“Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear?When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’“Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’
Matthew 25:37-40
For this season as we explore the meaning of Matthew 25, the worship committee has placed two branches in the narthex where members can attach leaves sharing experiences of seeing Jesus in faces of other people they encounter throughout the week. This is especially true for when we see Jesus in the humanity of the least of these of our brothers and sisters.
Matthew 25 is not only a call to serve the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and imprisoned, but is a call to meet the Christ in the very people we care for in our lives. The parable reminds us that mission, worship, and spiritual practice are all invitations to encounter God in the world even amidst the suffering that seems so prevalent.
Our hope is you will pay attention and make note of these encounters and share them on our branches. May Christ shine upon you from the faces of all you meet this week!
Grace & Peace,
Rev. P. Alex Thornburg