Rest in peace, Rosemary!

March 31, 2009 by Pastor Dan.

“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, `I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, `Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’” — Luke 9:57–58It is unsettling to think of Jesus as homeless, and yet that is how he is characterized in the Gospels, because throughout his entire ministry he not only was an itinerant preacher and healer, he depended on the kindness of others who welcomed him into their homes. (In Galilee, he was the guest of an unknown person or family. In Judea, he presumably stayed with Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. It was probably from their home that he moved with determination and triumph toward Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday morning.)The Nicene Creed states in formal terms what Christians accept from the Scriptural witness: Jesus is “true God and true man.” We know that Jesus completely shared our humanity, and in many ways which sadden us and appeal to our conscience. As an infant, when Joseph and Mary fled from King Herod, Jesus and his family became “political refugees” in Egypt for a time (some might say “illegal immigrants”!) Jesus wept. Jesus agonized over the suffering he would face. Jesus was betrayed and denied. He bled. He died. These are very human experiences!

But perhaps most jarring of all is this passage above, telling us that Jesus was homeless. Who among us would not find some way to take Jesus in, to get him off the streets, if we met him in Los Angeles today?

It calls to mind Isaiah’s prophetic utterance, which tugs at the heart during Lent:

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?” — Isaiah 58:6–7

The “problem” of homelessness is always with us in these times.  So many in our society wishes “the problem” would just go away!  But our homeless neighbors are still human beings, created in God’s image, and still our neighbors.  Our neighbor and friend Rosemary succumbed to breast cancer in mid-February.  I led a memorial service for her in the Sanctuary two weeks ago, and it was well attended by members, friends and neighbors.  A candle burned day and night in her memory for 40 days in our Sanctuary.

Rosemary is survived by Matthew, her companion of nearly 20 years, and by a cousin in the Midwest. She was nearly 70 at the time of her death, and still homeless, along with Matthew.   [See:  LA’s Homeless Blog“] Over the years, our community has done a lot to feed, clothe and help these two special people, but now we face a different “problem” or opportunity. It may cost as much as $400 to pay for the cremation of her body, and to gain the legal release of her remains. But we would also like to help Matthew start his life anew, off the streets, by helping him find temporary shelter and then long-term housing and employment.

In situations as these our faith and discipleship are being tested, to see if we can truly follow Christ wherever he goes, wherever he leads. We are at the threshold of Holy Week, the one week of the year in which Christians are most keenly sensitive to the humanity of Jesus, and to the power of God to change our world. Please join me in prayer for Matthew, and in doing anything we can as a community to honor Rosemary and to help the homeless poor get a fresh start. It would be our most fitting celebration of the Resurrection.

— Pastor Dan Hooper, Los Angeles

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