Lent

“In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40

Following on from yesterday’s look at how fasting should lead to serving others, today’s text gives a more specific context, caring for the least in our community. 

In the full reading of Matthew 25:31-46 we discover that each group goes to the place it has chosen. 

Those whose lives were oriented to love and mercy come to the love and mercy of God. Those who excluded people in need from their lives have excluded themselves from God’s kingdom where there is only acceptance and love. The king mentions conditions that occur in all places and times: hungry and thirsty people, immigrants and people without clothing, sick and prisoners. 

The story does not use fancy words about justice and solidarity, but speaks of food, clothing, something to drink, protection from elements. It doesn’t recommend “love”, but specific actions like giving, welcoming, visiting, taking care of. What matters is not a theoretical love but compassion that helps the person in need.

An old sailor repeatedly got lost at sea, so his friends gave him a compass and urged him to use it. The next time he went out in his boat, he followed their advice and took the compass with him. But as usual he became hopelessly confused and was unable to find land.

Finally he was rescued by his friends. Disgusted and impatient with him, they asked, “Why didn’t you use that compass we gave you? You could have saved us a lot of trouble!”

The sailor responded, “I didn’t dare to! I wanted to go north, but as hard as I tried to make the needle aim in that direction, it just kept on pointing southeast.”

That old sailor was so certain he knew which was north that he stubbornly tired to force his own personal persuasion on his compass. Unable to do so, he tossed it aside as worthless and failed to benefit from the guidance it offered. Interesting, isn’t it, that the word compassion starts with compass. I wonder where our compassion compass is directing us?

May we honour your name

not by paying it lip service, Lord Jesus

but by trusting the vision it speaks of

and the way it calls for

May we honour it by following you

speaking into the word with our actions

and showing who we’re chosen to follow

May we love in your name

speak in your name

care in your name

that willingness to touch the outcast

feed the hungry

remember the sick

visit the imprisoned

clothe the naked

give water to the thirsty

in your name