Reflecting upon Independence Day, I recall the words written on the Statue of Liberty.  "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

 As I meditate on these powerful words, I realize that you and I are truly the tired and poor who are broken in some way, needing the love of God and neighbor to heal our wounds through life’s challenges.  In many ways you and I are the huddled masses who are exhausted of the world’s empty promises.   You and I are poor in spirit yearning to breath free from anxiety and worry. You and I are the homeless seeking to find our true home in God’s Kingdom.

There is a tale of a homeless man who learned of the gospel message and prayed with an open heart desiring to get his life back on track.  As he prayed, he heard a silent voice inside telling him to reconnect with God so he went to the nearby church the following Sunday. 

He was so delighted to be in God’s house.  He felt peace and hope that his life would soon turn around with God’s help.  Sadly, he noticed that the congrega-tion was giving him funny looks and that no one really talked to him after services or coffee hour.  That made him a bit nervous and sad but their unwelcome actions did not take away from his prayerful experience during the church service. 

He continued attending church week after week never receiving a smile or a welcome of any kind.  Still, in some quiet and humble way, he continued to feel the presence of God surround him.   After months of attending this particular church, most of the congregation still didn’t know his name and they didn’t know how to react towards a man who was not well dressed and obviously tired and poor.  One day, the Parish President went up to him and kindly asked him not to come back and that his kind was not welcomed at the church. 

As he left the church distraught with a heavy and sorrowful heart, he lifted his voice to God and said,

“Lord, these people of yours don’t want me here!   They just don’t want me!”    As he began to cry exiting the church he heard the comforting voice of God tell him, “My son, they don’t want me here either… they just don’t want me here either”.  

We must desire and respond to our Lord Jesus more than anything.   We must lovingly invite God and others into our lives so the love that our Lord promises us may be experienced and freely shared with others.  After all, we too, are truly among the homeless.  Hopefully, we are continually seeking to find our ultimate resting place, our permanent home with God in His Kingdom.

In our July Bulletin, you will read about George “the Gentle Giant” who passed through the doors of Holy Apostles before his final passing away last month.  He truly touched the lives of our community.  It was as if he was Christ in disguise reminding us of what is truly important.  This gentle autistic man who carried his five-gallon buckets everywhere taught us to live out the command of loving one another without exception.  I am grateful to all those who lovingly reached out to him.

George (the gentle giant) taught us how easy it is for people to stay invisible, to go nameless, to remain unnoticed. Within our community of Holy Apostles, it was touching to see many extended their kindness to him and how some reached out to know him; to know that he loved strawberries; to know that he knew German; to know that he washed aluminum cans and recycled them for money; to know that he had a mother, brother and sister who loved him very much; to know that he had a name and deserved to be treated with dignity and respect.  This is the way, we as Orthodox Christians should treat everyone - as the image and likeness of God.

Holy Apostles invites the huddled masses, the poor, the suffering, the wise, the ignorant, the faithful, and unfaithful to find peace and healing.  We have been created in His image and likeness for greater things, to love and to be loved.  May God inspire us to this high calling to become instruments of His love as we seek our home in His Kingdom.                          

+  Fr. Tom