4th Advent 2017, Often, Often, Often

Ravenna

Matthew 25, 31-45

When the Son of Man comes, illumined by the light of revelation, surrounded by all angels, then he will ascend the throne of the kingdom of his revelation. He will gather before his countenance all the peoples of the world and he will cause a division among them, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, the sheep on his right, and the goats on his left. Then, as king, he will say to those on his right, “Come here, you who are blessed by my Father, you shall receive as your own the kingdom which has been intended for you from the creation of the world. I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was ill, and you looked after me; I was in prison and you came to me.”

Then those who are devoted to God will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you starving and we fed you, or saw you thirsty and gave you to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or see you naked and clothe you? When did we visit you when you were you ailing or in prison?

And the king will say to them, “Yes, I say to you, what you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, that you did for me.”

Christ of the Breadline, Fritz Eichenberg

Then he will say to those standing on his left, “You will not remain near me. You are subject to the burning fire in which the aeon is consumed, and in which dwells the Adversary and his messengers! I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me to drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe me; I was ill and in prison and you did not visit me.”

Then they will also answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and did not give you to eat, or thirsty and did not give you to drink, or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison and did not help you?”

Then he will answer, “Yes, I say to you, what you neglected to do for the least of my brethren, you failed to do for me.” And thy will become subject to the aeon of anguish, while those devoted to God shall find the aeon of life.

4^th Advent

December 24, 2017

Matthew 25, 31-45

This is the time of the year when we are inspired to be charitable. A mood of generosity descends on most of us. Yet it can be short-lived. We often lack the inner and outer resources to continue in this way all year.

It may be worth noting that today’s reading is addressed to groups of people, to the collective, not to individuals. These groups will arise naturally, out of themselves, at the end of the aeon. On the one side are those in whom good will dwells. This good will toward everyone arises out of the ability to put aside self-centeredness and fear.  It arises out a habit of generosity and great-heartedness. On the other side are those who are perhaps themselves locked down, ill in spirit, trying to satisfy their own hungers and thirsts.  

As individuals, we may be able to help a few. It is not possible for one individual to care for all in need. Our strength is in numbers; it takes a group, many people dedicating themselves to helping those in need. Our strength is in making generosity a cultural habit, year in and year out.

Interestingly, the king does not chide either group for not recognizing the

William Holman Hunt

connection between himself and those in need. Recognizing Christ behind everyone in need would be too easy. In our blindness lies our freedom of choice and the test of our character. Apparently, in the end, the quality of good will is more important here than a capacity for conscious knowledge. It is the quality of our will, our good deeds, our love, which will be revealed at the end of the aeon, not only individually, but collectively.

At the same time, the question arises: in what way is Christ is connected with those in need? The reading suggests that he is identical with them. In descending from the heavens, Christ has taken on all of humankind, and all of its weaknesses and sufferings, in all humility. Amazing to think that He needs something from us. He needs us to be his hands, his feet, to help all in need, to nourish and comfort them. An old Celtic rune sums it up:

I saw a stranger yesterday

I put food in the eating place

Drink in the drinking place

Music in the listening place

And in the blessed name of the Triune

He blessed myself and my house

My cattle and my dear ones.

And the lark said in her song

”Often, often, often,

Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise.”

Visit our new website!

3rd February Trinity 2017, Be Ready

3rd February Trinity

Luke 12: 35-48

Waiting Servants, Eugene Burnand

“Be dressed and ready for service and keep your lamps burning. Be like men who are expecting their master back from the marriage feast, so that they can open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are the servants whom the master finds awake when he comes! Yes, I tell you, he will put on an apron himself and show them to the table and serve them. And if he does not come until the second or third watch of the night, and yet finds them awake: Blessed are the servants! You know: If the master of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would not let his house be looted. So be ready: the Son of Man comes at an hour that you had not thought.”

Then Peter said, “Lord, are you telling us this parable, or is it for all human beings?”

And the Lord answered, “Imagine a faithful and competent steward whom his

Jan Luyken

master appoints to be in charge of the whole staff, to give to each one what he is entitled to. Blessed is that servant if the master comes and finds him carrying out his duties.  I tell you, he will entrust him with all his goods. But if the servant says in his heart, ‘My master will not be coming all that soon,” and begins to mistreat the other servants and the maids, himself all the while eating and drinking and becoming intoxicated, then the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour that he does not know. The master will virtually tear him to pieces; he will treat him as those deserve who have not proved faithful.

A servant who knows his master’s will but does not act according to it and so does not carry out his will deserves the severest punishment. If he does not know the master’s will and then does something that deserves punishment, he will escape more lightly. From one who has many gifts, much will also be expected; and from one who has been entrusted with much, much more will also be demanded.

3rd February Trinity

February 19, 2017

Luke 12: 35-48

We all know what happens when something unexpected occurs – being surprised, we may fail to respond appropriately. Emergency crews prepare for events

 
with drills, over and over. They train their consciousness to remain awake and recognize what is happening. With exercises, they train their will until it responds appropriately, habitually, almost instinctively.

Christ asks us to become, not necessarily emergency workers, but at least people willing to serve Him, and ready to respond appropriately. First of all, this means we need to be awake and alert for His arrival. And the great secret is that He could arrive at any moment, in the guise of anyone. A Celtic rune of hospitality says;

I saw a stranger yesterday . . .

He blessed myself and my house . . .

And the lark said in her song
”Often, Often, Often,

Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise.”

We are to open the door of the heart to the Christ in them.

Further, we are to protect His treasure in our own hearts, so that the adversaries do not break in and steal it. What is the master's treasure? It is our love – our love for Him, our love for each other, our love for the earth. As Christ points out, being full of ourselves, intoxicated with power, mistreating others, destroys our integrity of heart and its treasure of love and service. What we sow we will reap. If we serve, we will receive service; if we mistreat others, we are in effect tearing our own true being to pieces.

So, in the words of Christ: "Be ready; the Son of Man comes at an hour that you had not thought." Luke 12:40