This is what we as humans do every day. We judge a book by its cover. As Catholics, we need to look past that. We need to look past the appearances that are given to us and look deeper.
As a 15-year-old boy, I never thought of what being homeless felt like. I always looked at these people and asked myself, what happened to them to deserve this life? I see them almost every day. They roam the streets by themselves with no one to keep them company. They have no one to talk to. No one to be there for them when they feel down. They live a life of loneliness.
I experienced these same feelings and thoughts in a project I volunteered for recently. This project allowed me to share in those same feelings. I roamed the streets and parking lot of a nearby church. I sat in the cold while people just stared at me. As they walked into the hall of the church, none of them bothered to look at me. They just walked by me as if I wasn’t a real person. So for a few hours I sat there and on occasions I roamed around the grounds of this church. And still, people ignored me and looked away. Some of them were even carrying food, and still they walked away.
So I ask you please to pray for the homeless people in our communities. Pray that one day they may find what they are looking for. Pray that they may find salvation in the Lord and be healed by his power and filled with his love. And please, when you see them I pray that you help them. For this person could be Jesus.
Thank You.
Logan John Odenbaugh is a parishioner of Christ the Redeemer parish in Grand Terrace who participated in the CRS Rice Bowl Lenten Reflection at St. Catherine of Alexandria, Riverside on February 11.