A MAN-MADE DISASTER–Matthew 16:13-19
From the beginning of my seminary career we read and heard of a United Methodist minister in San Francisco, who was a radical, weird, and pushing the boundaries sort of guy. He was a man I admired, for he preached the Gospel. He supported civil rights, queer rights, in fact he supported all rights, and he still does. His name is the Reverend Cecil Williams, co founder and minister liberation of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church.
In his piece, “A Man-Made Disaster” in the San Francisco Chronicle he wrote these words:
“We San Franciscans are no strangers to tremors. We live in earthquake country. We’ve weathered some major ones, and we continue to prepare for the Big One we all know is coming someday. But let’s ask ourselves: is the ground not already shaking? Homelessness is a man-made earthquake, a painful and destructive rift in the social contract, and addressing it requires a major effort on the part of all of us.
Those of us living on the street feel the ground trembling beneath us. We are left permanently unsettled, facing continued relocation, constant upheaval and insecurity–like refugees in our own city.. . .”
His words call each of us to accountability in caring for our brothers and sisters who live on the street. Stephen Hawking tells us that “Greed and stupidity will end the human race.” Our greed, our need to hold on to every dollar and our stupidity in not seeing that in sharing we bring life will destroy us.
Last night I had purchased a new set of shoes, and was carrying the one’s I was wearing in a bag. A homeless guy without shoes or socks asked me for them, I gave him two pairs of socks, and the pair of boots. One well-dressed gentleman told me “You are stupid for giving that thug your shoes, they are just free-loaders.” Greed and stupidity will destroy us.
There is not enough housing for the people on the streets to begin with, and like Rev. Williams states, those of us with housing are shaking in our boots, because there are those at our door wanting our housing. Those of us who rent know what it is like to have the wolves at our door. Those of us who rent know what it means to live close to being on the street. All it takes is a fire or illness.
Homelessness, high rents are “man made” disasters, and we each have a part in the solution. Our churches, and our secular organizations can open their doors and provide a place for people are homeless to sleep each night; Rather than expect the government to solve the problem we in each of our organizations and churches can use our resources to ease the needs of people on the street. We as individuals can feed people, we can give them clothing, and if we have a room, can give them a room.
The two young men in the photo yesterday spent the day feeding and talking to young men and women in the Haight, and the older people on Polk, and both said in one form or another, “They are just like us, just people.”
Rather than categorizing –we need to view each other as simply human beings, and provide the basic needs of food, housing, health care, and respect to all. If we listen we can hear the still small voice of Jesus saying to us:
“When I was hungry you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.” Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
Temenos Catholic Worker
P.O. Box 642656
San Francisco, CA 94164
415-305-2124