Reflection on Matthew 25:31-26 by Rev. Dr. Clay Brantley

"Ministry on the Margins"

We are toward the end of 2020. There is no end in sight for this pandemic. COVID cases are rising. Political unrest continues. Racial strife seems to have calmed down, but deep, underlying systemic racism continues. How are those who seek to be faithful, who desire wholeness, who wish to be fully present and hold space for what is stirring to respond?

For many generations, Matthew 25 has provided guidance:

“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 clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me. When did we do this to you? When you do it to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do it to me.”

Since most of us have a deep desire to be sheep and not goats, we have sought ways to feed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, gather clothes for those in need, care for the sick, visit with those in prison or just released. But there are two issues with these verses. The first is that the sheep did not know they were serving the king, the Son of Man. They were not calculating what they needed to do to be sheep, to be accepted by the king into the kingdom prepared for them. They simply responded out of compassion to the ones they encountered. What does this look like in COVID times and in times of great division? To simply see and respond?

The second issue is toxic charity. When those who step in to help those who have not, it is often an unhealthy relationship. Even when the heart is in the right place, great harm has been done to the poor. Here are some guidelines from the book Toxic Charity: one-way giving is for emergency situations only; never do for the poor what they can do for themselves; empower the poor; listen to them, especially to what they are not saying; do no harm.

Richard Rohr, one of my mentors, named his place The Center for Action and Contemplation, recognizing both action and contemplation work together, support one another. He has said that in our society we are much more prone to action than contemplation. At the Retreat House, we focus on contemplation in many ways, offering a necessary gift to our world. Yet, the Retreat House is also involved in action, in engaging with those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick and in prison.

In the midst of all that is happening in this crazy year, I believe we are called to minister at the margins. In many ways through COVID and political and racial unrest, we are living at the margins. We don’t know what is coming next. The invitation to feed the hungry, care for the sick, welcome the stranger, visit those in prison is not to solve a problem. It is an invitation to step out of our comfort zone. To step out of places where we are in control and safe. To engage those whose problems can’t be easily addressed and to listen to them, to what they say and what they don’t say. To hold space with them. When we do this, we are transformed. Our capacity for caring is increased. We minister at the margins because Christ told us that he is among the least of these. We go not because of what benefit we will receive. But the benefits and blessings will be abundant.

The challenge is how to minister at the margins in the midst of a pandemic with increasing infections. That is a challenge. However, in the midst of the pandemic, the hungry are even hungry, the naked have fewer clothes, the sick are sicker, the inmates are more distanced. How are we being invited to respond? With our whole selves.

Listen to Rev. Dr. Lil Smith's Guided Meditation for Praying the Lectionary for Matthew 25:31-26.

Invitation

As you experience the practice of praying the lectionary, adopt a loving, caring and compassionate stance. If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do. Keep wrestling. God is faithful to your journey. Love and hope will emerge. Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

This excerpt was taken from a weekly meditation. To sign up to receive these, email us.

"So that we may live lives worthy of the Lord and please God in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God."
- Rooted in Colossians 1:10 

Rev. Dr. Clay Brantley is a co-founder of Retreat House. Clay also serves on the RH board of directors and leads several offerings including Contemplative Painting, Writers Gathering and the Conversation on Racism series to name a few. He’s also an avid writer frequently contributing to the RH House of series. You can read more about Clay's ministry here.