The Kin-dom of God
They
have no need of our help
So
do not tell me
These
haggard faces could belong to you or me
Should
life have dealt a different hand
We
need to see them for who they really are
Chancers
and scroungers
Lay-abouts
and loungers
With
bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats
and thieves
They
are not
Welcome
here
We
should make them
Go
back to where they came from
They
cannot
Share
our food
Share
our homes
Share
our countries
Instead
let us
Build
a wall to keep them out
It
is not okay to say
These
are people just like us
A
place should only belong to those who are born there
Do
not be so stupid to think that
The
world can be looked at another way.
(now
read from bottom to top)
—“Refugees” by Brian Bilston
Throughout
his ministry, Jesus tells us the last will be first, and the first
will be last. The humble will be exalted, and the exalted, humbled.
The kin-dom of God he proclaims simply turns the power structures and
hierarchies of this world upside down. Or rather, downside up.
Sometimes, we must pause and read from the bottom to the top.
So
many messages in our world encourage us to look inward and think only
of ourselves. What do I want? What do I need? How can I get it?
But the work of faith—the work Jesus calls us to—encourages us to
look inward AND outward—beyond ourselves. We are called to realize
that our well-being is dependent on their well-being. My well-being
is entirely connected with your well-being. Worrying whether or not
an undocumented immigrant receiving pressing medical care in this
country might raise the overall costs of health insurance, does not
serve us. Instead, the pressing spiritual question is how can we
make needed medical services available and accessible to all God’s
children? How might we best minister to the needs of God’s
children—body and soul? How can we make the world more peaceful?
How can we actively decrease the violence? What can I do in this new
year to expand the welcome of Love in my community? This is where my
faith meets the world. As Mary tells us again and again: “God
brings down the powerful from their thrones and lifts up the lowly.
God fills the hungry with good things and send the rich away empty.
God helps us with great mercy, according to the promise God made with
our ancestors. . . .” I truly believe her song was not sung in
vain. We are each called to extend God’s hands and heart into the
world in ways that can turn things rightside-up.
See
you in church,
Christy
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