In his document "The Joy of the Gospel", Pope Francis has this to say in one section "I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security." (49)
Wow, that is quite a statement! Sometimes, in our desire to "go to Church" and pray and worship with others, we forget our duty to be out on the streets with the Joy of the Gospel. We were talking about this very statement at our staff meeting this morning when our Youth Minister said it reminded her of our ministry to kids at the Detention Center. She and I go there and encounter many bruised, beaten and hurting teenagers. They are in the grips of addiction, abandonment and despair and we do our best to bring the Joy of the Gospel to them. But, quite frankly, we often leave feeling bruised and beaten and hurting ourselves.
In your life as a Christian, when do you take on the pain of the needy to the point of feeling bruised and beaten. You don't have to look far in any direction to see people who are in great need. They need a friend, they need a meal, they need a place to stay, they need the Joy of the Gospel - in other words, they need YOU.
It's still Lent. I hope you are still living out the call to increase prayer, to fast from attachments, and to give alms generously. This is the discipline that will open your eyes to those in need. Between now and Easter I exhort you to take a chance. Find just one person who is bruised and beaten in their own life and step into that pain with them. You can be the agent of joy, hope and love they need. You can be the answer to their prayers - if you choose to be.
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