| I sense that some may be skeptical about responding to the basenote for
fear of sharing an "incorrect" response.
I assure you, there is only one "incorrect" response, imo. It's not to be
found among the following:
One might bring the stranger to the attention of one's neighbors at the table
(or host as Tom suggested).
One might suggest a shifting around of chairs to create room at the table
for the stranger.
One might go to the stranger and offer to bring a plate to him or her.
One might take two plates to the stranger and fellowship over the meal
together apart from the other guests at the banquet.
One might excuse oneself from the banquet altogether to stand in solidarity
with the stranger.
There are dozens of possibilities.
Peace,
Richard
|
| From a sermon of Caesarius, Bishop of Arles [543]
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." My brothers and
sisters, sweet is the thought of mercy, but even more so is mercy itself.
It is what all hope for, but unfortunately, not what all deserve. For
while all wish to receive it, only a few are willing to give it.
How can we ask for ourselves what we refuse to give to another? If we
expect to receive any mercy in heaven, we should give mercy on earth.
Do we all desire to receive mercy? Let us make mercy our patroness now,
and she will free us in the world to come. Yes, there is mercy in heaven,
but the road to it is paved by our merciful acts on earth. As Scripture
says: "Lord, your mercy is in heaven."
There is, therefore, an earthly as well as heavenly mercy, that is to
say, a human and a divine mercy. Human mercy has compassion on the
miseries of the poor. Divine mercy grants forgiveness of sins. Whatever
human mercy bestows here on earth, divine mercy will return to us in our
homeland. In this life God feels cold and hunger in all who are stricken
with poverty; for, remember, he once said: "What you have done to the
least of my brothers and sisters you have done to me." Yes, God who sees
fit to give his mercy in heaven wishes it to be a reality here on earth.
What kind of people are we? When God gives, we wish to receive, but when
he begs, we refuse to give. Remember, it was Christ who said: "I was
hungry and you gave me nothing to eat." When the poor are starving,
Christ too hungers. Do not neglect to improve the unhappy conditions of
the poor, if you wish to ensure that your own sins be forgiven you.
Christ hungers now, beloved; it is he who deigns to hunger and thirst
in the persons of the poor. And what he will return in heaven tomorrow
is what he receives here on earth today.
What do you wish for, what do you pray for, my dear brothers and sisters,
when you come to church? Is it mercy? How can it be anything else? Show
mercy, then, while you are on earth, and mercy will be shown to you in
heaven. A poor person asks you for something; you ask God for something.
The poor person begs for a morsel of food; you beg for eternal life. Give
to the beggar so that you may merit to receive from Christ. For he it is
who says: "Give and it will be given to you." It baffles me that you have
the impudence to ask for what you do not want to give. Give when you come
to church. Give to the poor. Give them whatever your resources will allow.
|
| John,
re: .9
Lovely!
Thanks for entering the extract from that sermon. I agree with this
wholeheartedly. We, as the Body of Christ, are Christ's hands in this
world.
My main challenge is that I do not always *know* what the most loving
action is. If we run on "automatic" we may do more harm than good.
For example, giving money to a street person is not always in his/her
best interest. He/She may use it to finance a drug habit.
I think this is where prayer and listening to that still small voice
are vital. If we truly want to be the Hand of Christ reaching to a
downtrodden brother or sister, we must also check in with the Mind of
Christ.
Ruth
|