Tonight, as Steve, Matt and I said prayers, we read this story from the Episcopal Relief & Development's 2016 Lenten Meditations and it made me get a lump in my throat. By this definition, I saw Jesus today.
Saturday, March 26, pp. 60:
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and
his love is perfected in us.
—1 John 4:12
Around noon every day I leave the office to get something to eat.
I usually bring back a sandwich to eat at my desk.
This daily activity is impossible to do in midtown Manhattan
where I work without being reminded of the reality of poverty and
homelessness even in the midst of phenomenal wealth. It’s a little
disconcerting. Isn’t that just like Jesus to be disconcerting? The
homeless and the poor are Jesus after all. That is where Jesus
said we would meet him.
So, occasionally I take Jesus to lunch. As I walk by the church
around the corner where homeless people congregate, I ask Jesus if
he (or she) would like something to eat. Sometimes there’s just one
Jesus there; sometimes, a few. Then I go buy Jesus a sandwich. One
day I’m going to take Jesus to lunch somewhere nicer. Or maybe
Jesus will take me.
To tell you the truth, I don’t bring sandwiches to homeless people
to feed them so much as I do it to meet Jesus in person.
I wonder if taking Jesus to lunch might open up some new ways
for you to meet Jesus, too.
—Stacy F. Sauls
This is what I wrote earlier in the day about the picture:
Pat stopped by for Holy Saturday service today. He left with a cup of hot coffee, anything from the Garden of Warmth (clothing, blankets, coats) that fit and he wanted, conversations with Fr. Peter, Heidi Memmott, and Melody Oliphant, and an invitation to come back whenever he'd like. His smile tells me that he was treated with respect & dignity.
At St. Mary's, this is how we follow Christ's commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves and seek and serve Him in all people.
God bless you, Pat.
♥ Melody