I was attending mass overseas. A man, probably a refugee, came around just before mass saying that he was hungry.
He approached a number of people with the same request.
Suddenly the silence of the church was broken by the shouts of an angry sounding voice!
‘Get out..‘ ‘Get out‘ he kept on shouting!!!
I was horrified as were many of the other people waiting for mass to start!
Now apparently this man came regularly asking the people present to give him something.
Indeed a mile or so down the road, the Franciscan Friars offer a full meal as well as showers as well as other services for those in need.
I suggested to the Sacristan looking after the church to pass on the Friar’s address to those looking for assistance which he agreed to follow up and do.
The man who had ordered the one asking for assistance to leave the church was dressed in a suit and was very well-dressed.
In his mind, he did what he most probably thought in his mind to be the proper thing to do.
However, I believe that his response was well and truly ‘over the top’ It is so different from what I consider a Christian response to be.
Religion is very helpful and very important, however, it is dead without enough Love.