Read: Matthew 25:34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
Last year on December 19, the longest—and one of the coldest—
nights of the year, I sat with others in the sanctuary of an older inner-city church that shelters homeless men and women, every night of the year.
We had marched from the government center downtown to the church,
carrying placards with the names and ages of those who had died homeless during the past year.
Now each person’s name and age were read and a candle lighted in
their memory. 131 people from our state had died homeless, the youngest just four months old. Friends, family, or caseworkers briefly shared
remembrances of some before prayers and music closed a humbling and
meaningful service.
Following the service I sat at dinner beside a young man who had
once been a guest at this church’s shelter when he was newly released from prison and unable to find a job. Tonight, having made a fresh start, he was here as a witness to the difference food, housing, and people who care can make in the lives of those who have lost their way.
It was a powerful reminder to me that Jesus Christ, the Prince of
Peace, walks with each of us in our darkest moments. He is the One
who knows and cares for all who suffer. He is the One who encourages
those who advocate on behalf of others. Let us long and work for the day when housed and homeless, suburban and urban, released prisoners and oppressed, those with plenty and those with little, will all sit together, feasting at Christ’s great banquet table.
Prayer: Gracious God, during this Advent season draw near to all who
work for justice, as we await your coming. Amen.[Audrey Benjamin, St. Paul, MN]
Donate to Society of St. Andrew
Society of St. Andrew
Gleaning America's Fields
Feeding America's Hungry
3383 Sweet Hollow Rd.
Big Island, VA 24526
800-333-4597
Church@EndHunger.org
More information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger-relief programs - Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project, Harvest of Hope and Hunger Relief Advocate Initiative - is available online at EndHunger.org.
Feed your spiritual hunger during the weeks leading up to Christmas with these daily devotions from Society of St. Andrew, offering scripture readings, meditations, and prayers focusing on the coming birth of Jesus, the “Prince of Peace.”
And as you feed your spiritual hunger, we invite you to give generously to feed the physical hunger of nearly 50 million low-income Americans through the gleaning and food distribution ministries of Society of St. Andrew.
Through your faithful giving, as you are fed, so will our hungry brothers and sisters be fed. Every dollar you share will put 50 servings of healthy, nourishing food on their plates this winter.
May God’s light shine brightly through you in this holy season.
From: sosapr@endhunger.org
3383 Sweet Hollow Rd.
Big Island, Virginia 24526
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