The Homeless Gospels by Terry Miles Bell

The Homeless Gospels

By Terry Miles Bell

         “And so, I am asking all of you from our church to reflect on the stories of the homeless we’ve

heard in the news; and through our outreach program do more than just donate money this year.  I am

asking you to go out and, like the Lord, personally help someone who has less than you, in whatever

way you can.”  The reverend closed his book of prayers and with a solemn gesture, ended the sermon

and service for the day saying, “And he answered them, ‘whoever has two tunics is to share with him

who has none’……” (Luke 3.11)

         “Dear, I was so moved by the service today,” Doris said while walking carefully down the

church steps through the recently shoveled snowy path. “Don’t you think our new Reverend O’Leary

 is wonderful? He is so caring and inspiring.”

         Richard looked at his wife. Her stylish fur-trimmed coat and the diamond heart pendant he gave

her for their twentieth-fifth anniversary glistened in the bitter cold morning air; crisp as the powdery

snow that had fallen the night before. But what he saw, was not this wife that loved to try on outfits in

her overflowing closet, but rather, he saw only the copies of the credit card bills addressed to him from

all of her favorite shopping stores. His thoughts were focused on his own situation. Poor people may

have nothing, but she doesn’t understand that we have less than nothing! When you’re homeless you’re

not in debt like us! “Yes dear, it was very nice, but let’s get home and get some lunch; I’m starved! I

thought that new preacher would drone on forever. Forgive me, but I guess I would rather not come out

in the cold weather to be berated by someone other than you!”

         “As usual you are going to change the subject with your ill-timed sarcasm, I see. I hope

you don’t repeat any of these comments to the other parishioners.” Doris retorted curtly.  “Well, I plan

to try and do something. Others will, and I want us to participate with the congregation for a change.

Having a new minister could be a fresh start for us.”

         Lunch was too quiet. Richard felt that his wife was waiting for him to say something further,

and he was feeling lost without the distraction of the children now that the two boys were both in

college. Thank God they will be home soon for a break. That will keep her busy, he thought.

         “I’m going upstairs and see what old coats we have to give away.” Doris announced, leaving

half her lunch untouched.

         Richard mused to himself, God, I hope this is not another ruse for her to need to do more

shopping next week! The pile of bills ever growing, and sure to grow more now that Doris made such

an issue of having to pay for their sons’ college tuition like the other parents in the prep school

that she managed to get them accepted at. I’ve tried to do everything by the book, just like my dad; take

care of my family, not have Doris have to work, get a nice house out in suburbs, support the charity

organizations Doris belongs to. But how do I tell Doris this has to stop or we will never be able to

retire.

         “Richard, I’ve been going through our old clothes, and found this warm jacket you haven’t

worn in years.  I talked to my friends on the phone, and we decided to go down to the old depot to hand

out a few coats where some of the homeless have found shelter. Will you please come?  I’m worried if

it’s safe there.  I need your help.”

         Great, he thought, there is no way out of this entrapment of Doris and her posse of do-gooder

friends. “Okay, I’ll go, as long as we can be back in time for my game on TV.”

         The Depot was an old one-room train station that no longer served an active route.  The city got

tired of people breaking into it, so it was decided to create a facility available for the homeless to spend

the night in cold weather. There was lighting in the building, a bathroom and a long extended outdoor

overhang that used to protect the commuters waiting for trains to come.

         Doris arranged that they carpool, with Bob and Emma, and Alice, their frequent cocktail party

friends; all fit snuggly in the new car that Richard just bought on credit last year with a down payment

from another credit card that gave cash advances at an even higher interest rate. Doris had said it was an embarrassment that they were still driving that five-year-old Ford.  Pulling up to the curb in the new SUV with jackets and coats piled on their laps, they cautiously got out in front of the station now covered with several inches of snow on the roof and platform. The streetlight highlighted the blustery circles of snow drifting down.

         “Well, what do we do now?” Doris’s friend Emma said while pulling her wool scarf up to cover

her head before heading out. Bob and Alice joined in, “Who will hand out the coats? How did we get

involved in this? Shouldn’t the church hand them out?”

         “Doris, I really want to get to my game on time. What’s the plan going to be?” Richard was at

his brink with everyone talking over each other.

         “Let’s just all get out, and we’ll each give a coat to one person, and get back in the car and go

home.” Doris spoke decisively.

         “Fine, let’s do it! And quick!” Richard handed her the coat she had brought.

         Sprinting, the Brooks-Brother-clad men and bejeweled women exited all four doors at once, in a

magnanimous gesture of generosity, each heading in a different direction toward a sitting target to

present their gifts of goodwill.

         Richard felt Doris’ hand tugging him towards this one man wrapped in a blanket just outside of

the door to the building.  She leaned over and placed the coat on top of the man’s blanket and said, “I

hope this will give you comfort. God bless you.”

         Richard almost said nothing, and was ready to leave, but in a moment of indecision, turned back

and said to the man, “Tell me, why don’t you go inside with the others instead of sitting out here in the

cold?”

         The man, unshaven, and disheveled, who had not yet made eye contact with either of them,

finally looked up and spoke.  “The younger ones need the shelter more. I am used to this.” Rolling

over, he silently dismissed them.

         They all dashed back to the car, with the ride home filled with chatter. Opinion and criticism of

society, and what could be done better; as if they had earned the right to speak their piece with their

gestures. Richard opined on the apparent benefit of giving, they would all sleep well tonight knowing

they had done their part for humanity.

         The next morning, sipping coffee, the warm mug heating his hands while reading the early

Edition newspaper left on the snow covered doormat, Richard noticed a small news story. “Last night at

the Train Depot, a homeless man was found dead just outside the front door of the station.  His buddies

said that someone had given him a coat last night, but he passed it along to one of the newcomers of the

station.

         “Do you have another game on TV today, I was thinking we could go shopping at the mall.”

Doris cheerfully said.

         Richard, slowly and deliberately looked up from the paper, “It’s nice to see you’re in such good

spirits today.  I think I would rather go out with you.” He said while carefully folding the paper and

putting it away out of her sight.