Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:35 (KJV)
‘For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.’
Reflection on the Gospel
In this verse, Jesus speaks about welcoming the stranger. Jesus teaches us that caring for those in need, including refugees, is an expression of our love for God. This passage calls us to open our hearts and homes to those who are seeking refuge and safety, reflecting God’s compassion and mercy.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I lift up to you all the refugees around the world who have been forced to flee their homes due to violence, persecution, and disaster. Please provide them with safety, shelter, and the comfort of your presence. Help them to find communities that welcome and support them. Fill my heart with compassion and move me to act in ways that can make a difference in their lives. Guide me in extending your love and care to those in need. Thank you for your endless mercy and grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Personal Reflection
I think about the hardships that refugees face and the courage it takes to leave everything behind in search of safety. How can I help to provide support and welcome to refugees in my community? Reflecting on this, I am reminded that my actions can make a difference, and I am called to show compassion and hospitality to those in need.
Meditation on the Prayer and Gospel
Welcoming refugees is an act of love and compassion that reflects the heart of Jesus’ teachings. Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:35 remind us of our duty to care for those who are strangers and in need. This call to action invites us to extend our hospitality and support to refugees, offering regugees a sense of belonging and hope.
As I meditate on this prayer, I recall the story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan went out of his way to help a stranger in need, showing mercy and compassion. This story inspires me to reach out and support refugees, recognizing their humanity and dignity.
I think about the refugees in my community and around the world. I visualize their faces and hold them in my thoughts. I imagine Jesus standing with me, encouraging me to extend compassion and assistance. I feel a sense of responsibility and empathy as I commit to being a source of support for those seeking refuge.
Supporting refugees involves both direct action and advocacy. It means offering practical help, such as food, shelter, and clothing, as well as advocating for policies that protect their rights and dignity. As I practise these principles, I become a vessel of God’s grace, reflecting Jesus’ love to those in need.
Additional Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for your example of compassion and hospitality. Help me to follow your teachings and show love to refugees. Grant me the courage to stand up for their rights and the compassion to offer practical support. Fill my heart with empathy and understanding, and let your love be evident in all that I do. Amen.
Closing Scripture Reading: Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)
‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’
Our Blessing
May the compassion of God fill my heart and guide my actions. May God’s grace empower me to show love and kindness to refugees. May I go forth in God’s love, extending mercy and compassion to all I meet. Amen.
Jesus declares his divinity. No one, he tells Nicodemus, has yet ascended into heaven. Only Jesus knows heaven. Even while he is on earth as man, he is in heaven as God. Once Jesus has died and has risen from the dead, and then through the Ascension, then Jesus will be in heaven as man also. This is to be our gateway to heaven. Moses set the bronze serpent on the pole to cure those people who had been bitten by poisonous snakes in the wilderness (Numbers 21: 8-9). Jesus compares this to the crucifixion he must undergo [ … ]
As I meditate on the love of Jesus Christ, I am reminded of the institution of the Lord’s Supper and the profound love Jesus revealed in doing so. In the midst of his last meal with his disciples, Jesus took bread and wine, gave thanks, and gave them to his disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ (Luke 22:19, KJV)
In the words of Ecclesiastes: Light itself is delightful, and it is a great boon for the eye to have sight of the sun. Devoid of light, the world would be without beauty and life would be lifeless. That was why Moses, who saw God, said in anticipation: And God saw the light and said that it was good. To reflect on the true and eternal light is even more fitting for us. This light is Christ who enlightens every man who comes into the world, the savior and redeemer of the world. He is the one who became man and sank to the very depths of the human condition. As David said: Sing to God a hymn to his name, make a highway for him who rises to the west. His name is the Lord, rejoice before him! [ … ]
