PRoP FAQ
- What is a “Rite of Passage?”
- What is a Pauper?
- Am I going to be safe?
- What do I do if I have a dietary need?
- What is the painting used on the PRoP website and other material?
- Who is the artist who made the painting?
What is a “Rite of Passage?”
Many cultures around the world use a rite of passage as a means of initiation of their children into adulthood. Children (youth) are removed from the village (community) and go through a rigorous initiation rite that can last days, weeks, and even up to a year. Each child must learn the histories of their community and the sacred lessons passed on from the generations that proceeded them. At the end of the rites of passage, the young person becomes an adult in the community.
PRoP has adopted A.H. Matthias Zahniser’s interpretation of the stages of the rite of passage as its model: separation, liminality, and reintegration.
Stage One: Separation (Friday)
The first step in a rite of passage is for the young person to separate from their society. A rite of passage never takes place in the village, but outside of the village. This separation is symbolically important for leaving the old way of life to embrace a new one.
Participants of PRoP will be asked to read through some reflections before traveling to Philly in order to prepare them for a journey into a new way of thinking and living.
Stage Two: Liminality (Friday night – Saturday)
Participants of a rite of passage all go through a state of liminality. It is a transitional phase where all of the participants are equal (no matter what their “status” may have been in the village). In the liminal state they are often exposed to physical and mental weakening as well as being expected to practice ascetic disciplines. It is in the state of liminality that participants are very alert to new ideas and begin transitioning into a new identity.
Participants of PRoP will experience liminality throughout the weekend. They will be called to live differently and to no longer rely on their “American privilege” that they take for granted. Folks will interact with people they have never interacted with before in an environment they are unfamiliar with, all leading to “liminality.” The state of liminality should not be viewed as a negative thing. While participants of PRoP are engaged in the weekend, they are in a prime place to relate more fully to the plight of the poor, and they will be more open to relating to the scriptures that deal with the poor. Once they have seen and experienced these things, it will be easier for them to relate these scriptures to everyday life.
During the liminal state of PRoP, participants will be in a good place to have their ideas transformed and to bond to new meanings in life. Some of the meanings we would like them to be transformed from are:
- The Christian Life is about one’s individual comfort (I am blessed).
- Valuing people based on what they can produce, or give us.
- Seeing the poor only as recipients of what we have to offer.
- Do not worry about tomorrow (because I already have all I need)
In the liminal state we desire participants to embrace these meanings:
- The Christian Life is about laying one’s life down, loving God and loving people, because nothing else matters.
- Value people, because all have been created in the image of God. We are all beloved sons and daughters of God, no matter our lot in life.
- The poor have much to offer us, we are in need of them as much as they are in need of us.
- Do not worry about tomorrow (because God will give you what you need).
Stage Three: Reintegration (Sunday)
The weekend will conclude with prayer and a commissioning of the participants to begin to see Jesus in his many “distressing disguises” (as Mother Teresa used to say) within their own contexts (home). An invitation will also be given for folks between the ages of 18 and 29 to consider doing Mission Year, a yearlong opportunity to serve the poor in the inner city.
What is a Pauper?
A pauper is a fancy word for someone who is poor. Mother Teresa used to say that the poor are Jesus in his “distressing disguise.” Throughout Scripture you can hear the echoes of God’s heart for those trapped in poverty. Jesus himself came as a pauper.
Through PRoP not only will you learn more about poverty and God’s heart concerning these issues, but you will begin to discover your own poverty as well. Several years ago I worked in a home for mentally challenged kids in India. During my time there I spent a great deal of time with this young boy named Manikandan. He was malnourished and didn’t even have the strength to roll over in his bed. Each day I would come and talk to him and rub his hair, which oddly enough was the only thing that seemed to bring satisfaction to his face.
After about a week or so I went to Calcutta to do some work there. Over the course of the next couple of weeks I ended up getting lice. Wow, did it itch, and it was a bit of a pain trying to get rid of it. Long story short, we ended up returning to Manikandan and the other kids in the home after about a month or so in Calcutta. It didn’t take me long to discover that Manikandan had severe lice. No wonder the scratching of his head brought such relief. There he laid, silent, yet in agony, and I can vouch for that having had lice myself. Mani was not able to scratch his own head, and he did not have the ability to tell others of his discomfort. I discovered something that day… I am no different than Manikandan. We are both humans, and we are both in need of God and others. I also came to the realization that unless I had contracted lice, I would not have known to advocate on Manikandan’s behalf and have his head shaved (along with everyone else in the home that also had lice).
This is the beauty of Jesus; he identified with our suffering and our poverty. It was through this identification that he was so effectively able to minister to others and to ultimately become our sacrificial lamb. PRoP is an opportunity for you to also identify with the sufferings of others. It is a time to embrace your own fragility and poverty and to rely on God for your daily bread.
Am I going to be safe?
PRoP takes place in Center City Philadelphia, which is highly populated and has many tourists, locals, and all types of folks walking around. Though safety cannot be guaranteed anywhere in the world we live in, PRoP participants are relatively safe walking around Center City, especially during the day on Saturday. Participants will be given a crash course in being street smart before they wander the streets. Minors will be accompanied by an adult, and each participant will also have an emergency contact number.
What do I do if I have a dietary need?
If you have dietary restrictions or a medical condition, please talk with PRoP staff prior to your visit, and we will work with you based on the condition.
What is the painting used on the PRoP website and other material?
The painting is of “Lazarus and the rich man” (Lk. 16:19ff). The painting has several powerful images worthy of reflection. First of all, many pictures of the rich man and Lazarus have the rich man elevated in a place of power, while Lazarus is symbolically located under him. In this painting, it is Lazarus that is elevated above the rich man (Lk.1:52-53).
The rich man is also dressed in purple, which symbolizes his wealth, yet his fist is closed as he walks past the beggar at his front gate (Dt 15:7ff). Upon reflecting on the story of Lazarus and the rich man, I’ve come to the conclusion that the rich man did not end up in hell because he was rich, but because he was tight-fisted and did not care. 1 John 3:17 states, “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?” PRoP provides participants the opportunity to “hang out” with Lazarus. Rather than serving or trying to “fix” Lazarus, PRoP allows people the ability to learn from him.
Another image in the painting is the “box” that Lazarus is sitting on. The “box” is an artistic expression of “the Church.” In our society Lazarus is often an afterthought for the Church (except when it comes to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and an occasional mission trip). The painting calls us not only to answer the cries of Lazarus at our front gates but to make him the center of our Church. The Church should not be defined by fancy buildings and big budgets,\ but rather by compassion and love for “the least of these” (Mt 25:40).
Who is the artist who made the painting?
Joel Klepac painted “Lazarus and the rich man” in 1997. Joel is currently living in Romania with his wife and kids. He works with Word Made Flesh, an organization serving the poorest of the poor throughout the world (www.wordmadeflesh.org).
Joel also facilitates a blog for those who are artists desiring community and who have a heart of justice for people who are poor: www.artincommunityamongthepoor.blogspot.com
If you are interested in looking at more of Joel’s art work or would like to learn more about his community and work in Romania, check out his personal blog: www.joelklepac.blogspot.com
