'Homeless Jesus' in Syracuse resonates Bible message to help the poor
A new homeless Jesus statue installed May 6 in New York reminds passersby of the Biblical message to help the poor.
The statue, which sits outside St. Lucy's Catholic Church in Syracuse, depicts a man covered in a robe, his hand held out as if asking for alms. A wound in the middle of his palm gives a clue that he is a symbol of Jesus, the crucified and risen Lord.
The statue is one of several homeless Jesus statues created by Canadian Christian artist Timothy P. Schmalz. These statues send a message to the public about the importance of helping the poor. They also communicate the top priorities of churches.
The one outside St. Lucy's Catholic Church was titled "Whatsoever You Do," in reference to the famous Bible passage in Matthew 25:40 that says, "Whatsoever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
The statue embodies the mission of the church to extend a helping hand to the less privileged, according to the Rev. Jim Mathews.
"It really spoke to who we want to be and who we are and who we're called to be here at St. Lucy's," Mathews said. The church runs weekly outreach programs that feed the poor. "That's what our mission and our goal is here, that we reach out and try to make the gospel message alive," he added.
Mathews said the statue reminds people of the sacredness of human life.
"This is a very powerful gospel just by looking at it," he stated. "You can stand there and look at it and think about the implications. It's a powerful symbol and I think it represents what we're all about here."
Homeless Jesus statues are also found in other places like Washington, Phoenix, Dublin, Chicago and Grand Haven, Mich.
In Ontario, Hamilton Paramedics received emergency calls in January as people reported about a homeless man lying on a bench, mistaking the homeless Jesus statue for a real person. The reports were made after authorities asked the citizens to call for assistance if they should see people staying out in the cold.
