The Most Vulnerable

Gospel: Matthew 18: 1-4, 10

Jesus sets before us the most vulnerable in society - a child - one without status or rights, and he states that God has such love and concern for them that even the angels watch over them.  In no uncertain terms, Jesus has time and again taught that love and compassion must extend to all human beings without exception, even to the most marginalized and vulnerable members of society.  

Since that time, we human beings have crafted many versions of Christianity to undo that teaching.  In every time and place we earnestly set about to assert that various groups of people are excluded from this circle of concern that God has created: women, Africans, migrants, refugees, children born and unborn, LGBTQ people - the list is endless.  When we only give priority to one of these groups we demean the value of all the others.  Every person, every life must be defended and spoken for without exception.

If our age is any worse in this area than any other it is only because we have created more efficient means of harming people.  We have used our technology to commit mass slaughter of the physical body and widespread diminution of the spiritual body in mass media.  But the call of Jesus to radical hospitality and love remains.  It is for us to continue to heed his call and example in our own time and place.