and kept moving. Not 15′ from where the last person was sleeping a Mercedes pulls up and as the driver opens the door several people and some obnoxiously loud music come spilling out onto the street. As they wobbled past a half asleep doorman, completely oblivious to both me and their neighbors who are living on the street literally under their noses, I couldn’t help but think of the irony of the plaque and statue that silently stares them in the face daily. In New York you can get into a fiery debate about the way people are being treated on our southern border, but those same people will step over someone to get into Starbucks without breaking their stride. The hypocrisy of only caring based on the political mongering of people in power while you allow your own community to have to sleep on the streets in clumps to find safety is disgraceful. I live a paycheck to paycheck life and it makes me sick to see places like this, and unfortunately many others throughout the city, and not be able to do more than the little I do. I try to make it a point to always have a little money in my pocket to give out, and on more than one occasion I’ve given out whatever food my wife has prepared for me for lunch to people who looked like they needed it more than me. Don’t get me wrong , I truly believe that if someone is trying to come here for a better life for themselves or their family than they absolutely should be able to, but caring is caring. Protecting life isn’t a buffet. You don’t get to pick and choose which lives to save. You can’t fight to protect people trying to come into the country while ignoring the ones who are dying at your feet because they doesn’t fit some political model. Or be crying for the slaughter of baby dolphins in Scandinavia while being outraged if someone speaks out against planned parenthood.

…whatever you did for one of my least brothers or sisters, you did for me…

It’s not just about what we do, it’s about what we fail to do as well. To truly live our faith is not an easy or popular thing, but it’s what we need to do non the less.

Be the light. God bless.

#faithlikewater #livethefaith #bethelight