Who is holding you up today?

"We must beg God constantly in our prayers to uphold us by His hand; we should keep ever in our minds the truth that if He leaves us, most certainly we shall fall at once into the abyss, for we must never be so foolish as to trust in ourselves. After this I think the greatest safeguard is to be very careful and to watch how we advance in virtue; we must notice whether we are making progress or falling back in it, especially as regards the love of our neighbor, the desire to be thought the least of all and how we perform our ordinary, everyday duties. If we attend to this and beg Our Lord to enlighten us, we shall at once perceive our gain or loss."

— St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, p.98-9

Oh, to be a servant...

Washing the Feet of the Homeless

For over three hours on Maundy Thursday morning volunteers from the community came to provide a service of love and compassion on the Human Services Campus.

Fr. Robert Berra, Episcopalian priest and chaplain for the Arizona State University campus, lead the effort by engaging nursing students from the university, inviting community nurses and a physician as well as local churches to be involved. Over 200 “love bags” consisting of several pairs of socks, a water bottle, a nail clipper, an emery board and a nail file were created by local churches and distributed to those who came to participate in the service.

The morning went quickly while clients of the Human Service Campus were invited to come to the Activity room in the St. Vincent de Paul facility on the campus. Each recipient was warmly greeted by a person who was offering to wash their feet. After a few minutes of conversation, shoes and socks were removed and feet placed in a basin of warm water. Feet were gently washed and then dried then lovingly freshened with lotion. Fresh socks were gracefully placed on the freshly washed and lotion-applied feet.

One of the servants of the homeless washing their feet was Rev. Gerald Roseberry, the founder of the Chaplaincy for the Homeless. Rev. Roseberry, an octogenarian, said he enjoyed talking to the seven people whose feet he washed. “I like to get their story first. Then I serve them.”

It was my privilege to wash the feet of one of the homeless men. “Arnold” told me how he and his wife have been homeless a number of times in the past five years. Various circumstances such as lost jobs and lost housing have caused their homelessness. He was grateful for the attention I paid to him and the service offered.

There is something profoundly intimate in washing the feet of another person. The feet are the place where all nerves come to an ending. This is why the ancient practice of reflexology works miracles for many people.

As I was holding Arnold’s feet I was wondering where his feet had been in his fifty-plus years. What did they play when they were in school playgrounds? What halls of achievement had they strolled through? Where had these feet moved to seeking relief from suffering and pain? As I gently washed, dried and applied lotion on Arnold’s feet, I prayed for his feet. I prayed they would walk in paths of peace, in ways of love and joy, and in streets of service to his family and his community.

As Arnold was grateful for my service; I am even more grateful for the opportunity to minister in the ways of Jesus, who washes our feet every day.

Praying with those who are Homeless III

He is sitting at the door of my office when I arrive with another client. “Can I see you,” he inquires. “Yes, as soon as I have met with this gentleman.” Upon the departure of “Sam,” I invite him to join me in my office. He quickly informs me he is a Muslim and wants me to pray with him for his wife who has many chronic health issues. We discuss his life situation for awhile. He shares his life story of coming to America after graduating with a college degree in the Middle Eastern country where his father lives. He shares his story of several marriages and a lot of instability. Eventually he tells me more about his home life and why he is homeless. Apparently, he had an altercation with his teenage son that resulted in the police being called and my guest being arrested for domestic violence, hence, he is homeless. We discuss his job search. He is a resourceful man who will find a job. He loves his Christian wife and wants his home life to be restored. We pray for his wife’s health, for his relationship with his son and his job search. Upon praying, he grasps my hands, looking into my eyes he thanks me for my prayer.

Praying with those who are Homeless II

She is a small woman in her 50s with an easy smile. She explains she has been homeless for at least 5 years. “I am waiting for an appointment with Community Bridges.”  Like many who use the services of the Human Service Campus she lives in another part of the city of Phoenix. “I am not close to my family. It is my choice.” I don’t explore the story behind those words; the words are short-hand for a lot pain. She may be small of frame; she is not small in faith. We are connecting heart-to-heart, spirit-to-spirit. I offer to pray; she quickly accepts. As I conclude my prayer for wisdom, she clasps my hands with her hands and prays blessing for me. I come to minister and I walk away ministered to.