The Pink Flamingo :: IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PART II

It was a beautiful day today. Maybe it is the last real ‘summer’ day, but here in New Mexico these days are more common than rare. It started out chilly, then warmed up, beautifully.

Have you ever felt that something feared long lost had been given back to you? The great irony today is that it is a Sunday designated for praise! The Refrain for today was: Let the Name of the Lord be praised, from this time forth for ever more!
Today’s Psalm is 113

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord;
   praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
   from this time on and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
   the name of the Lord is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
   and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
   who is seated on high,
who looks far down
   on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust,
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
   with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
   making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

Our Second Reading was 2Timothy 2:3-7

Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer. And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.

The Gospel reading was Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

FUNNY HOW THE LORD WORKS
Today was a beautiful day. There have been a very large number of us who have felt disenfranchised at church. On Thursday our rector of about 2.5 years resigned. Today was like old home week. The powers that be had done away with the most important Episcopalian Sacrament, “Coffee Hour”. Today, after a retaking of the castle walls, we had a huge coffee hour, extremely well attended – packed. It didn’t hurt that we were having a major parish meeting on the fate of the parish, diocese, and church in general, but it was like a party. I’ve not seen people so happy in at least 2.5 years. Many of us are still holding a grudge because Fr. Ron was basically forced to leave when the new regime took over, and Fr. Ron was the glue that held our parish together through some very dark days.

The comment on almost everyone’s lips today was, “We’ve taken our parish back. We’re home again.” There were many grins. I was told I had to behave myself and keep my big fat mouth shut and not cheer when the announcement was made, so I behaved. We all know I don’t like to behave. I’ve been a stranger in a familiar land for so long, today was like coming home.

When I was the ‘interim’ parish secretary while Fr. Ron was the interim rector, one of my favorite things was working with people who needed help. I was known as the softest touch in town. Finally, after about a year, I was given my own seemingly endless lock-box of cash to help the needy when they came by the office. I kept soda, food, juice, even cosmetics, female products, and another group kept diapers and baby things. I had accounts at several local motels for people, and we had an account with a local pharmacy and physician for the needy. So today, in comes this guy. I’m standing by the door. I just automatically slip into my old persona and start talking to him. Within minutes he has a plate of food. Someone rushes over and tells me this guy is a drunk and is always dropping by for a handout and we are to run him off.

No way!

Naturally I give him a 2nd plate of food. Another guy, a blogger named Zach helps him with that one. Then my mother gives him one. If a person is hungry, as Christians we are required to feed them. Christ demands that we do unto the very least as we to unto him. (Which is why I am adamant about helping illegal immigrants who are truly here for assistance and a better life – they are the very least.) I have this feeling we are going to be judged one day by the way we help the unwanted and the people no one else wants to help. I also have a feeling if Christ were to be walking through America today it would be as an illegal immigrant, testing us. This man needed help. He was the very least of us. Christ demands we feed him.

Matthew 25:35-45

"...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”

This is heavy stuff. If we do not help those who need help, we’re in deep dodo. To me that’s the purpose of a church, to help others. I find the super-churches with their buses, multi-million dollar complexes, and huge score-board like Vegas style screens repulsive. Who are they helping? They could take that money and truly make a dent in the slums in Kenya, or help a refugee camp on the border with Sudan. Or they could take in a Christian Iraqi family fleeing Islamic persecution.

I don’t give a rip about whether a person is here legally or not. If their family needs help, I am going to help them. I have before and I will do so again. The argument that they are breaking the law is bogus, especially if you claim to be a “Born Again Christian”. Just read the words of Christ.

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