"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you gave me something to wear, I was sick and you looked after me and I was in prison and you visited me."
"The Coming" is a call to action of the extraordinary kind.
Jesus, the recipient of our celebration was an extraordinary figure.
While we commemorate the birth of Jesus once a year, his extraordinary influence began years later.
Given Jesus' modern day reputation, you may not have realized he was not a mild man.
*He was inflammatory. Shocking but true. His message drove the religious and local leaders crazy.
*He was a nonconformist and uncompromising. Following his truth was more important than fitting in.
*He had boundaries, withdrawing regularly to be alone and refuel.
*Although he met many needs while circulating through local villages, he was never in a hurry even when the need seemed to indicate urgency.
*He LOVED the unlovable.
*He extended grace when the religious leaders extended judgment.
*I see him as fearless but I don't think he was because it's recorded that he experienced every human emotion.
*He liked to tell stories.
Jesus tells the story of a king dividing his subjects depending upon how they treated the hungry, thirsty, sick, naked, and imprisoned. The king makes the point that in whatever manner they were serving their fellow subjects, they were indeed serving the king himself. I think the story is an allegory where he is the king and we're his people. Action is the distinction between those who garner the king's favor and those who are rejected.
Is the point that we all must plan to visit the prisoners and take care of the sick? No, although some will.
I see a few points of wisdom.
1. Generosity toward our fellow human beings is an essential element in connecting with the divine.
2. Our actions speak louder than our words. We must not only talk about helping others, but take action. Aligned actions and words reveal an integrated life.
Mother Theresa, today, Saint Theresa, lived her life with the following mission.
"God wanted me to love him in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor." She deeply understood by serving humanity, she was serving the divine.
She gained notoriety however, she lived years serving the people on the streets of Calcutta prior to gaining celebrity status. She was also a lightening rod character, rebellious and refused to compromise her mission to gain the approval of others.
The call to action is within our reach.
Small acts of service are a great place to start. We must first supersede the inertia that keeps us stuck in immobility and just do something. Once we overcome initial obstacles, it's amazing how easy it is to take further steps.
Who are your coworkers? What would a deeper glance into their eyes reveal?
Can we be of service to our neighbors?
Is there a local homeless shelter that could use an extra volunteer or donation this week?
Is it possible to drop off a few presents to a charity while shopping?
What's the wildest charitable act you've thought about doing? Maybe you should just do it!
How do you identify with the unconventional Jesus?
