Something Better

For most of today, I've been busy (finally) working on my application for my CPE(Clinical Pastoral Education) experience this coming summer. The application has made me think of a lot today, including of friends, mentors and old memories long forgotten. One of the questions was asking about a situation where I gave help to someone who asked. It took me a bit, but it finally reminded me of a time last spring.

One night last spring, my son Sam and I were returning home from Riverside Park in Saint Cloud. I saw a man in a motorized wheelchair pulling a cart full of stuff. The man was only dressed in a hospital gown and hospital socks. It was evident that the only possessions the man owned were in the cart behind him. He was making his way out of the bathroom when I saw him, and I was putting Sam in the car when the man drove his little chair in front of my car, and asked for my help. I told him that I was busy putting my son in the car and I was unable to leave Sam in the car alone. He insisted that I needed to help him put his bag of stuff back in his cart. I felt God’s anthropomorphic metaphorical finger tapping me on the shoulder, so I drove my car right up next to the bag so I was never ten feet away from Sam. The bag was a large cloth sack filled with assorted things and a large TV. The TV was the culprit that fell out his cart, so that was the heaviest and hardest to move. I finally grappled with it and placed it back in his cart. I nodded to the man and I got back in my car to head back home. Sam and I were almost out of the parking lot when I looked back in my mirror at the man to see the bag of stuff to fall out again.

Rather than drive away ignoring what I saw (which I really wanted to do) I turned around, and proceeded to repeat the grappling I just did 5 minutes prior. This time, I made sure that the TV was snug in his cart, told him to take turns slowly next time so that it didn’t fall out again. I nodded at him again and returned home. I returned home to my apartment with plenty of food on the shelf and in the fridge. I returned home to my computer, HDTV, and loving family. I struggled for a few days trying to find the justice in that. How did I have so much (and it’s not much compared to some) and he have so little?

I reluctantly helped the man move all of his possessions in the span of 5 minutes of struggling with a TV and other assorted objects. It took two days of packing, moving and unpacking to move all of our stuff from Saint Cloud to Seminary. It took me 5 minutes to move his 2 feet. Makes one think…

I helped him that one time (two times, technically). I'm sure his bag of stuff has fallen out of his cart multiple times since then. There are people like me who are (reluctantly) willing to help, some who aren't, and some who selflessly help without even thinking. 

I've been studying Christ Lutheran on Capitol Hill as part of a group project in a class. The church is literally located a block behind the State Capitol. Every time I drive down there, I inadvertently drive by a number of people pushing their own carts full of stuff. Every time. Blocks from the steps of the State Capitol, where a giant beautiful gold-plated statue stands guard above. The State Capitol, where politicians have the power to eradicate poverty in this state. A church stands on the corner. This church, Christ Lutheran, has many programs helping these individuals, but it's not enough. 

Growing up as poor as we did, we were thankfully never on the street pushing our own carts. I don't think we were ever close, but I do feel closer to the people pushing the carts than I do to the people driving fancy cars in multiple large, lavish houses with car elevators. There has to be a better way to do things in this country. There has to be a better way of living out God's mission in the world. 

I don't know how to do it, I don't have the resources to do it, but I wish to strive for something better in this world than this. I think the only way this can happen is with the Church's help. That's a capital C on that Church. And I'm not implying merely the Christian church, but as a pluralist, I mean everyone who believes in a divine being that knows this isn't right. 

We weren't meant to merely feel bad for these people.

We weren't meant to merely give our money to these people.

We weren't meant to merely feed these people for one night.

We weren't meant to merely preach against the injustices.

We are meant to do something about it.

We are meant to fix the injustices.

We are meant to fight for these people's lives.

Let's do something about this people. I don't mean merely helping out at a soup kitchen, donating food, donating money, donating blankets (which are all wonderfully great things to do). But we need to do more. 

I don't know what. I don't know how. But there are people who do. 

I leave you with a classic song from the 90's. Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell before they had their own bands, Temple of the Dog's Hunger Strike.

Amen.