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: ” In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus says of those who will "inherit the kingdom prepared for them" in heaven: "I was hungry and thirsty and you gave me food and drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." The question is then asked: "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and give you food or drink? When did we welcome you, or clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?" To this question, Jesus responds: "If you did it to one of the least of people, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:35-40)
Cyprian of Carthage (AD 210-258) was a third century Bishop and theologian. Responding to our verse for today, he wrote: "What more could Christ declare unto us? How more could He stimulate the works righteousness and mercy, than by saying that whatever is given to the needy and poor is given to Himself, and by saying that He is aggrieved unless the needy and poor be supplied? So that he who in the Church is not moved by consideration for his brother, may yet be moved by contemplation of Christ; and he who does not think about his fellow-servant who is suffering and in poverty, may yet think of his Lord, who abideth in that very man whom he is despising."
The gist of Cyprian's argument is this: if you are not able to muster love and concern for another human being, they try to muster it for Christ—and know that all the good you do for another, He perceives as being done to and for Him. Just as Mother Teresa spoke of seeing the face of Christ in the dying whose brows she wiped with a damp cloth, Jesus invites us to see Him in every person we bless, care for, or help. And, as Cyprian suggests, know that Jesus is made happy and rejoices as we do.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ” In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.
