Weathering the Storms

Gospel: Matthew 7: 21, 24-27

When people are beset by the storms of life, what they often need are healing and nourishment.  Yesterday, we saw Jesus provide both to a multitude of people, and his only criteria were two questions: Are you in pain; how can we heal you?  Are you hungry?  When people are in need that is the only criterion that is needed in order to provide for them what they need.  

If we live a life dedicated to providing healing and nourishment to those in need, to those who are beset by the storms of life, we will find ourselves coming to understand others.  We will be listening to people share their needs, their hopes and dreams, fears and anxieties.  We will discover the wisdom that is given to us and them in the silence of the listening, in just being the presence of God for others in the world.  

So, when it is our time to weather the storms of life, we will have a wealth of wisdom from these experiences in sitting with others in their time of need.  We will likely have others come minister to us in our time of need as well, just as we did for them.  For the measure by which we measured will be measured to us in return.  Let us, then, live a life of loving service and mercy to others.