This Spirit of God is Already There
“The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,” (Acts 10:45)
During my first year of seminary, I was given the opportunity to work with a church named St. John’s. This church was located in an area of Columbus, Ohio known as “the bottoms”. This area was known for its rich history, and was originally settled by Appalachian people who came there in search of work. This area was also extremely poor. The church had a street ministry called “street church” which was held every Sunday afternoon. After their services, members of St. John’s would make lunches and then walk down to a vacant lot located nearby. This lot was bordered by a wooded area along the river, and it was where a large number of homeless people lived. In that empty lot, they would hold a Eucharistic service and then share a meal with the homeless congregants, while learning about their stories.
"When I first participated in Street Church, I went with the intention of being the presence of Christ for those in need. However, I soon realized that Christ was already present and working in that place, whether I was there or not. I was surprised to witness Christ's presence so vividly. I learned that to be Christ's presence, I needed to be open to the reality that Christ was already there, and I had to recognize that God was at work. I had to learn to see and share how God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit were already present in the lives of those I had come to serve."
One Sunday, after finishing the Eucharist, we were getting ready to serve and eat lunch at the empty lot across from KFC. As I glanced towards the cross we brought every Sunday, I noticed a man named Rambo kneeling before it. He was scruffy, dirty, and broken, but he was praising God and praying. In that moment, with all his human suffering, Rambo was the perfect image of holiness. He had abandoned himself to God, and what struck me was that I had not led him to do it. I stood there, watching this sacred moment, and for a brief moment, I no longer saw Rambo, but Christ kneeling in the Garden at Gethsemane, abandoning himself to God's will. I realized that I had been presumptuous in thinking that I was an agent of God's grace, that I could come and be the presence of Christ to these people. The truth was that God was already present, and all that was needed was for me to be present and share the news that God was there.
God’s grace was active. God’s presence was not something that I could bring to others. Instead it was something that I could become a part of.
Our ability to embody Christ in the world is linked to our willingness to recognize and witness his presence in others. May God remove the veils from our eyes and help us see the presence of Christ in everyone we meet.
Oh, and about Rambo, I had lunch with him at Street Church almost every Sunday during my years at seminary. And on my last Sunday before graduating, he reached into his pocket and gave me a dollar. He wanted to help send me off to where God was calling me next. I still have that dollar.
