Tag Archives: Sick

Sick Greed

paid_sick_leave_imagesLiving in the Spirit
July 19, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. –Mark 6:53-56

Care for the sick and heal the sick are themes that weave through Jesus’ entire ministry. Yet we in the United States, who some claim to be a Christian nation, have failed the sick. In a country that values wealth so highly, we have forgotten or perhaps never understood that our people are our most valuable resource. The same could be said for education and criminal justice.

If our actions do not result in an immediate profit for someone, they are not worth the investment. So we have drug testing facilities opting and charging for a $500 screen when a $15 one would do. Twenty years ago, I was in an HMO that notified me they were no longer going to pay for the prescription I had been taking for years, but they would pay for a similar one for the same condition. I thought it was a cost saving matter and switched only to find out when I picked up the drug, it cost more than the one I had been taking. I wondered who got the kick back and I switched insurances.

Greed is epidemic in our land and will be our downfall, if we as the prophets say do not repent and turn around. What is right, what is just must be the first consideration.

Prayer: God of All, heal our souls of the greed to which we are addicted. Make us whole enabling love and justice can be our driving forces. Amen.

 All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Sins of Omission

Sins of OmissionLiving in the Spirit
November 23, 2014

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:31-46

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 25:41-46

Following parables about the Kingdom of God, Jesus closes out what is now designated as Matthew 25 with a discourse on sins of omission. Our society, particularly the church, tends to emphasize sins that we commit. Now don’t get me wrong, I do not think Jesus wants us to intentionally do things that separate us from God. What Jesus might be saying here is that the things that separate us most from God are the things that separate us most from each other. If we choose to target our lives at doing what we consider to be right by our own definitions without regard to others in the hopes of winning a place of honor in God’s Kingdom, we may be missing the mark.

I am writing this while printing gift cards for the people at my church to purchase to give as Christmas presents to those people who would be most honored by receiving such a card that says a contribution has been given in their honor to a mission project thousands of miles away.  The program Caminante, in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic is designed to help street children learn and grow into self-sustaining, whole adults. It is a wonderful program, locally operated and lovingly supported by the people who see the good that it does.

This is just one tiny way of acknowledging the vast diversity of people we are called to love who are citizens in the Kingdom of God. I am sure there are more ways than any of us could even imagine to give clean water to the thirsty, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, help the sick, provide restorative help for those in prison, and yes, welcome the stranger for they are strangers no more in the Kingdom of God, but they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prayer: Lord, make us cognizant of our sins of omission and open channels of service to us that will help us turn them into commissions of service. Amen.

The quote in the picture above is by 18th century Irish political philosopher Edmond Burke.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

Just as We Are

Bread of lifeLiving in the Spirit
November 22, 2014

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:31-46

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 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.” — Matthew 25:34b-40

After working for 35 years in the public welfare sector and being accosted by Christians about the “fact” that those who are needy brought it on themselves and should just get a job, I find it fascinating that Jesus in our scripture today ties no strings to the acts we are called to do and for which we will be judged. There is no requirements to look for a job, no need to present a detailed accounting of all assets, no demand for reparations for crimes committed, no admonitions regarding reaping what those needing health care sowed. Mother Teresa is one of the few people that come to mind who might have even come close to being able to meet the no strings attached requirements. And what about tough love? Aren’t we into tough love now?

This scripture is not so much about the “thems” of the world as it is about us. In all honesty we have probably all experienced some level or some type of hunger or thirst, been a stranger out of place, been exposed in some way or another, been physically or mentally sick, and imprisoned by our own sins, if not by the laws of the land. There seems to be something in human nature that demands our creating a hierarchy of worth among the children that God created and it is important that we are at least above someone on that list. Not so, Jesus says. There is no hierarchy of worth. Every hair on every head and the heads with no hair are valuable in the eyes of God.

We cannot be of any help to anyone we have to place below us in order to maintain our own self-esteem. We have no real self-esteem, if we must rely on the misfortunes of others to be comfortable with our own worth. The day we accept that God loves us for who we are is the day we can love others for who they are and then, and only then, can we fulfill Jesus’ call to help others in whatever way they need that we meet along the way.

Prayer: Heal my soul, O Lord, so that I may be a full partner with you in the work of your Kingdom. Give me eyes to see the needs of others, the heart to care, and the resources to help. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

Curing the Sick

Living in the Spirit
August 2, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:13-21 

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. —Matthew 14:13-14

Because we get so caught up in the story in our scripture today regarding the feeding the masses, we may miss this excerpt about curing the sick. Jesus was a healer. While most of us could recite a list of nuisance health related complaints from sinusitis to headaches to backaches and some are dealing with more serious life impacting and limiting illnesses, we often overlook the healing of our souls. It is interesting that even science is more and more linking our physical ailments to both our mental and spiritual health. I just read in the paper yesterday that people who give of themselves live longer, more productive lives. Perhaps this whole scripture is about healing.

Yesterday, the news showed a woman protesting the care of Central American children at the Fort Sill Army Base. She did not want her tax dollars wasted in such a manner. Some in our Congressional delegations are fearful that the continued use of Fort Sill as an interim place to house these refugees might lessen its ability to train soldiers. It is my understanding the facility was selected because the dorms being used were vacant. The Oklahoma Governor is demanding that the federal government keep its projection of only using the facility for 120 days. I wondered, if our political leaders have thought what might happen to Fort Sill, if we really stopped fighting wars. The dorms are empty for a reason. Could we actually be nearing a point when we will be beating our weapons into plowshares? What would the closure of such facilities do to the economy of our state? And what better use of these facilities could we make than protecting children from the ravages of the world?

People of faith have been ministering to refugees all over the world for years. Many of the countries surrounding the fleeing people have limited resources themselves. I take great satisfaction in knowing that my country, using my tax dollars, are providing the basics of life: food, clothing, shelter, and medical care for these children and youth. People of faith are also there for them, but so is our country. People of faith are still in harm’s way in the homelands of these children working to make their country safer and more self-sustaining but in the meantime we can at the very least see that these children survive.

Prayer: Heal our souls, so fill us with your love that we cannot help but love our neighbor. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.