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An Unexpected Encounter

In a mad dash to get to class on time
I stopped short, aghast,
in a drizzle of rain drops.
There lay a homeless person
asleep on a park bench
at the door of Regis College.

Usually, sad to say, the homeless
don’t draw our attention
against the backdrop of urban life.

This person seemed different somehow.
Call 911, or check it out?

Tiptoeing forward for a closer look
I met a life-sized bronze sculpture of
a blanket wrapped someone
whose covered face was an enigma.

As my gaze slipped down
the carefully crafted folds of grey,
I drew another gasp.
Could this be Jesus
with uncovered wounded feet
stretched sideways for all to see?

The space near his exposed feet
was an invitation to sit down
and meet the crucified Jesus
who healed the sick,
taught, and loved all to his death,
yet was rejected then, and now too.

Cars sped by, and cyclists pedalled fast
beside strolling pedestrians,
as I sat in the weak sunlight
filtering through my jumbled thoughts and emotions
grateful for mysterious moments
when a silent, stone statue seemed to breathe
new life into me.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The “Homeless Jesus” statue was created by Canadian sculptor 
Timothy Schmalz in Toronto in 2013. 
Now there are several around the world drawing attention to Matthew 25: 35-45.