Serendipity....

Today there was a consultation in town.  The topic--homelessness.

Normally I would not go to a day long meeting the first day back from a week of vacation time.  But this seemed like an important event to attend (and I find it notable that I was one of only 2 clergy in attendance -- and the other may well have been there as much because his church runs an affordable housing building) so I went, having done most of my "Monday work" on Saturday to allow for it.

But there is something terribly serendipitous about attending a meeting on homelessness this week.  Why you ask?  Well here are my early sermon thoughts for the week, and here are my liturgical bits for the week.  The gospel passage includes the line "you always have the poor with you", which sadly many people have taken as freedom to merely accept the reality and inevitability of poverty. 

As people of faith, how do we live with the reality of winners and losers, the reality that our stewardship of God's abundance has be grossly uneven, the reality that while some have more than they could use others across town are seeking a cot in the warming centre so they have a place to sleep for the night?

Hard questions.  But the day will inform my sermon this week.  And I came out with a great quote "Poverty is what happens when people stop caring for one another".