The church was quiet. People sat on the benches, some reading prayers quietly to themselves, others listening to the priest’s words. Everything seemed normal — until a man appeared in the doorway.

He was barefoot, wearing old, torn clothes, with gray hair and a weary expression. A faint whisper ran through the hall. Everyone noticed the heavy smell coming from him. Several women winced; men turned away, trying to put distance between themselves and him. No one wanted to be near him.

The homeless man, sensing this, didn’t look toward the benches. He knew he was dirty, and he knew that ordinary people would not accept him. So he simply knelt on the cold floor and folded his hands in prayer. His lips moved, whispering words almost no one heard.

Meanwhile, the parishioners exchanged uneasy glances.

“What is he doing here?”

“What a disgrace…”

“He has no business being here. It’s impossible to rest with people like that in church.”

Some stood up and left, unwilling to sit near “such a person.”

At that moment, the priest interrupted the service. He slowly descended from the pulpit and walked toward the homeless man. The congregation froze. Everyone expected the priest to throw the man out — but he did the exact opposite.

The priest placed his hand on the man’s back and spoke loudly:

“God sent you here, brother. So that we could help you. So that through us He would extend His hand to you.”

Then the priest took off his shoes and handed them to the man.

“Take them. Now pray with us. Today we will pray for your soul, for your suffering, for everything that brought you to the streets. But we will also pray for the sins of those who judge another by their clothes and look upon God’s creation with hatred. After all, the Lord taught us to love our neighbors.”

His words struck the hearts of everyone present. People lowered their heads, many too ashamed to meet each other’s eyes. They realized the priest was speaking to them.

This story reminds us that goodness begins with ourselves.