In Jesus' parable, the sheep get the blessing, but not the goats. The fascinating thing is that the sheep, the blessed ones, are simply the ones who take care of the least among us, who feed the hungry, or water the thirsty, or visit the prisoners. The blessed are the ones who act like a blessing--not necessarily the ones who believe correctly, or repeat a statement of salvation, or even kept the finer points of the ritual law. The blessed are ones who love God and love neighbor as themselves. - p. 52
After a few days off for seminary and Gannon responsibilities, I woke this morning and thought, "I've got some catching up to do." But I didn't think that this reading would be waiting for me. I have to admit, ++Katherine is starting to sound like a broken record here... AGAIN with the "feed the hungry"!
But this time it's more than just doing if because of the gospel mandate. In fact there is admonishment for doing it because you have to. You don't blindly follow the rules of the religion. Those who do so are legalists, arguing over fine points of the law. In fact, with all the energy we exert arguing over legal interpretation, we take energy away from something more pressing: helping our fellow human beings.
After the debacle in Dar es Salaam, ++Katherine, having been raked over the coals for our Church's inclusivist sensitivity, stated that there were more pressing things than our ecclesiological interpretations. On the same continent, there were those who struggled for simple sustinence each and every day. There were those who fought terrible disease, inhumane treatment from power-seekers, and famine.
Why do we spend so much time arguing over scriptural interpretation, when there are more pressing matters? Do we not understand that while we are dividing and condemning one another as Christians and Anglicans, there are those who are in dire need of the blessing that we have been called to share?
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OK, I read this sermon Monday morning and instantly felt really, really bad. I had fixed a delicious rack of lamb for our Sunday dinner. We were glutonous. We ate the whole thing. And all I can think of now is of all the hungry people in the world.
And, when I read the sermon titled "God Bless the World, No Exceptions" all I could think and laugh about, is in the pargraph before the last. "Just like a new food, try it once, and then again-and maybe even seventy-seven times, till you can find the gift there." Well, I am sorry. I always try a new food twice, sometimes more, but if it is bad, it is bad! There is no way that I am going to keep trying pickled pigs feet seventy-seven times! Jello just isn't supposed to taste like that!
And now I think to myself, there are hungry people out there. They may just love it, even if they didn't, they are hungry.
How is an ordinary person, one who is accused of wanting to save the world, going to feed the masses? I have in the past volunteered at the Food Bank on Ash Street. There I met the most wonderful elderly man, Oliver, who showed me the way. I stopped doing that because my schedule just was too rough, or so I thought. It was such a wonderful surprise when in the year I did both of these, I served this man and his wife at the fish fry at Saint Mark's during Lent, and then for the next two years. You know what, I miss that. I really loved doing that.
I put loose change in the basket on Sundays for the cause, I put cans out for the mailman's food drive. When people ask me what I want for a gift, I respond with a donation to the food bank. I donate money or gifts for Christmas and back to school drives. I took care of the evacuees in New Orleans. I cook and feed our friends. But it seems to me there is so much more I can do.
What more can I do? I miss working at the food bank. I miss serving the fish dinners. Those are easily remedied. Yet I feel there is more. And then I realized it is sometimes more than the hunger of food.
It amazes me the number of friends that ask my husband and me to pray for them. For what ever they are faced with. That makes me smile to know that there are people who know me that way. I pray for them already. I don't tell them that, I just respond with "of course". But there is still more that I need.
I am not working now, I quit my job teaching, after 4 months. I loved passing along all the pearls I have learned along the way, but the politics and admin of that school just left a sour taste. One of my students, Deacon Robert Williamson, asked me to reconsider my decision. He told me there are people out there who need me. I like to think that, but is this the way? And when I learned that his house burned a few weeks ago, I felt so bad. He lost his job and went to school to learn a trade. I am so grateful to have met this man. He has such a huge heart, and I feel so selfish for not staying at that school. I pray for him and his family every day. I pray that I did the right thing in leaving that job.
I can be doing so much good right now, but I am preparing our house for sale. We are moving on. What can I do to feed the children? Right now? It's all about us. Selfish as it may be, all I can do right now is to get this house ready.
I feel guilty for not ministering to those who need my expertise. I feel guilty for not doing more while I am not working. What more can an ordinary person do?
But the other day, one of our friends asked us to pray for her. I already do, but responded "of course". This is what I can do.
Peace
K.
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