Monday, December 12, 2011

A Prayer for Monday, December 12, 2011

“When Was It?”

Lord, give us eyes to see the hurting people who are all around us and give us hearts that care enough to try to help heal their hurts.

Guard us from the kind of calculating self-interest that connects our concern and help with our possible reward.

Help us to see you in those who are oppressed, poor, sick, incarcerated, hungry, thirsty, lonely, and outcast, but not at the cost of failing to see them for who they are.

Grant that our care, concern, and help will come to be as natural to us as our lack of care, concern, and help tends to be.

Amen.

“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.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:37-46)

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