ISAIAH 61.1-4, 8-11
HELP NEEDED
Of the many make-one-reflect monuments in Washington, DC my favorite is FDR's. It is sweeping in size and scope and meaning. To visit it is to walk through it. The monument conveys the moments and accomplishments of his long presidency. There is the Great Depression and included in this section are persons in a bread line.
Every time I witnessed this it angered me. Then I pondered that maybe, unbeknownst to them, they are providing a visible teaching moment for Isaiah's prophecy, the ministry of Jesus, and the call of the church....hashtagDisciple....they are quite literally standing beside and in solidarity with the poor.
Isaiah writes of the long anticipated One who shall "bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, bring comfort to those who mourn and the One await is One who loves justice."
When's he getting here?
Being comfortably ensconced in the "Maa'm Stage of life," I have frequent opportunity to dialogue with the younger set (alas, that group grows larger every day....). I am often asked, "What's been the biggest surprise you've experienced with the church?" I don't even pause in my answer. For me, the biggest surprise that I've encountered with the church is that we don't really seem to like poor people.
Oh sure we'll give old clothes to the rummage sale, bring in can goods for the food drives, write a check for Missions or purchase a toy for a poor kid at Christmas, yet, to really be with and identify with persons in poverty??!!? Nope. Haven't seen it. We really don't want "them" in our pews or sitting on our steps smoking cigarettes or passed out drunk in our shrubbery.
Yet, if I read the prophet closely and if I study the Gospels and if I listen to and learn of the teaching of Jesus, then it is those in poverty whom we should warmly welcome and know them by their names and listen to their stories and involve them in the life of the church. We should be friends and hang out together.
My friends could care less what people think of them. My friends say they got their check and are running to the bakery, what can they get me? My friends are fiercely loyal to their buddies. My friends are creative and resourceful. Example: Someone gave them free tickets to the Pirates game and the seats were in the "All You Can Eat" section....they brought coolers and Tupperware containers. My friends are resilient and smack down after smack down they keep bouncing back.
My friends convict me with their experiences and I need to be more in kinship with them. We should invite them to be part of our church community and have them serve on committees and open ourselves to be educated by their experience and changed by our kinship with them.
It may make us uncomfortable. It may upset some members. So what. It's what we are called to do. It's do-able when we commit to do it together.
HELP NEEDED. Have you seen the one prophesied by Isaiah? It's OK, those shoplifting food, sleeping on a friend's couch and huddled over heating vents haven't either.
Where should we be looking for him?
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