GOSPEL READING : Mark 12 : 28-34 :
LOVING GOD THROUGH LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR
Virginia and I were married February 26, 1983. During all these years, we have not crossed one single week without seeing some poor people come to us and beg either for food or medical help or any other kind of assistance. Our home has always been a destination and crossroads of the needy and poor ones who live around us even when we had nothing at all to offer to them. Here is a story about what has happened to us several times.
One Monday morning, an elderly woman walked slowly to our home and sat very far at the gate. The previous Sunday, I had preached from Matthew 25:31-46, where Christ says “I was hungry and you gave me to eat…I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…I was a stranger and you invited me in…I needed clothes and you clothed me…I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…” We hadn’t seen this humble suffering woman but our dog was barking and barking. This happened in 1986 when we had only 2 kids (2 and 1 year old).Virginia finally decided to go and see what was really happening and she saw the poor elderly woman laying down there. She called as we use to in the Kirundi language but the woman didn’t move to respond. Virginia thought she was dead.
Thus, coming back to me in a hurry, Virginia said, “Justin, Jesus is at our gate, what can we do?” I replied and said “Jesus? Did you see Jesus? Where is He?” Virginia insisted saying “Yes, Justin Jesus is at our gate. Don’t you remember the sermon you preached yesterday in Church? An elder woman is dying there at our gate.” So I jumped quickly from my chair and together with Virginia we went and, fortunately, found the woman deeply sleeping. We helped her to wake up and led her slowly into our house. The strange thing was that we had nothing as food at all in our house. We had spent the previous night drinking black tea with our two kids. No bread, no beans, no sweet potatoes, nothing, and the children were weeping and crying of hunger.
Virginia looked at me and I also looked at her. Our faces were filled with questions. She took from the tea that remained in the bottle and helped the elderly woman drink slowly the last cup we had. As usual, I entered in our bedroom and knelt to pray. Here are the words I said in my childish prayer:
“Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for visiting us this morning.
If this is really you, O Lord, hear my humble prayer:
We have welcomed you in our humble poor home,
We have served you our last, really last cup of tea.
Now, remember what you said:
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
I will go in and eat with him, and he with me.”
Yes, Lord, thank you for what you have also
brought with you to be shared with us. Amen”
No sooner was my prayer finished, I heard Virginia knocking at the door and saying, “Justin, Come quickly. Your uncle is coming. He is bringing a big chicken and an enormous bunch of green bananas. Come! Come! I know you have been praying secretly in the room! Come! Jesus has heard your prayer!”. And I left the room with a big “THANK YOU JESUS” on my lips and we ate Jesus’ food!
Dear Brethren, do you need Jesus visit you in your situation whatever dark it may be? Do you need to experience how he opens his merciful hand to rescue you ?
“LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF”
In Christ’s Love,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
An International Ministry of
The Episcopal free Church- Province of Burundi
P.O. Box 197 Gitega, Burundi
Tel: 257 79 877 097
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