"Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me." Matthew 25:34-36
This is the King we are called to serve. And the way he wants to be served is for us to be filled with care and compassion for brothers and sisters everywhere and especially for those who are furthest from him and those who are not experiencing the abundance with which he has filled this world. He identifies with them. We serve by loving through action those who are materially, socially, psychologically, morally and spiritually poor.
We have a man who passes our house most days. He lives on our street. He suffers from a mental illness and is very upfront about it. As he passes our house he calls out, 'Hello Fathers!' I call back to him if I am in my office which faces the street. Sometimes he forgets and calls out 'Hello Sisters! because Sisters used to live here. He is a delightful character. He sometimes rings the door bell to have a ring or pendant blessed. He has a number of rings on his fingers and pounamu taonga around his neck. There is something about our simple encounter together which is a real blessing and I know Jesus and his kingdom are present.
Where in your life can you identify an encounter similar to that? They are to be treasured and may we be open to many more.
You may like to listen to 'There is no distance' track 11 from the album with the same name.
Blessings on your week
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