The Poor Receive the Gospel Gladly

My friend 'J' introduced me to a young lady this evening who lost her boyfriend who died last week. She had asked 'J' to obtain for her a Rosary because she had seen his Rosary, which he wears around his neck, as I do. 'J' came around the front door this evening and we chatted a while. My neighbour, who lives downstairs complained that 'J' was round the area, mouthing off about how he was an alcoholic etc.

I have to leave my flat for a month or two until the flat I am to move into, thanks to the generosity of my parents, becomes available, mainly because my flatmate finds 'J' intimidating. She sought my reassurance that he would not show his face at the door again. But who am I to restrict his movements and tell him he is not allowed on Rose Hill Terrace? With the very poor, it seems, there is almost a guilt by association even though the poor are very often criminalised unjustly because the rich dare not embrace Christ, instead they mock Him and hound Him and persecute Him.

The young lady, who lost her boyfriend, homeless, last week, came around this evening to the street where I live. Behind my house lies a narrow passage termed locally as 'heroin alley'. Often if you walk past it you will find some old clothes and duvets in the passage where people have slept. Literally, often, Lazarus truly is at my gate.

'J' and I took to her the Rosary she for which she had asked and 'J' gave it to her along with the 3 'o' clock prayer to Our Lord in honour of His Divine Mercy. The poor are thirsty for Christ and Christ is thirsty for them. The World, however, searches for something else, some passing glamour that can never satisfy. As Our Lady said in the Magnificat, 'The hungry are filled with good things and the rich You have sent empty away.'

What strikes me is that the poor are very receptive to Our Lady and Our Blessed Lord in a way in which the rich are not. They understand. The young lady I met tonight but briefly is probably looked down upon by polite society because of whatever addictions she has. But she has been through the mill yet still stands and prays for the dead and the one she loves and has now left this World. May the Angels and Saints come to his aid and like Lazarus, once poor, may he now see the Beatific Vision for which he was created.

I told my neighbour, 'Don't worry, in a couple of weeks I will be gone' and 'J' will no longer be of your concern.' He replied, 'Yes, but where you go he will go and this will only upset people there.'

Amen, then. So be it. I guess for those not willing to receive it, the Gospel is very upsetting, indeed. The poor have been placed before us so that we may learn from them. Woe to us, if Lazarus is at our gate and we refuse him.

I mean, in this instance, just how intimidating is a beggar playing Bob Marley's 'One Love' strumming a ukelele he cannot really play anyway?