Pope Francis in Memphis

I did something good for a change. But it wasn’t my fault. Pope Francis made me do it.

The three dogs I sleep with woke me at 3 A.M. this morning growling. I looked out the window and, sure enough, there was a tall man standing motionless in front of the gate. He was well bundled up, a ski mask over his face against the sub-freezing weather we’re having.

This is considered a high crime area. I asked myself: should I call the police? Just go back to bed?

Then Pope Francis intervened. I could not have stopped him. Ever since elected, he has been going to the poor and saying we all must do that.

I don’t know what Francis would have done. Or Jesus either. But I knew neither would have just left the man standing there. So I took my dogs with me and went outside.

When anybody even passes by my gate the dogs all rush to it, barking their heads off. This time they all ran to the other end of the yard and began hunting for mice.

So I said to the figure at the gate, “Hey man, how you doin’?”

He began talking incoherently. Something about his wife throwing him out, and what he thought of her. I figured he was either drunk or challenged mentally.

I weighed my options. Maybe Francis would invite him in. But he hadn’t asked for that, and I didn’t think it would be smart.

So we chatted a bit. He lowered the ski mask. Relationship. And I said, “It’s cold, man. You ought to get inside.”

I had some trouble saying that. James wrote: “If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?”

I suggested the all-night Kroger’s a few blocks away. He mentioned the “church”  a shelter near it, run by the Baptists. He asked for a cigarette, which I didn’t have, and began to walk toward the shopping center.

I called after him, “Have a good night, man. And God bless you.”

He waved back: “God bless you too.” 

Brothers in Christ. Francis scores again.