(Note: Today’s guest blogger is none other than our very own lead pastor, Rev. Myra Brown – nationally known activist-pastor, community healer and anti-racism advocate. Thank you Rev. Myra for the may ways that you stir our hearts and minds!)
The Lenten Walk of Justice and Mercy by Rev. Myra Brown
During my ordination into the priesthood, I chose to focus on the passage of scripture from Micah 6:8 which says, “God has shown you, o mortal what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”
Three very simple instructions, yet they seem so hard for us as disciples of Jesus to follow within the structures we create to serve the poor, despite the fact that Jesus spent so much of his ministry giving himself to their liberation, healing and restoring their dignity.
Last night my heart was disturbed and outraged. I took a homeless person to a hotel designated by DHS (Department of Human Services) for shelter and as I was standing next to them the clerk at the desk handed them a piece of paper to review as they processed their reservation. The paper said that when they get a room paid for by DHS, it may not have a tv, microwave, or refrigerator in it and they are to expect no complimentary breakfast because all DHS pays for is a room and a bed!
My blood boiled at this blatant system of outright discrimination against the Black, homeless, poor person that I accompanied (and clearly all homeless poor). So I began challenging this expectation by advocating for her and asking questions that were poorly answered by the front desk staff as he tried to defend his discrimination. Never in my privileged life has a hotel ever had the audacity to tell me that I could pay what everyone else is paying, or in this case an agreed rate by DHS, but expect far less because of my social status or condition. The message of being a second -class citizen underserving of dignity was stark. Where was the action of justice, mercy, or humility with God, we were being called to? Why don’t we expect more from our systems that aren’t working for poor people?
Under the surface something insidious was happening. As it turns out when I reported the incident to DHS, they didn’t even know it was happening, and they promised to follow up. I wondered if having more Black led options in this housing system to care for people like her with equity, justice, compassion, humanity, and empathy would have made a difference. I was sure that it would, given how race keeps shaping our interactions with each other.
I became keenly aware that my privilege kept me from seeing all the dignity hits and disparate treatment we unknowingly (or knowingly) set up for the poor to endure alone. Some systems know that the poor are left to fend for themselves, and so they use that opportunity to exploit. But not on this night. Because I fussed enough, the room he gave her had all the normal amenities (even though his disclaimer was that if she had them in the room, she was not entitled to expect them to work!). If they had not worked, I would have been writing this from jail – unwilling to refuse to leave until the prophet Micah’s words were fulfilled. Instead, I am sharing her story in this blog for us to think about how to act more justly, love more mercifully, and walk more humbly for the poor. As we keep working for a just society that advocates for those trying to survive at the bottom rung of our society, I invite you to spend this Lent fighting fiercely on their behalf. Our poor homeless brothers and sisters are entitled to be treated right with the dignity the Lord requires! In the words of Dr. King, “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”
4 Comments
Sarah Brownell
You go Rev. Myra! The social service system is not designed to “help” people, it is on the whole designed to make them go away (drop out of the system) by being degrading, difficult, and impersonal… Workers’ case loads are so high and incentives to get people off are so backwards that it is hard for it to be something different. I don’t blame the workers at all. They do their best. But the problems stem from the underlying values of the system and lack of trust we have for one another. That’s why I am in favor of guaranteed basic income – no questions, no hoops, no “watchers”, no proving you are human enough to deserve breakfast… It is expensive, but the evidence suggests that money would be saved in other areas like emergency health care, emergency housing, addiction services, policing, mental health treatment, social work, etc. Wellbeing – both individual and community – is worth it.
Patricia Hart
I can hear your outrage and your call for justice in your writing, Myra. I have been blessed to walk with a friend and her children who face outrageous inequities, and unbelievable challenges with the system each day. She is my teacher and with each experience I begin to process how the system is designed to keep people “ in poverty “, despite their hard work and belief that they can improve their lives. We must continue to speak out and advocate with those who teach us about the struggle. I ask for God’s guidance and wisdom on the journey.
Mary Monefeldt
Telling these stories of working on the front line with the poor is so important. First step in change is awareness and information sharing. Thanks, Myra.
Monica Haag Anderson
Thank you for your energy and bravery, Rev. MYRA. I recall trying to help our own daughter when she was in dire straights. There were no parking spots available at HHS, and I knew that cars parked on the grass were promptly towed. The only option was to continue driving around the lot to find a parking spot or sit there waiting for one. That I did, but was told that I I could not remain there!
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