When we read the gospels we hear Jesus reminding us again and again: to be close to him, is to be close to the poor. When we walk by that person pushing the shopping cart, sleeping in the doorway, asking for change, do we ignore them? Do we avoid eye contact as the rich man did in the parable? Do we do what we can do to keep the poor at a distance? If we do, we also keep God at a distance as well.
