Simply Listening#
Sloughing Towards Galilee!
"Practicing the Cross!"
"The Sacrificeg of Simply Listening!
Matthew 25:31-46:
31. 'When the Son of man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory.
32. All nations will be assembled before him and he will separate people one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats.
33. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.
34. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.
35. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome,
36. lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me."
37. Then the upright will say to him in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38. When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you?
39. When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?"
40. And the King will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."
41. Then he will say to those on his left hand, "Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42. For I was hungry and you never gave me food, I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink,
43. I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, lacking clothes and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me."
44. Then it will be their turn to ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or lacking clothes, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?"
45. Then he will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me."
46. And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the upright to eternal life.'
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????As I began a Doctor of Ministry program six years ago, in a class on the book of Romans, the question was raised about how God selected who the church was to minister to. I quoted Matthew 25:33-46 and pointed out it was the heart of our faith in Jesus, and another student?? commented"I believe this passage is only for ministering to Christians." Of course he believed I needed to be saved--that is until he had a family emergency and I sit with him all night!
??? This Scripture was the heart of Dorothy's Day faith, the one that was her guide, and it has become the heart of faith for me as well.
??? This Scripture is found at the heart of all major religions in one form or another.
??? It is often difficult for white, middle class, and upper class, well educated, with good jobs people to grasp this passage.
??? I remember attending a church one Sunday and the lectionary text was this passage. The minister stumbled through the? sermon really saying very little, because /he/she? she could not communicate it in "spiritual, soft words," and his/her? own lack of ministry in this area was challenged. For you see in the words of Thomas Merton: "Being spiritual without being religious, is a soft way of doing nothing."
? I was blind in the same way--white middle class, well educated minister-- until I was knocked into the reality of living as a disenfranchised, oppressed person live.
??? And so for a few moments let us practice a time of reflection and prayer, by going through a few verses. Take the verse, and meditate on this verse for ten to twenty minutes and taking a pen and paper write your own thoughts of how you can Practice the Cross! through the The Sacrifice of Simply Listening to those in and outside your "tribe" or "comfort zone:"
35. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome,:
????36. lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.
领英推荐
????For me I never experienced hunger in life, my parents had money, and always had food; I became a pastor and always had food, clothing, shelter and respect, until I was kicked out on the street because I became an "untouchable" for being gay! There were days when I had no food, or simply one meal, and around me were so many more, and people simply walked by.
????I earned money through prostitution, but never enough for food, always hungry; But there were people who were Catholic Workers, Christian, an Atheist's, and others we met, who provided nourishing food for us on the streets without expecting anything in return. We were given nourishing drinks like hot chocolate and regular milk, and the best of all milk shakes and for me ice tea.
????Christ was present to me in those moments! I felt him building me up and strengthening me not caring I was a whore, dirty, and homeless!
??? Clothes were brought out, and guys in jail were visited. Not once did we have contact with the organized church, but we were touched by the hands of Christ!
??? Christ became real to me in those days, he smiled on me, and though broken, disillusioned, I came back to my call to ministry. The scars left never go away, but over time become polished into a rock, becoming beautiful!
??? As you reflect and leave your prayer time ask yourself, what you can do to minister to the rejected-- the homeless, the undocumented, the migrant workers in your community, the prostitutes; what can you do for the mentally ill on our streets, who wander around without clothes mumbling?
????We have some 2000 in San Francisco alone, and one simple way to sacrifice this Lent is to go out, and "Simply listen!' A real sacrifice is to "Practice the Cross" with facing our fears and taking action! Scary, yes, but I promise you will be blessed more than you know!
For Dorothy Day—The Water Strider
“Do what you would wish them to do unto you”
a voice whispered and she responded with hospitality
with soup and benches
and bags of clothing
yes—clothing and feeding and housing
the homeless the rejected the unwanted
the absurd Christs
who fit not in churches nor prisons nor hospitals
the absurd Christs who slip through
every mental grid and rational sieve
those to whom no law or structure can apply
the Christs walking on water
instead of using boats or bridges
the Christs reaching their purpose to live to love
and embracing
It!
Fr. River Damien Sims, D.Min., D.S.T.
P.O. Box 642656
San Francisco, CA 94164
415-305-2124