"I have no silver, gold or talent but time, love and compassion to offer to you, Lord". This was my prayer before our outreach to the vulnerable adults on a rainy and cold Sunday.
There were five of us, each with a bag of goods containing some socks, chocolates, juice boxes and scripture cards. We stopped at the park on Cordova street where the "unlucky ones" are sitting in groups on the park benches, each holding an umbrella in wet and cold weather. As we offered our goods to them, a talkative homeless man approached us with a request: "Could you read the bible to me? I'm illiterate." How beautiful is that! It hit my mind that he must be a Christian. Yet, before we started reading psalm 139, he joyfully stated: "We are an image of God, you and me. I'm an aboriginal, but I worship and respect everything God has created: the grass, the trees, the rocks, the soils." He sat and listened attentively to the psalm we read.
He is a non catholic, but he loves, trusts and has faith in God. He takes refuge in God and it shows through his sincere and devout reverence to the words and creations of God. He shows a perfect example of how we all should fear and love God. Heaven is not far. Heaven is present at that moment when we exchange the gifts of love and compassion to our neighbours-- the unlucky ones--in God's presence. "God, You have searched me and You know me."