Home > Lenten Blog 2026
THE LENS OF CHARITY
March 24, 2026
Numbers 21:4-9|John 8:21-30|Psalm 102:15-22
Psalm 102:15–22
16 For the Lord will build up Zion, *
and his glory will appear.17 He will look with favor on the prayer of the homeless; *
he will not despise their plea.
Last Sunday, during his sermon about Nicodemus, Father John reminded us that in his very first sermon at St. Luke’s last September, he had said “If we are not reading scripture through the lens of charity, we are reading it wrong”.
After I heard Father John say this for the second time, I was deeply moved by the power of his statement. Then, that afternoon, as I was reflecting on the readings for my assigned blog posting I was struck by the paragraph from Psalm 102 which states “He will look with favor on the prayer of the homeless, he will not despise their plea.” Those who know Caroline and I are aware that for the last 12 plus years we could be found on the 3rd Saturday of every month joining our St. Luke’s Loaves and Fishes team going to Woonsocket to feed and clothe our neighbors who are either homeless or living on the “edge”. Over the years those of us who go to Woonsocket have come to know a number of the “regulars” who are there every month. They have become family to us, and, likewise, we are family to them. We have heard their stories and laughed and prayed with them. We have been told countless times by this group in Woonsocket that we are their church, and they look forward to seeing us and visiting with us every month. This is not just about food and clothing, it is about relationships.
During our monthly St. Luke’s feeding ministry planning call earlier this week, we received news that one of the women we have seen every month in Woonsocket for well over 10 years, Ida Mae, had died suddenly, reportedly from a fentanyl laced overdose. Every one of us was stunned and we were all so sad to hear of her passing. If you look at the attached photo taken on one of our monthly visits to Woonsocket, the woman on the right with the beautiful smile was Ida Mae. She was one of those people who was always smiling and laughing, despite the desperate conditions in which she lived. She brought joy to all of us. And boy, could she sing and dance! I recall a few months ago when she broke out singing “Amazing Grace”, and within a few minutes, we had a whole circle of people singing and dancing to her beautiful voice. We have lost a beautiful soul, but I can only imagine that Ida Mae is making heaven a brighter place.
During this Lenten season of self reflection, I think about how blessed Caroline and I are to live such a privileged life. Our monthly work with the poor gives us that regular reminder of this. Despite all of the adversities our Woonsocket family faces, I am always overwhelmed by the strength, spirit, and faith in God these people show. Over the years I have come to realize that although food and clothing are our tools of charity, relationships are the ministry. Ida Mae reminded us that every person has a song worth hearing and a soul worth honoring. She has left our circle here, but her voice remains a reminder of the grace we find when we dare to look through the lens of charity. Let us honor her memory by making our community a place where the homeless and needy are always seen, always heard, and always loved.
As we continue our Lenten journey, I challenge myself—and perhaps you, too—to look for the “Ida Mae’s” in our lives. May we move out of the shadows of our own comfort and into the relational love that Jesus modeled—the kind of love that calls a stranger “family” and a sidewalk “church”.
Dana Sparhawk
