Homeless Jesus or Jesus the Homeless, a bronze sculpture by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz, depicts a homeless Jesus, wrapped in a blanket and sleeping on a park bench with the holes in the feet. The life-size sculpture reminds Christians that Jesus is with everyone, particularly with those marginalized groups, the poor and homeless.
The cast was put at Regis College, the Jesuit School of Theology at the University of Toronto. A Catholic donated this statue to support public art. The statue is delivering the message that Jesus stayed with the poor people rather than kings on earth. Later, a replica of the first bronze cast was installed on the street of the Vatican under the arrangement of Pope Francis. Since then, several churches in the world installed the statue.
During the Christmas season of 2016, 'Homeless Jesus' statue is attracting attention among Chinese Christians and the message about it are spreading far and wide on WeChat among Christians.
A Christian says, "These days my WeChat is flooded with Christmas invitations from churches. It seems that technology has shortened the distance of people, but that's not true! Jesus was born not only for those handsome and beauty. Jesus often walked into the disadvantaged groups, marginalized areas and desolate regions. Can the church today be realistic, reach out to invite urban sanitary workers, orphans, and empty nester....... and reserve the best seats, giving the best attention to and providing the best reception for these people? 'For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.'(Luke 19:10)"
Translated By: Karen Luo
