The Way of the Cross

As I listen to the stories of the people in our care, I see similarities—as if certain elements or patterns were recurring in each of them. I’d like to point out that what I’m about to write below isn’t backed by research, nor does it apply 100% to every homeless person. I wanted to write this post for two reasons: a fascination with these very similarities can also reveal to us our own likeness to Christ. Even if you’re not a believer, you can accept the facts regarding Jesus’ historical existence and the parallels to similar events in the stories of the people we serve. The second reason is the strength that emerged, that was found—as if resurrected—in a person who had no hope for a better life. What happened that caused everything to change so suddenly?

Jesus Christ – for believers, Lord and Savior; for non-believers, hopefully at least a prophet, a historical figure with an extraordinary story, who agreed to be scourged, suffer immensely, and to be crucified. In whose name? For believers – in the name of the salvation of every person. For non-believers – he was a loser, perhaps with psychological delusions. But how did he perform miracles that even non-believing Pharisees and scribes could not refute?

HISTORY

Jesus had a wonderful childhood from the moment he lived in Bethlehem. That's how I imagine it. After all, he was like a human in everything except sin. His Mother was Mary, an immaculate virgin, who surely took care of her son. His earthly father was Joseph, who already had an unblemished reputation for holiness during his lifetime. Therefore, I can conclude that with such parents, Jesus felt loved. The Holy Scriptures themselves say that Jesus grew in favor with God and man. He developed as God-man. His awareness of who he was changed over the years. As a human, he surely learned a trade from Joseph. He had everything. He lacked nothing.

In the stories of our charges, one can observe that either someone had everything and lacked nothing:.

Bang your head against a wall

Everyone lost everything and, having nothing, hit their head against the wall. Those who never had anything hit their head against the wall while fleeing, wanting to take their own lives. Hitting the wall is that moment when a person lies in their own excrement, moans with pain and remorse, and says „never again” or „I don't want to live.” Dirty, stinking, full of wounds in their heart. Without faith, hope, and love.

Humanly speaking, Jesus lost everything. His popularity grew due to his healings. Thousands of people came to his meetings. There were countless healings and miracles. He could have made a career as a healer, a politician. He could have been anything he wanted. But he lost everything. He agreed to it.

Cyrenean

When I encounter a homeless person lying in excrement and urine, with tears and suffering in their eyes, it is as if I see Jesus himself. It is that moment right after the scourging. And I hear in my heart, „Behold the man.” Although physically they often do not resemble a human being. Neglected, overgrown, flea-ridden. The thought then comes: Jesus, let yourself be helped! I want to be a Simon of Cyrene!

Olive Garden

I am taking up this cross of life experiences with Him. He tells me about his childhood, what he remembers. Often fragments of different events that are hard to piece together. Some events are like the meeting in the Garden of Olives. A meeting with the Father. Talking about his fears, his anxiety. Other facts from his life are painful, difficult, like Judas's betrayal. Then alcohol often appears, it's a sentence like the Sanhedrin's verdict. What happens afterward resembles Peter's denial: instead of the care of a close person, divorce comes. Often the words are spoken: „I don't know you,” „you used to be different,” „I don't want anything to do with you.” And then judgment: self-judgment, the judgment of others: children, in-laws, parents, siblings, a random passerby: a drunkard, a homeless person, a drunk. Then before my eyes I see Jesus' trial, which Pilate conducted. Hearing this, a person wants to run away, hide, rest. Alcohol, drugs, suicide attempts. This is like scourging.

Stations of the Cross

My interlocutor is telling me how it all happened. Then Jesus's Way of the Cross comes to mind. When I hear about bad decisions, emotions, feelings, lack of help, but also often his own foolishness leading him to complete drunkenness. Then I stop at the station „Jesus falls.” It's no accident that Jesus fell. He did it for that man, and for me, and for you. We are no different.

Street workers, social workers, and shelter caregivers often approach people living on the streets, saying: "We are here! We are with you, if only you decide to change, if you make the decision." Sometimes these good people are like the Mother whom Christ met on his path. Sometimes they are like Veronica, who wiped his face. I decided to be the Cyrenean, who helps carry this cross.

But this man is collapsing again under his own pain. I can't reset myself. I'm in an alcohol binge, I've used hard drugs and other intoxicants. I see no hope for myself. Then tears well up in my eyes. He suggests a sobering-up station. He's scared. He doesn't want to. He sees my tears. He wipes them away, just as Jesus comforted weeping women.

I suggest a sobering up station. This pain is like the third fall. The pain felt during sobering up. Visual and auditory hallucinations. The withdrawal syndrome, which he greatly feared, slowly passes. In the end, he felt nothing more. He was stripped bare. More than once I hear about the inhumane treatment of people: they laugh at him because he is homeless, they spit on him, they steal from him, they throw him out of the stairwell like trash, and he just wanted to sleep.

CRUCIFIXION

Now he has to crucify alcohol, drugs, and everything that hurts him. He is sober now. But sore, without strength. He knows the pain is still ahead of him. Therapy lasts 8-10 weeks in an inpatient ward. He has to delve into his childhood, his entire past during therapy. He has to talk about his failures, emotions, feelings, traumas. It hurts. If he honestly engages in therapy, he will die. He knows this well. His alcohol, pride, and arrogance will die. But he accepts it because he knows that only by dying will he live.

RESURRECTION

He is taken down from the cross. He was honest. Now he will be placed in the grave, because he still has to write a final paper on a specific topic and make a recovery plan. It's not easy. But others will help him. He already knows them. He's already talked to them. He has already opened up to the therapist. He already knows the ward staff. It doesn't hurt anymore.

The last stop. The House of Saint Lazarus. This is a place of resurrection.