Making a Difference = What Disciples of Jesus Do

Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets"

Friends, if we are disciples of Jesus Christ, then this passage from the Gospel of Luke is addressed to us. It really is as simple as that.

This passage is noteworthy because it does not say, ‘blessed are you who are poor in spirit.’ It simply says, ‘poor.’ Luke’s Gospel is focused on God’s special attention and care for the poor, the downtrodden, the oppressed and the forgotten by the world. Luke's focus represents a trend found throughout all of Scripture, in fact, the so-called ‘prophetic’ tradition which is very much addressed to questions of social inequity and social justice. This trend is so strong in all of Scripture that many theologians speak of God’s preference for the poor and the oppressed.

Why would God pay special attention the poor and oppressed of this World? Because it is not God’s plan that some have too much and some too little. It is not God’s plan that some starve while others get fat. It is not God’s plan that some die of preventable causes while others live to extreme old age for their own sake. It is God’s plan for all people is that we live together in peace, loving God and neighbor, and enjoying God’s creation. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are called to be a part of that plan.

It is for this reason that the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and numerous other denominations (Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, to name a few) have taken ahold of the United Nation’s Millenium Development Goals in our Gospel-based efforts to help the poor and suffering of this world. This is not some kind of whacky left-wing utopian fantasy here. This is about feeding the poor, teaching the children, offering healing services, and bringing freedom to all people. It is also about being mindful that those who suffer most are typically women and children.

My wife and I served Christ in Honduras directly in country between 1994-1997. We spent many years afterwards returning on yearly mission trips. The facts on the ground are these: women and children suffer the most in the Third World. They suffer from things which they shouldn’t have to suffer from: hunger, thirst, ignorance, preventable disease, outright abuse and near-slavery.

Christians who believe that we are called to actually Follow Jesus need to help them. This basic conviction of Christianity is why St. Michael’s has been ramping up its mission and outreach work over the past few years, and why we hope to continue to do so.

The Episcopal Relief and Development agency (ER-D) is a fine agent of the Church, and St. Michael's has contributed significantly to ER-D in recent years. Especially in the wake of Katrina and the Tsunami disasters.

ER-D explains the MDG's and what they are doing about them here:

The MDGs and You

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education for Children

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Goal 8: Create a Global Partnership for Development