Bill wondered how the survivors of the cyclone in Burma and the earthquake in China would react to this passage. They have lost so much - more than we could ever imagine. Would Jesus appear to them and tell them this same parable? Bill suggests that Jesus would come up with a different parable for them! But he reminded us that we who have so much in this country, we who consume so much, can be a part of the recovery efforts across the globe. Bill recommended that we give monetarily to the Episcopal Relief Fund, an organization that provides emergency assistance in times of disaster.
Which brings me to my own issues with worry. During Lectio Divina this morning (which meets at 9:15 in the Pollard Room) I pondered my own bird feeder that I can view from my dining room window. Every day I fill that feeder up and every day the birds empty it. Sometimes I'm out of town or I forget to fill it and I feel guility that I'm not coming through for those birds. Today I realized that somehow I've made it MY responsibility to feed the birds because I have a strong tendency to want to control my world and today's gospel message reminded me that it is "my heavenly Father who feeds them". Granted, that may be happening through me but it's not my entire responsibility to feed the birds.
So when I fill my bird feeder over the next several days I will use it as a touchpoint - a reminder that when I start to worry this will be my reminder that God cares for my every need in the same way that God cares for the needs of those birds. I'll let you know how that goes!
My question to you is, "How do you deal with worry?"
This picture of the birds at their feeders is from the following wonderful website!
Contributed by: Roberta Hiday
4 comments:
The Episcopal Relief & Development fund is a great way to donate your money for worldly causes such as the earthquake in China.
Donating to the Episcopal Relief & Development fund is a great way to go.
Here's what I imagine Jesus saying to people at the center of big environmental disaster such as cyclone, earthquake, or tornado:
"I am with you. I will go with you to your child's collapsed school. I will go with you to the hospital to search for your parents. I am standing in the mud where your house used to be. I am in line with you for food, standing beside you." And after saying all that, then it's not so hard to imagine him saying, "Don't worry. I am right here with you."
Imagining what Jesus would say or do is always a little iffy, because he rarely said what people expected him to say. (Did he ever?) He's a very surprising fellow. So ... keeping in mind that Jesus would probably surprise me just as deeply as he surprised his own family and neighbors ... still ... that's what I imagine he would say.
Margaret,
I like your reminder that Jesus will ALWAYS surprise us with His response! How true!
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