God heals isolation with community. People from all walks of life make their way to our weekly meal. Tonight, a man came for the first time. He is always walking his tiny dog and refuses to believe that I am not a Catholic priest. I have invited him at least a dozen times. As he approaches the dinner soaking wet from the rain, sharing how he got on the wrong bus and got lost after his doctor’s appointment, dinner church becomes a literal life raft.

My friend Donna asks me if I know of any good places to sleep tonight. I know from experience that she doesn’t feel safe in shelters, so I suggest the well-lit, covered courtyard across from the school. After some discussion, she knows exactly where it is. Donna is always positive and smiley. She tells me that her day was lovely because she got to eat breakfast and dinner. Beaming, she shares that when she comes to the dinner, she gets to meet new people and be around friends. She says that being seventy years old and homeless can be pretty isolating. She thanks me for the food and tells me that, “your food is from love and is a gift from the heart. When the gift is given from the heart its eternal.” Donna hugs me and thanks me for welcoming her. For making her feel like a “normal Christian”.

In the middle of the meal, I share the story from the Bible about the Kingdom of God being like ten bridesmaids, five wise and five foolish. I talk about how the parable always seems to be taught as a warning to be prepared. To be wise with extra supplies and not foolish and lacking. To be awake and ready for when God appears. I offer the possibility that the wise and foolish are all of us and ask if anybody else thinks it’s weird that the “wise” people don’t share their resources. I answer a question about the number ten bus and give directions to the domestic violence shelter and pray. When I finish praying, one gentleman thanks me and another invites me to his table and asks me what I think the parable means. We have a wonderful conversation about heaven on earth, Jesuits, and his favorite Psalm. “Who may stay in God’s temple or live on the holy mountain of the Lord? Only those who obey God and do as they should. They speak the truth and don’t spread gossip; they treat others fairly and don’t say cruel things. They hate worthless people, but show respect for all who worship the Lord. And they keep their promises, no matter what the cost. They lend their money without charging interest, and they don’t take bribes to hurt the innocent. Those who do these things will always stand firm (Psalm 15 CEV).” These last few months have been a lesson in trusting the Lord. In believing that he wants his house full. That in the face of dehumanizing isolation, the love of Christ, “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7 NRSVUE).”

Michael Cox