My mission, Shrine of the True Cross in Dickinson, TX, is going through some renovations. The church is being expanded to allow for a larger sanctuary and a larger chapel to allow for more seating in both. This is obviously causing some changes in programming and location changes. Some ministries/groups that used to meet in the chapel, as well as adoration, and confession, have now been moved to other locations. One day during the early stages of the construction I was leaving the church office building and walking to my car and as I passed between the church and a little playground for the elementary school kids I saw a man sitting outside of the church next to the side doors peering through the glass into the church. I'm fairly familiar with this guy, we say hi when we see each other, so I asked him if he needed to get inside anywhere. He replied, "I'm just spending time with Jesus."
Jesus exposed in the Eucharist had been reposed and taken out of the now locked chapel, but he was still in the tabernacle in the church. I was kind of baffled for a second and really didn't know how to respond. Later on it really hit me as a powerful moment. This guy didn't care how he looked. Honestly, I thought he was a homeless dude when I first saw him. All he knew was he wanted to be close to Jesus, he knew where he could be found, and even though it wasn't ideal, comfortable, nor cozy, he did what he needed to do to spend some time with him.
It really impacted me. I thought about how many times I complain about not having the perfect time of day carved out for prayer, or for not waking up early enough, or for being in a rush or whatever excuse for not spending time with Jesus either in prayer or in adoration. But not only did he take time to come to church, he's getting uncomfortable leaning against a gnarly wall on some concrete steps, to look through the glass of a door to gaze on a tabernacle (if he can see it) to be with Jesus.
I think I'm going to tell him "Thank you" next time I see him.
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