Date: Thursday, April 9th 
Scripture: Matthew 25:36
“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”
By Marsha Roscoe, Deacon, Collaborative Mission Center Director, Lower Susquehanna Synod
Somewhere between Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday, Jesus goes to the temple to deliver his final discourse. The cross looms near. Good Friday is inescapable. Every moment, every word, every breath count. Christ’s passion is palpable. Still, Jesus never misses an opportunity to teach us. Jesus appreciates the sanctity of these final hours and uses them to prepare us for what’s next – the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom (see Matthew 23-25).
Jesus shares a vision for making God’s Kingdom known through acts of mercy — clothing, visiting, and feeding. Think about these for a moment. There are an infinite number of possibilities for expressions of mercy; yet, Jesus calls our attention to the basics – food, clothing, visitation,
accompaniment. Participating in and contributing to the very nature of God’s Kingdom is accessible to each one of us. Ordination not required. The only prerequisite is love of God and neighbor.
Jesus and the disciples faithfully reached out to those who were long forgotten by society. Clothe the naked, visit the ill, accompany a prisoner in jail. How we treat the least of these is how we treat Jesus. During these encounters, one thing is for certain – God is already present, so you will experience Jesus.
Lent is a perfect time for us to examine how we treat Jesus. I pray that we might seize the invitations to encounter Jesus through basic acts of mercy found in food, clothing, loving accompaniment and hospitality. For God is already there.
Prayer: Dear God, teach us to recognize opportunities to express small mercies to one another. Guide us to use our resources rightfully in a way that fulfills your kingdom. Amen.
Criminal Justice Fact: African American men are six times more likely to be incarcerated than white men. If current trends continue, 1 in 3 black boys born in America today will be imprisoned.
Action: Organize a voter registration drive. The American Association of University Women put together a good guide to help you get started: https://aauw-pa.aauw.net/policy/resources/registration/
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