Mtr Mary Trainor

Dear friend,

We entered the tavern, headed straight through to the back, making a beeline for the exit.

When we got a puzzled look from the bartender, we pointed to the flier posted just the day before. He looked at it, back at us, and said, “Yeah, just keep going. God is in the parking lot.”

Our small entourage carried the makings of communion and, accompanied by our parish priest, pushed through the back door to set up for church.

The parking lot was shared by two bars—one straight, one gay. Days before, patrons of the straight bar jumped patrons of the gay bar. A knife appeared. Blood was shed. One of the gay men later died from his injuries.

Like so many in the community, our small church wanted to heal this ugly act, cleanse the parking lot, reclaim this space from hate. What better way, we thought, than to bring the Holy Meal for all who entered or left the gay and straight bars.

God is in the parking lot.

Today the church remembers Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles and one of the four evangelists. In our Gospel reading (Matthew 9:9-13) Jesus calls Matthew to join his ministry. Later at a dinner with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus is accosted by critics for the company he keeps. Why do you associate with such as these, they wonder.

That’s the thing with Jesus. He hangs out with those who need him most, not necessarily the ones who are well put together. With extreme hospitality he throws open the doors to the kingdom. The self-made, the pious, the practiced pray-ers, those in charge of religion, they’re all welcome, too. It’s just that they often balk at the others Jesus invites, see them as less worthy, perhaps not even worthy at all.

Matthew is an interesting case. He profited off the backs of the Jews. He probably gave no thought to what the religious said about him. He probably was indifferent at best to wanderers like Jesus. 

But then came the encounter. The call. Everything changed. He sensed freedom and power in the invitation from Jesus. And he walked out of one life and into another.

God is in the parking lot.

We met some interesting people outside those bars, heard some moving stories. Sober and not-so-sober patrons joined us on the asphalt where a life had been taken. Initially, they were just curious. But they stayed. Many had not been in a church in years, and yet tear-stained faces lifted to sing all verses of Amazing Grace without a hymnal.

I like to think those tears of grace washed away some of the blood of violence. A bit of heaven was shared. A bit of hurt was healed. 

God goes where God is needed. A church. A tax booth. Even a parking lot

Mtr. Mary

Perhaps we will see one another today in church at 5:30pm for a Mass remembering Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. A free dinner follows in the Murphey Gallery. You are welcome to bring a side dish to share.