{"id":443,"date":"2011-04-03T19:54:02","date_gmt":"2011-04-04T02:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=443"},"modified":"2011-04-03T20:02:17","modified_gmt":"2011-04-04T03:02:17","slug":"we-are-all-beggars-before-the-lord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/we-are-all-beggars-before-the-lord\/","title":{"rendered":"We are all Beggars Before the Lord"},"content":{"rendered":"

I<\/span> was deeply moved today by a homily posted by Deacon Greg Kandra<\/a> today.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\nSeveral years ago, a priest from the Archdiocese of New York was visiting Rome. As he was walking into a church to pray, he noticed a beggar at the door. Something looked vaguely familiar about him. As he began to pray, he realized what it was.<\/p>\n

He went back outside. \u201cExcuse me,\u201d he said to the beggar. \u201cDo I know you?\u201d \u201cYes,\u201d the beggar said. \u201cI think you do.\u201d It turns out, the beggar had been in the seminary with him. He had been ordained a priest, but had \u2013 as he put it \u2014 \u201ccrashed and burned\u201d in his vocation.<\/p>\n

The priest from New York talked with him for a few minutes, and then had to go. He promised the beggar that he would pray for him. But he was shaken by what he had seen.<\/p>\n

That afternoon, this priest attended a function that concluded with a chance to meet the pope. As he stood in a receiving line and took John Paul\u2019s hand, he told him about the man he\u2019d met outside the church and whispered, \u201cPlease, pray for this man, because he\u2019s lost.\u201d The pope nodded and assured him he would.<\/p>\n

The next day, to his amazement, the priest got a call from the Pope\u2019s secretary. The Holy Father, he said, was hosting a dinner and wanted to invite the priest, along with the other priest, the beggar. Stunned, the priest agreed, and quickly went back to the Church and found the beggar and told him what had happened.<\/p>\n

The beggar said, \u201cNo, I can\u2019t.\u201d The priest insisted, and promised to make him presentable. He took the man to his room, where he was able to take a shower, and shave put on some clean clothes.<\/p>\n

Then they went to dinner with the Pope \u2013 surely, the best meal the man had enjoyed in months. Just before desert, the Holy Father asked everyone else to leave the room, so he could be alone with the beggar. They did, and waited outside. After about 15 minutes, they were invited back into the dining room. Shortly after that, they all said goodnight, and the beggar and the priest walked back to the hotel.<\/p>\n

The priest said: \u201cI have to ask you: what happened in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

And the beggar stopped in his tracks, still amazed at the experience. \u201cHe asked me,\u201d the man said, \u201cto hear his confession. I said to him, \u2018But I\u2019m not a priest anymore. I\u2019m a beggar.\u2019 And the Holy Father took my hands in his and looked at me and said, \u2018So am I. We are all beggars before the Lord.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The man tried to explain that he was not in good standing with the Church. But the pope said: \u201cOnce a priest, always a priest. I\u2019m the Vicar of Christ and the Bishop of Rome. I can re-instate you now. \u201d<\/p>\n

Well, the beggar couldn\u2019t refuse. And at that moment, in that room, he heard the confession of the pope.<\/p>\n

The beggar-priest had barely finished offering absolution before he dropped to his knees in tears. \u201cHoly Father,\u201d he said, \u201cwill you please hear my Confession?\u201d And he did.<\/p>\n

When they were done, the pope told him to return to the Church where he had been begging, and report to the pastor. He would serve as a priest there, with a special ministry to the poor of Rome.<\/p>\n

And that is what happened. It is said that the beggar who heard the pope\u2019s confession still serves at the church in Rome.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Please go and read the original, and Deacon Kandra’s reflections on the story and today’s gospel here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Readings for today (the 4th Sunday of Lent) may be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was deeply moved today by a homily posted by Deacon Greg Kandra today. Several years ago, a priest from the Archdiocese of New York was visiting Rome. As he was walking into a church to pray, he noticed a beggar at the door. Something looked vaguely familiar about him. As he began to pray, he realized what it was. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-meditations"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1aGBK-79","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":88540,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/changes-2017-its-official\/","url_meta":{"origin":443,"position":0},"title":"Changes 2017: It’s Official","author":"Thom","date":"31 May 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The Northwest Catholic, the official magazine of the Archdiocese of Seattle, has published the official list of new priestly appointments for July, 2017. In among the quite extensive list, we of course find the outgoing pastor and the incoming priest administrator for our parishes of Holy Rosary and Visitation. Well,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2017 transitions - Holy Rosary \/ Visitation"","block_context":{"text":"2017 transitions - Holy Rosary \/ Visitation","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/2017-transitions-holy-rosary-visitation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wagner-2017.jpg?fit=772%2C359&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wagner-2017.jpg?fit=772%2C359&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wagner-2017.jpg?fit=772%2C359&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wagner-2017.jpg?fit=772%2C359&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":639,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/instruction-universae-ecclesiae\/","url_meta":{"origin":443,"position":1},"title":"Instruction Univers\u00e6 Ecclesi\u00e6","author":"Thom","date":"13 May 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"The instruction Univers\u00e6 Ecclesi\u00e6 was issued today in Rome. It is a clarification of Summorum Pontificum, which Pope Benedict XVI promulgated on 7 July 2007. By far the best source for information that I've found so far is Father Z's PODCAzT on the subject. Vatican Radio also has a nice\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Pope Benedict XVI"","block_context":{"text":"Pope Benedict XVI","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/pope-benedict-xvi\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/stemma-1-189x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":109114,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/saint-martin-of-tours\/","url_meta":{"origin":443,"position":2},"title":"Saint Martin of Tours","author":"Thom","date":"11 November 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"seems fitting that Veterans' Day - Armistice Day - is celebrated on November 11, for this is the memorial of the soldier-saint, Martin of Tours. He was a soldier turned monk turned reluctant bishop, and he was one of the first saints to be venerated who wasn't a martyr. Saint\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Annual"","block_context":{"text":"Annual","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/annual\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Icon-of-Saint-Martin-of-Tours.jpg?fit=700%2C493&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Icon-of-Saint-Martin-of-Tours.jpg?fit=700%2C493&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Icon-of-Saint-Martin-of-Tours.jpg?fit=700%2C493&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Icon-of-Saint-Martin-of-Tours.jpg?fit=700%2C493&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1609,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-new-translation-part-9-liturgy-of-the-eucharist\/","url_meta":{"origin":443,"position":3},"title":"The New Translation Part 9: Liturgy of the Eucharist","author":"Thom","date":"15 October 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the latest installment in a series of short articles I wrote\/adapted\/edited for my parish bulletin. I will publish the others as they they appear. The new Mass translation is coming on November 27! Back in 2000, Blessed Pope John Paul II issued the third edition of the Roman\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Sacred Liturgy"","block_context":{"text":"The Sacred Liturgy","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/sacred-liturgy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/11_07_14_water_wine1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":89601,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/changes-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":443,"position":4},"title":"Changes, 2018","author":"Thom","date":"20 May 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"It seems like lately, we're doing this every year. As was announced at the Masses this weekend, Holy Rosary and Visitation Parishes in Tacoma are getting a new pastoral team. Instead of a single priest, however, we're getting a deacon and a priest, and their roles are not what you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2018 transitions in Tacoma"","block_context":{"text":"2018 transitions in Tacoma","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/2018-transitions-tacoma\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/2017-07-22-11.51.11.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/2017-07-22-11.51.11.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/2017-07-22-11.51.11.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/2017-07-22-11.51.11.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":110001,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/happy-martinmas\/","url_meta":{"origin":443,"position":5},"title":"Happy Martinmas!","author":"Thom","date":"11 November 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"seems fitting that Veterans' Day - Armistice Day - is celebrated on November 11, for this is the memorial of the soldier-saint, Martin of Tours. He was a soldier turned monk turned reluctant bishop, and he was one of the first saints to be venerated who wasn't a martyr. Saint\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Annual"","block_context":{"text":"Annual","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/annual\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/saint-martin-of-tours.jpg?fit=461%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=443"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443\/revisions\/446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}