Anita Mathias: Dreaming Beneath the Spires

Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art

Archives for April 2011

A Contemplative in the World

By

Angelus, Millet

If I were to formulate my ideal for my life and spiritual life it would be to be “a Contemplative in the World.”

I want to live quietly and peacefully. Mindful of Christ. Rooted in Christ. Immersed in him. And in Scripture.
I want to remember to pray through my day. To seek God’s wisdom on my thinking and actions. Both the little and trivial, and the large

I want to lead a quiet life. To do some work with my hands in my garden as the monks of old did.

I want the words and ideas of Scripture to run through my mind through the day.
                                    * * *
Some contemplatives, for instance, the Trappists, take an additional vow of stability. Stability of place. That is, they commit themselves to live in a particular monastery until they die.
This monastic ideal is very appealing to me. I’ve moved around so much–I have lived in 13 towns in 3 countries–India, England, and America–which is less than some people, but more than most. And for me it feels like too much.
I have a longing now for rootedness. To stay in a place for a long time. To know its seasons. Its plants and trees and flowers and  wildlife. Its history. The same people over a period of years.  To settle down.
When Thoreau was asked if he had travelled much, he answered in the affirmative. “I have travelled a great deal in Concord,” he said. I want to travel a great deal in Garsington, in my garden, an acre and a half in Garsington. To really know it.
* * *

Most monastic life is based on the Rule of St. Benedict. A day held sleep, prayer and study, and manual labour in roughly equal balance.

During their waking hours, they balanced prayer, study and manual labour. It’s amazing that Benedict stumbled upon this perfect balance of mind, spirit and body.

The one weakness of monastic life is relationships–it does not allow for marital relationships, parent-child relationships or one on one friendships. I would be so lonely without these–which is why I would like to be ” a contemplative in the world.”

However the monks and nuns did live together in community, which is a stabilizing influence, and a safeguard against nuttiness, extreme selfishness or against undisciplined excesses in food, sleep, prayer or study. The anonymity of the monastic life also provided a safeguard against the drudgery of ambition.
* * *

I find I need the manual labour which was part of monasticism for mental, psychological and spiritual health, leave alone physical health and strength. It rounds out and completes what can be a very cerebral, intense, edgy and often highly-strung personality. I do my best thinking and praying while working in the garden, or pottering in the house, though I do have a cleaner, since I don’t potter particularly regularly.
* * *

I committed my life to the lovely Jesus when I was 17, and then and now being ardent, asked, “What should I do?” So momentous a decision had to express itself in action I felt.And so, being a novice Christian, and not realizing the importance of the seeking the whole counsel of God, I picked up a bit of the jigsaw.

Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do to me.” And so I decided to serve the least of these.  I lived near Calcutta, and so at 17 and a half, went off to become a nun and work with Mother Teresa.

It was a temperamental mismatch. I had spent my childhood in an exclusive dreamy boarding school in the Himalayas, run by Irish, English and German IBMV nuns, and where I read, and read, and read. I was reading Thomas Hardy, George Eliot, Matthew Arnold, Galsworthy, Shaw, James Joyce “the Portrait,” not Ulysses), Joyce Cary…

Suddenly, I joined a community where many people were just learning English, literacy was basic , there was no reading except spiritual reading. I had been so used to living in my mind, in books, in language, and I felt bereft of that. In fact, I took an old Bible which had both Latin and English and patiently taught myself some Latin by matching the words.

The hardest part was living in community. This was community in extreme–25 women sharing a single room, which with a constant moving of furniture became a dormitory, refectory, class-room, living room. No privacy, except at times of prayer and meditation–and then, it was your mind and thoughts which were at rest, your body was with 400 others.

Phew. I loved God, loved thinking of Him, talking to Him, learning about Him. Still do. Loved Scripture. Still do. But I just needed a lot more solitude and quiet than I could get in a service-oriented community.

After 14 months there, I realized it was not for me. Mother had another order, called Sisters of the Word, devoted to a contemplative life. They spent their mornings in prayer and reading Scripture, and their afternoons in proclaiming the Word to the poor, the” spiritually poor,” on the streets, wherever. I fancied it would be just the thing for me.

Mother Teresa had her doors open all day. I asked if I could either leave and go home or if  I could transfer to her contemplative branch from her active branch. She thought I was too young–at 18–for a contemplative life which is generally considered psychologically, spiritually and emotionally more difficult than an active religious life, and asked me to apply to that order when I was 21.

When I was 21, of course, English in Oxford absorbed all my thoughts. My faith was virtually non-existent. And that was that!!
* * *

But now, in a quiet season of my life, I am getting increasingly fascinated with trying to figure out how to incorporate contemplative rhythms into my daily life.

This Saturday, Roy and I are going to a conference on incorporating monastic rhythms into daily life.

IAN ADAMS
‘CAVE, REFECTORY, ROAD – MONASTIC RHYTHMS FOR CONTEMPORARY LIVING’
SAT 30TH APRIL 2011
10AM-4PM | FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE, OXFORD
A day of teaching, stillness and contemplative practice with Ian Adams, exploring how we might incorporate the wisdom and patterns of the monastic way into everyday life 
Ian Adams is a writer, teacher and artist working with themes of spirituality, culture and community. He is a director of the Stillpoint project, nurturing spiritual practice from within the Christian contemplative-active tradition. An Anglican priest, he was the founder and abbot of the mayBe community in Oxford. He is the creator of the daily morning bell call to prayer and author of Cave Refectory Road: monastic rhythms for contemporary living [Canterbury Press 2010]. Ian is a member of the spirituality group for Greenbelt Festival. He has a particular interest in how a contemplative approach to daily living can bring about personal change, community transformation and renewal of the earth


http://www.thestillpoint.org.uk/

We are also exploring a Christian community in Oxford, http://maybe.org.uk/ which seeks to incorporate some monastic values into daily life, me with more enthusiasm, Roy, who would happily travel all day in his garden, with less. Will report on our progress.

How to Handle Argumentative People

By

Carl Heinrick Bloch

Matthew 26 31-35

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

 31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

   “‘I will strike the shepherd,
   and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
   34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Jesus shows his gentleness in his concern for his friends even before his own hour of greatest trauma.

He assures them that he will go ahead of them to Galilee, which, of course, they all forget in the dreadful trauma of the next day. His love remains constant, despite their betrayal.

How little even the best of us know ourselves. Peter loves his sublime radiant friend and Lord, Jesus. Peter overestimates his strength of character.  He cannot imagine either himself or his friends ever leaving or disowning Jesus, even if he had to die with him. 

And yet, in the night terror of soldiers and blows, and scourging and fixed trials, he does just that. 

And Jesus lets Peter have the last word.

He says what he has to say, and leaves it.

Arguments are a waste of time. Better let the other person have the last word. 

And remember: We are never as strong as think we are. 

How to Handle Argumentative People

By

Carl Heinrick Bloch

Matthew 26 31-35 Blog Through the Bible Project
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
 31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
   “‘I will strike the shepherd,
   and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
   34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Jesus shows his gentleness in his concern for his friends even before his own hour of greatest trauma.

He assures them that he will go ahead of them to Galilee, which, of course, they all forget in the dreadful trauma of the next day. His love remains constant, despite their betrayal.

How little even the best of us know ourselves. Peter loves his sublime radiant friend and Lord, Jesus. Peter overestimates his strength of character.  He cannot imagine either himself or his friends ever leaving or disowning Jesus, even if he had to die with him. 

And yet, in the night terror of soldiers and blows, and scourging and fixed trials, he does just that. 

And Jesus lets Peter have the last word.

He says what he has to say, and leaves it.

Arguments are a waste of time. Better let the other person have the last word. 

And remember: We are never as strong as think we are. 

Share on site of your choice … Wikio

The Forgiveness of Sins–Blog Through the Bible Project

By

consecration.jpg picture by kking888
Matthew 26, Blog Through the Bible Project
The Plot Against Jesus
 1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Jesus predicts his crucifixion for the fourth and final time. He has a foreknowledge of what is going to happen, though that does not make it less painful.

Verse 5 Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually made the journey to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, and nationalistic fervour ran high as they recalled the liberation of their ancestors from bondage in Egypt. 
Popular uprisings were increasingly common during such festival periods, and so the chief priests were reluctant to arrest Jesus openly because of his popularity with the people. 

The Last Supper
 17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
 20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
 22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
They loved him after all. It was unthinkable.

 23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
 25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
   Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

The breakdown of love and trust between Jesus and Judas was so extreme, that Judas does not heed his warning, “It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 
The height of disloyalty and betrayal was turning on someone after sharing a meal with him.
The chief priests, very savvily had prepaid him after all.
The rest of the disciples address Jesus as Lord, but Judas addresses him as Rabbi or Teacher. There is no record of Judas ever calling Jesus Lord. 
“You have said so,”–A Greek expression which deflects responsibility upon the one asking the question.

 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Jesus defines, and redefines love. Love is giving yourself for those you love.
When one reads this, one feels “How can I ever love like that?”
As Jesus said, it is good for us that he had to go, because if he had not gone, the Holy Spirit, the comforter, would not have come. 
So, when we feel powerless to love, we can implore the Holy Spirit to come and help us in our weakness. 

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Theologically foundational words. Jesus’s body will be the once-and-for-all reenactment of the ceremony of the Passover Lamb, as he will become the sacrificial atonement for the sins of the people.
His blood is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. God forgives those who have put their faith in Jesus, who are grafted into Jesus because Jesus died an excruciating death to pay the penalty for our sin. His blood was poured out for many so that they would not have to pay the eternal consequence of their sins.
Forgiven, reconciled, at peace with God. The enormity of it is hard to grasp.
And because Jesus did this for us, we too are called to let it all go–the offences men have committed against us, those who have lied, manipulated, schemed, abused us and hurt us.

The cup was likely the third cup drunk at the Passover, the cup of blessing or the cup of redemption corresponding to God’s third promise in Ex 6:6 “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great acts of judgment.”


The cup foreshadows the shedding of Jesus’ blood and the absorbing of God’s wrath, which opens the way for the redemption of all peoples through the new covenant relationship with God that was promised to the people of Israel.
My father’s kingdom–The Messianic Banquet.

Share on site of your choice … Wikio

The Forgiveness of Sins–Blog Through the Bible Project

By

consecration.jpg picture by kking888
Matthew 26
The Plot Against Jesus
 1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Jesus predicts his crucifixion for the fourth and final time. He has a foreknowledge of what is going to happen, though that does not make it less painful.

Verse 5 Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually made the journey to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, and nationalistic fervour ran high as they recalled the liberation of their ancestors from bondage in Egypt. 
Popular uprisings were increasingly common during such festival periods, and so the chief priests were reluctant to arrest Jesus openly because of his popularity with the people. 

The Last Supper
 17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
 20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
 22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
They loved him after all. It was unthinkable.

 23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
 25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
   Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

The breakdown of love and trust between Jesus and Judas was so extreme, that Judas does not heed his warning, “It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 
The height of disloyalty and betrayal was turning on someone after sharing a meal with him.
The chief priests, very savvily had prepaid him after all.
The rest of the disciples address Jesus as Lord, but Judas addresses him as Rabbi or Teacher. There is no record of Judas ever calling Jesus Lord. 
“You have said so,”–A Greek expression which deflects responsibility upon the one asking the question.

 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Jesus defines, and redefines love. Love is giving yourself for those you love.
When one reads this, one feels “How can I ever love like that?”
As Jesus said, it is good for us that he had to go, because if he had not gone, the Holy Spirit, the comforter, would not have come. 
So, when we feel powerless to love, we can implore the Holy Spirit to come and help us in our weakness. 

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Theologically foundational words. Jesus’s body will be the once-and-for-all reenactment of the ceremony of the Passover Lamb, as he will become the sacrificial atonement for the sins of the people.
His blood is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. God forgives those who have put their faith in Jesus, who are grafted into Jesus because Jesus died an excruciating death to pay the penalty for our sin. His blood was poured out for many so that they would not have to pay the eternal consequence of their sins.
Forgiven, reconciled, at peace with God. The enormity of it is hard to grasp.
And because Jesus did this for us, we too are called to let it all go–the offences men have committed against us, those who have lied, manipulated, schemed, abused us and hurt us.

The cup was likely the third cup drunk at the Passover, the cup of blessing or the cup of redemption corresponding to God’s third promise in Ex 6:6 “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great acts of judgment.”


The cup foreshadows the shedding of Jesus’ blood and the absorbing of God’s wrath, which opens the way for the redemption of all peoples through the new covenant relationship with God that was promised to the people of Israel.
My father’s kingdom–The Messianic Banquet.

Beauty and God

By

Drawing by  Lesley Fellows
Me, original design














My opinionated daughters engaged me in a heated theological debate on beauty this week.
Irene saunters into my bedroom. Her beloved black and gold Tinker Bell pyjama top has a tear down the seam.
“Irene, throw it away,” I say.
She scrunches up her face, “NO,” she says appalled.
I hand her a needle and thread.
“Then, mend it,” I say.
“No,” she says. “It’s a pyjama top.”
I, “You are a daughter of a King. There is no need for you to wear torn clothes.”
She, appalled again, “He couldn’t care what I look like. He didn’t care what he looked like.”
Me, a bit uncertain, “You don’t think God cares what you look like?”
She, “No! He’d just look at my face.”
Me, “Oh”
* * *
Zoe, 16, agrees with her sister. She wore contact lenses for 2 days, then declared that they were too much hassle. “But, but, but…” I stammer.
My very appearance-conscious father used to joke, “Men don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses” and got both his daughters contacts in our teens, my sister’s when she was ten!!
I can hardly say that to Zoe. I am, roughly speaking, a feminist, and have tried to raise them to be independent and self-confident.
Zoe, seeing me falter, adds, for good measure. “And I have decided not to ever use make up either.” I gave her a lovely triple layer make-up kit for her 16th birthday, full of the most gorgeous gold, and bronze and silver and purples, which I would have had fun using as a teenager. “What?” I say. “Make up is fun; it’s like art; it’s like painting.” The fact that I rarely remember to use it probably undermines my words.
* * *
I thought of an argument I had with a close American friend of ours, who was a mentor to us when we lived in America around the time Irene was born. I had gained a lot of weight during that pregnancy and he—we had regular bi-weekly spiritual direction sessions over a period of 5 years– was urging me to diet and exercise.
Me, “I don’t think God cares what I look like.”
He, “Anita, when you write how you put it is as important as what you say. Your appearance is part of who you are.”
I somewhat bought his argument—though I have gained another 18 pounds since Irene was born in May 1999. Sigh!
Yes, God loves beauty, and so perhaps we should try to look as attractive as we can, given our starting point?
                                                       * * *
So how should a daughter of the King look? A story I heard the father of the friend I’ve just mentioned tell has influenced my thinking on the subject.
Jack Miller and his wife Rosemary who had founded World Harvest Mission were visiting Uganda. They come late to a meeting, and every seat was taken except the ones right in front, next to the President, Idi Amin. Rosemary nervously tells Jack, “I’ll sit on the grass.” “Jack says, “Rosemary, no! You are wearing a lovely dress. You are a daughter of the King. Be brave. We will sit in front.” And they go and sit next to Idi Amin, who is gracious to them.
This is a useful principle for me when I declutter. If something is too old, faded, stained, worn—whether an item of clothing, or furniture or household item, carpets, towels etc.—to be in the house of a daughter of the King, out it goes.
                                                            * * * 
I don’t agree with Irene. I think God cares for his “original design” in us and wants us to fit and strong, and attractive in accordance with his original design for us. As is fitting for daughters of the King.
* * *
I noticed over the 17 years I lived in America that every female Christian leader and teacher was also slim and gorgeous. She would not have had much appeal to other Christian women if she had not been so. And so would not have been able to exercise her ministry as effectively
*  * *
I have have theoretically acquiesced that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it is important to keep it fit. However, my resolutions falter on a weekly basis faced with chocolate, let’s say, or how much more magnetic my laptop is than weight-lifting. I guess the girls have picked up what I do rather than what I say.
* * *
I have two friends with the degenerative neurological disease, MND or Lou Gehrigh’s disease. They have speech and physical therapy. Their body will degenerate anyway—but fighting against it will so something to ameliorate the degeneration.
And so, if, despite trying, in fits and starts, to exercise and eat more healthily, I still gain a few pounds over a course of the year, I am trying not to be discouraged, but remember that if I did not, I could easily gain a few pounds in the course of a month—or week.
                                                               * * *
So what do you think? Does God care about what we look like? Would he like us to continue trying to look reasonably attractive—or is he mainly concerned with the beauty of our spirits?

Whatever you do to the least of these. Blog Through the Bible Project

By

 Matthew 25 31-46

    31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.


   34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For 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, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

   37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
   40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Those blessed by the Father of Jesus are blessed because of their kindness and generosity to the least of these.

   41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
   44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
   45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
   46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This is a scary parable. Everything will be exquisitely simple at the end. According to this parable, people will be judged–or condemned–based on their kindness and generosity.

Those who saw the “least of these” hungry, thirsty, a stranger, sick and unjustly imprisoned and did nothing will be condemned by Christ. Those who showed some kindness and generosity will be rewarded.

Christ identifies with the least of these. What we do to them, we do for him.

What is dazzling about this parable is that people are not judged on whether they have heard or believed any particular theology. They are judged on whether they were kind to the hungry, sick, imprisoned, desperately poor and the aliens in the land.

To whom does Jesus refer as “ whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine?” I take the majority view–that he “refers to all who are hungry, sick, imprisoned, and persecuted aliens.” No one can meet the needs of all the poor in the world, not even those who are blessed by the Father of Jesus. I guess Christ judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart, when he looks at the times people have been generous, and the times they have failed to be generous and kind as he decides who shall receive the blessed inheritance of a happy eternity with him.

Preaching of the Gospel should never be divorced from care for the poor–whether through financial generosity or actual service. 

In the eyes of Christ is financial generosity to the poor acceptable service to the poor–if for instance, one’s calling is to something different than feeding, clothing, visiting….?

Yes, I believe so. Though we must make sure that we are actually being financially generous!! (And, having said that, I realize it’s time for me to update my giving!!)

Share on site of your choice … Wikio

Whatever you do to the least of these. Blog Through the Bible Project

By

 Matthew 25 31-46

    31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

   34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For 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, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

   37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
   40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Those blessed by the Father of Jesus are blessed because of their kindness and generosity to the least of these.

   41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
   44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
   45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
   46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This is a scary parable. Everything will be exquisitely simple at the end. According to this parable, people will be judged–or condemned–based on their kindness and generosity.

Those who saw the “least of these” hungry, thirsty, a stranger, sick and unjustly imprisoned and did nothing will be condemned by Christ. Those who showed some kindness and generosity will be rewarded.

Christ identifies with the least of these. What we do to them, we do for him.

What is dazzling about this parable is that people are not judged on whether they have heard or believed any particular theology. They are judged on whether they were kind to the hungry, sick, imprisoned, desperately poor and the aliens in the land.

To whom does Jesus refer as “ whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine?” I take the majority view–that he “refers to all who are hungry, sick, imprisoned, and persecuted aliens.” No one can meet the needs of all the poor in the world, not even those who are blessed by the Father of Jesus. I guess Christ judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart, when he looks at the times people have been generous, and the times they have failed to be generous and kind as he decides who shall receive the blessed inheritance of a happy eternity with him.

Preaching of the Gospel should never be divorced from care for the poor–whether through financial generosity or actual service. 

In the eyes of Christ is financial generosity to the poor acceptable service to the poor–if for instance, one’s calling is to something different than feeding, clothing, visiting….?

Yes, I believe so. Though we must make sure that we are actually being financially generous!! (And, having said that, I realize it’s time for me to update my giving!!)